My Vitriol - Interview

  by Peter Liddle

published: 13 / 1 / 2002

intro

It's been a little over a year since My Vitriol went on their first UK tour with Cay. In the time since then. they' have had two top 40 singles, a top 40 album, several headlining tours, in-store appe

It's been a little over a year since My Vitriol went on their first UK tour with Cay. In the time since then. they' have had two top 40 singles, a top 40 album, several headlining tours, in-store appearances and some European dates. They've been heralded as the saviours of indie rock, slated as copyists and Nirvana wannabes, but still sold out many a date on several tours. With the sonic guitar sounds of Seth Taylor and the expressive vocal style of Som Wardner, it seems MV have everything. So what's next? Are they the new indie pop darlings, or sonic metal menaces in disguise? Pennyblack caught up with guitarist Seth Taylor before a gig at the Glasgow Barrowlands and on a recent UK tour supporting Feeder to find out. We started by asking how the tour had been going for My Vitriol. "The Tour's been going really well. It's the best tour we've done so far. The audience has really been into it,just like they were on the last [sold out] headlining gig that we did." It seems that the fans outside the venue (4 hours before the show, no less) were My Vitriol fans. Many of them were wearing MV t-shirts. Do you think your fans are turning out for you at support gigs? "It definitely seems like a good proportion of the fans are here just to see us, which is great. I think we have quite a lot of fans up here. We've played here a lot. It's nice that they turn up when we're playing with other bands. I think we've only headlined up here once before." Is it strange to see such dedication? Your fans seem quite "hardcore" and dedicated to the band... "People think they know you, but you don't know them.. Now we get people shouting out our names and stuff... it's fun, we treat it as tongue in cheek. We're just in a band at the end of the day, but it's fun. They are great fans though. It's strange that they care so much." My Vitriol have played with lots of different bands, ranging from Mansun to the Crocketts to the Deftones. Which was your favourite? "The first tour with Cay was great . The Mansun tour was not so good. The audience was a bit difficult. Playing with the Crocketts was great - I like their music, it's like the Pixies and stuff, and the vibe on the tour was great" And who would you like to play with most? "I suppose Sonic Youth, it seems an obvious choice, but they're my favourite band.. Bands who aren't still going - Pixies.. Also I'd like to support Blonde Redhead.. " Som Wardner [the songwriter for My Vitriol] has said his favourite bands are Nirvana and the Deftones, so there seems to be a variation in opinion in the band. The music's style has been compared to a mix of Nirvana and My Bloody Valentine. Where do you think MV will go from here? "I think we're thinking of a hardened sound - good songs, good melodies, but harder - We'll see what happens." Do you think the heavier songs in your set get a better response than quiet songs? "I'm not sure we have any quiet songs! I mean 'Grounded' is quite quiet, but people still get into it. I think there is a difference now because a lot of people know our songs, so they no longer responsd just to the one or two singles." Which ones do you like playing best? "I enjoy playing all of the stuff. They all have their best bits, but I love 'Infantile'." There's a lot of instrumental tracks in your live sets and on the album . What's the reason for this? "The instrumentals are just little jams we did and didn't make into songs. I think they just break it up a bit. Live, they are good intros, and Tounge Tied [the set-ending guitar smashing rock instrumental] is great. You can relax as it's right at the end, and just go mad and do what you want." Do you have any plans for a new album? "We're going to be constantly touring for the forseeable future, and then we've got a few days for B-sides and stuff, then we're on tour with Ash, then back here for Festivals (Reading and T in the Park).... So.. no! It would be really nice to get in and do one, but after the festivals we'll probably be doing another headlining tour." Despite this, Taylor, however, seems keen to get back and to do some new material. "We haven't had any rehearsal time to go through new ideas at all, we haven't got a sleeper bus either on this tour so we can't really write there." My Vitriol seem to be a band with a lot of dedication. There have been countless tours in the last year, promotional duties, and lots and lots of interviews.It could be said that they deserve every inch of success they get. The big time is beckoning. What would My Vitriol like to achieve? "It would be great to headline this place... we don't really have any aims like that but it would be nice to do well... to keep playing." So big venues... that's your aim? "We'll, up here we've played King Tut's [a small venue] about 5 times I think . We were trying to work it. out. Every few weeks we have been back there. It's a great venue, but I like these big venues. I find it less claustrophobic." So you don't find big venues scary? "Well, we played a gig with the Manics. That was. Aargh! My pedal board kept breaking down every two minutes, so I just walked off during 'Always your Way' and the guitar technicial only got it fixed at the last song. I ended up chucking my guitar 20 feet in the air because I was so annoyed. It was worse because it was in front of 4000 odd people, and, being hardcore Manics fans, they were trying their best to hate you anyway. I only seem to do that in front of lots of people but hopefully it will be alright tonight or I'll end up throwing things again!" It's been a busy year, and it's hard to make out any real conclusions about what My Vitriol have left to do, where they will go, and what their aims are.. What comes across is this is a band that will do anything for their music, rather than just success ? Saying that though ... Top of the Pops? "It was mad... it was brilliant being in the studio that you've seen for years.. not that I watch it any more, since it's mainly crap! It was weird because the audience have been waiting one a half years to get on and they don't know who will be appearing... they've got this guy telling them to cheer and they're told to get into whoever.. So it was weird... then they turn round and do the same thing for Posh Spice!" And stranger still, we're left pondering this final comment... "Do you like Madonna? We did a cover as a B-side for the next single.. It's kind of messy but it's a great song...." My Vitriol. On Top of the Pops, covering Madonna, but still in constant demand. Is there anything at all this band can't do?

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