Introducing // Spectrals

It’s really quite hard not to fall for the alluring doo-wop pop of Spectrals; it’s everything good about about Phil Spector’s sixties output filtered through a very British sense of melancholia. We fired over some “getting to know you” questions to L, the brains behind this particular sonic experiment. No surprise really to find The Everly Brothers and The Ronettes amongst his favourite records. Never would have had him down as a fan of Friends though.

The new Spectrals 7″ ’7th Date’ is out now via Slumberland. You can download the woozy b-side ‘Don’t Mind’ after the Q&A.

For people out there that have never heard of you. Give us three reasons why they should?
It’s very hard for me to think of a reason why people ought to have heard of me, a lot of me thinks they shouldn’t. But I guess if you like weird pop songs then it might be to your advantage.

Can you recall the moment when you first decided you wanted to become a musician?
I had a rough under 11′s season at football when I was little and lost interest in it a bit. I’d heard some Blink-182 songs on TV and thought playing the guitar looked ace.

Where do your songs come from? What’s your inspiration?
They come from the pit of my stomach, that bit where I used to feel sick when a nice girl talked to me.

Name your Top 5 records.
Elvis Costello My Aim Is True
Jerry Vale It’s Magic
The Ronettes …Presenting The Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica
The Everly Brothers Songs Our Daddy Taught Us
The Modern Lovers The Modern Lovers

What was the first gig you ever played and was it a success?
It was a “Rock Night” when I was at school, it was definately a success, we got banned from doing them ever again.

What one piece of criticism has stuck in your mind and was it justified?
I heard that someone had said I was “hard to look at”. Perhaps I am.

What one thing has caused you to waste your free time in the past 6 months?
“Friends” DVD Boxset with Extra Features.

If you weren’t making music, what do you think you’d be doing?
Watching “Friends” full time.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
I worked at the retail chain Next, you can’t get away with anything there, I only like jobs where you can get away with things.

We’d like you to make us a mix-tape. Pick five tracks with a theme of your choice.
1. ‘Last Time’ – Cult Ritual
2. ‘Soul 1′ – Spacemen 3
3. ‘Gonna Get Along Without You Now’ – The Caravelles
4. ‘Sparky’s Dream’ – Teenage Fanclub
5. ‘Long Hot Summer’ – The Style Council

The theme is – I like them.

Spectrals: ‘Don’t Mind’