29 November 2009 (released)
29 November 2009
Cuddly Shark were born and bred in the bonnie highlands of Scotland. The band consists of Colin Reid on guitar and vocals, Ruth Forsyth on bass guitar and vocals, and Jason Sinclair on drums and vocals.
With the debut album recorded by Scott Maple (Le Reno Amps) and Ross McGowan (Dananananaykroyd, We Are the Physics), released in November 2009 Music-News.com caught up with the three-piece to ask some questions.
You’re called Cuddly Shark but you have a picture of a dog on the album cover, why?
Jason: We didn’t want to give the album a title, fancied giving it more of a theme. We have a song about a dog (Mannybix) and we have doggy nicknames (cos we’re off the chain like that!) so went with dogs.
Ruth: Jason loves his hounds.
Colin: If it had been a shark it would’ve been too obvious and he’s such a cute wee doggy. I think this album was always going to be dog themed. Maybe a different animal for every album?
Why did you gravitate towards Glasgow?
Jason: The glamorous weather! It’s the music hotspot in Scotland so thought it made sense to be here. You stand good ground for touring north and south.
Ruth: Yeah, We all made the move from Aberdeen to Glasgow at different times, but for similar reasons, mainly music and work! Escaping the Granite City’s nuclear sea gulls was a bonus too.
Colin: Glasgow’s an obvious choice. The music scene here is great and we’ve made so many friends through playing with other bands. If it was called for I’m sure we’d move south of the border.
What’s Woody Woodpecker all about?
Ruth: Its real meaning is a closely guarded secret.
Colin: It’s about that chap you meet at a party who really wants to hammer their point home even though you got it 2 drinks back.
Jason: Yeah and you’re polite and well mannered but in your mind you’re thinking please F**K OFF!
Who inspires you?
Jason: Vic Mackey from The Shield. He was a cheeky blighter but by God did he get the job done! I’m kinda like that.
Colin: I guess the bands we grew up listening to, Faith No More, Nirvana, Pixies stuff like that. From the moment I watched Faith No More Rock in Rio all I wanted to do was be in a band.
If you had to sum up what you sound like in one line how would you each do it?
Ruth: Barking!
Jason: Everything X factor isn’t
Colin: Good old fashioned punk rock!
What is the most memorable thing that has happened on tour so far in musical terms?
Jason: The other week we were playing and watched a guy in his forties slamming with a bunch of young un’s and he was just pulverizing them! Kinda like that scene in Bad Santa when he kicks the shit out of the kids. It was mental.
Colin: A while back we played an amazing gig in Sheffield, it was just awesome. The next evening however was a completely different story. We were playing Leeds on one of the wettest nights of the year. We all got a bout of food poisoning from the local noodle bar. J threw up in his mouth while we played and I nearly had a full scale panic attack. It was just awful and we had a 4 hour journey back to Glasgow to look forward too.
Ruth: Well for me being taken up to dance by a fishy smelling drunk geriatric while on tour in Inverness was real memorable!
Who’s your favourite Scottish band?
Ruth: Super Adventure Club.
Colin: I’ll second that I love Super Adventure Club.
Jason: Make that a full house! We recently played with them (Super Advenutre Club) a few times and it’s great to watch them live. Albums ace too.
Who’s the wild one of the three?
Colin: I would’ve said Jason but he’s a knackered old dog now, Ruth’s a bit of a dark horse, there are some stories about her that’ll never see the light of day.
Jason: Yeah Ruth’s got a firey side. She’s punched my mum you know!
Ruth: Oh c’mon it must be Colin. He works in IT and drives a Volvo but we all know that’s just a smoke screen!
What album are you most into at this present time?
Ruth: We played a couple gigs in Edinburgh recently, and the sound girl introduced us to Matson Jones. They make cellos sound rockin’.
Jason: Yeah I’m listening to Matson Jones a lot just now.
Colin: Well I recently went to see The Flaming Lips so listening to anything and everything by them right now.
What would you like to tell our readers?
Colin: Please call for help they’ve got us locked in the Music-News basement!
Ruth: My dad has 3 nipples.
Jason: That the chicken is the closest living relative to dinosaurs! And buy our album!
When you become megastars will you still give Music-News.com an interview?
Jason: Of course! You’re Music-News.com!
Ruth: Music who?!
Colin: Don’t worry I’ll make sure to fax you from LA in my guitar shaped pool while Courtney Cox Arquette spoon feeds me white chocolate toblerone.
THANKS!
Thank you x