ON TRACK AND CRAUFURD ARMS BOUND: MEET THE GRAVELTONES

London-based blues soaked, garage rock n roll Aussies The Graveltones will issue a new single next month - Bang Bang is lifted from their debut album Don't Wait Down. They've been touted as 'One to watch' plenty lately, and this week you can do exactly that, when the delicious rabble of raucous rollin' arrive at The Craufurd Arms in Wolverton as part of a UK tour.  They will get lively on Thursday (August 21). We asked the fellas to answer our On Track questions.  They kindly obliged... The song that first awakened your musical senses Jimmy: My Grandmother was a big crooner fan, but in her collection she had an Elvis Greatest Hits and Jailhouse Rock was always the song that got me as a young kid, it was also on The Blues Brothers film, which had a huge impact on me as a child Mikey: If 6 was 9 by Hendrix.  That song challenged me as much as it blew my mind, it still does!  I wore my 'Axis: Bold as Love' tape out twice Physical or digital - how do you take your music Jimmy: Physical, definitely.  For me, having the packaging and art to glare at while you listen is important, but that's not to say digital is evil, there's pros for that as well Mikey: Live, is that an option? All my most musically memorable moment I saw and felt live.  I'm not much of a collector The first time you thought 'Music - this is the job for me' Jimmy: As a teenager you get told that you have to choose your career and it's the most ridiculous thing to ask a teenager, my answer was music...just so happens I stuck with it Mikey: My first ever paid gig was when I as 15, subsequently it was the day of my first hangover.  Weird, huh? Your best on stage memory Jimmy: I guess our first Graveltones gig because I remember thinking 'Wow, we didn't even rehearse...how the hell are people clapping?' Mikey: I'm with Jimmy!  That was a miracle And the worst gig you've ever done Jimmy: We played Nambucca pretty early on and everything just went wrong.  That's the first time I met stage Gremlins, those guys can be evil little things! Mikey: YUP!  THAT ONE! What made you take up the guitar? Jimmy: I was playing around with the idea at school as a lot of other kids were, but when I first heard Dylan it made me change all perspectives on how I looked at the instrument    Which one song by another artist do you wish you'd written Jimmy: Nick Cave 'Into my Arms' at the moment, it doesn't come more heartfelt than those words Mikey: I am going to have to say a Nick Cave song also, Do You Love Me Part 2 If you could step into the shoes of another musician, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do Mikey: I'd be Jim Morrison and I would do everything exactly the same Are there any current musical influences that you might look to Mikey: Anything that is honest, really.  Musicians that are easily influenced seem less honest, I feel.  I look to life for influence, heartache, love and love lost, usually the quiet moments in life bring something forward musically And any genre of music that you simply can't stand Mikey: If there is a genre for poorly written songs, I'd choose that one. Here is a little letter for all those songwriters:  Dear ________, THINK A LITTLE HARDER! Just a little, 'cause you're making me dumber than I already am, Regards, Mikey