Blast

Hidden away in the corner of James Bragg's back yard, it was hard to believe that the seemingly non-discript garden shed would be harbouring an impressive array of production equipment and a perfect little haven for the aspiring musicians to write, produce and record all their own material in a very Green Peace friendly way. (Apparently it could!)

After a relatively long period of time was spent discussing the marvel of the shed I wanted to find out more about the aims and inspirations behind Autoplay. Also the reason for their evolution from high school, punk/ska band Junto into the more electronica based sounds created by Bragg and Jonnie and fellow band members Mark Peck and Pat Wreford. 

Sophie: So, you guys have been friends and played in a band together for years now. Your new material is very different to what you were previously playing as Junto. What happened to Junto?

Bragg: Well, we ended up in five different counties, so it made practicing difficult!

Sophie: Oh ok, the university thing! The music that you can hear on your Facebook group, Striptease on Mute, what was that how it all started?

Bragg: Yeah, that was a university thing, it was a collaborative project that I had with people from all over the place, Brighton, Eastbourne, Wales.

Members of Autoplay

Jonnie: There wasn't any intention to carry it on past a working title, but I quite liked it and started writing a few electronica tunes. I think from my point of view, with Junto, I was never really a punk or ska singer. That wasn't anything I'd ever done before but I really wanted to be in a band..

Bragg: So he attached himself to us..

Jonnie: Yeah, and made them take me in. (Laughs) We had a lot of fun with Junto and made wicked friends. For me, that wasn't the kind of music I was into.

Bragg: With Autoplay I didn't want it to be just a lot of me playing the guitar and that to be the main focus. I did the project to highlight Jonnie as a singer.

Jonnie: When we were writing the songs we were sending it back and forth so each of us had a time period with the song. At the moment we're writing things together so it's weird, it's kind of a meeting point between Junto and Autoplay.

Sophie: Where does your musical inspiration come from now? Has it changed a lot since Junto?

Jonnie: It changed very much recently.

Bragg: I quite like Hot Chip (laughs). LCD Soundsystem, Soulwax. Anything a bit dirty. I always kind of feared 'dance music' as a label. It just sounds rubbish. "What do you like?" "I like dance music." (Laughs). I really like the idea of going out and hearing a huge bass drum in your chest and just crazy layers of synth. But, I like it more when a band can play like that, like a mix between a band and dance.

Jonnie: I have a real issue with when I listen to a band I like and want to make music like them, um... I can't get their songs out of my head.

Bragg: Yeah! Even if you haven't really heard the song, except in my car like once, you'll go away and write the same song!

Jonnie: Actually I showed James a song just now. I quite liked it. And showed it to James..

At work in the shed

Bragg: (Interrupts) Oh I liked it! Because I liked the song before! (Laughs)

Sophie: What about gigs, when was the last time you guys played a live gig?

Jonnie: Not since Junto, I miss that actually.

Sophie: Do you have a problem finding venues and publicity? How does being in Cornwall affect your progress?

Jonnie: It's a massive issue (laughs). Every gig we've ever done in Bude we've had to organise ourselves. I think that's the same for almost everywhere in Cornwall unless you're near somewhere...big. (Laughs) You have to put a lot of time and money into it. Sometimes we make a loss and sometimes a profit but it's a fine line.

Bragg: I don't think we've ever made a good profit... maybe a fiver.

Jonnie: The only time we ever made a good profit we gave it all away to charity! The venues around here aren't too bad. I think a lot of owners don't want to modernise themselves, there isn't as much scope as somewhere like Bristol or London.

Bragg: Yeah, if a place wanted to have a band night every week there just wouldn't be enough local bands to do it and I'm not sure people would go for it.

Jonnie: I think that's the problem that Cornwall is always going to have. There just aren't enough people.

Bragg: And if there were enough people it just wouldn't be the same!

Jonnie: Also, if you wanted to advertise a local night in Bude but the venue was in Launceston or even a couple of miles away like Marhamchurch, it is such an effort for people to get to. If you wanted to do it like more than once a summer then people just wouldn't go. There's no late night bus system so someone has got to drive, even when loads of people drive there's issues with parking. It's just a logistical nightmare I guess.

Bragg: So that's why we're making music in a little shed!