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Sunday 29 January 2012

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company Sits Down With... 3's A Riot



The namesake of one of our current 'Special' milkshakes (available in-store at the Hanley and Newcastle shops), 3's A Riot just happened to be playing at the same 20th January The Underground gig as The Get Alongs, so I was lucky enough to grab five minutes with the boys and get the dirt on who they are and what 3's A Riot is all about... Hyper and packed full of adrenalin not long before stepping on stage, the down-to-earth Toby, Joe and the two Dans were more than happy to have a bit of a giggle with me about the state of the ladies toilets before we got down to business. Here's what I found out...


***


Ok, so 3's A Riot! I feel like I'm talking to a bunch of celebs in that you have a milkshake named after the band...

*Excited voices as all boys speak at once expressing their excitement and love for the shake. Words such a 'favorite' and 'epic' get bandied around*

Well, we're glad you like it! It's right yummy. Anyway, we don't have much time so let's get on shall we? Who are your biggest influences? 

Joe: Sergio Pizzorno from Kasabian!!! 
*This exclamation meets with some ridicule from fellow band members*
Joe: Don't give me any s**t about Sergio! 
Toby: ...Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, anything rocky... We've just got so many genres of music that we love, they all just kind of join together into one. 

So you totally don't discriminate? 

Dan: No, not at all. We even love pop music.
*One of the boys from The Pretty Great Whites comes and asks if he can borrow some kind of musical necessity (a tuner?) and Toby agrees*

Awh, you boys are all so sweet, helping each other out and what not! 

Toby: Yeah always! We're all dead close!

That's good. Tell me boys, what's been your best rock and roll moment so far, I mean you've only been together since last summer, but I bet you've got some good stories right?

Toby: I'll tell you a funny story... *Gives warning look to fellow band members* The last gig we had at The Sugarmill a lad jumped into the microphone stand, the stand tipped over and smacked Joe in the face giving him a massive black eye. *Joe shakes his head, with shame* We carried on though. That's been our biggest rock and roll moment we've had yet... we've got a lot to come! 

God, yeah, I can imagine! 

Dan: And the shoes.

The shoes?

Toby: Ah yeah, people have a tendency to chuck their shoes at us. 

Ouch. Shoes? That's horrendous. And dangerous!

Joe: And we've got a chant.
Toby: You'll hear it tonight.

I'm intrigued. I'll keep an ear on it and join in though, promise. Now tell me. Do you write your own lyrics? What's your most personal tune? Have any of you lovely lads been heart-broken and been crying and just had to pour your feelings into your music? 

*Boys share a knowing look*
Toby: Well, I've not found love yet, so I'm yet to have my heart-broken!

Awhhh. I'll get onto that in a minute.

Joe: What about the new one 'The Wanted Man'. That's a passionate song. 
Dan: Yeah it's a bit deep.
Toby: I guarantee you'll shed a tear tonight... 
*Boys share a mischievous glance*
Joe: You know, don't tell anyone but most of our lyrics don't mean much...
Toby: Whatever rhymes is put in there. It's the music that's important.

I like that response! Means you don't take life too seriously, go with your gut and don't over-think things. Ok, so Toby, you haven't found love yet... But to all of you... All of the girls out there want to know, would you ever sleep with a groupie?

Joe: WOAH.
Toby: We've slept with teddy bears, that's as serious as it goes.
*Boys cheekily smile at one another and quite clearly are not about to divulge their filthiest groupie-related anecdotes to me* 
Joe: This is all a bit intimate!
Toby: Look, whatever the night brings, the night brings...
Joe: She hasn't come tonight! I'm gutted. Gutted.

Awhhhh! Well, you're probably better off as there's no toilet paper in the ladies... 

Joe: So what? Do you want me to go fetch some?
*Boys laugh*
Toby: That will be because Joe went in there and did a number two earlier.
*Boys laugh more*

NICE. No, I'm just saying, unless they've brought tissues like we have, most of the girls out there haven't used toilet paper. Just giving you a heads up...

*Look of disgust dawns on the boys faces*

Ok, on that bombshell... Who would you like to perform with out of everyone in the HippyHaze line-up?

Toby: That's a tough question! I'd like us to collaborate with a lot of bands really. Anyone and everyone, it's all experience isn't it? We'd take them all!

Bless you boys. Ok, well that concludes my inquisition. Thanks for chatting with me and good luck!

Boys: Thanks, bye.

***

I can honestly say that this indie/rock/alternative band contain four of the most unpretentious, up-for-a-laugh lads I could ever hope to meet. Their performance was fab and the fact that they let their music guide their lyrics rather than vice-versa keeps their entire set sounding so fresh and different, in spite of their more mainstream inspirations. Toby, Joe and the Two Dans (as I affectionately call them...) are not only musically talented, but also packed full of charisma and I'm sure this is part of the reason The Underground sold out by 8pm at their gig last weekend. They'll be as much of a laugh off-stage as on at HippyHaze and I for one can't wait to kick back and have a beer with them after their performance on Easter Sunday. In the meantime, I'll have to get my fix from their delicious special 3's A Riot flavour milkshake containing Nestle Crunch, Chocolate Digestive Biscuits, Chocolate Sauce and Whipped Cream. Almost as yummy as the lads themself. 

