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Overdrawn are 3 hard rock enthusiasts from
Welwyn Garden City. I meet them just outside their latest gig at the Water Rats
in Kings Cross, London. As we sit in the pub across the road we watch the world
go by. A world of police cars whizzing by looking for the latest suicide
bombers, Chinese men trying to sell us hooky DVDs, and street cleaners trying
their best to soak us with their power sprays.
Overdrawn are an as yet unsigned and their recent jaunts have seen them play at
the Barfly, Garage, Bull and Gate, Dublin Castle, 100 Club, Turnmills and they
have a residency at the Marquee in Hertford.
I sit there talking to Tom Cameron (singer and guitarist), brother?s Jon (bass)
and Dean Deal (drums) who talk enthusiastically on how far they?ve come in the
last 3 years. As school friends they naturally just fell in to forming a band in
their late teens ?we?ve always been mates and Tom used to be able to play
guitar a little bit and Jon picked it up a bit and it just progressed? says
Dean. Tom adds ?none of us have ever been in any other bands, so we?re just
friends really?.
As Welwyn Garden city has never been the hub of musical activity they had to
look outside and pull their influences together. A passion for hard yet
intelligent rock sees them draw styles from bands that include Led Zeppelin,
Radiohead, Mondo Generator and even the Communards to which Jon quickly follows
up ?no? not really, but the Beatles are influences?. From their sound you
can tell that Muse have clearly been one as well to which Tom adds ?are
definitely the best British band around at the moment?.
Jon ?we don?t like anything plain and simple, we?ve written quite a few songs
that are catchy, but with more passion?.
All being fans of Queens of the Stone Age they talk about life after Nick
Oliveri and how its not quite the same now but are quick to point out that after
seeing Mondo Generator, the guy is ?fucking nuts?.
To describe Overdrawn would be difficult as they pull in from all sorts of
areas. It?s the kind of driving rock that sees the Queens of the Stone Age
grappling with Radiohead on an erupting volcano. Yet they also have the ability
to create the kind of sonic landscape that made the Verve so special in the
early days, cloaked in atmosphere and intensity.
On the subject of writing, it?s something they feel comes quite easily.
Dean ?we used to write songs really quickly, just to get another one done,
but now we take our time more?
Tom ?like brain surgery, we pick from all angles, even if there?s a tiny bit
of like a bar to change, we?ll try and give it a bit of an extra edge. We all
write the music together then the lyrics on top, you?re (Dean) really good with
song structure, but we?ve no real set way of doing it?.
Dean ?the lyrics get in the way really so Tom just really comes up with them
quite quickly?.
This isn?t to say the lyrics are throwaway and meaningless, some of the greatest
bands in history have had a similar approach to the way of using lyrics, just
look at the Ramones, Nirvana, the Sex Pistols and even to a lesser greatness
Oasis. Just listening to some of the words has a great overwhelming effect, in
the current climate in London the lines on ?If So When So?, ?here come the
new guns/flying over/cruise control/pride of the nation...?/if so when so, I
don't know? have a gut wrenching familiarity.
They show even more depth on ?7% of Communication? with ?we read the signs/
between the lines/and never make a sound/it's all a game we all must play/to
scratch our way around?.
With three recordings under their belt and although modest, they are confident
in their ability. Tom says ?To be honest I?m happy for people to come to us,
I don?t think we have a great deal to prove?.
Jon quickly adds ?basically we?re taking some time to step back and to
re-evaluate things, who we are and where we?re going and who we?re trying to
reach. Then to put together a recording that we?re really happy with. And as
soon as that?s done, we?ll be happy to send something out.?
As a hard rock outfit playing on the current music circuit, they don?t feel they
are part of any special scene. As every other band dons skinny ties and eye
liner making their best attempt to jump the art-rock band wagon Overdrawn are
happy to take their time and hone their skills and to take stock, the fact that
they are outsiders spurs them on even more.
Pondering on this Tom says ?I don?t think we?ve ever played with a band
that?s been suited to our music, the people that used to represent us before
would book us gigs with completely different bands, like an acoustic 5 piece or
something.?
Talking on the current state of music, they think that it?s a bit bland and a
little pretentious. Tom says ?there are a lot of English bands at the moment
that are very image conscious, I know you have to be to a degree but we like to
concentrate on the music. Good rock music has never gone away. It?s been there
for decades and we want to continue that?.
In general Dean sums up their thoughts saying it?s ?bollocks. There aren?t any
new bands that I really like at the moment?.
Jon ?our music isn?t necessarily going to be massive in the charts but we?d love
to be one of those great touring bands. The music we play would translate on to
a big stage, just as easily as a small club?.
This is precisely what Overdrawn do, put some much needed bollocks back into
music. But they do so with brains rather than Neanderthal tripe. As a limo
passes the pub we all watch and I wonder whether soon they will be conducting
future interviews in the luxury of the speeding mini bar and air-con on wheels.
Recent months have seen Tom appear on the Musicians Channel on digital TV to
perform 4 acoustic songs, they picked up the influential Karma Download Unsigned
Artist of the Week award and played at the Transmission night club at the
Barfly.
Seeing their popularity increase, they are fast becoming one of the undergrounds
best kept secrets. But with the kind of power, talent and ambition they have
let?s start talking about them above a whisper.
interviewed
by
Lee Puddefoot
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