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SAVAGE NOMADS - Premiere League Power Pop


“Football and music are synonymous. I have many dreams which prove this so.”

(Cole Salewicz, Savage Nomads)

Josh Miles (guitar/vocals), Benjy Miles (guitar/vocals), Tom Williams (bass/vocals), Louis Lacoste (drums/vocals) and – pictured, on the pitch Summer 2015 for This Feeling – Cole Salewicz (lead vocals) are The Savage Nomads. They have new sounds and nomadic adventures coming for September 2015 including Sunday 6th; back on the pitch at SoccerSixFest, Mile End Stadium. Back on stage; Saturday 12th' Welcome To The Future Presents at Traitors Gate and Saturday 26th This Feeling at Amersham Arms.

Alternatively speaking, THIS is England. A modern British band, Savage Nomads do classic charismatic with ease. Smoothing their punky intensity with a suave panache that verges on Duran Duran. It stands out as independent from the cloggued up "Indie" artery of new blood.

Over the last couple of years, this gang's youthful energy has been poured into making music that can veer between crooning and rocking while making people move with some funky bass lines. Between playing gigs, they keep having fantastic adventures. The band care very much about the music and friends thaty they make along the way, and it shows. Their releases are classy and collectable (physicals with art work in the download age) and their social networks are actually sociable (shout outs on Facebook for remixes, included).

The sparks flying out are building a magnetic pull. Inquisitive souls that become aware of the Savage Nomads, check them out. Tony Visconti (who has worked with David Bowie and T. Rex) recently caught them play. Last month, they were rehearsing with Reggae legend, Max Romeo (they don't make them like this nowadays!) then Cole was on stage at the 100 Club with Glen Matlock of The Sex Pistols and Rotten Hill Gang members of Razorlight, playing the Pistols song 'Submission' at the Marshall Phone launch.

Not just any old adventures, then. Go and see them play a show, they are a force to be reckoned with. Tight riffed, hiply rhythm sectioned and eloquently fronted in a star shaped style.

Savage Nomads are also picking up mainstream recognition, steadily and organically with each adventure. BBC Introducing called them “London's finest”, and they have gigged with wild nobility in the shape of the iconic Adam Ant (who described them as “inspired and inspiring!). Regularly appearing at the UK's biggest rock n roll club, This Feeling, you are seeing stars.

Over the last year, as they develop into an act that would not look out of place on prime time television, the music press are on the case. Q magazine decree them “one of the most glorious bands to come out of South London”, whilst the likes of Matt Johnson (The The) Robyn Hitchcock and Mick Jones are all fans, with The Clash songwriter going as far to say “I can't think of a better band than Savage Nomads to rock the whole world”.

Savage Nomads ended 2014 as GigSlutz Band Of The Year. Around then, I also got to catch them away from a YouTube screen and on a real stage. New Year's Eve at one of The Zine's regular hang outs (where we formed, ArtBeat Central). This Feeling club night was launching (with Jack Daniels and Xfm Radio) at Amersham Arms in New Cross. Another fab night out spot of their (now international) rock n roll empire. Carl Barât and the Jackals were playing their first show at the venue where the band auditions had been held a few months earlier. It all came together in one glorious kick off to 2015, and I had made sure to get there (from Amsterdam!) in time for very (very!) special guests, Savage Nomads. If you have a small venue near where you live, step away from the screens and get there. Be part of the show. I was, that night. Grinning like a loony. Damn they were wicked. They should be, this is a band of kids growing into their musical legend, gig by gig. There are clips of the NYE 2015 gig at Amersham Arms in the Pulptastic Rosy Tan video made earlier this year.

This show with Carl Barât led them to being featured in MOJO Magazine's New Faces of 2015, a BBC 6 Music session with Tom Robinson - who called them “the most astonishing thing I've heard this year” - and air play from Radio 1, as well as a sponsorship with Original Penguin and Merc clothing.

TheZineUK gotta book the gems that sparkle in our ears. After being one of those stalker promoter types (with the odd pleading poem included, I kid you not!), we were over the full moon that Savage Nomads graced our stage at The Great Escape Festival in May. They've been in demand this summer and are working on new material, but Cole very kindly found some time for an interview, and catch up.

2015 has been a game of two halves, how has it been for you since you kicked it off supporting Carl Barat & The Jackals first live show?”

Cole : “That New Year's Eve show was special, it was an honour to open for Carl: I was the biggest Libertines fan growing up so I nearly bit the promoter's hand off when we were offered the gig.

2015 has been great, we've gigged quite relentlessly up and down the country getting speeding tickets and had a spectacular time playing the Isle of Wight festival. We got to pay homage to Fleetwood Mac in their infinite glory; a lovely time, a glass of wine.

I suppose the best part of all this has been that we've hung out with each other practically non-stop and now we hate each other but that's ok.”

We really appreciate yourself and the band coming to spark up our stage at The Great Escape Festival. If I'm not mistaken, you had driven all the way from playing a charity soccer match (in Nottingham – East Midlands of England) then to get to Brighton (South Coast of England) for the show! How did that go?

"Ha yeah! That was a cool day, a busy day of gunning it up and down the M1 - I felt like Steve McQueen in Bullitt. We played at Nott's County FC's ground that afternoon representing This Feeling FC. Like Isle of Wight festival it's a great to vibe to hang with a bunch of bands who are on the same tip as you - Bang Bang Romeo, Hidden Charms, The Bulletproof Bomb all those crazy kool kids - and then go do the business on the pitch. I did manage to score a cracker against The View before The Enemy knocked us out in the semi-finals. "

Do you feel that there is a link between musicianship and sportsmanship?

"Of course, it's all teamwork. You know, looking out for each other, covering each other - you, up the wing, me in the centre, that bass line, that snare roll, false 9's, turn up the treble. Football and music are synonymous. I have many dreams which prove this so. "

You are back on the field again for SoccerSixFest on 6th September and playing your first London show in a while, twenty days later for This Feeling at Amersham Arms. . .

". . .These are both truths. . ."

. . .What have you all been up to over the summer?

"Well, we've been doing a fair few shows but stopped around mid July to concentrate on our hairstyles, obviously. You'll see in time quite how they've grown."

Talking of looks, your stage style is distinctively suave. Please may I be cheeky and ask where you get your clothes?

"Hahahah no! Because, it's a SECRET. I do like a good wool suit which are available from your local library. "

Finally, what are Savage Nomads working on for the near future?

"Dance Rock! Funk Pop! It's a new record. It's the bees furry knees!"

And on that note, waiting for the bees furry knees of a next release, I leave the last word to Fugazi's Brendan Canty, who said; “I hear the work Savage Nomads put into their music and their passion for the craft. It translates in a beautiful way.”

Have alternative powerful rocking pop adventures here

September 2015

6th SoccerSixFest - Cup Soccer Six (for This Feeling FC) Mile End Stadium @SoccerSixRock

12th Welcome To The Future Presents – a new music scene will be born at Traitors Gate, Greys

Oyster Cards ahoy for London adventurers! Free Entry. @TraitorsGatePub

26th This Feeling (Headline set) at Amersham Arms in association with Jack Daniels and Xfm Radio - The first 50 gig revellers through the door get a free JD & Coke! Great line up 8-11pm. TF DJs until 3am! #FreshersWeek

Cole, thank/love you.

article; Caffy St Luce #TheZineUK

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