First off please could you tell me who you are and what you do in the band?
Rich: Guitar and Lead vocal
Benny: Play The Bass...Fast And Hard, With My Fingers And Blisters...I Like My Sound To Be Fat...With A Capital PH.!!
Dave: Drums and Backing Vocals
Who else is in the band and what do they play?
Martyn - Lead Guitar
How long have The Little Black Hearts been together?
Rich: Met Benny about 4 years ago and started putting the band together. We played with members of our previous bands for a while but The Little Black Hearts really started when we met Dave summer 2008. Mart joined January this year.
What do you sound like?
Rich: Big dirty riffs, filthy bass and pounding drums. Never wanted to sound like anything or anyone else, but we play and write song with our hearts and influences on our sleeves. We do rock hard but we want people to be able to sing along too.
Benny: I Think We Sound Like An Accumulation Of Rock N' Roll And Hard Rock. Taking Influence From All Bands We've ever Been Into, As Individuals And A Collective. Dave Might hit ‘em Like John Bonham, N' Mart Wail Like Keith Richards At Times. But It Doesn’t Mean We're Aiming To Sound Like Led Zeppelin Or The Stones, It’s Just Sorta In There...It's Just Four Lads, Playing What Feels Right.N' The Sound That Comes Out Is 'The Little Black Hearts'.... I Bet Lemmy's Shitting Himself. Ha!!
Dave: We sound like a hard rock band from the 70s thats had the opportunity to listen to everything since the 70s.
You've been compared to BRMC, QOTSA and Them Crooked Vultures - would you say this is a fair comparison?
Rich: Well if its true that’s the biggest compliment ever. They're all massive influences on us and if there's anyone we could share a stage with then it's that bunch. I saw BRMC the other night and was actually moved by their performance...wasn't sure to see it as inspiration or just time to sell the guitar and amp, ha!
Benny: QOTSA, TCV And BRMC Are Just A Important To Us, As Rock N' Rollers, As Any Other Bands...They’re All completely At The Top Of Their Game's. So For Me, It's An Enormous Compliment To Be Mentioned In The Same Sentence... It's All About The Dirty Big Riffs.... Ask Angus Young, He'll Agree.
Dave: We are obviously big fans of these bands, and i agree that we make a similar amount of noise to them but i think our tunes have got their own identity - they have a certain britishness.
Which bands do you draw inspiration from and in what ways (e.g. style, sound, live performance)?
Rich: Our style isn’t planned, we're all rockers at heart so no need for a dress code, its just who we are at home, in the pub or stood in front of 2000 people. I've grown up watching performers, Freddy, Bon Scott, and Robert Plant. I can't strut about like them but they put their heart and soul into every performance so I have to.
Benny: As Said Earlier, We've All Paid Attention To The Magic Of A Live Rock Show, There's Something Positively Majestic And Awe Inspiring To Watch Someone Bare Their Heart and Soul To Hundreds, If Not Thousands Of People, Saying This Is Me, N' This Is What I Do And This Is The Way I See Things! Influence Is Important...Gives You a Sense Of Direction. For Me, It Just Feels Like The Right Thing To Do...I Don’t Really Question Why!! It Feels Like a Sense Of Purpose Is Being Achieved When We're Firing On All Cylinders. For Me, The Show Has To Be An Intense Journey, Takin' The Crowd On A Ride. If You Like!! As A Kid, You Knew If The Band You We're Watching, Wasn’t Sweatin', N' Steam Wasn’t Comin' Off The Crowd. They Weren’t Workin' Hard Enough To Call It Rock N' Roll. I Don’t Think Its Ever A Good Idea To Give Dave Or Me A Cuddle When We Come Off Stage!! As For The Sound, I Think It's Safe To Say Rock N' Roll Just Isn’t Rock N' Roll If It's Not Turned Up Loud...Or To Eleven!!
Dave: Personally i'm a big fan of music from the 60s and 70s, i think the passion you see in old footage of performances is unrivalled these days - i also love the sound of old gear, valve amps old guitars and drums, when you see someone like Simon Kirke from free playing to a million people at the isle of wight in 1970 and having to absolutely smash the shit out of it cos the sound system is wank, and the reception they get at the end of the set because of how hard they've worked, that is inspiring.
You're due to play Live at Leeds this week, are you looking forward to it?
Rich: We're opening up at the nation of shopkeepers, we're more used to playing the grave yard shifts but we're not going to tone it down or anything. We want to kick the day off with a bang, blow any hangovers away and leave the other bands with something to follow. Yeah we're up for it!
Benny: Live At Leeds, Is Gonna Be Mint.... We’re First On, So Hopefully There Will Be A Crowd Of People There Who May be Unaware Of How Raucous We Can Get Live...Hopefully We'll Rip The Roof Off...With A 'What The Fuck Just Happened There?' Type Of Result. It's A Really Important Gig For Us; We're Honoured To Be Asked To Do It!!
Dave: It should be cool, we are on early so hopefully we'll set the tone for the rest of the day!
What can we expect from your set on Saturday?
Rich: We believe in our songs on record but we know the live show is our strength. 30 mins to blow them away so have to give it everything. Drenched in sweat, a few more knocks in the guitar. The set is explosive from the start and we barely stop to catch our breath.
