So we had a chance to catch up with Anthony Jackson-Stubbs from rising disco funk band Paleday and we have to say – it’s one of the funniest chats we’ve had in a long time! Paleday’s new disco single ‘Eurotramp’ drops next week on 14 January and we urge you to buy it – it’s a fabulous throwback to an era when music was quality, fun and glorious – and that is something that both Paleday and EQ believe there isn’t enough of in today’s music scene. So go throw on a feather boa, turn on the disco lights and get to know one of our favourite bands of the moment, Paleday!
EQ: Well hello Anthony and welcome to EQ! First of all, can you go ahead and introduce the band to the readers?
Anthony: Hey! Happy New Year. So, I’m Anthony, co-writer, co-producer and lead vocalist in Paleday. Usually to be found dressed in white to highlight my virginal gorgeousness. Diamante optional. Dressed in black, we have Dr. Stephen, Paleday’s resident intellectual, and also my best friend, co-writer and co-producer. And in searing red, we have the sizzling Sam. Not seen in the pictures but equally important in the live band is Alex on guitars, who puts us in mind of a young Barry Gibb. On bass, and happier with 6 strings than 4, is the supremely funky Phil. Whilst holding us altogether with a rhythmic section second to none is Steve R. Six people guaranteed to make the boys, girls, and everyone in-between swoon, whilst playing the most accomplished disco-pop that 2008 will hear.
Excellent! So how did you come up with the name Paleday? Was it a rather pale day outside when you decided on the band name? Give us the scoop!
Actually it was looking rather pale inside! I’d just split up with my partner (was it someone in the band, I’ll leave you guessing) and I came downstairs where my friend Pauline said I was looking rather pale. I replied that it had been something of a pale day. The rest is history.
Awwww. We can feel that your music has a bit of legendary Culture Club vibe to it? What sort of ties do you have to the band? Without doing any research at all, we seem to think that one of you used to be in Culture Club? Is that true?
Sam did indeed do a stint as front man of the newly reformed Culture Club in 2006, with several of the original members. Sam was fantastic too – you can find clips of their showcase on YouTube – but unfortunately it didn’t pan out. Both Sam and Paleday garnered a lot of new fans as a result and it’s a shame the Culture Club project didn’t work out as Sam is a highly talented performer and was a breath of fresh air for them. Our live sound is mixed these days by the guy who mixed our album, Jimmy Sarikas; Jimmy did a lot of the live sound for Culture Club’s worldwide tour, so yes, I guess we have some links. You won’t find any of us sweeping the streets of New York though! Well, unless it’s for groupies!
‘Eurotramp’ is a fantastic tune – we love it to bits! Which one of you is the biggest eurotramp and why? Don’t be shy – tell us the truth!
Why thank you kind sir. We’re very proud of the track too. Us, eurotramps? How dare you! <laughs> In fact I suppose that Sam and I probably top the eurotramp charts, although we have very different tastes, and indeed methods, of euro-tramping!! No one is particularly safe when we’re on the prowl, but they’d all have a spectacular time on their way to Paleday groupiedom!
And we hear that ‘Eurotramp’ is getting a release date and getting lots of airplay lately – tell us more about that!
‘Eurotramp’ is released as a digital download single on Monday 14 January and will be available on iTunes, Napster, Rhapsody, emusic and other leading digital retailers. We’ve had play on Smooth and Capital radio already and much more on the way. We’re also climbing the Music Week commercial club pop charts, entering the top 20 this week and receiving fantastic feedback from clubs and DJs around the UK!
Great news! I have to say, we had such a great time at your launch party at the Soho Revue Bar. Where did you get all those dedicated fans?! Your launch party was the best one we went to this year!
Glad you enjoyed the party! It’s really important to look after our fans, after all, without them, we’d be playing to the dog (not that she doesn’t enjoy it). Our fans seem to cover a wide demographic, but they have one thing in common – they love having a good time! Our live shows always bring out the best in us and the best in the crowd. The launch party was of course full of people particularly into us, but we’ve done gigs where the majority of the crowd are into metal, or heavy indie rock, and they look at us before we start, clearly thinking “what the f***?!”. But invariably by the time we’ve finished, they’re dancing along, trying to steal our feather boas. It’s a bit like going to an old disco, and trying to be too cool for school pretending you’re not enjoying the cheesy records. But then they put on ‘Dancing Queen’ and everyone gets up! We have that sort of effect.
Why do you think the live pop scene is dull these days?
