K&A with Zoobizaretta

Time for the second K&A this week. This time around, it's Glasgow's pop septet, and the age old answer to the question, "What Scottish band begins with 'Z'?". It's Zoobizaretta. With their Stars-esque debut album Foam & Leachate launched tomorrow at The Captain's Rest in Glasgow, I caught up with vocalists Matt Clark and Marlous Peterse to hear their thoughts on the album, how the band got together, and which seemingly clean-cut member of the band is really a wanted man! Take it away folks....

Kowalskiy: Who are Zoobizaretta?
Matt: Toby is our explosives expert, Wullie is muscle, Jay drives the getaway car, Marlous is a martial arts virtuoso, Lynsey is a world-renowned computer hacker and Ali is human resources. I make the tea.

Kowalskiy: How did you all get together and what's the story behind the name?
Marlous: Some through having been to school together, others via a joint rejection from a previous musical outfit and deciding we could probably make some music ourselves, and others again through 'oh I know a guy/girl' answers to questions asked by Matt if we knew anyone who plays the (insert any random instrument here) to go with one of the songs.
Story behind the name - is there one? I think mainly I was just told...Matt, was it a Jay and you call?
Matt: We've had a few line-up changes, but we roughly all met at uni. It's just a fun word to say. like moist or flange.

Kowalskiy: For anyone who's not heard the band, how would you describe 'your sound'?
Matt: Bob Hoskins going mental inside a dustbin.
Marlous: A similar feel to Arcade Fire, Malcolm Middleton, Frightened Rabbit and (apparently) Black Box Recorder, although I have never heard of the latter. Whatever you imagine indie rock/pop from a 7 piece band from Glasgow with male & female vocals to sound like probably

Kowalskiy: Who/what/where influences you.... other than Spanish goalkeeping legends?
Matt: I started putting the band together when I saw Brakes at King Tut's. It's all their fault.

Kowalskiy: You are about to release your debut album Foam & Leachate. What's the story behind the album, the title, and what can we expect from it?
Marlous: The story is we finally managed to be organised enough (terminology used in the very loosest sense) to get into the studio and record stuff, and also that we found poor Mark Whitelaw willing to spend random hours here & there recording and infinity hours twiddling with stuff. We like making music, have been doing it for a long time and felt the tunes were deserving of an album. As a band, Zoobizaretta are careful to have expectations for fear of subsequent disappointment, however, a warm reception from Scottish audiences and a quietly growing status as solid indie band to look out for would be what we hope for. That and eventual total world domination of course.
Matt: Foam & Leachate were my childhood hamsters. Not a day goes by when i don't miss those furry bastards. The album is dedicated to them, so if you're a fan of domesticated rodents - check it out!


Kowalskiy: To launch the album you have a few gigs coming up. Plug away! What's a typical Zoobizaretta gig like anyway?
Matt: We're in the Captain's Rest in Glasgow on Friday, Sneaky Pete's in Embra on Saturday and Cape in Stirling on Sunday. Provided we're not overly pissed at any stage it should be great.
Marlous: Typical gig...hmmmm - fairly ramshackle, but always with the best intentions! We are on stage to have a good time and generally the audience tends to get that idea. Plus they seem to have a good time and like the tunes as well. There is occasionally some element of fancy dress (animal masks are a staunch favorite), the crowd are invited to sing along to our 'theme tune' if we decide to play it, food-stuffs related jokes may be told (generally about cheese or potatoes).

Kowalskiy: What would be your ideal gig?
Marlous: On the moon with Chuck Norris as the only audience member.
Matt: Do you remember when Brian May played the guitar on top of Buckingham Palace for the Queen's jubilee? Well, the exact opposite of that.

Kowalskiy: What's been the highlight of being in the band so far?
Matt: Every day is more special than the last. Except all the ones that are shit.

Kowalskiy: What can we expect from Zoobizaretta in the future?
Marlous: More excellent tunes, more randomly named albums (hopefully), more exquisite on-stage costuming, more sing-along feel good hits. some more tambourining and possibly the addition of cowbell.
Matt: Under-achievement, lethargy and general confusion. Probably another album next year.

Kowalskiy: Lastly, anything you'd like to add?
Marlous: The name is pretty weird. Also one of 'em is Dutch.
Matt: Contrary to the nice guy persona that Toby Ross likes to convey, he is in fact a wanted sex pest.

Explosives expert AND sex pest?? It's always the nice ones! Anyhoo, the album is launched this weekend with shows at The Captain's Rest, Glasgow (tomorrow), Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh (Saturday) and Cape, Stirling (Sunday) where you can get your hands on this cracking album. Fancy a wee taster?? Go on then...

Zoobizaretta - Hope