In the first entry of Abergavenny Now’s new segment Band’s Under the Spotlight I spoke to Abergavenny band Quickhatch. Quickhatch are a 5 piece band who have been playing and writing their own music since June of 2014 and have been gaining quite the reputation in the local area for their music. The band consists of guitarist Josh Hawkins, guitarists and singers Joseph and Karl Blythe, bass player Nathan Holley and Sam Rushton on drums. Abergavenny now got together with Quickhatch to find out more about the band, their history and what projects they have in the works!
Aaron: ‘So let’s open this conversation talking about what type of music Quickhatch play?’
Sam: ‘I’d say the main sort of stuff we play is blues rock and blues’
Aaron: ‘And why did you pick that genre?’
Joe: ‘When I got into my teens, I dug through my father’s CD collection and got hugely into Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Rolling Stones and having studied music, slowly started to learn about the blues that inspired it all. That’s what drives us at the core creatively I think, we all have a real affection for blues.’
Nathan: ‘A lot of the 70s rock is based on it, very much a feel based music, we can play the same song three different shows and it wouldn’t sound the same.’
Aaron: ‘So you prefer to give a unique feel to each gig?’
Nathan: ‘Yeah, I never learn a strict bass part, I’ll learn the chord progressions but what I play changes each time we play songs, depending on the feel.’
Aaron: ‘Interesting so would you say that it’s a signature of the band you a uniqueness?’
Nathan: ‘Yeah Definitely!’
Aaron: ‘So how long has the band been together?’
Nathan: ‘About three years as a band, Sam’s been with us three or four months, Josh a couple of weeks?’
Aaron: ‘So you’ve stuck together for a while now and have been very active over the 3 years can you give us a brief history about yourselves?’
Joe: ‘Gig wise it all started with a family party. Karl and I had been playing together a few years and were asked to play at our uncle’s party, having recently started college at the time; I asked a few friends on the course (Nathan and Owain our first drummer) if they were up for playing with us. We played an awesome show and they became our best friends. We all just got incredibly lucky and figured it was too much fun to just stop at one gig, so we’re still playing and writing together today.’
Nathan: Our first gig was in November 2013 I think , we’ve done about 20 gigs , played a gig at clubhouse in Cardiff , most notable was probably playing at Rodney parade , home of the Newport Gwent dragons egg chasers!
Aaron: ‘So you’ve been playing some big places! Tell me what venues would you like to play in local areas?’
Nathan: I suppose there’s the obvious ones like live lounge and fuel rock bar.’
Joe: ‘I’ve heard great things about the Moon Club and Nos Da in Cardiff as well. I think we need to make some noise in South Wales then work towards the Bristol scene’.
Sam: ‘And the Millennium Stadium!’
Aaron: ‘Big plans for the group then! You also recently changed your name can you tell us more about your original name ‘The Committee’ and the decision to change to Quickhatch?’
Karl: ‘The Committee came from a show we did in a constitutional club, we needed a name and there were all these signs saying “by order of the committee’. *Laughs*
Aaron: *Laughs* ‘I suppose that’s thinking on your feet! So what brought about the change in name?’
Karl: ‘This name’s more unique’
Nathan: ‘The name change was due to the fact that there were so many bands named The Committee we just needed something that stood out more.’
Aaron: ‘And what made you choose the name Quickhatch? It sounds cool whose idea was it?’
Karl: ‘Well that’s an old Cherokee name for a wolverine, Joe’s initial idea.’
Joe: ‘Yeah, the name I read a while ago and just liked the way it sounded. I figure the wolverine is a savage, relentless American animal, like the blues, so it seemed fitting. It’s unique in music too, hopefully when were searched for, we’ll be one of the only results.’
Aaron: ‘Nice great name I think and I got to learn something! So can you guys tell me about your play list? Are you writing your own songs? Covering only or have you got a mixture of the both?’
Nathan: ‘We play a mixture of our own material and covers of rock and blues songs.’
Aaron: ‘So how many originals do you guys have?’
Sam: ‘I think it’s 5 in the set? Summers Day, One in a Million, Be all end all, Orange Purple Skies, Good Old Stuff. Yeah 5 that we play live.’
Aaron: ‘So who have you been covering during your sets? And why?’
Karl: ‘More Hendrix than anyone else, Josh and I love him I think.’
Josh: ‘Yes lots of Hendrix songs, Also BB King, Rory Gallagher and Stevie Ray Vaughan tracks.’
Karl: ‘Bit of BB King, as a tribute.’
Aaron ‘So those artists are they big influences on yourselves and the band as a whole?’
Nathan: ‘On the band definitely, myself I’m a big led Zeppelin fan also like bands such as Cream and Free.’
Josh: ‘I’m influenced by many guitarists, Jeff Beck, John Mayer, Michael Landau, Tommy Emmanuel, Guthrie Govan, Scott Henderson just to name a few.’
Sam: ‘The artists aren’t as big an influence on me because I think I’m the only one who listens mostly to metal, but I try and integrate some of the stuff I listen to into my playing I’m most influenced by Matt Halpern, Matt Garstka, and Benny Greb.’
Nathan: ‘Bass players such as Pino Palladino Jack Bruce, John Paul Jones and Andy Fraser are my bass playing influences.’
Joe: ‘I grew up listening to a lot of 90’s grunge such as Nirvana, Audioslave and Pearl Jam and got hugely into The Clash, thanks to my brothers, so I was usually singing along to that more melodic sort of rock.’
Aaron: ‘Great group of musicians there! So with your original songs would you say they give a good example of your sound and style?’
Karl: ‘Yeah our version of crossroads goes down well; it’s got a kinda rockabilly feel.’
Josh: ‘The two originals are very different and I think they display the wide influences of the band well.’
Nathan: ‘Yeah I would say so, also our covers of red house and the thrill is gone are always well received.’
Josh: ‘Which are also on the upcoming EP!’
Aaron: ‘Something to look forward to there! So I was wondering as a local band has Abergavenny influenced you in music at all?’
Nathan: ‘I think the gigs we’ve played in Abergavenny have been our best, and when playing live you always get more energy when you see the crowd enjoying the music.’
Karl: ‘Abergavenny’s where we usually play with the Caspiens too, we love watching each other play.’
Aaron: ‘Great nothing like playing your home town! So do you have any upcoming gigs?’
Nathan: ‘One at the labour club on the 22nd of April, also organising a gig at the Coach and Horses for May!’
Aaron: ‘Something to look forward to guys! So where can readers listen to your music and what can they find you under online?’
Nathan: ‘We’re on Facebook under Quickhatch; I’m currently working on a website which should be published very soon!’
Aaron: ‘And is there anywhere readers can listen to you in the meantime?’
Karl: ‘Oh yeah NHSound is good place to hear us too’
Aaron: ‘Thanks guys I’ll get listening! Thanks again for being the first interview of Abergavenny Now’s Band’s Under the Spotlight!’
If you’d like to listen to more of Quickhatch’s music you can do so on the website Nathan spoke about here!
https://thecommitteeband.bandcamp.com/
And for more information on their upcoming gigs you can find all updates on all things Quickhatch on their Facebook page here!
QUICKHATCH rehearsing for one of their recent gigs!
If you have are part of a local band or music act and would like to feature in one of our articles, get in touch by clicking here.
