Interview — The Perverted Staggs

Skratch Magazine

The Perverted Staggs of Sheffield, England blend together punk, old and new with fast riffs, pounding bass and heavy drums blasting in the face of authority. May (guitar/vocals), Robbie War (bass/vocals) and Mia Cigari (drums) have been together for 16 months but their background of old school punk like the Ramones, as well new classic bands like Nirvana, makes them experts on loud, fast, rock music. Here’s what they had to say to Skratch Magazine.

Skratch: Describe your sound:

May: I’d say we were play a blend of punk styles ranging from classic 70’s style to more recent hardcore punk. We make it our own & scream all the way.
Robbie: It’s a bit like having pegs on your nipples, it hurts at first but after a while you start enjoying it.
Mia: Progressive jazz would be accurate I’d say.
Robbie: Excuse our drummer; she doesn’t get music. Aw, bless.

Skratch: How did you become interested in music?

May: I had listened to music my parents listened to from a young age, predominantly ABBA & Queen, but they were never into anything heavier. I remember at the age of 10 someone playing me Blitzkreig Bop & for me punk just happened from there.
Robbie: I don’t really remember, it was just there. My sister listened to a lot of pop.
Mia: I remember it feeling good in my ears....how does anyone not like music?

Skratch: What is your song writing process like?

May: We write songs differently to other people, we never have song writing sessions. I usually just mess around on guitar & find something I like or Rob will write a bass riff with a guitar riff ready in mind. Usually lyrics will come at the same time as the guitar riff.
Robbie: Lyrics are sort of May’s forte, and you can tell if I’ve written it cause it’s more than one note for the bass.
Mia: I don’t recall actually seeing May or Robbie writing a song we play now....so I put it down to fairies.
May: It’s a clear indication weather Robbie’s written the song as the guitar is technical rather than just thrashed at...

Skratch: What artists or musicians inspire you?

May: So many artists inspire my writing, all the classic punk bands; Ramones, Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks. As well as more recent hardcore & metal bands; Billy Talent, Gallows, Cancer Bats. I don’t try & play like them but I enjoy a fast, heavy song.
Robbie: Mia got me into Nirvana and I sort of look for weird sounding chord progressions.
Mia: I’m more into the grungy stuff like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. I take a lot of inspiration from Fall Out Boy. And I’d marry The Cure if they asked me to, so a range.
May: I think our range of influences helps us create something that shouldn’t work together but we make it happen.

Skratch: Where do you take musical inspiration from? Your environment? People? Explain.

May: Things that go on around us. A lot of things really, personal situations, stories in the news, sometimes even what other bands are singing about if I feel the same way as them.
Robbie: Stupid little girls.
Mia: People hitting other stuff /people hard. That inspires me.
May: We’re not angry...we’re just upfront...

Skratch: What is your musical background?

May: I bought myself an electric guitar at the age of 13 & started to teach myself simple riffs. I always enjoyed writing songs & evolving styles I heard in other bands.
Robbie: I wanted to play McFly songs so I got a guitar and lessons for Christmas, then all bassists died so I took up the mantle.
Mia: This smoky piano bar that used to be open. I used to spend most nights there when my mum worked there, so there’d be live musicians most nights. I actually started out on piano. And a bar called Classic Rock. They had some amazing open mic nights. Anyone could just roll on stage and we’d somehow blast out a tune.

Skratch: Tell us about how you got started as a band.

May: Me & Mia both studied art at college, we had never met before but got talking when Lithium (Nirvana) came on the radio. She was drawing a picture of a drum kit, & from there the band started very simply...”do you play drums?”...”not very well”...”do you wanna be in a band?” & a week later we had our first band practice together.
Robbie: May stole MY DRUMMER from MY BAND!! Then I joined.
Mia: Both good cases....
May: How I remember Rob joining, is that we all got wasted after our first gig in celebration & watched about 2 hours of some Ramones footage I had bought...we decided Robbie should play 2nd guitar in the band & backing vocals as he had sung along to all the songs at the gig. After our current bassist left/got kicked out Robbie took up the position.
Skratch: What is the most rewarding part of playing in a band?
May: For me it is seeing people dance & sing along to something that you have written; enjoyment is everything.
Robbie: Hearing a song that you’ve written that isn’t just guitar, it’s hard to imagine what isn’t there.
Mia: Free beer for the band as of late....and getting people you don’t know moshing along.

