IN CONVERSATION WITH:
Please introduce yourselves...
Ricardo - I am Ricardo Autobahn, notably of the Cuban Boys and Spray, one-time
Eurovision entrant and friend of Wilf Breadbin from CBBC.
Jenny - I am Jenny McLaren, notably of the Cuban Boys and Spray, vocalist on DJ Daz's 'The Woah Song' and friend of Crabb E. Crab from CBBC.
Jenny - I am Jenny McLaren, notably of the Cuban Boys and Spray, vocalist on DJ Daz's 'The Woah Song' and friend of Crabb E. Crab from CBBC.
How would you describe your music?
Ricardo - With difficulty.
Jenny - "Colourful new wave synth pop" usually covers it.
What are you doing at the moment?
Ricardo - The endless album/touring cycle.
What is the best thing about making music?
Ricardo - There are no positives.
You are only allowed to keep one of your tracks, which one would you choose and why?
Ricardo - Teenage Life - the song I wrote (and Spray performed) with Daz Sampson at Eurovision 2006. For the money.
Jenny - I Am Gothic. It's our theme tune and, so far, is fantastic to sing live.
How involved are you in the creative process surrounding your releases?
Ricardo - Previously, we did everything - the last Spray album 'Enforced Fun' was on our own label, we did the artwork. manufacturing, distribution - but nowadays we delegate. We're very lazy and would have delegated sooner but nobody wanted to do it.
Tell us about your inspirations?
Jenny - Spray tries, at the very least, to be influenced solely by itself and try to have only a nodding relationship with outside forces.
Ricardo - But there is a colour palette made up of various things we like - we don't specifically dip into it but we do occasionally brush against it by mistake.
Jenny - There is a balance of things I like - like slightly offbeat hard/heavy rock like Faith No More - and Ric's interest in instrumental synthesiser music like Jean Michel Jarre.
Ricardo - These are the general flavorings and additives that go into Spray. I'll bring some new wave post punk in by the Freshies, and Jenny will listen to Radio 1 and add the pop.
Jenny - Taylor Swift, P!nk, Chvrches.
What good and/or bad decisions have you made?
Ricardo - Reading the Teletext in early 1998 and writing to an oddball fanzine called Asi9 Smile was a good decision. Inertia Kicks was a bad decision as a follow up single to the Hamsterdance smash, but I'm not sure what else we could have done.
Jenny - Self Esteem, we should have released that as the follow up.
What does the future hold for you?
Ricardo - Penury
What should musicians/bands have clear in their minds in today's scenario?*
Ricardo - Forget ever selling another song again. It is nothing but streaming, gigging and selling merch from now on.
* Question supplied by Pinhdar
What question should we ask the next act to receive these questions?
How Can We Be Lovers If We Can't Be Friends?
Favourite Things:
Record
Jenny - Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails
Ricardo - Number One In Heaven by Sparks
Book
Jenny - The Sacred Art Of Stealing by Christopher Brookmyre
Ricardo - The Guinness Book Of Hit Singles
Film
Jenny - The Lost Boys
Ricardo - The Car
Artwork
Jenny - 'After The Bath (Nach Dem Bade)' by Michael Sowa
Ricardo - anything from 'Soft City' by Hariton Pushwagner
Item
Jenny - a badge which reads "CUNT".
Ricardo - my Saab.
