COVENTRY Music Museum curator Pete Chambers BEM writes for the Observer.
IT IS great to see one of Coventry’s music heroes Andy Guttercat-Rothwell back to releasing music once again.
Here’s Andy’s story and how this new song ‘Two Faced People’ came about.
Last year he picked up a cheap guitar with the intention after all these years of learning to play it a bit.
And after a few false starts with trying to start another band after the Guttercats had split eight years ago, it seemed the obvious choice to get him moving forward.
But, he said, the guitar didn’t quite turn out that easy for him to play.
“I ended up going out and buying a cheap bass guitar to see how I might progress and learn.
“As the Covid crisis progressed into 2020 and the first lockdown, I found myself with more spare time.
“An idea for a song began to form from a set of lyrics I’d written during late 2019.
“Looking at some people that were around me at work and also looking back at people, who I had crossed paths with over the years in the music business, either with bands I’d been in or people I’d met.”
It was around this time that a guitarist – JJ from a band (The Main Grains) – emerged.
Andy said: “I’d followed over the last few years, had been working on a new project, called The City Kids.
“After plucking up the courage, I messaged and asked JJ, and sent him the idea.
“He liked it and he agreed to play on it and produce it for me.
“By the time, we had gone through all the process exchanging files etc I was again amazed at the finished song we had created.”
After giving the video some thought. Andy said he came up with what he thought was a very simple idea.
He approached his friend Iain about the idea and things started to fall into place.
“So over the course of several weeks, we began playing with lighting and backdrops and different cameras to put this video together.
“People had commented it was taking a long time to make but we wanted the video to be the best that it could be.
“It was a new experience and everything had to be right and make sure we had all the right footage to complete it.”
The song will be made available on band-camp and hopefully Spotify.
Any proceeds made from the sale of the song, whether that is £1, £10 or £100, will be paid towards helping a struggling local venue or
band during these difficult times.
Having heard the song, it rocks along – as you would expect coming from Andy – and had a chorus to die for, welcome back Andy.
Specials on TV
So, I was asked on my opinion on the news that Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight is said to be planning a new TV drama about how Two Tone music exploded in Birmingham and Coventry.
Exploded in Coventry don’t you mean?
We all know The Beat were from Birmingham but 2-Tone was most definitely created in Coventry.
I’m excited to hear of this planned show, but please don’t put a Brummie slant on it – 2-Tone is ours.
I did wonder who would play the various band members though.
