Good Shoes proves they can do daaarrrk indeed.
From left to right: Steve, Joel, Rhys and Tom
A while ago SUPERSWEET ran this Ask Good Shoes competition where readers can send in questions to be passed on to Good Shoes' frontman Rhys Jones to answer. Many took part which forced us to narrow them down to the best ones. Go ahead, find out if your answers are here or not. We'd say it's a pretty damn good session and therefore thanks to anyone who took part!
Far too many times I have fallen asleep on the Northern Line travelling home and woken up in Morden. What are the most unusual/embarrassing/funny places/situations you have woken up to?
Rhys: Umm I've woken up places and not remember how I got there which is always weird, especially when it's somewhere you've never been. I'm not sure really. Steve (Leach, guitar) and I were in Southend once walking along and I was having this big conversation with him, I turned round and he's passed out 50 meters back down the road, that was a pretty funny moment!
What country are Good Shoes most looking forward to touring? Why? If they go to Japan can they take me and Craig?
Rhys: Haha, no Kate. Japan definitely and America, generally places I've never been to, and then revisiting them as it's really nice to get to know a place. In England we're starting to know how to get round cities we're not from and it's a nice feeling. I'd like to see more places in England as no one really does that, as there are so many beautiful places to see. But that would be for my own pleasure not for touring!
Do Good Shoes have a dream venue they would like to play at, either in the UK or abroad? What's it called? Where is it? And why?
Rhys: I really like Razzmatazz (Barcelona, Spain), I think it's a really nice club even though it's a sort of super club. I've only been there once but I had such a great time. I really like a venue called Thekla in Bristol, it's a boat, we were there the other day and it looked really nice. The only thing is the venue bit is under water so it's freezing cold! I'd love to just play places abroad, like Japan and America, especially New York!
If Good Shoes had their own festival called, for example, The Good Shoes Festival, who would be their ultimate headliner?
Rhys: This can include dead people and old bands as well as new bands.
Arcade Fire, Xerox Teens supporting, Kings of Leon, The Strokes. I don't know about massive bands, Arcade Fire would be amazing, but I guess the one band I wish I'd seen was At The Drive-In so I guess I'd get them to reform and headline that!
Has anyone else said they really sound like Kings of Leon? Because I think they do, it's a good thing not a bad one!
Rhys: Umm I don't think we do, although they are one of my favourite bands, not sure about the new album though yet!
I saw Regina Spektor last night with my boss and we had an argument about Queen. He hates Queen so much that he has to turn the radio off if they are played. He thinks they are camp twats in spandex. I, on the other hand, think that 'Fat Bottomed Girls' rocks. If Good Shoes had to defend Queen and their gloriousness, what would they say?
Rhys: I'd say it's brilliant pop music, but it's also complex and has lots of dimensions to it. I think it's something that has influenced us greatly, but subconsciously, trying to be constantly changing a song, making it interesting, but still a pop song which is something I try and do, and we as a band do!
If Good Shoes could make a supergroup - out of dead or alive people - who would be in it and what sort of music would they play?
Rhys: I'm not really interested in supergroups, I don't listen to much old music, only new bands, so at the moment: Jamie T, Win and Regine from the Arcade Fire, me obviously :) I just don't know really I never think about this stuff and I don't like to think about it, when I'm asked I'm afraid.
Aelia wants to know if you are old enough to remember Thundercats. I told her, yes, don't be so stupid...
Rhys: Of course, I used to love that, (singer) Ed from Larrikin Love and his girlfriend used to look like Wiley-Kat and Wiley-Kit at college, in a good way! I remember shows from when I was younger more like Postman Pat and Thomas the Tank Engine, I loved those shows soo much, if anyone wants to send me old merchandise, do!
Peter Kay or Ricky Gervais?
Rhys: Ricky Gervais, much smarter and funnier but I also like Peter Kay! Tough question.
What's your favourite episode or character of the Mighty Boosh? (and are any of you partial to Baileys?)
Rhys: No baileys for me, the whole first series is where it's at, the second didn't really do it for me. But the live show was amazing I saw that in Brighton, it was genius.
Who would Good Shoes most like to meet?
