Music News caught up with one of our favourite bands, The Rifles, on their recent UK tour and had a chat with the boys who have started a semi-Mod revival around the UK. Their set is full of catchy, energetic, guitar based tunes that embody Clash and Jam throwbacks, all packaged in a unique and modern style with the contemplative sometimes ironic lyrics about everyday life and it's peculiarities penned by lead vocalist Joel Stoker. Joel and guitarist Luke Crowther are a songwriting duo that is already being tipped to be one of the great partnerships of our era. Prior to their Coventry show Music News began to probe deeper.
MN: How's the tour been going?
Luke Crowther: Brilliant, the first three were practically all sold out with two to three hundred people there every night.
Joel Stoker We didn't know how it was going to go as we hadn't been out of London for a while so it was a good buzz to know in advance that the sales were going so well.
Robb Pyne: It's been busy every night so really fantastic for us.
MN: And you've done it without too much media coverage, Soccer AM aside.
Robb Pyne: Yeah, that's definitely helped but mainly it was our last single (Local Boy) that has done it for us.
Joel Stoker They've also been playing ‘Repeated Offender'.
Luke Crowther: It's been a right touch. They've even put a bulletin out for my hat, someone took off with it from the Stoke gig and so they put a bulletin out for Robin Hood's hat. Hopefully I'll get it back! Everyone is always trying to get hold of my hat, so what I'm thinking of doing is giving one away at future gigs and writing inside it what gig it was.
MN: I saw the photos of you on Soccer AM where you're all having a go at kicking the ball through the hole. Which of you scored?
Joel Stoker None of us!
Luke Crowther: I think we need to work on our skills. Grant's one never left the floor and Rob just skied it into the lighting equipment.
Joel Stoker We had a right laugh. It's a great show that I've always watched so it was really good to be on there.
MN: So where have you been best received then?
Grant Marsh: Newcastle (everyone agrees).
Joel Stoker We'd played in Sunderland but never in Newcastle and it was great, we had about 400 for that gig. Bristol was another great reception, it started slow but was really buzzing by the end.
MN: And after the UK tour, you're off to Germany.
Grant Marsh: We're looking forward to it, it's going to be our first overseas gig.
Luke Crowther: The Rifles are going to get cultured!
MN: Are there more overseas gigs planned?
Luke Crowther: Definitely, we've been getting some really good reviews over in Germany and the Sony division in Germany have told us that it's really going well out there so they wanted us to go out there straight away as 'Repeated Offender' has gone straight to radio.
MN: So where are you going or where would you like to go next?
Grant Marsh: Well we're going to Japan which is where I always wanted to go and I'd also like to go to New York.
Luke Crowther: I'd like to go to Scandinavia, Sweden. You don't have to ask me why!
Robb Pyne: I can't wait to play the Fuji festival.
Joel Stoker I'd go to Brazil probably for the same reason that Luke would go to Sweden!
MN: How did working with Ian Broudie come about?
Joel Stoker He saw us at the Wireless festival and he said he'd like to do the Local Boy single with us and then he said he'd really like to do the album.
MN: I know that your influences go back to stuff from The Kinks right up to stuff like The Cure. What bands do you listen to today?
Luke Crowther: We're all into a lot of different stuff, I'm listening to a lot of Bloc Party and Joel has been playing a lot of Babyshambles.
Grant Marsh: There's no one band inparticular, I like The Cribs but it's a big mix really
Robb Pyne: Last album I bought was by The Departure
Joel Stoker Some of the stuff I listen to is completely different like Jose Gonzalez. I think that especially now that we are in a position to be able to dedicate all our time to the music it will probably lead to a different sound.
Luke Crowther: We all basically love very different types of music and I think it will be interesting to see how the band evolves. Things will definitely start to get more interesting as in the past its been difficult for Rob and Grant to have an influence on the music as a lot of the stuff was done by Joel and I would add my stuff so the structure was already there. There are a few songs like 'Fat Cat' and 'She's Got Standards' which were done by the band just jamming and now the songs will be done a lot more as a band and it will just naturally develop.
MN: 'Repeated Offender' was a great little follow-up to 'Local Boy' and I really like the video.
Joel Stoker We're chuffed with how it turned out, it's different as well as it's just meant to be a bit of fun.
Luke Crowther: It's been really well received as well and it's been played a lot more than 'Local Boy' ever was which has helped.
Grant Marsh: As we've been going we've picked up more and more fans, it's been steady but the support is always growing and playing with bands like The Subways really helped us especially as that came about with the release of 'Local Boy'.
MN: So, what's planned for the rest of 2006?
Grant Marsh: Well we've got the gigs lined up with The Dead 60's and then we've got a host of festivals in the summer.
Luke Crowther: We're really looking forward to the Fuji festival. I really love their culture and they love British bands.
MN: Right, last question to finish it all off. Two favourite bands ever?
Robb Pyne: Toughie to answer just like that. The Who are the band I've got most records of and who I've been most influenced by as a bassist, so definitely them.
Grant Marsh: Well, Nirvana are the band that got me into music so I would put them in there.
Luke Crowther: Bum of a question, but off the top of my head, I'll go for Pink Floyd and The Clash.
Joel Stoker Probably Bob Marley would be my favourite out of all of them and The Beatles, they are the two bands that I've always liked and will always like.
Luke Crowther: The Beatles - they've gotta be in there.
Loved the interview, loved the boys and loved the gig. The Rifles go from strength to strength. Catch up with all their latest news at www.therifles.co.uk and don't miss their new single ‘She's got standards' out later this month.
The Rifles - She's Got Standards [Real Media Hi]The Rifles - She's Got Standards [Real Media Lo]The Rifles - She's Got Standards [Windows Lo]The Rifles - She's Got Standards [Windows Hi]
