Jamie was contacted by Jim Semmens from Phonic Fm to talk about The Zoots and their up and coming shows in Devon this year.
It was Jamie’s first time on the Exeter based radio station.
Below is a transcript of the interview.
Jim
Welcome to another edition of the Friday Modulation with me, Jim, on Exeter’s Sound Alternative Phonic FM. So, played the jam, A Bomb, um, a little bit of a nod towards, um, Rick, who sadly passed away this week, um, you know, after a very short illness, so, uh, thoughts and prayers with family, friends, and fans alike.
Uh, there is, I’m aware, a little bit of a media campaign. To try and get a tune back in the charts, we will see how that happens. So, the show tonight, loads of stuff going on. Uh, so have a phone interview with, uh, Jamie from The Zoots, who are a touring band that do sounds of the 60s, 70s and 80s. Tunes such as The Stones, Monkeys, Beach Boys, The Isley Brothers, The Jifters, The Who, Small Faces and so on and so forth.
They are playing Honiton at The Beehive on, I think it’s the 14th. Uh, so definitely worth checking them out, and we’ll have him on the phone very shortly. Also, uh, a few of the boys from the Barefoot Bandit are coming in tonight as well. Uh, new music, uh, new album from Block 33. And, uh, the K’s also, uh, and also, uh, some other stuff that you may not have heard as well.
Fantastic drum solo there from Mr. Rick Buckler, sadly passed away this week from a very short illness. Um, so The zoots are apparently impossible not to like and who’s to challenge that says the stage So the 60s show that’s wound audience all around the world selling out and then headlining venues from The Palladium to Old Trafford with their spectacular sound of the 60s and all things being equal with a bit luck I have Jamie on the phone. Hi Jamie. How are you? Did I big you up enough then
Jamie
Yeah, impossible not to like. I like that one.
Jim
Impossible not to like. So that’s The Stage. Yeah. So that’s a nice little, uh, Thing to have said about you. Uh, so talk to me about the zoots If I just come down from planet mars didn’t know anything about anything. Tell me everything I need to know about the zoots
Jamie
We formed in 2009 And we were asked by an agent to put together a 60s show for a tour and then that’s how we kind of started and then we Quickly started playing on cruise ships and and travel all over the world We don’t play at festivals and theaters and we sort of Dedicated our lives to doing sort of retro shows and we started off doing 60s and now occasionally we do other decades as well.Five people in the group, usually five singers, so sort of everyone has a go at singing songs and we, we tour all over the, all over the UK predominantly now. Um, we’ve got two guitars, bass, drums and percussion. So that’s usually our line up. We have female percussion player and singer.
Jim
And the tour that’s going on, obviously, um, the local one to Exeter, I guess, is the Beehive in Honiton.
That’s on, uh, the 14th of March. Uh, then you have the Isle of Wight, one of my favourite places in the world. Love Shanklin. Yeah. And then It’s a good one, that is. Yeah, and then Didcot back in the south west in Paynton. Then Chipping Norton and Eastbourne. So, busy.
Jamie
Yeah, quite busy. And, in between that, I’m also doing a 35 date, or probably even more than that, I think it’s a 39 date tour in Belgium and in the Netherlands with another show that I play in called the Bootleg Sixties. So, yeah, it’s going to be a busy time. I’m always looking forward to it.
JIm
Yeah, well, you don’t get much time off, do you, if you’re sort of spinning many plate?
Jamie
Well, I do quite a lot with booking. Of the shows myself, and the way that it’s kind of panned out, but yeah, it has been fairly quiet, January’s always fairly quiet, so I’m ready, I’m really ready to start touring again now, because it’s, you kind of get itchy feet.
Yeah.
And, you know, when you walk into the living room, you’re not going to get, you’re not going to get a round of applause. Oh, do you not get that? Yeah. Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Uh, no, I just get my, my cat or my dog asking me to do something like feed them or play with them or take ’em for a walk, that kind of thing. So, which, yeah, and it’s very nice to go on tour. It’s kind of like an alternative reality. It’s a really nice place to be and very much just the energy you get from the audiences, especially doing, um, retro music. I think it, it, it brings back a lot of memories for people.
Yeah, absolutely.
A fantastic environment and atmosphere that is really, I just can’t describe it, but it’s just the best feeling.
Jim
Right so talking of energy and the feeling let’s play a tune Uh, and we’ll be back with you in just a few minutes
Talking about my generation. Talking about my generation. My generation. My generation, baby. My, my, my, my generation.
So that was The Zoots and their version of My Generation, one of the longest outros I have ever heard. Um, what do you say to that then, Jamie?
Jim
There’s a reason for that, it’s because in that part of the show, of that particular concert, I was smashing my guitar.
Jamie
iterally. And, so what I’d do is, I’d get like a cheaper guitar, but that one that I used for that particular recording was a Russian one. And, I tried to break it and it just wouldn’t break.
Jim
Pete Townshend never had that problem.
Jamie
Yeah, well, and then I had to put my foot through the back of it in the end because it wouldn’t smash and that’s why the ending goes on like that because with the bands on. Smashing the guitar.
