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First On: Cat Matador

Punting, gatecrashing and The Sound Of Music

Posted 24th March 2011, 1:25am in First On, by Harriet Jennings


We catch up with Oxford's Cat Matador to drill frontman Liam about punting, gatecrashing college parties and The Sound Of Music.

Hello. Who are you? Where are you from?
Hi, I'm Liam from Oxford and the band Cat Matador.

What role do you play in the band?
I play a guitar, a little synth and do lead vocals.

Why did you choose to play that/those instruments?
Embarrassingly enough, I was well into Guns N' Roses aged about 8. I used to use a bench as a stage in the playground and do some air guitar. (Shocking, don't judge me.) Singing came later when I started writing stuff.

How did you all meet?
Word of mouth. I wrote some songs and needed a band to play them with. Friends of friends all talked to each other really and we shared some pints, got on and played together.

If you only had one album that you were allowed to listen to for the rest of your life, what would it be?
'Alligator' by The National. I'd love to say something older or really out there, as most people do but it's something about the time in my life that it came to me. It hit me when I wasn't expecting it and sort of became some a weird catalyst for loads of changes in my life. Don't think I could tire of it.

What's the weirdest thing that's happened to you as a group?
We did an acoustic set in a local pub for some charity thing at the last minute knowing nothing about it. Turned out the local Lib Dem chap was there introducing us while people took photos and videos to make him look like he was down with the kids when we're not even down with the kids really.

Sum up the band in a sentence.
Well, Jack from Alcopop! Records once said that we "stride a majestic path between the shoe-gazing and the suicidal that's actually rather fun", that'll do.

What's your favourite format to buy music in?
CD

If you were at Oxford Uni, which college would you be in?
Wadham. Reason being I once snuck into a summer party thing there, drank loads, made some friends, paraded around in a Wadham College bath robe and shower cap, and even gave a sermon to an empty chapel from the alter. It was great.

Who are you listening to at the moment?
Caribou, The Walkmen, Deerhunter, Beach House, Elbow, Wild Beasts (still).

Who was your first musical idol?
Slash (fuck)

How do you take your coffee?
Sound Of Music please (white nun (none))

What are the highlights of your live set?
At the moment we play a song called 'We Can Change' as our closer. It's fun because the crowd sometimes sing the gang vocal breakdown, that feels nice.

What was your favourite subject in school?
English

Are you cat or dog people?
Allergic to both, well I am, but I like them both. The rest of the band seem to like dogs.

What is your favourite venue to play?
The Cellar.

Which UK county is the best to play in?
Oxfordshire. Lame to say the one we're based in but lots of people go to gigs, the standard is really high and there's always Truck Festival which is ace.

How should people to listen to your music?
A good few times. It's not that obvious so people might not know what it's about the first couple of times.

Have you ever been punting?
Once - it was a bit rubbish.

Who's your favourite person to follow on Twitter?
Armando Lannucci

How many tracks are on the EP?
4

Can you give us three words on each song?
The Address: spacious ambient onslaught
The Family That Couldn't Sleep: diseased awkward timing
When Did You Go Blind?: bedtime house party
We Can Change: The group flâneur.

The Address EP is released on 4th April 2011

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