Interview and photos by Tony Rounce
Even though they have been around for a few years now, Nervous Twitch may well still be Yorkshire’s best-kept musical secret. Largely because of day-job commitments, the trio of Erin (lead vocals & bass), Jay (guitar) and Ashley (drums and occasional backing vocals) are rarely spotted south of the M6/M1 split, so any opportunity so see them should be grasped with both hands. Unless they add any more in the meantime their upcoming slot on the bill of Loud Women 4 will only be their second ‘Southern’ gig of 2019. You won’t want to miss them, I assure you.
Prior to the band’s recent support slot for the great Japanese trio Shonen Knife – at what was for them a hometown show at Leeds’ most excellent venue, the Brudenell Social Club – NT’s resident Loud Woman Erin Van Rumble kindly subjected herself to LW’s 10 Question Interview…
Who would you most like to cover one of your songs?
Oooh, I dunno…I always find these sort of questions really hard because there are so many (favourites) but, maybe Television Personalities? I’m a big fan and I’d like to see how they would produce our songs.
If you could add one member to your band – any person, living or dead, musical or otherwise – who would it be, and what would they play?
To be honest, I like how it works at the moment and I probably wouldn’t want us to add anyone – we used to have a fourth member at the start, but maybe someone from the B-52s on keys might be good.
What was the last song you wrote, where were you when you came up with the idea, what inspired it, and how did it turn out?
That’s an easy one. As you know, we’re working towards (finishing) our fourth album and the last song I wrote, a couple of weeks ago, came after I sat in with the Wharf Street Galaxy Band. Their songs are more overtly political than ours and I thought I’d like to write something that was inspired by what I was doing with them. It’s about capitalism and how you’re always sold the dream… It’s not quite finished and I haven’t brought it to the table with the band yet but me and Jay have messed about with it a bit. ‘Selling The Dream’, that’s probably the working title really.
Which was your favourite gig you’ve a) played and b) watched?
I’ve got loads of favourite gigs we’ve played, but I think the one that stands out as a turning point for me and the band was when we played Indietracks in 2016. It was the first time we’d done something like that, and it really sunk in for me that, y’know, I was doing this and this was really my life, people were coming to see us and I was part of it…favourite watch? I went to Spain a couple of years ago to see Southern Culture On The Skids, one of my favourite bands. I expected to come away pleased because I loved all their albums but they made me love them even more than I already did, that would have to be the one.
Recommend a record that you think our readers might not have heard of.
Anything by Helen Love. She’s amazing and her songs are so great.
What’s your best piece of advice for young musicians?
Never let anyone tell you that you are not good enough. Oh, and always have fun – because if you’re not having fun, it’s not worth doing.
Your top 3 most beloved albums ever – go.
This is tough because I love such a lot of different music, but I’m going with.…
- Cyndi Lauper – She’s So Unusual
- The Vaselines – Dum Dum
- The Bobbyteens – Young And Dumb
What are your musical goals?
For the band to keep getting better at what it does and for me personally, to become more of an accomplished writer…
What’s the most important thing we need to know about your band right now?
Well, we’re working on a fourth album and it’s really exciting! We’re not trying to do anything different to what we already do, just to improve on what we do all the time.
Give your top 5 contemporary bands/musicians.
Again, there’s a lot to choose from, but I particularly love Duck, the Wharf Street Galaxy Band, Enids, Das Clamps and Wolf Girl (R.I.P). I was a real shame when they split up, they had so much more to come. I’ll probably think of another ten when this is over…can I let you know if I change my mind (laughs)?
LOUD WOMEN 