What are your names?
Anthony Grantham (guitar/vocals) Peter Gray (drums) Alex Redhead (bass/vocals)
What is the band name?
The Mu-Tones
How did you come up with your name ‘The Mu-Tones’ ?
I don’t know, it just came to me! but I do enjoy some of its connotations, for example MUtant TONys as I’m playing a larger version of myself, or the whole Bill Drummond KLF justified ancients of Mu Mu thing. Let’s face it after you’ve heard a band name five times you just accept it.
What is your genre of music?
Someone wise recently termed it “garage pop” which I enjoyed 😉 It’s power pop but waaaaaaay spikier than something like big star (who I love)
Give us a little bio about you as a band and as individuals.
I’m Anthony I started in a band called Marion, fought in the britpop wars and lost 😉 after that I kind of lost myself, found myself, got a life and had a lovely good bad good weird bad good time. My beautiful bandcohorts are Alex Redhead on bass and Peter Gray on drums.
How did you meet eachother?
In a band called Ryna who had a very soulful singer, with myself playing guitar and singing backup, but I’ve known Pete and Alex in and out of bands for ever.
Are you signed?
I have a gentleman’s agreement with Ugly Man Records, who are a wonderful Northern label who put out the first Elbow things, and a cracking single/album by black called “wonderful life” amongst MANY others.
You’re set to release your DEBUT single ‘Slab City’, tell us more about the track.
I heard some of those early Gary Numan singles and decided to put some of those strange notes on to a guitar, and for some reason I decided to start yelling “slab city records” – later I looked it up and realized there was something interesting and fun there.
What was the recording process like?
Stop. Start. Stop. Stop. Start. Yell. Fairy dust. Finish.
What was the writing process like?
Intuitive, I work out what it means after I’ve finished usually. The second verse was written a few days after the initial burst and I’d been listening to the cramps solidly.
Describe the track in two words.
BUH BUH!
What was the naming process like?
The name of the song? Well usually I prefer to use a word or phrase that’s a little oblique but this time I just went with the good old “name it after the shouty chorus”
Will we see an EP or Album this year?
I don’t think so, but it won’t be for lack of songs.
Do you have any shows coming up or a tour in planning?
Manchester Jimmy’s in the northern quarter on June the 30th. That’s all that’s concrete at the moment.
Do you have any collaborations in the works?
Not in the works, but I have a list of bands or singles I’d love to work with
Would you be up for collaborating with other bands or artists, if so how could they contact you?
I’m on instagram pretty regularly, direct message me.
Who are your influences?
I love guitar players who sing more than just “vocalists” which I know puts me in a minority, so people like Bob Mould, Lindsey Buckingham, Stephen Malkmus, Robert Smith.
How do you get inspiration to write songs?
Usually if I’m feeling strongly about something it just comes out, l enjoy it most when I’m tired or perhaps a little hungover, the brain gets out of the way then.
When you’re not doing music, what do you do?
Walk the dog, listen to music, go to work, all the usual stuff.
If you could collaborate with one UK Artists or Band who would it be?
Has to be Robert Smith
If you could collaborate with one US Artists or Band who would it be?
Bob Mould, but he’s such a defined artist I can’t imagine he’d ever want to.
What was the song you listened to most that influenced you to go more in to the music scene?
Lord, ALL of them
What’s the best advice you have ever been given?
Don’t read your own reviews
What advice would you give to aspiring musicians not about the industry and just as an artist?
Do what makes you happy, don’t try and please anyone but yourself
What quote or saying do you always stick by?
Est semper via
You get off a plane in your hometown,
1/ where is the first place you visit
My own bed
2/ where is the first place you see
Rivington pike
3/ where is the first food place you go and what do you get
Quite possibly some Singapore vermicelli
When you are at a gig, what are 5 things you cannot forget?
Clean shirt, deodorant, hairspray, why you’re there and why it doesn’t matter who is there
Do you have social media accounts so your fans can follow you?
On Instagram or Twitter and you’ll find us, also there’s a Facebook page for it but my phone really hates Facebook! I kind of like that actually.