Jim
Yeah. So, so where, where your inspirations come from, obviously you started off with the, the sixties, um, influence sort of band.So where do you sort of go to where, what’s your, you know, if you, if you are sat at home and you’re playing some music, what’s the, what’s the band you go to? What’s the album that you go to?
Jamie
I really like The Who, um, when, when I was growing up, um, my mum and dad had a lot of 7 inch singles, things like The Who, My Generation, they also had some Kinks records, David Bowie, and I used to really, really enjoy listening to them. Well, you kind of had no choice really, because You just listen to what you had. Um, and I think that’s why I got really into it. So, and I’ve got, I’ve got quite a big rec record collection. I’ve got all the original LED zin ones, but I don’t listen to them much now because I’m sort of scared that I might scratch them.
Yeah. And I’m not there necessarily in great condition ’cause I brought ’em when I was like 14, 15 . Yeah. I really, that sort of music is always been sixties and seventies has always been my favorite kind of music.
Jim
Yeah, and then when what it’s what it’s really difficult because I’m sort of a similar generation to yourself And I sort of look at it as you know, almost when we got to the year 2000 sort of at best this is obviously by the way, but sort of when you got to the the the new millennium music sort of Died I there’s not much if I’m honest that I can look over the last 25 years. I say that’s a banger Yeah, that’s a great track. That’s You know, someone I want in my collection. Do you know what I mean?
Jamie
I’m sure there probably is, but it’s just that, I mean, I certainly haven’t heard it, but it’s harder now because the records don’t generate the same amount of money. And just for example, an album like The Eagles Hotel California, they spent six months writing it, then six months rehearsing it, and then another six months recording it. People would never have that luxury nowadays because those records can’t generate the same amount of income. Um, so That’s a big change. Although, having said that, in the 60s, the records didn’t necessarily take a lot of time. For example, Led Zeppelin’s first album, they recorded that in a day, but they were really, really competent musicians. And they did fund it all themselves, Jimmy Page did. You listen to adverts and stuff like that on the I don’t watch TV a lot, but I just noticed the other day They’re still using loads of 60s music for the adverts and stuff. There’s California Dream on an advert, and they keep repeating it. If I watch the other cricket, there’s another one that’s Rubber Ball, and that’s like You know, the early 60s record, and they’re still using these songs.
Jim
Yeah. Because, I guess, because people recognize them. And they stand the test of time as well. So, you know, there are some brilliant tracks, um, over the years. And, and like I say, they just, they stand up against anything, pretty much. So, you know, My Generation is an iconic track. And, and if you were to play it to anyone from my sort of scene, they’d recognise it instantly. Uh, and obviously Oasis covered it in the 90s as well. Yeah. So, you know, it’s sort of been brought back to life with the new generation of mods and 60s enthusiasts and stuff as well.
Jamie
And also most bands from that era, they would have played, they would have been playing very often. They would have been playing at least kind of six times a week. Yeah. Uh, they’d be doing like two gigs in a day. So they’d be really, really, really tight. I guess that if you compare that with nowadays, it would be very difficult for a group to play six times a week because there just isn’t the amount of venues, I guess.Um, because everybody used to go and see them at like bingo halls or cinemas and things like that. Yeah. And also the Beatles playing, in Germany on residencies. And playing five sets a night, and that’s why they became so good.
Jim
Yeah, absolutely. So, um, the tour, just to repeat, sort of the nearest one to us is I guess in the Beehive Theatre in Honiton, or failing that on the 18th of May at the Palace Theatre in Paignton.
Is there a website that people can go to to sort of check out your stuff and buy some tickets?
Jamie
All of our dates are on thezoots. com . Um, all our tickets are available now on the front page of the, of the, of the website. So, and then that will take you to the theatre or, or the venue. Um, but yeah, the Palace Theatre, we’ve, we’ve been playing that every year for, for about seven or eight years now. So that’s always a special show. And already booked in to play there again the year after. That’s a really special venue for us. And a lot of people actually take the weekend from all over the country and stay down there and watch the concert, which is great.
Jim
Cool. So, it’s been lovely to talk to you, Jamie. Thank you so much. I hope we can catch up soon. Yeah, definitely. Come along to the shows. You’re always welcome. We’ll definitely try and do that. So thanks very much jamie from the zoo and check them out www. thezoots. com going to play another great track one of my uh, Favorite tracks actually and it’s uh, it’s one of the first tracks I learned all the lyrics to way back when when I was a small kid of sort of 12 or 13 years old Uh, this is lazy sunny afternoon.
Thanks very much. Jamie.
Thanks Jim
Plays ‘Lazy Sunday’ by The Zoots
I wouldn’t it be nice to get on with me neighbours But they make it very clear, they’ve got no room for raving They’re coming for grooving, they better be wrong They’ve been questioned, it’s not been until now Right This is Sunday afternoon, I’ve got no mind, so I will Close my eyes and drift away Here we all are, sitting in a rainbow.
Good morning, Mrs. Jones! I’m so blessed that they know. See, we start with the words of old June. And in the parties, we blast out a new one. They say Sunday afternoon, I’ve got my mind to worry. Cause love is wild! Yes, I’m drivin the wave.
