For a group that has only released a limited edition EP last November, The Montrose Avenue are already doing a remarkably slick line in crafted pop-rock. Originating from the outskirts of London, the history of the group spans back to almost eight years ago when Scott James and Paul Williams, friends from school and fellow devotees of Neil Young, began to write songs together.
In the years that followed, they went through countless changes and in Scott’s words ‘about four thousand’ drummers (including someone referred to, somewhat dodgily, as ‘Big Boy’) until the line-up was finally completed by Matthew Everitt (formerly of Menswear). Their three-part harmonies and brisk, catchy tunes have attracted notice from the likes of TFI Friday but as the lead vocalist Rob Lindsey-Clark explains, they are keen to avoid instant fame:
“I think that there’s something to be said for taking things slowly ... we want to build up a solid fanbase. I think that’s really important actually - I think that’s why a lot of groups come in and out so quickly, because they’re hyped at the start and a lot of people get into it because apparently its cool and then suddenly the press turn on you. And because everyone listening to you in the first place, that being the reason they like you, as soon as the press turn against you, then that’s it.” Integrity is obviously very important but this has not stopped them from signing with Sony who are, let it be said, the mother of all corporations? Jimmy Taylor, the bass-player, justifies their position: “They [the record companies] are all after one thing when push comes to shove - they all want to sell records.”
Despite their professed love of Neil Young, The Beach Boys and The Byrds, they deny that they are trying to emulate any particular contemporary group or artist. This said, they are excited about contemporary music. “There’s groups around at the moment that I fucking love and I think English music is really beginning to make stuff that’s going to last, that’s really going to stand the test of time,” says Rob. “Radiohead. They’re one of the best groups ever.” The gaze of posterity is obviously important to them. Phrases like ‘songs that stand the test of time’ and ‘quality music’ abound in their conversation and they are very conscious of how the music industry can be a fickle beast.
“I think a lot of the time when groups come out with a couple of good songs and then disappear, it’s probably because they’ve been rushed to do stuff. There’s so much pressure on them from the fame that what they started off doing, which was writing songs and playing for a laugh becomes secondary,” explains Scott. “I think a lot of groups get so much pressure and it fucks them up and they come out of it looking like they fucked it up and they didn’t at all.” There are, however, some groups around who are the exception to this rule, Rob suggests. “Grand Drive - they’re in a similar vein. They’ve got a real harmony thing going on - it’s a real country vibe.”
Later in the evening, they put on an electrifying set that lasts just over half-an-hour. Put into a live setting, songs like ‘When The Morning Comes’, ‘She’s Looking For Me’ and ‘Thirty Days Out’ take on a real edge which it is probably very difficult to capture on record. They also manage to achieve the tricky balance in their performance between polished harmonies and raw energy. Their firm belief in pop-rock with a timeless sound (I hesitate to utter the accursed word ‘retro’) is justified by their cracking show. “I really believe that there is a gap in the market for something like us,” claims Rob. “Britpop has died, really, and its left a void sort of... ‘Montrose’ size.” That won’t be small for much longer.
The Montrose Avenue were talking to Luke, in March 1998.