On Saturday 19th July 2025 Jamie spoke to BBC Radio presenter Caroline Cook to talk about The Zoots and their up and coming shows in the South West. Sounds of the 60s and The Sounds of the 80s
Caroline is a fantastic presenter who had her own show on Heart Breakfast for 6 years and before that she was a DJ at KISS FM. She has been working at the BBC for near 8 years and is also the editor of ‘Your Exmouth’. She conducted a wonderful interview with JAmie which you can listen to below
Below is the transcript of the interview
Caroline Cook
We are here with lots of great music and what is going on across the Southwest, and it is a corker for you next.
Zoots music plays……………….
That is the Sound of the Zoots, and I’m very happy to have Zoots Frontman and manager, Jamie Goddard with me today. Hello, Jamie.
Jamie
Hi Caroline. Thanks so much for having me on. Absolute pleasure. Um, thanks for fitting us in ’cause you are extremely busy at the moment. Um, I know you’ve, you’ve, I mean, you’ve done thousands of shows all over the world.
You’ve got sounds of the Eighties sounds of the Sixties going on all over the Southwest, all over the UK. Um, do, do you get any downtime right now?
Jamie
Well, I’m currently, I’m, I’m playing my friend’s 80th birthday party today, so I’m just setting up at the moment. That’s over in Cookham Dean and in Berkshire. So I did a TV performance yesterday on the news. So yeah, it’s quite busy at the moment, but it’s good to be busy. I’d rather be busy.
Caroline Cook
Yes, I, I know about your performance actually, because it was a, a certain song called Sweet Caroline, which, um, you perform beautifully. Um, but it’s, it’s one of those bug bears for me because it’s that song that I’ve had shouted at me drunkenly from people across dance floors for many a year, as you might imagine.
They obviously having the same names, so Yeah. But you did it beautifully.
Jamie
Well I’ve been singing it for so long and it didn’t used to be as big as it is now, but yeah, it’s kind of like a, it’s like a hymn now. Um, it really is. But yeah, I enjoy singing it and I enjoy the, the way that the audience reacts.
Caroline Cook
Yeah. That’s what it’s all about. Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond. You can’t go wrong. They absolutely, no, I completely agree. Yeah. And it’s, it’s, bless you, ou go going, obviously having to play at friend’s party. Um, it’s, that’s the downside of when you’re. Good at something, um, that normally they’d have to pay quite a lot of money for. You get asked a lot probably to do things like that, I imagine.
Jamie
No, it, it’s an absolute pleasure really, because I would prefer to be doing that, so it’s quite nice. I don’t mind at all. It’s, it’s my pleasure to do that. So I, I’ll enjoy the singing and if I wasn’t singing, I would. Probably just be a bit of a, a spare part.
But yeah, I love to sing, so that’s what I love to do with the Zoots and especially the Sounds of the Sixties music. That’s, that’s what I’ve, I’m really passionate about.
Caroline Cook
Yeah. You and you are a very good friend. Definitely. That’s lovely. Yeah. I, it’s, it obviously the, the sounds of the sixties sounds of the eighties.
I mean, it must help in terms of longevity as a collective because it’s, it’s not gonna go anywhere. People just. Love to hear that stuff still all the time, don’t they? Yeah, definitely. The, the songs you hear like, Hey, baby, by Bruce Chanel, and it was at least in 1960 and it’s, it’s songs that you still hear on the tv.
Jamie
You still hear them on football grounds, you know, all of the football teams in the Premiership Lo, lots of them have got theme tunes that are from the sixties. Um, Glad all over with Crystal Palace. And Never walk alone with Liverpool. Chelsea have a song that’s from 1969 (Liquidator) so they all have still, there’s still a place in the sixties music and all the kids know it as well. Yeah. Which is great for us.
Caroline Cook
Well that’s what’s great about I, I suppose, you know, I know streaming has its downsides, but one of the. Upsize is that obviously because of like films and tally and things kept going in soundtracks, uh, if unlike something they can go and find it more easily?
Jamie
Yeah, definitely.
And, and that’s one of the reasons that I’m into Sixties music because when I grew up my parents had vinyl or, or records and that’s pretty much all you could listen to because that’s all we would have in the house. So Mum and dad had the kinks records. The Who. Beatles had Sergeant Peppers. So that was the kind of music that I was able to listen to when I was a kid.
And that’s why I got so into Sixties. I so identify with that. I used to love sort of, I mean, I was, I was a bit too clumsy to be safe with the vinyl, but I did love just the, the sleeve and the artwork and the feel of it was amazing. Yeah, definitely. And all of the records in those days were recorded on analog, so they sound really nice and warm.
And I think a lot of young people are starting to listen to older music and realize that there’s a special. Vibe. There’s a special sound with sixties music, which we love to re recreate with our, in our sounds of the sixties show. You really do, actually, I, you touched on warmth air,
Caroline Cook
and I, I would really agree that you almost, your performance does that live, as you say, as what vinyl does to a download kind of thing.
