Eliza and the Bear will release their eponymous debut album in April, picking up from a fabulously successful 2015, which saw the London-based quintet raise their rock to audiences at quite a pace, gigging with gusto all over – the rockers hit the road with Twin Atlantic for a series of live dates too.
But enough with the past; there's plenty to be occupying the here and now, including an extensive UK tour, which calls in up the road at the Northampton Roadmender on Friday evening (Jan 22).
Guitarist/Vocalist Martin Dukelow went On Track with Total MK...
The song that first awakened your musical senses
I'm not sure I could specifically name the song that set it all off.
I just remember going to swimming lessons and my dad would play his music in the car.
This usually consisted of Bon Jovi, AC/DC or Carlos Santana. So I guess one of these artists set off the musical senses.
Physical or digital - how do you take your music?
I do take it digital. I usually use Apple Music because its just easy and it's on my phone. This means I can listen to whatever is new or if I fancy going a little old school I can.
The first time you thought 'Music - this is the job for me'
Never really thought of it as my job. It's just something that I've always loved doing and it ended up becoming more and more serious over a long period of time.
Your best on stage memory…
The one that comes to mind is probably when we played the King Tuts in Glasgow. We were halfway through our set and the fire alarm went off, shutting everything down.
At the last minute we decided to grab an acoustic and play a few songs outside. We ended up having a good old singalong and even some of the fire fighters hung about to watch!
And the worst gig you've ever done
It is hard to pinpoint one, because there really has been so many. Although most of them are in old bands and not this one. I remember when we travelled all the way to Wigan.
When we turned up there were hundreds of people queuing outside this club. When we went in the guy told us we weren't playing there.
Turned out it was across the road and we literally played to the pub staff.
What made you take up the guitar?
My dad always played guitar so that's where the interest started.
He asked me if I wanted to learn, so he stared giving me lessons.
That lasted for about six months because he was terrible, the rest was history!
Which one song by another artist do you wish you had written
Most Radiohead songs. Something between Street Spirit and Paranoid Android.
And one - by yourself - which holds special significance
Probably a song called Cruel.
It's a slower number and took ages to get to where it is now.
All the work that went into really has made it worth it.
If you could step into the shoes of another musician, living or dead, who would it be and what would you do?
I'd go with one of The Beatles (probably because I watched a documentary about them recently). I'd just want to see how crazy it was being that huge and having that many screaming female fans.
Are there any current musical influences that you might look to
Two words and two words only. Justin Bieber
And any genre of music that you simply can't stand?
There is some genres I do get a little bored with.
Like it's ok in small amounts. House Music kinda gets a little old quick for me. Especially the commercial stuff.
Finally, plug the Roadmender gig - what can we expect?
The same thing you'll always get from Eliza and the Bear.
Eliza and the Bear songs performed in a way that gives most of us neck aches the next day.
Eliza and the Bear's new single, It Gets Cold, was released on January 8.
For more bear-bites visit the band at http://www.elizaandthebear.com/
