
The Whip
Interview with Bruce Carter – The Walnut Whip
You’ve been touring here there and everywhere. How’s it all going, highlights so far?
We’re having a really fun time, we've been so lucky to travel around playing songs and having a party every night. It’s amazing to go to places like Japan. The first time we went there we played the Fuji rock festival. It’s an amazing place to visit, especially as a band because the fans are so up for it. They make us whip towels and send noodles in the post. We’re going back next month and I can't wait. I suppose it's our favourite place to visit. Playing so many festivals this summer was great too.
What’s it been like supporting Simian Mobile?
They are really down to earth nice guys; it's nice to meet people in bands with no egos. We started to record some music with Jas from simian with the thought of him producing our album but things really took of for them and he got way to busy. What we did sounded pretty cool! It’s nice to bump in to them in random clubs in random places. We had a fun tour.
Who would you tout to play alongside you on your own international tour?
I think we could give Michael Jackson the comeback break he's been looking for, we'd allow him on our tour on the condition that he dressed in his bad gear and did a recital of that album everynight. We’re pretty excited about having 'Pnau' on our tour in November, they are great.
How do you all psyche yourselves up before you clamber up on stage? Last minute nerves?
Not really nerves, it's just exciting. We’re usually all over the venue in different places and someone ushers us to the side of the stage and it's "hi" lets have a hoot. Other times we can be crammed in to a little room and gagging to get on, it's bad when you’re really up for it with half an hour to go; it's hard to keep a control of the adrenalin.
Miss Manc much?
We miss friends and loved ones a lot, when we are back in Manchester Danny and I spend every minute recording new song. We bring friends on the road with us when we can.
You gearing up for this summers festival frivolities, how was last yeat?
The summer was great, we just played the last festival of the summer last week in Brighton, it was the big beach boutique. The weather was amazing and a nice cherry on the festival cake. reading and Leeds was one of our favourite weekends of the summer, the crowds we're well up for it, we got to reading and people looked a little dazed on the last day of the festival but they still gave it some welly. On Friday in Leeds it was the start of the weekend so everyone went bonkers. That was on of my favourites. We played Creamfields on the Saturday too, fun weekend.
What’s your choice scene to play out to?
I like going out in different places. Little seedy clubs and huge ones with big sound systems. When you play so much in clubs, the club starts to feel like your front room.
Dream venue? Major aspirations? What are your future plans for ‘The Whip’. Can you see the band destined for great heights or are you just happy sticking to the peripheries of popularity?
We’re recording songs for our second album at home at the moment and it's sounding good. I little bigger sounding, we'll be playing some new ones on the November tour, sort of road test them to see how our fans react to them. I can't wait to try some of them out. We’ll just keep making the music we believe in and if more people want to join the ride then that’s cool with me, we're really happy to be doing what we do.
Who inspires you right now?
Dirty, maxed out, distorted, analogue square waves filtered back and forth.
Any up and comings you, as a band, herald as the next big thang?
we really like the French guys 'the shoes', they are working on a remix of 'trash' at the moment, and the Italians 'the bloody beetroots' and 'crookers', they did some wicked remixes for us.
What’s been the key to your own success?
I don't know, we just like keeping busy and working hard. It helps you sleep at night.
What you looking forward to most in music for the coming months?
trying out the new stuff on the November tour will be cool, we play with soul wax in new York in a couple of weeks which will be fun but mostly I’ll be getting the new songs finished so we can go it all again next year and get an album out before the summer.
And finally, ever dream of the ever distant band you previously comprised Nylon Pylon (r.i.p)? Where would you pair have been now if it wasn’t for Mr Whippy?
Not really, the whip is much more exciting. we got jobs after that band so I guess we're happy to be doing what we have become with the whip, were just trying to escape reality for as long as possible.