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Mark Morriss is best known as the lead singer from The Bluetones, but recently he’s been working on his debut solo album Memory Muscle which is due out 2nd June. I caught up with Morriss when he came to visit us in sunny little York to play at Fibbers on 25th April with his band The Mummies. Here’s what he had to say about going solo.
So this is the first album you’ve produced on your own, how does it feel?
It’s good, I’m really enjoying it. It’s nice to work with different people; The Bluetones have been playing together for the last 16 years and we’ve been through thick and thin. It’s just nice to collaborate with different people and then I’ll go back to the band feeling refreshed, coming in off the back of a new challenge. My brother, who plays in the band, is on tour with me playing the guitar so there is that sense of familiarity.
There is a strange contrast in the new album - compared to the music the lyrics are quite dark. Is this something which you set out to achieve?
It’s not something I consciously set out to do, but it does seem to happen that way! I do tend to have quite a melancholic feel… I guess that is just how I am when I’m writing. I don’t know why! I guess song writing is like meditation in a way, it’s almost like you go into a zone. Melody always comes first for me, and then the melody projects something of a mood.
Now, I’m really sorry but I have to ask! Fi Lo Beddow - what’s that all about?!
Yeah! That was my pseudonym for a while. I just like the sound of it, it sounds comforting with its onomatopoeia. I changed it but originally, it’s the name of a Clint Eastwood character in Every Which Way But Loose. It’s a comedy he made in the 70s. I wanted to call the band Fi Lo Beddow, but I got out voted so this is my chance to use it!
The name of your new album is rather unusual too isn’t it?
Yeah, I didn’t want to just be boring and I quite like the alliteration of it ‘Mark Morriss Memory Muscle’. I think ‘memory muscle’ refers to the brain and I guess in the end people can read into it what they wish! A collection of songs in a way is like a diary, and a collection of memories, so it felt quite fitting!
How did The Bluetones get together? Did it originally start off with you and your brother?
Initially, as we were growing up we were into different music; he was into his electro and hip hop and I was into my indie and guitar bands. Then as we shared a bedroom, as teenage boys do, I would bring my guitar home and strum a few songs and then because it was lying around Scott would pick it up and it just naturally led onto us writing songs together and joining a band together. He went onto playing the bass guitar and we joined our first band at the same time, and then it kind of developed into The Bluetones. People came and went and it ended up as just the four of us.
So was there ever the option of you doing anything other than music?
Well, I guess looking back it is scary! We did put all our eggs into one basket as we were determined we were going to be musicians. We didn’t have any back up plan - I went to university, decided it wasn’t for me and dropped out. That’s the perfect thing about youth, you have the drive and you haven’t been beaten down yet! You have the single-mindedness to aim for what you want. And undoubtedly you need a lot of good luck as well, because we had the break!
Will we be hearing more from The Bluetones?
Yes you will. We’ve already started exchanging demos and things within the band and sharing ideas. In fact we’re touring next month! I have six days after the end of this tour then we start, but that’s largely in support of our old record label. So we might as well hit the road and keep the batteries charge. At the end of the year we will be getting together and going into the studio, putting more ideas together and making a new album!
Is it strange doing smaller venues like Fibbers now?
No, not really. I love Fibbers.
How was your recent tour with Dodgy?
That was a brief excursion about a month ago. Scott, Adam and I from the The Bluetones used to share a house with a couple of the members. So it was like an old mates reunion in many ways as I’ve not seen them all together for about ten years because they broke up. It was just really nice to see everyone and hang out; we’re all a bit older now. I wish it had gone on a little longer but it was only five shows. I think they might stay together now they’ve got the ol’ magic back!
When did you start doing your acoustic gigs then?
Oh, I actually started about four years ago but that wasn’t going out thrusting myself into the public eye, that was just really rocking up and doing open mic nights and trying out my own songs. I guess it all snowballed and an agent came and said they could get me gigs of an acoustic nature - would I be up for it? For me, it was great because when The Bluetones aren’t doing much I’m just at home kicking my heels, and it pays the bills!
So did you work with different producers?
Well the chap that produced it is Gordon Mills and we worked with him in The Bluetones about five years ago on our fourth album. He’s a real 'ideas' man with so much energy so we ended up doing the album in his shed in his garden! It was perfect. And then various people helped in recording. Working with so many people was really the exciting thing. In The Bluetones we all take responsibility and no one takes the claim for an idea, but I actually got to do that this time and say "no no no, that’s not quite what I’m hearing".
And on a last note... Where do you keep your ketchup?
In the cupboard! Not the fridge! You don’t want it cold on your plate, do you?
I have to admit, I like cold ketchup! Sorry Mark! Although it does seem like I might be the only one judging by the looks on the surrounding faces!
Mark Morris was a pleasure to ‘interrogate’ and his chilled out attitude really came across in his gig a couple of hours later when he got up on stage, putting his audience at ease right away. He introduced us to each of The Mummies; Yummy Mummy on the keyboard, Strummy Mummy on the bass, and Drummy Mummy on the drums. As for himself, well he was Brendan Fraser Mummy of course!
His new album Muscle Memory comes out early June and it does have quite a summery feel to it. If you want searching lyrics with a backing beat to which you can’t keep still, this is the album for you. Whenever I listen to it I can’t help singing along, and I recommend I’m Sick, which is going to be released as the first single.
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