Jamie was interviewed by Steve Simpson to talk about The Zoots and the up and coming 60s Talent show at The Radlett on 27th Sept
Steve:
It’s coming up to 22 minutes past 11, and our final guest is going to be with us in just a second.
Jamie Goddard is the frontman of The Zoots, a wonderfully ambitious band who will be recreating eight different bands from the 60s in a show at The Radlett Centre.
We’ll find out more about that shortly. To get you in the mood for some 60s music, here are The Monkees with I’m a Believer.
[The Monkees – “I’m a Believer” plays]
Steve:
This is Mix 92.6, Hertfordshire’s very own local radio station.
I’m really pleased to say that our next guest is on the line. It’s Jamie Goddard from The Zoots.
They’ve got a wonderfully ambitious show coming to The Radlett Centre very soon.
Jamie, welcome to Mix 92.6.
Jamie:
Thanks very much for having me, Steve. It’s great to be here.
Steve:
It’s great to have you.
Although we nearly didn’t have you! We were originally going to speak to another member of The Zoots, but she’s unfortunately had to go to hospital.
Jamie:
Yes, but we’re still here!
I’m Jamie from The Zoots. I started the band in 2009, and we’re going to be at The Radlett Centre on 27 September.
We’re really looking forward to it.
It’s a crazy show. We dress up as eight different bands from the 1960s!
Steve:
When I first saw the advert and read that it was a 60s evening, I thought, “Great, we like 60s music. We’ve seen plenty of these shows.”
But then you look into it in more detail and realise that this is quite a different concept.
It’s very ambitious because you’re effectively recreating a talent show featuring eight bands from the 60s.
The Zoots dress up as those eight different bands and perform as each of them — and the audience gets involved too, doesn’t it?
Jamie:
Yes. We play a song by each band, and then the audience decides which band they prefer. The winning band goes through to the next round.
Steve:
And there must be a lot of costume changes!
Jamie:
There are!
Lauren is our compère, and she sings songs between the performances while we’re backstage frantically getting changed and putting on wigs.
Steve:
And it’s poor Lauren who was originally going to join us today, but she’s had to go to hospital to have the dressing changed on a burn to her hand.
So we’ve got you instead, Jamie!
The eight bands featured in the show are The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Searchers, The Who, The Monkees, Small Faces and The Beach Boys.
Which one is your personal favourite?
Jamie:
My favourite is probably The Kinks or The Who.
Although it’s difficult to say. Maybe The Rolling Stones!
Steve:
Any one of the eight, then!
It’s probably not fair to have a favourite. You wouldn’t have a favourite child, so perhaps you shouldn’t have a favourite band either.
Steve:
So you have eight bands and all those costume changes, with Lauren filling in the gaps while you’re getting ready.
How does the audience select which bands go through to the next round?
Jamie:
We have a vote — a bit like a clap-o-meter.
Steve:
A clap-o-meter!
Jamie:
Yes!
I put the show together last year.
As you said, it’s very ambitious. The Zoots have been performing 60s theatre shows since 2009, and then we were approached by an agent who asked whether we’d be interested in doing this new concept.
I thought, “That’s going to be a lot of work!”
There are a lot of costumes — and a lot of washing the next day too, which is pretty much down to me because it’s all my fault!
Steve:
I can imagine some of those later Beatles outfits need to be washed separately. Otherwise, all the colours might run!
I’m just being practical.
Jamie:
Absolutely!
Steve:
You measure the audience response with your clap-o-meter. Does one particular band generally win, or does the result change depending on where you perform?
Jamie:
We’ve done the show about ten times now, and every performance has taken a different journey towards the final result.
That’s one of the interesting things about it.
We know what we’re going to perform in the first half, but in the second half we genuinely don’t know what songs we’ll be playing because it depends on who the audience has voted through.
We’ve got videos prepared for all the different possible performances in the background too.
Every time somebody comes to see the show, it can be different.
Even we don’t know exactly what’s going to happen, and that’s part of the fun because the audience is effectively in control.
Steve:
Let’s hear a clip of one of your performances.
You mentioned The Kinks as one of your favourite bands. We’ve got Lazy Sunday Afternoon—
Jamie:
That’s Small Faces!
Steve:
Oh, sorry! I beg your pardon — Small Faces.
I’m getting confused because The Kinks have Sunny Afternoon.
Jamie:
Exactly. It’s an easy mistake to make!
Steve:
My apologies.
Let’s have a listen.
[The Zoots perform “Lazy Sunday” by Small Faces]
Steve:
That was The Zoots performing as Small Faces.
Very authentic sounding, Jamie.
Jamie:
Thanks!
My mum tells me off for singing it in a Cockney accent, but it’s all part of the show.
Steve:
It’s not your real accent?
Jamie:
Definitely not!
Steve:
It sounds very authentic.
I presume you try to get close to the original sound of all the other bands too?
Jamie:
We try.
It’s definitely a challenge, especially when you’ve got about three minutes to change from one costume into another.
You have to get into the completely different vibe of each band, and obviously they’re all very different.
Steve:
Have you ever accidentally come out on stage half-dressed as The Beatles and half-dressed as Small Faces?
Jamie:
So many funny things have happened!
We’ve been announced as one band while we’re actually dressed as another.
Things definitely go wrong occasionally!
Steve:
Give us the details of the show.
It’s on 27 September?
Jamie:
Yes, at The Radlett Centre.
Tickets are available from The Radlett Centre box office, or you can go to thezoots.com, where you’ll find tickets and information for all of our shows.
We’re also back at The Radlett Centre on 18 March next year with our Sounds of the Sixties show.
We perform at The Radlett quite regularly and we really love it there. The people are lovely and it’s always a great crowd.
Steve:
We’ll certainly watch out for that.
Jamie, thank you very much for coming on the show this morning, and best of luck with the show on 27 September.
It’s a great idea and a great concept. I hope it all goes brilliantly at The Radlett Centre.
Jamie:
Thanks, Steve. I really appreciate it.
Come along if you want!
Steve:
There we go — I thought you’d never ask!
Thank you, Jamie. It’s been great to hear from you.
Jamie:
Thanks, Steve.
After the Interview
Steve:
Wasn’t it great to hear from Jamie? He’s so enthusiastic about the show.
Other Presenter:
Yes, and it sounds like a really good event.
Steve:
Are you going to go down and see it?
Other Presenter:
Hopefully, yes!
Steve:
You’ve got a free ticket.
Other Presenter:
It would be rude not to!
Steve:
You’re listening to Hertfordshire’s Mix 92.6.