Benny: Mart's Finding His Stride Nicely Now, So, Anything Could Happen In Blackheartland...And Usually Does!!
Dave: A few new ones and some old favourites - we'll gauge it from the audience, its all subject to change!
Which other acts do you think you might check out at Live at Leeds?
Rich: Straight to the well for Machine Guns and Leather Jackets then to the Brudenell to see our producer James Kenosha play with Loan Wolf. Anyone else will be a drunken bonus!
Dave: Eureka Machines, Machine Guns and Leather Jackets, Secret Circuits, The S.S.S.S.S.
How did the Raw Talent show on BBC Radio Leeds go?
Rich: Good! We had a few technical issues so all ended up crowding round a few mics.sounded a little rough and raw, but thats how we like it!
Benny: Raw Talent Was Good Fun. It Was Another Example Of Us Having To Step Up To The Oche And Throw A Bullseye. Obviously, There were Technical Problems With The Sound, It Wouldn’t Be The Blackhearts Otherwise. But, We Managed a Fare Representation Of Our Acoustic Abilities. It was good For Us To Do.... No Screaming Solo's Or Drum Rolls, Just Us Stripped Down And Vulnerable for All To Witness... We Got Our Point Across...
Dave: It wasn't bad, there were a few technical difficulties due to the unique way the BBC is funded - good experience though.
You've played a few local festivals, what's been your favourite live show to date and why?
Rich: Bingley was the big one for us last year. Amazing day, massive sound and our biggest crowd. Really tested us, but we had put a lot of effort into getting there. Our fans voted for us to play in a heat, which we ended up winning. We did ourselves proud that day, but now we want more off it.
Benny: As Far As Favourite Gigs We've Played Go...It's A Toss Up Between The Bingley Festival '09, and Quidrophinia April 2010. Totally Different Gigs... Bingley Was An Enormous Festival Sound, That We Knew We'd Be Perfectly Suited To... We'll 'ave More of That Please...A Crowd Of Thousands Of People!! But, Quidro Was Small, Hot, Sweaty With a Full House In A Small Room... The Atmosphere Was Electric, N' The Crowd Was Great!!
Dave: Bingley Music Live last year really whet our appetites for playing to lots of people, it came really natural to us and i certainly think we could get used to it - experience-wise thats been my favourite so far.
Do you prefer playing festivals or gigs at smaller venues? Why?
Rich: I think our sound is suited to the bigger stages and venues. You can actually hear the development in the new songs and see our personal performances grow out there, but you can't beat 200 people crammed into a little, dark, sweaty bar.
Benny: We Love To Let Rip Whatever The Occasion...
Dave: Both have their plusses - its satisfying to be reaching a large number of people in a festival situation - but its always fun to play to a smaller bunch of people who you can talk to and get pissed with afterwards - i think i prefer smaller more personal gigs..
Leeds has a pretty thriving music scene and there is an abundance of bands in the city. Which other local acts do you recommend we check out?
Rich: So many, all our mates are in bands. There's a quality underground blues scene at the moment, loving x-ray cat trio and the SSSSS. The Wilbur & Orville Show too, them boys can play and almost keep up with us with the drinking!
Dave: Eureka Machines, Machine Guns and Leather Jackets, Secret Circuits, The S.S.S.S.S. X-Ray Cat Trio.
When can we expect to see the release of your debut album?
Rich: Love to say this year; we're back in the studio in May to finish it off so looking for someone to get it out there now.
Dave: As soon as we can get some one to put it out for us - or at least help! any takers?
What's your song writing technique? Does one person write the majority of the songs and then the rest had parts, or do you all take turns in writing songs?
Rich: I used to write them and just present them to the band as a single guitar track and vocals. I'd always leave the boys to put there own stamp on them then, I can't play the drums so that's Dave's job and so on. These days the writing is much more the band effort, I might start with a riff but then we develop it together. The songs are getting better so that’s the way forward.
Dave: Rusty normally brings the riffs and parts into the studio and we'll then collectively sort out the arrangements and links - put it through the Blackheart Machine, let Rich put his lyrics on and there you go - marts got a few ideas kicking about at the moment too.
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Rich: I'm fairly quiet, just try take it all in and suss out the crowd. Few beers and about 20 piss stops. Taking the piss out of each other eases the tension too. Few deep breaths bring on the feedback and we're off!
Dave: About 8 pints.
If you could support any band (current or past) which band would you choose and why?
Rich: Blondie...so I chance my arm with Debs
Benny: The Band I'd love To Have Supported Was The Original Version Of Guns N' Roses...Ideally, 1988 New York Ritz Ballroom Show, The Most Blistering Hour Of Dirty Rock N' Roll I've Ever Seen..!!! I Reckon We'd Have Warmed The Crowd Up Just Nicely.... Slash Woulda Thanked Us For It.Ha!!
Dave: Probably Them Crooked Vultures - I'd love to talk to john paul jones about the zep days - I imagine dave grohl is a pretty solid guy and i'd trick all three of them into producing our album.
And finally, what are your plans for the remainder of the year?
Rich: Album, as many gigs as possible. A tour of Indonesia is on the cards. Keep causing a stir!
Dave: Recording and just cracking on with gigging......
