Ahead of their return to the stage at next weekend’s Liverpool Sound City and next month’s Barmellodie we here at Armellodie HQ thought we’d catch up with those huggable beasts Cuddly Shark for a quick natter. And so the story goes…
Hello, fa are you and fit do ye dee?
Hiya, i’m Colin or Calin and i sing (whine, scream, bark, my talents are endless, limitless, limited, i can barely hold a note) in Cuddly Shark.
Your debut self-titled album was released in November 2009, with a good year and a half since the release how do you feel about your debut opus now? Musically and with the reception it got from peeps?
I think it’s still relevant today as it was a year and a half ago. People still speak about it’s release like it was the Kennedy assassination, you know “where were you when the Shark album came out?”.
Since Cuddly Shark came out Broken Britain is less broke, Kate & Wills got married and Bin Laden got shot for being a blimmin’ nuisense. If you’re trying to tell me those things would’ve happened without it then you’re probably correct.
Musically it still brings a smile to my face, looking back on the recording process brings a tear to my eye. Listening to it now though it was well worth it and i’m so proud that a dunder heed like me can be associated with a work of genius….did i say that?! Yes i did, if Jazzman from Babylon Zoo can say it then so can I.
Critically we were blown away with the reviews and reception from folks. The songs were really written for our own enjoyment and the fact other people can laugh at our stories and the nut crunchingly good riffs that weave and bind the whole thing together just makes it that bit more special.
Cuddly Shark seem to be obsessed with dogs, would you say this is fair? There’s a Cyclops-dog on the cover of The Sheriff of Aspen Bay single, the album cover is a picture of a knackered old dog, ‘Mannybix’ a popular track on the record is about a dog called Manny and there’s some field recordings of dogs in there too. Some of your groupies are howlers! So what’s with all this dogging?
We’re obsessed by many things here at Camp Shark, it just so happened we were going through our dog phase at that time. J (drummer) is obsessed with feet he can’t get enough of them. Seriously, show him your feet if you happen to bump into him, he’ll love you for it.
You’re working on that difficult second record now, how’s it coming on and what should your worshipping fanbase look out for, Piano ballad territory?
Sticky album #2 is pretty much in the bag, we’re just arranging it now in preperation for the studio this July. It’s much and such the same old durge! There’s a duet with Dean Gaffney in there with Well ‘ard on percussion (oh back to the dog theme again!). We’re covering all genres from blues to rap, classical to garage. Listen up kidz, like Weezer we’re ditching the old fans and we’ll play whatever you want us to play even if it means spoiling our untarnished pre-Maladroit reputation. Everybawdy get dangerous!!!!
Cuddly Shark play the Screenadelica Stage (Slater Street) on Friday 20th May at Liverpool Sound City (Stage time: 8pm). Anyone interested in purchasing tickets can do so from here - www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk.
The band will be back on their home turf at the final Barmellodie residential at Bar Bloc (Bath Street, Glasgow) on Friday 17th June.
You can get their epic debut album from the shop now so feckin dee it!
ArmHq.