The Sheffield Scenester

As I walked into The Frog and Parrot, I heard something that was both familiar and new at the same time. Cut Your Wings’ new singer, Russell Frisby was sound-checking a new song, with then-vocalist, Rob looking on and nodding in approval. That moment instantly summed up what the evening was all about - Rob’s final gig with Cut Your Wings, and Russell’s first.

The band had very kindly agreed to document the occasion by answering a few questions for Sheffield Scenester (SS) and giving us an insight into their beginnings, their first year together, and their plans for a new line-up.
Sitting down in the kitchen above the bar with Russell, Rob, guitarist Matt, drummer Mark, and bassist Nick, it became apparent that I was sat with a group of close and like-minded friends who are making the most of their musical talents and sharing something they’re clearly all very passionate about. They were also quick to point out that they had a rider, of sorts, and had been able to fill the fridge with lager. As Rob passed the cans around, everyone seemed in great spirits and the banter amongst the band was at times hilarious.


SS: Rob, I guess it’s logical that we start with you.

Rob: Great place to start!

SS: Well, we’re here tonight because you’ve decided to leave Cut Your Wings. How did that come about?

Rob: I’ve made a few changes and moved to Manchester recently so I’m going to do something different. On to bigger and better things! Haha! I didn’t want to get to 30 and possibly still be in the same position. We’ve achieved things in the time we’ve been together so I’m happy. It’s a good time for someone else to take over. We played our first gig last November and in the last year we’ve put our name out there and had our music played on local radio. Anything bigger than that, if people knew us well and knew me as the singer, it could be difficult for someone new to come in and win people over. This way, Russ can step in without it being a massive issue.

SS: In terms of picking a new singer, what processes did you go through?

Matt: There were a few auditions but we already had an idea of who we wanted to join.

Mark: I think we always knew. It was Russ.

Rob: The things is, I think other people who might have been considering it were intimidated.

SS: How do you mean?

Rob: I don’t want to sound big-headed, but they could have seen me getting in peoples’ faces and jumping off stage, and maybe doubting that they could bring the same sort of thing to the band. As a singer, my job is to make people as uncomfortable as possible.

SS: A bit like when I started taking pictures of you and you decided to try and stare me out!

Rob: I just like to try and get some sort of a reaction.

Mark: For the rest of us, I think we just match that with energy, musically. And volume! A lot of that is in what we write. We write things we enjoy playing. The enthusiasm for the music turns into energy on stage.

Matt: Anyone can write to please. We do it for us.

SS: That’s an interesting point. I was going to ask what sort of processes you go through. How you write and how things come together.

Nick: There are a lot of Sheffield guitar bands and I think a lot of it’s structured the same. I don’t think anyone really does it like us so the sound is different.

Mark: It makes us stand out. Most have another guitarist. Things turn out different depending on whether or not you start with the drums and put guitar over it, or find a specific beat that goes with a riff. Whether I start it, or Matt brings the guitar parts, or Nick has a bass line, we all put it together.

Matt: Then we just try and be as loud as we can.

SS: It’s controlled though. Like, it’s all layered. The first time I heard you (Matt), it sounded as if you were playing seven guitars!

Rob: And the way we do it might mean that people don’t like it. Or that it might put people off. If the room’s full when everyone else plays tonight, we could sort that.

Mark: We could clear it!

Rob: We’re good at that! But, there’s always something at the end. You could play to a hundred people and most of them might walk out, but if five people stayed and came up to us at the end and said they liked it, that’s great. And they’re usually the kind of people who offer ideas. They might say, “I really liked what you did, but there was one song that could have been a bit more... or a bit less...”. They give us ideas and it’s helpful.

SS: So you’re open to people being constructive like that?

Mark: The alternative is people just saying that you’re great. Saying that everything’s great.

Rob: There’s a lot of that in Sheffield. Let’s just say that nobody here’s won an award. Have you seen that guy (Nick) finger a fret board? He’s amazing! But he hasn’t had any credit for it. Everyone is this band is brilliant at what they do.

Nick: I’ve never really thought about it. Might be nice to win an award, but I don’t play for it. I don’t suppose it matters too much really. It’s nice if someone just says they’re into your music and they come back.

Rob: We stick to it. So many bands in Sheffield change their sound every six months so that it fits whatever’s going on. You had that with The Arctic Monkeys. Everyone tried doing the same thing and playing covers or milking that Sheffield connection. Whatever else has been going on in the last year for example, we just carried on with what we like.

SS: When I first saw you play, I noticed that you all seemed comfortable with it. I also realised it was possible to pay attention to each one of you on stage, take each element in, and notice your individual abilities.

Mark: That’s it. We bring all that together. Don’t get us wrong about those other bands. I’m not going to name names. We don’t have anything against anyone. What we’re saying is, it’s just a fact that we’ve been outside all that. We’re not going to win popularity contests because we haven’t tried to get noticed in that way.

Rob: We don’t really look that great either!

Matt: Says the bloke who has his trouser legs rolled up!

SS: Every time I’ve seen you play, I think Matt’s been wearing the same shirt.

Matt: I only own two! Not really. We don’t style it seriously so we just end up going on stage as we are.

Rob: It doesn’t matter. Whenever we’ve ever had anything written about us, it’s been about how he (Mark) likes to take his shirt off, or that I jump around and scare everyone.

SS: Guilty as charged. It just stands out the first time. Then you start to notice what else the band is about, musically.

Russ: Cut Your Wings has it’s own vibe. It’s not like anything I’ve been involved in.

Mark: It’s not like anything any of us have been involved in!

Rob: True. I found Nick and he was doing other stuff. Mark was doing his thing...

Mark: I was playing in Jack and the Beanstalks before.

Rob: Who?

Mark: Haha! We were all playing but not really doing much with it. Like, if you’re a session musician, you’re going to be great at what you do but not really have the passion for whatever it is. This band came about because the other stuff we were all doing wasn’t special. So Cut Your Wings was bound to happen. The other things sort of gave way.

SS: What about you, Russ? You’re involved with other things aren’t you?

Russ: I play bass in Tivoli and I joined Lords of Flatbush.

SS: So you’re splitting yourself three ways?

Russ: It’s not bad. Flatbush isn’t as regular and the plan is to make sure that I can fit Tivoli in so Cut Your Wings gigs don’t clash.

SS: What’s your plan for Cut Your Wings?

Russ: It already has its own vibe. I knew I could do it. We said before about how it was on the cards that I would take Rob’s place, but I held back. At first I wouldn’t say yes. I just wanted to make sure I could commit. I don’t have any plans to change things. The style is good and it fits into its own little niche. I think I fit it, too.

Rob: It’s always about coming up with new things. A new singer automatically means things evolve because they have an input. I’m happy with how things have gone and to leave something behind. I’ll be happy with where they go next. Put it this way – I’m happy to hand him the microphone.

Russ: I’m looking forward to it. Problem is, everyone is two feet taller!

Mark: Yeah! We did this photo shoot the other week, all of us standing in a line, with him way down there and Nick way up here!

Matt: Don’t forget the crows.

Mark: These crows appeared and kept getting in the shots. We’re going, “Quick, take the picture!” just as these crows got in on it.