They say their noise offers 'dynamic punkoid folkisms', but however you describe it, Sean Grant & the Wolfgang know just how to weave a tune into a mini marvel.
They've more than a couple of 'em.
One scribe declared them to be 'The missing link between The Libertines and The Lumineers,' which is nice praise, but actually?
We think they're better than that – and they are MK dwellers to boot.
Ahead of Wednesday's (Jan 27) Craufurd Arms date for Independent Venue Week, Sean went On Track with Total MK and told us what makes him tick, musically...
The song that first awakened your musical senses
My Grandad used to buy and sell records around the country so I was always exposed to a vast array of music from a young age.
As a kid I used to be a big Bob Dylan fan and remember "The Times They Are A Changing" being the first song that I was aware that had been written and recorded by an artist rather than just enjoying the sounds that I was hearing. That was mainly down to fact that my Grandma and Grandad would sit me down and explain what I was listening to to, who it was and why it was good...
Physical or digital - how do you take your music?
I love vinyl, you can't beat it. That richness that you just can't get from an mp3, the sleeve artwork, and the whole process you go through to put it on and change sides. But saying that I do use things like Apple Music for a lot of new an emerging artists that I meet and like to listen to as its so accessible.
The first time you thought 'Music - this is the job for me'
I think nobody starts off thinking about music as a career, you start because you love it and something inside you that you can't turn off compels you to try and be the best you can be.
I've always been one to want to do the best that I can do at what I'm doing... I think I really dug in and said "yes this what I want to do" when I started The Wolfgang.
Your best on stage memory...
The last tour we did we went out to Europe for the first time, and played a place called the Cord Club in Munich. It was our headline show and I remember the support band were on and there were about 20 people in the room, I thought to myself "Hey that's not so bad, hopefully they don't go after the first band!"
But by the time we were on the room had filled up with 120 people, we got an encore so I unplugged and went out in the crowd with my guitar, the crowd gathered round me in a circle and we all had a sing a long, really special moment.
And the worst gig you've ever done
Plenty in my time! I think fortunately with The Wolfgang because of past mistakes and more experience we don't tend to play bad shows anymore, of course some shows are better than others or you may break a string but you just get on with it, I think that comes with experience.
My greatest bug bear is when you feel a promoter who has booked you hasn't cared about the show enough. What I mean by that is for example the bands are all a mish mash of genres, or they haven't pulled their weight and promoted it from their side, or they haven't fulfilled their part of the agreement be it food, drinks or payment... I could go on for sure!
What made you take up singing
My grandma and grandad bought me my first old battered acoustic guitar from a car boot sale which I instantly fell in love with. I spent hours locked in my bedroom just playing and playing and to me singing just came hand in hand with the guitar and of course I wanted to be like my hero Mr Dylan so early home tape recordings of myself I'm far more nasally and mumbly like the man himself.
Which one song by another artist do you wish you had written
Bruce Springsteen - The River
True perfection, when you listen to the lyrics of the song it's like he's painting a movie seen for you imagination, just a beautiful narrative and in fact one that inspired me to write the way I do.
And one - by yourself - which holds special significance
"War Machine" from the last EP we put out just because it was a real break through for us. Steve Lamacq track listed it in his 6 Music show, as did John Kennedy on XFM we got great press and support from the media including Clash and Q magazine and it charted after a week at 69 in the Alternative chart on iTunes... So yes a big track for us.
If you could step into the shoes of another musician, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
It would have to be the man, Elvis.
Just to be at the forefront of that rock and roll revolution around that time as well would be so cool.
I would lay off the cheese burgers and hire a personal trainer and see if I had anything else left in the tank in terms of my career rather than dying on the toilet.
Are there any current musical influences that you might look to
I try to listen to a lot of new music all the time to expand my knowledge and writing capabilities.
An absolutely beautifully written album that I can't stop listening to is Father John Misty "I Love You Honey Bear" highly recommend.
And any genre of music that you simply can't stand?
Ska. I appreciate it, I understand why people like it... I just don't like it myself and in fact it just annoys me. I like brass, I like brass in bands but that's a certain recipe that just didn't sit right with me.
> Tickets for Wednesday's show are £5 in advance, and support comes from Tim Muddiman & The Strange, and Claire. Doors open at 7pm.