Absolutely. I think, you know, you, you really encapsulate that and it’s a fabulous style. You’ve all got, was that quite an organic thing or did it take a lot of planning and choreography?
Jamie
It did take a lot of planning, but, and a lot of research. But you know, it’s like today, even if I wasn’t singing, I’d be wearing that stuff anyway. So, you know, the kind of Sixties style is, is something that I, I really enjoy all aspects of it from fashion and, and the music and, and, and the kind of visuals with that as well.
Caroline Cook
And you, you mentioned your parents and when it comes to the actual sort of, um, instrumental side of things, obviously I know you play drums and guitar.
How did you first start doing that? Where did you sort of find that, that actual connection between the music you were hearing and wanting to play it? So, my Dad was a drummer in the sixties and seventies and, and he essentially gave up. When I was born, I was a second child and mom said, you got better concentrate on your proper career.
So Dad had a drum kit in a loft and I used to go and practice on the, on the drum kit in a loft. Apparently everyone could hear me with all around the square that we used to live. Um, and I’d played before mom and mom and dad got back from work. Um, after I got home school, so quite to a lot of travel, I was lucky enough to have a drum kit in the house and we had a little piano that got.
For Christmas, one year for 50 pounds, which was a lot of money at the time. But yeah, so he always has music, you know, music instrument, instruments in the house. So I was very lucky. And how did your dad feel about you sort of being that trip off your block and, and carrying that on? Oh yeah. ’cause Dad’s really helped me.
Um, he even came up with the name. From Amis here. He said he was finally speaking to an agent. ’cause he used to do all the bookings and stuff. And he said, um, and when he was thinking about coming up with this sixties show, he is like, they could ‘wear suits’. And the agent thought he said, they’re called the Zoots.
And he said, that’s a really good name. So from saying they’re gonna wear suits. That’s how the band name came along. So this this’s quite a nice story, but he only told me like six months ago, how would they do that? Parents, don’t they, they can still surprise you stories. Yeah. Yeah. I do love the name though.
The, is a great name. And, and I can see how that sort of came about. ’cause you, you are all very, as I say, very stylish where he suited and booted, especially in the Sixties. Staff are absolutely amazing. Um, and there’s, there’s quite a lot. Of you, kind of with the sort of, ’cause that’s why I sort of use the word collective ’cause um, it’s not just the band.
Caroline Cook
You’ve got the amazing dancers as well. Um, are they, are they with you all the time or are the people coming in and out?
Jamie
Yeah, the, it depends on the show and the size of the, the, of the theater. But yeah, those on the videos. My niece Doris here and her friends dancing with the, uh, union jet dresses on. So that was a gig that we did in, um, Lancashire. But, uh, for the next show that we’re doing next Fridays at at, at the Sterts Art Centre, which has been completely renovated, that’s on the 25th of July, at Sterts in in Liskeard, which is an absolutely lovely venue, and they’ve, they’ve made it look, it’s kind of like an outdoor indoor. Um, arena, but it’s, it’s a fantastic place and really, really can’t wait. We haven’t played our show there for six years, so it’s gonna be really nice to go back.
Caroline Cook
Yes, there are, uh, lots of gigs actually you can check out on the Zoots website.
Uh, there’s sort of, you know, fairly near Devon. We’ve got a Liskeard. We’ve got,Swanage Dorset Tauton in Somerset, but you’re coming to Axminster, the Guildhall, aren’t you, in October?
Jamie
Yes. For our Sounds of the Eighties show. Axminster GuildHall on the 24th of October. And with that gig, my Dad used to play there in the seventies and I found an advert in the Loft and he played there in something like 1975 (with Bobby Dazzler). He played Axminster Guildhall and ’cause they would come from London, everyone used to see them from far and wide.
So I, hopefully, hopefully we can, um, sell that one out for our Sounds of the Eighties show at Axminster Guildhall, yeah, it’s our first time there. Oh, how lovely to have that recollection of your dad as well. That’s, that’s a really nice sort of touchstone, isn’t it? Yeah. Mum and Dad are gonna come to that one, so bring back some good memories and, and ’cause my uncle used to live in Devon, so we used to spend all our summers in Devon and he used to book gigs for, for bands and, and things like that.
Um, quite a few big acts before they became big, um, in Honiton and Axminster and around that area. So I’ve got a real connection with the Southwest.
And do you think it made it easier for you to sort of, um, cope with the, the sort of the less glamorous side of being in a band and the resilience you need and all the touring, you know, with having that music heritage in your family?
Jamie
I think so because it’s a lot of hard work goes into putting on a show, even just getting everyone to turn up in the same place, put on a show. There’s quite a lot of people and it’s finding people that want to do that as well, because a lot of people want to play on stage. But yeah, there’s a lot of travel, there’s a lot of rehearsal and, and you’ve got to build up experience of, of playing to an audience.