Same thing really – people take everything too seriously. I’m all for some meaningful singer-songwriters and focused indie-pop, but sometimes people just want a bloody good tune that they can sing along to, with a decent beat, something that makes them feel something – elation, love, whatever, and makes them smile. There’s a lot of commercial pop that sort of does that, but more often than not, it’s manufactured, not live, and you feel that you’re being cynically marketed to. We’re not that. We play live, we do what we enjoy, and we’re a bit like an old-fashioned band in that respect. And the tunes are big, and real. I don’t think it’s any surprise that when they do Live 8 revisited or any of those big old multi-concerts, they invariably wheel out Dame Elton or someone similar. Can you actually think of any new bands that put on a show, like Abba, or the Bee Gees? Paleday put on a show. We put a bit of the theatrical back into gigs – who wants sticky floors and black peeling paint anyway?
We couldn’t agree with you more Anthony! You recently just played to the staff and celebrity guests of OK! Magazine too for Christmas – how did that go over?
Hmmmmm. We were looking forward to this "most glamorous" of parties. It was singularly the least glamorous event we have ever had the misfortune to perform at. Basically an awful combination of Big Brother and Hollyoaks "celebs" trying to outdo each other in terms of getting drunk and getting photographed, all being run by a PR guy who just screamed down at everyone all the time, like a male Edina from Ab Fab only substantially less attractive. And you know how you think they edit Big Brother to make the contestants seem even more vile? They don’t, some of them are really like that. Nikki, the whiney one, actually stole one of our microphones whilst we were performing, and started singing nonsense into it. Terribly bad form. I even had abuse screamed at me by another BB girl dressed as a Barbie, literally inside an oversized Barbie box, because our taxi driver wouldn’t let them steal our car. And as for the one who was screaming drunk, smoking like a chimney and at least 6 months pregnant…yeaurgh!!! The only thing that needed airbrushing more than the fake tans were the manners, and the whole ‘Not OK!’ party was a ‘celebrity’ experience we won’t be rushing to repeat. We didn’t even get paid, but we did come away with a free Cheeky Girls badge, so I suppose every cloud has a silver lining. (Actually the Cheeky Girls were amongst the few nice people there, bless them.)
Hmmmm, sounds like I might have to lose my invitation to that party should I ever get invited! So tell us about your album coming out soon – what can we expect?
It’s called ‘Love The Groove’. We hope to get it out by March. It’s essentially finished and was mastered by Geoff Pesche at Abbey Road Studios. That same week he mastered Kylie’s new album. Ten tracks of ultra-pop. Creamier than a gay cow and hot enough to melt the balls off Madonna’s confessional mirrorball! There’s a lot of disco on there and fans of Chic, The Bee Gees, Scissor Sisters and Mika will love all of that. We have a couple of more mid-tempo numbers which are seriously radio-friendly groovers. And there’s one massive ballad on there which I wrote for my Dad who sadly passed away at the start of 2007, which in the finest tradition of such things is hopeful, optimistic, sad enough to make you cry and heart-warming enough to make you smile. Maybe it will be Christmas number 1 in 2008. So although we do love a disco, we’re not by any means a one-trick pony. In fact we already have enough material for another two albums! Overall, there isn’t a duff track amongst the bunch, and without fail, whilst there are subliminal messages and darker intent in some of the verse lyrics, it’s possible to hum the tune and even sing along to the chorus by the end of the first listen to any of the tracks. Classic pop!!! There’s even a quirky track at the end called ‘If I Lived On The Moon’, a little in the style of ‘Daydream Believer’, that references The Clangers. Blue String Spaghetti anyone????
If you could throw the ultimate Paleday disco party – who would be on the guestlist and getting ‘Funky in your disco’?
Us of course, because we never miss a party! All the disco greats – Chaka Kahn, Gloria Gaynor, Nile Rodgers, rather a long list in fact. Brian Ferry because my mate Pauline wants him to be her butler. Ken Dodd. The Clangers. Absolutely no Big Brother contestants. Dot from Eastenders. The odd bit of eye candy (both male and female – we have to cater for the whole band!). Bobby the pool boy – long story there…
We’ve decided that were going to make a drink called Paleday for our next EQ party. What are the key ingredients?
Pink Taittinger champagne, vodka and a large measure of Fabulosity. Shaken AND stirred. No olive. Can’t stand ’em. Oh go on then, give us a twist….
I’m salivating already! That’s it – thanks Paleday. Anything you’d like to tell the EQ readers before we sign off?
Please buy ‘Eurotramp’ as a download on Monday 14 January. Please email your favourite radio station and ask them to play ‘Eurotramp’. Please tell your favourite club or music venue that you’d like to see us perform live there. Please join us at MySpace as a friend. Please tell all your friends about Paleday. Please keep reading the fabulous Electroqueer. But most of all, please please please remember that life is toooooo short. So smile! And we’ll see you, woo you, snog you and entertain you in 2008!!!!!