Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview

  by Julie Cruickshank

published: 8 / 3 / 2024

Shaw’s Trailer Park are a psych/prog collective from Brighton, whose self-titled debut album is gathering plaudits in the music industry. The group was founded by guitarist Tim Sanpher, who was joined on lead guitar by Simon Smith, with Andy Fraser on drums, bassist Mark Wilson and Donna Butler contributing backing vocals, sax and percussion, Pennyblackmusic spoke to the band about their creative process and influences. PB: Tell us about the band’s formation - you call yourselves a ‘collective’ so explain how the various musical skills and experience of each member have combined to create your sound. TIM SAMPHER: I'd tried to get a band together a couple times in the past ten years... to no avail.It's really hard to just recruit unknowns and have them fit in on every level as it's so much more than just being able to play an instrument. I'd always played in other people's bands, with strong leaders/songwriters and been unable to get my own songs into the mix so I decided a good approach would be to just start more of a collective of musicians to help me record my own songs....plus I wanted an outlet for some serious guitar workouts! A couple of years ago I placed ads locally and Mark got in touch. We started steadily rehearsing with various other drummers and guitarists who didn't work out, but Mark and me were bonding. He then brought onboard his friend Andy on drums. Andy has a quite jazzy style you wouldn't initially expect to work in a proposed garage/psych band but it really contributes heavily - I always say he's a bit like John Densmore from The Doors . After a few months of sporadically getting together I decided it'd be good to book a little studio time to give us something to aim at, and just record "where we're at". A few weeks before recording I bumped into Simon, who I didn't really know but knew played guitar, and asked him if he'd like join us in our loose collective manner. The four of us went into the studio just to see what would happen...and that's the album. All recorded live on the first day, vocals added on the second. I invited my old friend Sam Ireland down to sing on one song, but she did so well I persuaded her to sing a few more! Sam wasn't able to join the band ....so we had to source another female vocal. Once again Mark came through...introducing us to Donna. And Donna played sax too! And THAT is how we became five. I still like the idea of a collective and introducing other musicians. We've had Al Fransham (Son of Ugly) join us live and I'm planning on introducing more friends/musos on the next album. I guess the band model is something like Neil Young where there'd always be a core of regular musicians but then others would come and go. Or the Stones even..who you think of as a five piece band but who use loads of other musicians both to record and live. The band is very much more than a sum of its parts - if any member left the sound would change quite dramatically. We have quite different tastes that then crossover in many places. I guess the main thing we all have in common is an ability, and desire, to improvise quite a lot. I really like the excitement of a band stretching into unknown territory. PB: Your self-titled debut album is a wonderful confection of garage, neo-prog and other elements, but what most strongly shines through is a sound akin to Hawkwind. Have this band influenced you in any way? And which other artists do you admire? TS: Well. I'm flattered you think that! We get compared to so many different bands I'm starting to think we may be a bit unclassifiable! Which I'm very happy with except....in this day and age people really seem to want you to fit into a defined genre they can tick off and file. I'm not talking about listeners but music industry types and gig bookers. So it can go against us a bit too. But I'm happy - I think it's a sign we have our own sound. I think the Hawkwind thing may well come from Mark's bass...he has a really overdriven 'Space Ritual' sound going on! But influence is a strange thing, isn't it? Because it's not necessarily the bands you still like , but those that have rubbed off on you. In which case Hawkwind are a good spot! I was very into them in my teens - especially their Charisma albums, which are a bit lighter than the early stuff. I know Mark and Simon are fans too. Other artists I admire ..like everyone that's a very long list. And it gets longer. I try and listen to as much new music as I can so in the past year or two ..King Buffalo ..Viagra Boys...His Lordship..but at the same time , as I mellow with age, I find myself having new respect for all the classics too. I'm going to do what I make my friends do and set my saved music to "shuffle" and give you what it throws out! Spotify Russian Roulette! - here goes. Pixies....Marcus Carl Franklin...The Rotations (great Glasgow band - I actually play on some of their stuff and they've helped me arrange some stuff) ... R.E.M.....Ought....Scott Walker...Pavement...The Black Crowes...Psychic Ills...Doves.... That's your lot! PB: Which instruments are played by each band member - do you stick to favourite brands and if so could you tell us a little about your preferences? ANDY FRASER (drums) : My gear preferences are GRETSCH drums, Sabian HHX/Manhattan cymbals and ProMark sticks. MARK WILSON (bass): My bass was built for me by Ashley Pangbourne. It aggressively actives then through a big muff -that's 90% of the set for me. DONNA BUTLER (sax): My vintage sax is a 1930’s York and the newer horn is a Yamaha - both Tenor sax SIMON SMITH (guitar): Usually an Epiphone semi-acoustic with an old Fender 60...If it sounds all right and looks the part … TIM SANPHER: Mostly my trusty old Fender Jazzmaster that I've owned since the late '80s. Sometimes backed up by a Telecaster and occasionally a Gibson L6S that won't stay in tune.. The thinner sounding Fenders seem to compliment Simon's thicker woody sounding guitars. PB: Tim, as band founder and main singer/songwriter, has your vision for the band come to fruition or are there other areas you would like to explore in the future - do you feel your sound is constantly evolving due to the contributions of other band members? TS: In a way yes it has, and maybe a little more. I set out to get my songs out there any way I could and had given up on the usual "form a band" route. But that's where it's ended up . And not only with quite unique and talented players but we've all become great friends, which makes gigging a lot of fun! Musically/sound wise I think it's gone to plan, in as much as there ever was one, but I think we have more exciting times ahead. It's definitely not a case of trying to remake the first album. We have the option to go down a more Americana type of route...we play acoustically on occasion and it's..same songs/different vibe. I always crave a bit of a psych workout though! PB: Apart from your home base of the South Coast of England, have you toured elsewhere in the UK and abroad? If so, how does audience reaction differ by area - are you more particularly appreciated in some towns more than others? TS: We only really started gigging last year so in some ways are still getting our chops live. There is a big problem getting gigs when you're not fitting into people's required genres, as I said before, but steadily the word is spreading. We have a great relationship with The Prince Albert here in Brighton, probably the best live club in town, so get to play there regularly. We played Beautiful Days festival last summer and some smaller ones on the south coast, and then a few London dates. We're always open to playing anywhere that wants to hear good rockin' original songs! Sadly so many venues seem to favour covers/tribute bands these days..bums on seats I guess.. Reaction wise I think it's a general thing that you're actually appreciated less in your home town! Or at least..there's less of a buzz around you..largely because local punters know that if they miss you you'll always be playing again next month! PB: What are your plans for future touring and recording? TS :We have a couple of gigs and festivals booked in. I'll be looking for new venues to play...especially anywhere putting on psych/garage/rock nights. We've made a start on the second album. I'd love to get it out in spring and that's a possibility. We have a few songs already finished and the basics of a few more laid down. I'm not sure how we'll release it this time ...but I'm already thinking about the third one so don't blink! PB: Thank you.

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