But yeah, I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t do anything else. And although we do charge money for tickets, I think if I had all the money in the world, I would still. They would definitely still do it.
Caroline Cook
Oh, it’s just so fabulous and rare to get to have something that you love so much being your job, actually. So yeah, I guess.
Jamie
I guess it must feel like a real privilege. Yeah, definitely. But yeah, it’s, it’s only kind of like 5% of the day. Sure. But it’s the best 5%. Um, and we love to bring back memories for people as well because one, one of the reasons I really enjoy it is because a lot of people that come to the show are retired people.
And, and after the show they thank me and they say, thank you for making me feel like a teenager again. Oh. You know, it’s a really special, it’s a really special gift, um, that the music. Gives people, so, you know, when they come and see the Zoots, um, especially the Sounds of the Sixties show or even, you know, any of the areas that we do like the sounds of the Eighties.
It, it kind of brings back memories and that’s what’s so special about, um, nostalgia. I think. So lovely. Really special and, and a chance, I guess as well feel like. Parents, Grandparents to kind of pass it down to their kids. And you’re saying keep that kind of Yes. Uh, interest going and the, that love of like the real, you know, I think, I always think there’s a real difference between, it doesn’t matter the age of the music, it’s whether it’s sort of dated or classic and there’s a massive difference I think.
Yes. Try and put songs in the show that are still relevant today so that we get Grandparents bring their grandchildren and I want them to know every single song. The show is sort of built round, kind of songs that are still, 60’s songs that are still relevant, um, so that everybody can enjoy it and, and have a great time.
Caroline Cook
And as I mentioned earlier, Jamie, I mean you have done thousands of shows all around the world. Um, how do you cope with the touring? Do you have some sort of like, top tips down now of, of how you’ll get through that or things that you enjoy to take little comforts along to make it easier?
Jamie
It’s so funny you should say that because now I’ve actually started telling people that I’ve done less gigs than I have ’cause it makes me sound too old. Um. When I went on my last year, when I went on my last European tour, I enjoyed cooking because we got driven around to each show, which we don’t. That doesn’t really happen in the UK, but I really enjoy doing some cooking. So cooking for the group. ’cause it’s important that you eat well. Sure. When you’re on tour. And it’s just like you could eat out all the time, but it’s just, you dunno what you’re gonna get. So yeah, I really enjoyed doing cooking and just a bit of, um, stretching and stuff like that, which really helps. Just doing a few exercises before you go on and, ’cause if you don’t eat properly, um, you know, try and eat lots of fruit and stuff like that.
Yeah, but just keeping, keeping the music alive, but also looking after yourself.
Caroline Cook
Yep. Five a day might not be rock and roll, but it’s important for band resilience. Yeah. I’m with you. Yeah, definitely. I like that. I mean, that is what it takes though to keep going as long as you guys and keep that sort of, you know, that real, that solid performance.
You need a lot of stamina, don’t you?
Jamie Yeah. You do. Yeah. And, and then sometimes stamina drive home afterwards. Yes, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. It’s a, it’s a special thing doing our shows. It, it’s a really good opportunity for us to play as, as the zoos and, and be able to do Sixties and do a 70’s show and the Eighties show ’cause it’s all my favorite music and it’s all very nostalgic to me as well. So yeah, it’s very special.
Caroline Cook
Definitely. Fantastic. And, um, do you have, I mean, you, you, you come across as a very down to earth person, Jamie, but do you have one show, busy moment that you can share with us, a real sort of highlight that will make us kind of sit up and get excited? Um, any gossip? Well, I’m definitely the, the most famous band, uh, on my street or best famous singer on my street because there’s three other houses in the street and, um.
None of them are, are singers at all. So, um, I don’t know. I, I had some at a point in the airport where, um, somebody, somebody’s passport had a really old photo and they weren’t accepting it. So we were, um, at an airport and they were saying, really, sorry, but we are not gonna accept this, uh. We’re not gonna accept this passport.
Anyway, he went to this office and he was thinking, oh, I’m gonna miss my flight. I’m not gonna get, but the funny thing was that the person, person that was head of passport control was a fan of the band. And he was like, oh, you’re in The Zoots. Oh, that’s fine. And they just let him, they let him off. But I think he was thinking that he, they were not gonna let him fly.
So that’s quite a good story. That’s a good string to pull. Definitely. Yeah. Yeah. Fantastic. So that helped to get him home. Amazing. Jamie, it’s been absolutely lovely to talk to you. You, thank you very much for being with us. Um, you can find the zoos online, just did little search for them. Uh, social media as well.
Can we find your, your adventures there? Yeah, uh, the zoots.com and Facebook slash the zoos. Um, we’re on Instagram as well, the zoos. Um, and you can buy tickets on our website. Um, so yeah, hopefully see some of you. Next Friday at Stats, um, on the 25th of July. Brilliant stuff. All the best. That is Jamie. Thank from the Zoots everyone.
Thank you.
