The Harrisons, born and bred in Hillsborough, have been gigging in Sheffield hot spots the Deep End, the Boardwalk and the Grapes since they formed a year and a half ago. After being signed to Mathe-matic, though, they've already featured on Lamacq's showcase on Radio 1 and are busy promoting their first single... so things are moving pretty fast for our local boys! I went along to find out how they're finding this exciting time and what advice they have for other budding band members... What was it like going down to London to appear on Lamacq's show?  | | Ben - 'No-ones fallen off stage yet...' |
Jubby - Brilliant, really posh. I couldn't believe all the million pound houses across the road. It was very nice, a bit scary though. So on Lamacq's show you said you're all from Hillsborough and went to school together? Birchy - Us three went to the same school and Mark White went to another... Mark - No I just tagged along, I wasn't even a drummer then. Ben - Jubby was year above me, and used to knock about with my brother, so we just got to know each other through that really. We decided to be in a band when we were at college together. And we nicked Mark and Birchy out of another band that they were in. How did you do that?! Ben - They were crap. Mark - I was playing guitar, I wasn't even a drummer. I started playing drums at the first practice. And how did you choose the name 'Harrisons'? Jubby - Ben used to live on Harrison road, and another couple of friends, and we all used to knock around there. Ben - We played football and stuff like that. And we booked a gig didn't we, and we didn't have a name..or any songs...  | | Birchy - 'Don't have a girlfriend!' |
Mark - Yeah we booked our first gig 'cus we were just messing about in rehearsals and stuff. Jubby - It gives you an incentive if you book something, something to work towards. Even if it is seemingly impossible..! Who would you say inspired you? Mark - Oasis made everyone pick up a guitar. Ben - But like Clash, Joy Division, Jam, Pulp... Birchy - We just listen to anything that's good really... anything that's right good! What advice would you have for other young people getting into a band? Jubby - Don't talk about it all the time, just do it. Mark - We're in this room like four or five nights a week just practicing and practicing, you've just gotta put everything into it, absolutely everything. You have to make sacrifices. Jubby - Listen to a lot of music, soak up a lot of influences. Ben - And don't have a girlfriend. Birchy - Yeah don't have a girlfriend, nightmare! What do you write about? Jubby - Experiences, whatever springs to mind. Some of it's just a stream of consciousness really... What inspired 'Wishing Well'? Ben - Jubby wrote that... sounds like he's been in a right long relationship, but he hasn't!  | | Jubby-'I'd play on top of the City Hall' |
Jubby - No..it's like, how I imagine, having a bird, and doing your head in, and making you walk around in circles, just driving you mad, your chasing tail for her, it's what it's like...I imagine. Are you proud of Sheffield being your home city then? Birchy - Yeah we are! Jubby - Yeah when we went to London it made me realise how much I like Sheffield! Mark - Yeah that's it, 'cus I love London but we went down and it's just massive. Ben - Too much smog. Mark - And I just loved it when we drove back into Sheffield and felt like we're home. What do you think of our gig scene? Mark - A lot better than it has been, a lot better. Birchy - 'Cus apparently there's a scene! Ben - There's a lot more young bands coming out. Jubby - There's still not a lot of venues though. Mark - Yeah and a lot of places are lacking a crowd still. There's still a lot of people who don't just go out to listen to bands, just go out to listen to their mates' bands and that's it. Have you got any funny gig stories? Ben - No-one's fallen of stage yet or anything like that.  | | Mark - 'You have to make sacrifices' |
Mark - I've nearly come off my stool a few times. Birchy - We just look quite funny... Which band would you most like to support? Birchy - Kaiser Chiefs so we could blow them off stage. Mark - We'd have gone quite well with Clash wouldn't we... might have gone a bit too well! Birchy - Maybe we could support us! That would be sweet! Ben - Russian Dolls... they're a new band from Sheffield who are good. Jubby - Or The Yell. They're another good Sheffield band. Ben - I would have liked to have supported The Who... Jubby - Rolling Stones! Where's the most 'interesting' place you'd like to do a gig? Jubby - On top of the City Hall. That would be a good one... like the Beatles! Birchy - I think the best gig we could do would be on Harrison Road... Do you have any other past times/hobbies apart from being in the band?  | | Mark - 'Oasis made us pick up a guitar' |
Mark - We don't get chance to! Jubby - We like fishing for seals. Ben - We like travelling! We went to the south of France, bought ourselves an old van and ripped it all out and put bunks in it and then we went to the south of France for three months last year busking. Birchy - And football. We all support Wednesday. When can we next catch you in Sheffield? Mark - At the Boardwalk. Single launch, 24th August. Our single Wishing Well is out 22nd August. Should have all sold out now shouldn't it! | 
