On Song :: Strike The Colours

This week saw the release of Strike The Colours second album Seven Roads available via Deadlight Records. The bands frontwoman (and occasional member of Malcolm Middleton’s group) Jenny Reeve told us a little about her musical mind and what songs make her tick.

Strike The Colours play their album launch at Stereo in Glasgow this Friday 2nd October, alongside some other Scottish dates (full details on MySpace).

What was the first song that really caught your imagination?
It’s between Camouflage by Stan Ridgway and Still Got The blues by Gary Moore.

What was the music your parents liked and do you think it’s influenced you at all?
My mum was a big fan of Joni mitchell, Joan Baez and Simon And Garfunkel and we had alot of classical stuff on vinyl too. Dad was a Beatles fan so he had all their albums and he had pretty much every Pink Floyd record. He also had records by Jefferson Airplane, Yes, Bob Dylan and Thin Lizzy. I think that influence is with me still, definitely. In fact, most of those records are still kicking around

What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
I had lots of Kylie and Madonna, and Downlands Cancara who was a horse.

Which songs or albums would you play at a party?
Party all the time by Eddie Murphy and Rick James, or Atmosphere by Russ Abbott

Which songs remind you of a rainy day?
I live in Scotland, so there’s a couple. But i’ll say The Hand That Rocks The Cradle by The Smiths, Purple Rain by Prince, Master Song by Leonard Cohen and Zero by Malcolm Middleton

Which album do you seek solace in when you are feeling sad?
Well, at the moment it would definitely be Boxer by The National

Which album would you play when you wanted to get down to some lovin’?
Plague Sounds by The Locust

What music was, or would be, the “first dance” at your wedding?
Dress Sexy At my Funeral by Smog or Help Me I Am In Hell by Nine Inch Nails

What was the first gig you went to as a paying customer?
I went to see a local band called The Hideaway Blues Band when I was 12 with my brother. It was also the first time I drank beer, out of those cans with the different woman on the front.

Name the one song you think everyone should hear.
That’s just about impossible, but i do wish that everyone knew it was Leonard Cohen who wrote and sang Hallelujah originally and not Alexandra whatsherface from X Factor, though most of those X Factor idiots brutalised that song

Which one artist do you think not enough people know about?
Jackson C Frank

What’s the best thing you’ve heard recently?
Nothing broke by Mersault, Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear, Flick The V’s by King Creosote and Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle by Bill Callahan which is awesome

Dead or alive, what 5 acts would you have play with you at a festival?
Dolly Parton, Louis Armstrong, The National, Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds, Fleetwood Mac and Arab on Radar. That’s six, so a bargain!

We’d like you to make us a mix-tape. Pick five tracks with a theme of your choice.
Ok, I’m getting the rest of the band to help me with this and chosen theme is Meteorology:
Riders On The Storm: The Doors
Listen The Snow Is Falling: Yoko Ono
Hurricane: Bob Dylan
Sun Machine: David Bowie
Come Rain Come Shine: Billie Holiday

And finally, who would win in a fight: a stoat or a goat and why?
cloven hooves, horns….goats are basically Satan. The goat would impale the stoat on it’s horns and then eat it. Goats are mean and cool.