TICKETS ARE SELLING OUT FAST SO MAKE SURE YOU HEAD INTO THE HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE COMPANY IN NEWCASTLE OR HANLEY AND GET YOURS NOW. £14 FOR A DAY PASS INCLUDING ONE NIGHT CAMPING AND JUST £33 FOR A THREE-NIGHT CAMPING TICKET. PLUS IF YOU BUY A 3 NIGHT TICKET, GET ANY REGULAR SHAKE FOR FREE!

Love and milkshakes
The Hippy Hippy Shake Company



Wednesday 25 January 2012

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company Sits Down With... Shaneth Davis from The Get Alongs


For our first band interview, we wanted to choose a band which we felt really epitomized what this festival is all about, and featured the sorts of people who we can't wait to work with. This is why we jumped at the opportunity to head to The Underground in Hanley on the 20th January to get up close and personal with the exceptionally professional and sickeningly cool Shaneth Davis from The Get Alongs. It was all very rock and roll being invited backstage to conduct our short interview before Shaneth was whisked off for another interview with Radio Stoke. So, what did we ask the man with so little time yet so much to say...
***


Shane it's nice to meet you! *Conservatively shake hands before being invited backstage* I'm sure you're pretty busy tonight so I'll get straight to it with a question I'm sure you get asked all the time, but we really want to know... who are The Get Alongs' biggest influences? 

Ahhh it's dead hard because it varies from band member to band member and there's so many...

List them.

Number Girl, Mass of the Fermenting Dregs, Sparta Locals, The Housemartins, The Smiths, Billy Bragg, The Libertines, Stiff Little Fingers, The Jam, Morrissey, The Mars Volta, At The Drive in, Sex Pistols, Flogging Molly, The Cribs, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Ned's Atomic Dustbin... more?

Wow, no that's fine! So you're obviously into quite a diverse range of music which I guess is great when trying to throw some tunes together...

Yeah it's great to have all our different tastes. That's why our audience is a bit of a mix of people. Because we don't stick to one style, the crowd doesn't either so we have everything from mods to skaters. We like it that way. 

What's been your best rock and roll moment as a band to date? And you can't choose a sexual conquest.

I'm not like that! Loads of people think I am but I hate all that. 

That's what we like to hear, he's a good boy!

Well, the way I look at it is, I don't go to a restaurant to try out the toilet, I go there to eat the food. I'm in it for the music.

I love that phrase although I don't quite understand it... As for your rock and roll moment?

Selling out The Sugarmill before Christmas and having it packed full of people singing my songs is the best feeling ever. Smashing up my guitar, getting shut down by riot police when a crowd got a bit mental, supporting great bands... Music means more to me than life. I should be in hospital right now, but I've taken my medication and come here just because I'd rather be playing than getting better.

WOW that's pretty rock and roll! Don't die on me... Going back to the topic of girls... The Get Alongs write all their own lyrics right? So what inspires the words? Girls? 

Yeah sometimes! All of our songs are really personal. There's loads of hidden stuff! We have one song about them annoying girls who are orange. I always say before performing it, 'This is for all those orange f**king s**gs out there!' And there's loads of hidden stuff in that track. They are really personal... I write a lot of poetry and so a lot of the lyrics come from that, obviously the rest of the band add in their bits and we all share ideas.

Right! Next question... What would be your dream collaboration if you had to choose another act that will be playing at Hippy Haze?

Ahh that's a good one. We're good friends with Clockwork Owls although we'll probably do something with them anyway. We're pretty close to Sworn To Oath. Who else... Dirty Money No 5 are really good. The Pretty Great Whites, 3's A Riot we tour with these all the time. Heritage, Faux Feet. Anybody really... Joey T's on about doing a remix of one of our songs too...

That would be really good! I hear fab things about him. Finally, just out of interest, what's your fave Hippy Hippy Shake milkshake?

Oh, I had a 3's A Riot this week and that was really good, although I reckon when you put out a flavour named after The Get Alongs that will be the best!

Cheeky! I'll have to put in a good word for you :) Well thanks Shaneth, you've been great, I'll let you get on with all your other Rock Star Duties.

Thanks, better go find Radio Stoke for my next interview!

***


And just like that he was gone! Simon, Gavin, Jack and the lovely Shane (aka. The Get Alongs) appear to be constantly selling out venues to the extent where The Undergound reached capacity by 8pm on the night this interview took place, and it's easy to see why. This Stoke-based, band mixes alternative, indie and 'post punk' into one huge mess of oral pleasure. And who doesn't want that ;) If you're into stage presence, hilarious lyrics with dual meanings and fancy a good time, The Get Alongs are definitely one to watch at HippyHaze this Easter.

TICKETS ARE SELLING OUT FAST SO MAKE SURE YOU HEAD INTO THE HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE COMPANY IN NEWCASTLE OR HANLEY AND GET YOURS NOW. £14 FOR A DAY PASS INCLUDING ONE NIGHT CAMPING AND JUST £33 FOR A THREE-NIGHT CAMPING TICKET.

Love and milkshakes
The Hippy Hippy Shake Company