Interview by Mel Everitt with Jamie Goddard from The Zoots.
Here is the transcript of the whole interview
MEL EVERITT Good afternoon to you on a glorious day. I mean, it’s been, well, the last couple of days have been lovely. You really feel like spring is here. Oh, it just makes such a difference, doesn’t it? With the sunshine, it makes you feel good. We are right now going to find out more about Jamie Goddard from the Zoots. They are coming to the South West on tour and you can get to see them very, very soon. They’re out and about and it’s always an incredible show. Now it is the Sound of the Sixties show. and they dressed up, they look amazing. I caught up with Jamie to find out more about the tour and how he was feeling.
JAMIE The sun is shining , I’m very happy!!!!
MEL EVERITT It does make you feel so much better, doesn’t it, Jamie?
JAMIE Definitely, definitely. I feel like I’m on holiday, you want to get a camper van out. Yeah. That’s what I want to do.
MEL EVERITT Oh, right. I love this. Now, we could spend hours talking about camper vans because, um, obviously I love camper vans. This is the time of year where I start cleaning it up and getting out there.
JAMIE Yeah. I’m definitely, I’m going to go and start working on my van as soon as I’m off the phone.
MEL EVERITT Yeah. So I used to have a 1972. I think it was called a Devon. Oh my God, honestly, I loved it. It was my, my first proper Volkswagen that I got when I was 22.I spent most of my time in a lay by or broken down. You’d get to the campsite, but you’d never get home.
JAMIE Yeah, I know. Well, my Dad had one in the garage for years and years. It was a 1978 (VW CAMPER). We loved it so much because it was in the garage. So we were just sleeping it all year round.
MEL EVERITT Oh, I know.
JAMIE They’d sleep in a camper van, it’s great.
MEL EVERITT Yeah, exactly, I used to do exactly the same. And the thing was, with the old camper van, I had the pop up top on it, and you had two little sort of bunk beds that pulled out from the side, and then you had the cooker underneath the front seat, so you’d put the front seat forward, but it just had the hugest steering wheel you’ve ever used in your life. It was so mad, oh. Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous. Well, we’re not, we’re not here to talk about campervans, even though we, we could all day long, but you are out and about on tour, aren’t you, Jamie? Tell us a bit about it.
JAMIE Really looking forward to it. So on the 14th of March, we’re going to be at the Beehive Theatre in Honiton. we’re doing our Sounds of the Sixties show. We’re going to be playing, I’ve just counted out 77 songs from the 1960s. we will be performing in a two hour performance and and we’re also coming down the 18th May. We’re down in Palace Theatre in Paignton in Devon just outside Torquay. Also, we’re doing a new show, which is this 1960s talent show. That’s in Burnham on Sea That’s on the 20th of June We’re also doing Liskeard, Sterts Theatre on the 25th of July, that’s our Sounds of the Sixties show. So, we spend a lot of time in the South West, we really love that area, it’s very special to us.
MEL EVERITT People keep coming back again and again as well, don’t they? But for people that haven’t been before, what would you say to describe one of your shows?
JAMIE The way it makes people feel is what I love the most. When we talk to people after the show, they tell us that they feel rejuvenated and the Stage calls it impossible not to like. So the favourite thing for me is that when people feel, because a lot of the people that come and see us are 60 plus and They speak to me after the show and they say it’s really nice to feel young again and these songs bring back memories and what’s also interesting is that the songs that still played on the radio for adverts are still on the TV, it’s still really relevant and those songs have really stood the test of time. Even my 14 year old niece knows. every song in the set.
MEL EVERITT Of course, of course.
JAMIE We started doing a Stand By Me which is a new one for the set but obviously an old song and that was re released in the 80s as well so younger people kind of know that song. We do lots of medleys of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks and we have a section where we do a flower power medley. I’m doing this stupid thing where I’m attempting to play 21 songs in four minutes. We do a Small faces medley. We do a bit of Elvis. We do a bit of Jeff Beck with Hi ho silver lining and we’ve got a dance medley at the end and it’s a party section and Beach boys and 77 songs. Hopefully I can remember the words for all of them. There’s a lot that a lot of people are gonna have some great memories about all those songs as well.
MEL EVERITT And you do dress up, you look rather lovely, don’t you? When you’re out on tour, you really do.
JAMIE Yeah, we’ve got lots of different costumes. And we try and capture that essence of the 1960s. Because there was in the beginning of the 60s, everybody was very, very smart and then as the 60s became more colourful and there was more kind of psychedelia and stuff like that. So it’s trying to capture all those really nice songs and take the audience on a journey as well. All our dates are on our website, which is the zoots. com. So if people want to have a look where we are, that’s the best way to find out. We try and do it so that there’s like a bit of a party at the end. Everyone gets up and dances. We predominantly play theater, so some of them have like a little area at the side where they can dance. So yeah, it’s great. It’s a great atmosphere all the shows and, and literally our last six shows have sold out. So we must be doing. We’re doing something right. 14th of March is the next one. So that’s the Beehive. And I just counted, there’s 41 tickets left. So make sure you buy them.
Absolutely. Do it. And you’re always good fun. You’re always good fun, Jamie.
JAMIE Don’t take it too seriously. And I like to have a bit of a a laugh and a giggle and with the audiences.
MEL EVERITT Yeah and I think it is like we mentioned before it is that time of year where we’re starting to wake up now and we want to start doing the things but we’ve all been hibernating and now we’re ready for it once again.
JAMIE I woke up today and feel inspired because there’s something in the sky that’s bright.
MEL EVERITT Yeah, the sun. We’ve not seen it for the last two months have we?
JAMIE Yeah.
MEL EVERITT Oh, I know it does something to you. It definitely makes you feel so much better. Well, Jamie, always lovely to chat with you. Best of luck with the tour and thanks for joining us today.
JAMIE Thank you so much, Mel. It makes such a big difference and I really appreciate it. Thank you so much.