Rhys: I would like to meet Michael Gillette, he's an illustrator I like. I think he would be cool to chat to, no musicians really, it will always disappoint as you get to meet them so briefly! Tom (Jones, drums) says Hunter S. Thompson which I agree with.
Did you get any weird photos sent in when you did the 'Photos On My Wall' competition thing, what was the oddest photo?
Rhys: We didn't get to choose them as we were on tour so I don't know. I should ask the designer at Brille though, I'm sure we did!
In 'All in My Head' video where you threw things into the cups and stuff, how many takes did it take you to do it?
Rhys: A lot of it was done in one take like the pen into the cup and the paper aeroplanes, but some had to be fakes, the ball at the end was real 'cos the camera cost to much for me to actually hit the lens, although I think I could have done it! Saam directed it and I think it's our best video although the others are great too! It was strange, we'd played Dot-To-Dot Festival the night before, got into London, and the first thing I saw is a load of people dressed like me spinning on a massive car showroom display wheel.
Outside of good shoes and good music, are there currently any other good causes you are keen to put your name to?
Rhys: Umm not particular causes, there are people whose organisations I agree with, Amnesty and Greenpeace. I like Greenpeace more for what they are saying instead of how they do things sometimes. But at the moment it's nice to see environmental issues being at the forefront of everyone's conscience.
Do any of you create music outside of the band? What's it like, can we hear it anywhere etc?
Rhys: Joel (Cox, bass) does, it's very good, more dancey and with a wide array of instruments. I write lots of songs, but I guess they will get used for Good Shoes' next album. The slow ones might end up on a Rhys solo album, slow songs, everyone will hate :) maybe not.
If the band had to introduce a new instrument to the group, what would it be?
Rhys: Piano probably, I don't know... Steve plays that very well (SS - watch Steve plays piano here), I'm into a lot of electronic bands like The Knife but I'd be out of my depth with those instruments, you'll have to wait and see when the next record comes out.
If all of Good Shoes got in a fight, who would win?
Rhys: My guess is Tom, but only because I can imagine him doing something sly, like have a hammer in his pocket.
Tom and I have had many a fight when we were younger but I don't know now, we're equally strong, I guess. My little brother could beat us both up though which is a sad fact. We're not fighters, we're lovers so this would never happen.
I have Yellow Submarine slip-ons (white with yellow submarines all over them). Are these good shoes?
Rhys: Yes, better than mine.
If the band all had to swap instruments for a gig, could this be done? Who would play what? Can anyone else play the drums?
Rhys: Yeah, Joel can play drums and so can Steve pretty well, but Steve can pretty much play any instruments, Tom can play bass a bit but none of us can really play Steve's solos. I think it could be done but I think it would sound better the way it is now!
You're just about to tour America, is this a daunting prospect? Are you looking forward to it? Any expectations of the Americans?
Rhys: My mum's American and so are half my family so not really, but I have no great expectations. I doubt we'll break America, I think we'll be able to play sold-out shows in certain cities but never be massive, well not on the first album at all!
Do you remember Dogtanian, Ulysses and Mysterious Cities of Gold at all? Which had the best theme tune?
Rhys: They are all ace!
Why does it say in Wikipedia that “The band recently travelled to Malmö, Sweden to record their first album with Per Sunding at Tambourine Studios, due out 2007.” Is that true?
Rhys: Yeah we recorded it with him and then mixed it in Denmark, it was the same price to record there or fly per to England to record in London so we chose the Swedish option!
Describe your sound with three words?
Rhys: Guitar based pop.
What's your best gig to date and why?
Rhys: Dot-To-Dot in Nottingham was amazing, Leeds, Birmingham, Oxford and most of the shows on this album tour were amazing. Birmingham was our biggest ever crowd outside a London gig! And Reading and Leeds were really great. I'm really looking forward to the festivals this year!
If you weren't in a band what would you be doing?
Rhys: Finishing a degree in Illustration and either being an illustrator or animator!
If you had a super power what would it be? and why?
Rhys: Being able to fly I guess, or maybe being invisible for obvious reasons!
Photography: Jenny Hardcore