i said yes

Here are 20 questions that we answered yesterday for the road to V team, we thought we'd share them with you for the sake of your enlightenment. If you manage to read them all then we would be slightly suprised, but at the same time we'd like to commend you for your commitment and perseverance. http://www.roadtov.com/profile/40162 

1. Where does your band/act name come from?

We can't come to one pre-agreed decision... Kit (Trumpet, Bass,
Guitar, Glockenspiel, Pretentious-Poet, Vocals), for example, likes to
think it comes straight from the last chapter of Ulysses. Hugh (Drums,
Violin, Vocals, Djembe) thinks it has similarities to a conversation
that once took place on the shores of Lake Galilee. But, if we're
honest, it just seems to fit in with our positive, bouncing
brand of indie-folk.

2. Describe your band/act in five words or less.

Catchy, Charming, Unselfconscious Powerpop.

3. What's your first musical memory?

Singing the solo for 'Once in royal David's City' at the local carol service.

4. Who's your all-time musical hero/heroine, and why?

Buddy Holly, I've loved him since I was about 5, and he has endured.
Much more humble than Elvis, for example...

5. Which song do you most wish you'd written?

Thin Blue Flame by Josh Ritter.

6. Which song is your current pet hate?

Something about 'Elvis on a Radio' by Scouting for girls.

7. What's the most embarrassing record that you own?

I own 'Middle of Nowhere' by Hanson, second tape I ever bought, but I
honestly think it's a well constructed (if slightly high-pitched) inspiration.

8. Which song would you most like to cover, and what would you bring to it?

We were pretty proud of our Umbrella cover, which started with a
Trumpet jazz solo, but Umbrella covers are sort of floating around
everywhere at the moment, so maybe 'Low' by Molly Wagger, great track,
we'd just use a different combination of instruments I suppose, maybe
take some small inconsequential riff that appears only once, and make
it one of the main themes?

9. Do you have any pre-performance rituals?

I have to pee, normally get pretty nervous, Robbie (Lead Guitar)
employs delay tactics, Margot (Viola, Accordion, Vocals, Keyboard,
Tambourine, Melodica, Bass, Guitar) sort of 'bounces' around, Kit
reads (one of his many) books and Hugh gives us the pep talk.

10. What's your greatest claim to fame?

Well... Not only was Kit once the voice for one of those French
'listening' role-play tapes, but he is also the grandson of the author
John Buchan.

11. What was the best day of your life?

Back in February, in the space of 24 hours the following events took place:
We heard that we had been featured on the xfm 'new music rising' podcast,
We heard that we had been played on the x-posure showcase,
We stumbled across the metro online music page where we were the
featured artist,
We had an email from a record label saying that they were interested
in our music,
We had to keep pinching ourselves.

12. Where would you take the Road to V team on a first date?

A walk by the River Avon in the spring sunshine. Definitely an underrated river in terms of beauty, and VERY West country. We hide from our Middle England origins (our myspace claims we're from Edinburgh and London) but I (Margot) feel we must embrace it in order to fully develop artistically.

13. You've hit the bigtime. What goes on your backstage rider?

The complete Harry Potter series on audio tape (Read by Stephen Fry,
not Jim Dale). (Following this, a new viola player.)

14. The world is ending tomorrow. What do you do in your last 24 hours?

It's gonna come like a 'thief in the night' so I'm not sure if we'll
have much time to think about it.

15. Your life story is being made into a film. Who's playing you, and why?

Charlie Chaplain (Hugh), because that's what it feels like being him,
apparently.

16. What did you last lie about?

Well Hugh doesn't lie, so...

17. What's your best party trick?

'When you say nothing at all' Ronan Keating, never fails to disappoint. Margot's tummy button also comes out and can be tied - outwards - with a hairband. (Show off).

18. If you had a time machine, where would you go?

Medieval England, or to see those Pygmy people in Papua New Guinea a
couple of hundred years ago.

19. What are you scared of?

Maggots and Younger People who bully us.

20. What's the best advice you've ever been given?

Avoid doing Hazel O'Connor impressions...

After having given the fine inhabitants of Scotland several opportunities to hear the soundscape which emerges when 'i said yes' come together, the good people of England now have their chance....

The first of these musical extravaganza's occured on Friday 28th March in the fine market town of Marlborough, the old stomping ground of none other than Nick Drake and John Betjeman.... much fun was had by all.

Two other opportunities lie in store this April, one in the great city of Oxford on Thursday 3rd April at a place called the Wheatsheaf, and one in none other than our capital city on Friday 4th April in the district of Notting Hill...

We do hope that you will join us,

If you desire more details then seek and you shall find them at www.myspace.com/ofcourseisaidyes

i said yes

The 'i said yes' collective find themselves occasionally dispersed and occasionally in the same place, sharing a love of all things musical and some things poetic. The recent discovery of a long-forgotten accordion and several encounters with a tambourine, a glockenspiel, a viola and a melodica have helped 'i said yes' to confront the fact that perhaps, they aspire to write songs which embody the spirit of indie folk. But then again, perhaps they just play what comes out. 'and then we danced…' is a collection of some of these songs, a record of the times when i said yes were in the same place. Much dancing has already occurred, and perhaps more dancing lies ahead....