Suedehead @ The Glass House August 11, 2012

Suedehead
“I ain’t got time for negativity, it will get you nowhere.” For prolific Birmingham (UK) musician Davey Warsop these words aren’t only his aphorism but also the very essence of his music. With his newly formed soul pop group Suedehead, positivity runs deep within the rhythm and grooves.

Warsop, known to most as the vocalist/guitarist for UK pop-punk band Beat Union, found his second calling with Suedehead while working as an engineer at Hurley Studios in Costa Mesa, CA. What began as a loose side project quickly became serious when rock n roll icon Mike Ness asked the band to open up for Social Distortion after he heard the group’s rough demos.

“I was engineering some demos for Social Distortion, when Mike asked to hear some of my own music I had been working on,” says Warsop. “A few months later, Mike asked if my band was ready to play some shows with him. I said yes, obviously, and rallied the band together in a matter of weeks. After those few shows we had so much fun that we decided we had to keep playing. So if it weren’t for Nessy, we may not have even become a real band.”

Comprised of an all-star lineup that includes Warsop, Greg Kuehn (TSOL, Berlin), Korey Kingston (The Aggrolites, Hepcat), Chris Bradley (The Distraction) and Mike Bisch. The Orange County based mod squad call on an eclectic background of influences including UK pub rock legend Elvis Costello, mod punks The Jam, new wave pioneer Joe Jackson as well as the UK’s Northern Soul movement and the classic sounds of Motown, but most importantly and even more obscurely an early 90’s Irish comedy-drama film.

“When I was eleven years old I became completely obsessed with an Irish film called “The Commitments” about a working class soul band,” says Warsop. “I would watch it every day after school on a shitty VHS tape. I fucking loved it. It gave me my first real insight into soul music, band politics and how to swear. Ever since then, I always liked the idea of playing in a soul influenced band. It sounds funny, but I would say that in the long run, that film influenced me more than anything else to do Suedehead.”

In their short history as a band, Suedehead have already released two phenomenal EPs, In Motion and (So) Frantic with a third EP The Constant on the way this fall. All released on their own International Soul Rebel Society.

“International Soul Rebel Society is our record label. It’s our band. It’s our fanclub. Everyone’s invited… It’s about uniting people worldwide through our music. It’s about being positive and pro active in what you do and what you believe in. If you live your life in your own way, with passion and not follow the rules blindly, you’re a soul rebel.”

Warsop’s positive ideology, derived of the spirit of Motown and punk rock, can be found throughout their buoyant music. And while Beat Union played more to the punk scene of Warped Tour, Suedehead is made entirely for the dance floor.

“I like punk rock but it can become pretty limiting,” Warsop explains. “I wanted to do something musically, that had a bit more class I suppose. I would rather Suedehead get people dancing than moshing. Our music is positive, our message is positive. That’s not to say my lyrics are always happy. I try and write about real shit in my life and my surroundings.”

That positivity led to the creation of the band’s upbeat debut EP In Motion, a fantastically charismatic mash of Motown and pub rock that features the catchy old soul of “Can’t Stop,” the swinging jam “Small Town Hero” and the sing-along rock tune “Young & In Love,” that will have fans of similar soulful acts like Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Amy Winehouse and Lilly Allen rushing for the dance floor.

Like In Motion, Suedehead’s spring 2011 follow-up (So) Frantic was recorded at Hurley Studios with Warsop helming production; this time around, the tracks offered more musical variety and progression. Featuring “Long Hot Summer” and “Trevor,” (So) Frantic picks up where In Motion left off and runs with it.

With another EP, The Constant, released in the fall of 2011, it was a busy year for one of soul pop’s most promising new bands.

“We wanna stay busy,” says Warsop. “Making this music is what we love doing. Chris and myself in particular are somewhat workaholics. We would rather be creative and productive doing what we love with our spare time, rather than to be out getting fucked up. So we’re gonna keep releasing vinyl. We’re gonna make more music videos. And we’re gonna play more shows. Who knows where it will take us. We don’t have our sights set on selling a million copies or touring the world. Our only real goal is to be productive and try and play good music. That’s what gets us off. That’s what matters.”

Official Website: http://www.theglasshouse.us/event/138101/