Skratch: What challenges have you faced as musicians?

May: Most of the challenges come when we’re playing live. Rob & me both breaking strings, but we always carry on. The biggest challenge to date is when I broke my shoulder a week before we were due to play a collection of gigs down in London. We strapped my arm up pretty well & played the gigs without a guitar.
Robbie: There are no punk bands, it’s saturated with wank indie bands, they’re not independent.
Mia: Lack of stamina. Lack of sticks. Sadly there’s not a lack of breast tissue....

Skratch: What would you say is your best song to date? Why?

May: I would say Take It All, I enjoy the riff & can’t quite remember where it came from, and I’ve never managed to write anything the same since. It’s a simple format of verse chorus verse chorus with a killer drum solo. I enjoy playing it & our fans like hearing it.
Robbie: We’ve got quite a few so it’s hard to choose, there’s little bits in different songs which are just epic. Mia: Epic is the word! I know which ones I like....I play them better.

Skratch: Do you remember the first album you ever bought? What was it?

May: The first album I bought myself was Ramones (Ramones) I thought it was awesome when I first listened to it & I still do now.
Robbie: Either Wheatus or Infest by Papa Roach.
Mia: I think it was The Best of Deep Purple....but it could’ve been Nevermind by Nirvana.

Skratch: Where do you see your band in five years?

May: Touring venues, practicing in my cellar...pretty much the same as now but we’ll be a little older & maybe have a couple more albums under our belts.
Robbie: A bit hairier.
Mia: Older with arthritis.

Skratch: Would you say your goals as a band are long term, or short term? What do you ultimately hope to achieve? Explain.
May: Long term definitely. I want to be recognised for what we do.
Robbie: I just want recognition and enough to live comfortably on. Mia: long term...a shrine would be nice too.
Skratch: How has your band evolved since when you first formed?
May: Since the band first formed we’ve all learnt to play our instruments better than before & we’ve gone through some changes too losing our original bassist & claiming Robbie.
Robbie: Pretty much what May said, I’m actually starting to think like a bassist.
Mia: I hit things a lot harder nowadays...I definitely sound a lot better.
Skratch: How often do you practice? What is your rehearsal time like?
May: We try & practice at least once a week, we work on new songs, hammer through older ones & generally try & get better at what we do. A cup of tea also helps.
Robbie: My garage smells, Mays cellar’s better. Oh and there’s ALOT of MASSIVE spiders.
Mia: Take it like a man Rob. They’re not massive.

Skratch: What shows/album releases/plans do you currently have set up? Tell us about them.
May: Currently we are booking more shows, & we’re working on releasing our second studio album officially to the masses. We’re now under management by James Scholey, who is helping us a lot in every aspect of what we do. Also we will have our band website launched in September 2009, www.thepervertedstaggs.co.uk personally I’m very excited about that.
Robbie: Keep plugging away like we do. Scholey’s proper getting our act together.
Mia: I never remember anyway. But alot of good stuff is coming up.

Skratch: Where have your preformed? Tell us about the experience.

May: We’ve played in so many bars & clubs I lose count, but cities we have played are; Sheffield, London, Manchester, Leeds, Rotherham, Pontypool, Barnsley, Doncaster & hopefully more to come. With 40+ gigs behind us I think we’re doing all right.
Robbie: We played at Sheffield City Hall but the stage was too big, I prefer to be able to see May.
Mia: I’ve yet to find somewhere that doesn’t blind me with lights...and that isn’t a death trap.

Skratch: What sets your stage show a part from all the other bands making the rounds at venues?
May: Aggressive, we get the crowd dancing, & make them clap along. No-one grooves a show like us. Robbie: Sometimes we drink each others sweat.
Mia: Unwillingly I might add...May’s sweat is salty. Oh and I’m a girl drummer, there aren’t that many of them around that I’ve seen. They’re like Panda babies...hard to come by, and when you find one you know how much effort the parents really put in to reproduce.

Skratch: Anything else you think we should know about the band?
May: We’ll rock off your shoes...
Robbie: Bet you’re starting to enjoy the pegs now...
Mia: I’m sleeping with the Manager....
To learn more about The Perverted Staggs go to www.myspace.com/pervertedstaggs.

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