Since first forming in 2013, Babytooth have built up a rep as a fine live band. Today see’s them premiere their debut release ‘Big Bass’. Not only are we stoked to be bringing you the track – we are also pretty chuffed to be able to give you all a proper introduction …
BM: Ok, lets get the niceties out of the way – who’s who, where are you from and how did you all meet ?
BABYTOOTH: We have Nanny Gee on Lead Vocals and Lead Guitar, Czapla on Rhythm Guitar, The Bell on Bass and Danny Cook on Drums. We are from the Sunny banks of the good side of the Humber. We’re from Hull ! It’s kind of a typical cringey band story. We all went to school together, some of us were mates and some of us hated each other.
BM: I beleive there’s a bit more to your name than it just been plucked out of thin air?
BABYTOOTH: When we were at school, Gee got his teeth knocked out by Danny. It wasn’t very nice but they’re all back in his mouth now, and he can still sing real good, so it’s all good. There’s that, and I think Czapla had a weird tooth or something. Also Bobbie’s front gnashers are a bit small. We’ve all got weird, little or limited teeth.
BM: You knew each other through school, but as you said it was a love/hate kind of thing. When did you put all that behind you and get together a a band?
BABYTOOTH: Danny, Gee and Czapla were in an indie band in year 9/10, and that sort of came to an abrupt end. We were actually playing some decent gigs, supported Twisted Wheel / Catfish and The Bottlemen etc. But when that died and we went into college we wanted to start something new. We’d expanded musical tastes being introduced to Pink Floyd etc and decided to put the band together. We got the Bell in on bass, and it went from there. Big ups to Ainthorpe (school in Hull) for the practice room!
BM: What do you think it is, or was that made you realise you all had a bond as a band?
BABYTOOTH: It’s gotta be The Wall and Up in Smoke. The first time a few of us watched The Wall was, um, an experience to say the least. We were in Year 9, that was when we all sort of first started chilling together.
BM: Was their a particular point where you thought ‘This is it – we can make this happen’?
BABYTOOTH: The first gig we felt like an actual band was at Adelphi about a year ago. We were playing the venue we grew up going to shows in, to a bunch of our pissed up mates. It was great. We knew then we really wanted to make a good crack of it.
BM: You’ve got your debut single coming out very soon…
BABYTOOTH: Yes, Big Bass. It’s different to the demos we’ve released- less walls of noise, better thought out and structured, but with the same level of aggression and perfect discordance. It demostrates the new, more matured sound we’re moving towards. We recorded it at The Warren. The thriving hub of all things fucking great Hull music. We honestly can’t thank them enough.
BM: How did the track come about?
BABYTOOTH: This particular track stemmed from an idea that Gee had, and it was taken on and developed as the rest of us wrote our parts.We don’t have a set writing process. It varies from tune to tune but we have a good system, everyone’s ideas are listened to and we decide what’s the best route to go down.
BM: What were you aiming for with the single?
BABYTOOTH: Something new. The new sound we’re moving towards. We think we’ve found it.
BM: I’m going to put you on the spot now and ask you to describe that sound.
BABYTOOTH: Sounds Cliche, but we just want people to have a good laugh and enjoy our music. Psychedelic-grunge-rock? It’s one of them. We try to create our own sound and try not to get tied down to ‘Oh mate you really sound like _____ .” We like to think we’re doing something a little different. A guy in a review compared us to early Modest Mouse which was nice and the words Smashing Pumpkins and QOTSA have been thrown around. But they’re class aren’t they?
BM: Are they the kinds of bands you would say have influenced you growing up?
BABYTOOTH: Hard questions are these. Everyone’s influenced by different musical goodness from right across the genre spectrum. Bands like The Doors, Pink Floyd, Sunny Day Real Estate and Gorillaz to name a few. It’s stuff that we listened to together and grew up around that has pushed us in the direction we’re heading.
BM: When does BIG BASS go live?
BABYTOOTH: Our launch do at The Adelphi Club, July 30th. We’re bringing Odd Rival from London for the party and we’re bringing Bull from York, two of our absolute favourite bands, we’re stoked to be playing with them. And then of course the legends and high rising Hull favourites Vulgarians complete what is a stellar party. It’s only £3.50. Cheap that innit ? First 50 tickets also get a copy of our single and Odd Rivals EP.
BM: Seeing as you’ve got quite a few live dates scheduled. How would you describe your stage presence?
BABYTOOTH: Lively, exuberant and engaging.
BM: Alongside yourselves, their are some pretty impressive bands come out of Hull at the moment. Got any recommendations?
BABYTOOTH: Vulgarians and our good mates Young Jack. Danny has a bit of a thing for them.
BM: We’d have to agree – both bands have been featured on BMafia and both performed on our stage at Coastival last year (click the following links – VULGARIANS – YOUNG JACK – COASTIVAL). As for yourselves – what have you got planned for the future?
BABYTOOTH: Keep bettering ourselves, keep writing and play as many shows as we can, anywhere and everywhere up and down the country.
Baby Tooth will be releasing their debut single / music video for ‘BIG BASS’ on Thursday 30th July at The Adelphi Club, Hull.
You can also catch them live on these upcoming dates:
Little Theatre – Friday 24th July – DONCASTER
The Hop – Saturday 25th July – Tramlines Festival SHEFFIELD
SINGLE LAUNCH – Adelphi Club, Hull, Thurs 30th July HULL
Humber St Sesh, Sat 1st August HULL
Freedom Festival – Sat 5th September HULL
Castle Hotel – Saturday 19th September – MANCHESTER
Adelphi – Tuesday 29th September – HULL
Carpe Diem – Saturday 31st October – LEEDS
Keep in touch with BABYTOOTH Facebook – Twitter – Soundcloud – Bandcamp
–
More by me -stAn
Follow me on Twitter – stAn
See my pretty pictures on Flickr – stAn
