Today, Matlock-based nu disco act, Patawawa, sit down with us to chat about their musical inspirations, 2018 touring and much more. Over the years, the group has certainly gained steam, laying down waves of funky hits and soulful sounds, such as The Heat and Fight Me.
With an upcoming tour and EP ahead, we had the chance to catch up with the talented trio and chat about their music. Tune in below for the full interview with Patawawa.
FS: P-A-T-A-W-A-W-A. Tell us about yourselves! We know about your music and your disco-charged performances, but we want to know about you. Where did your name come from?
P: It came from two dogs that have mated together, can you guess which ones?
FS: Word on the blogosphere is that there’s a story related to Patterdale Terriers and Chiwawas. Haha, we won’t publicly name our source though, so let’s talk about your music. What about your early inspirations?
P (Sam): For me, it’s a lot of motown and soul from going to my aunties house for gatherings and parties when I was younger – Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye – that kind of thing. And then, I gradually got into indie music when The Arctic Monkeys first album came out. I absolutely loved it and still do!
Then, got into UK hip-hop and hip-hop in general. And then, Rory got me into disco music and its gone from there….
FS: Wow, that’s quite a transformation. It all makes sense though, especially with similar sounds branching across soul, hip hop and disco. From a production standpoint, it must be difficult to write music though. Perhaps, because of so many influences.
What does your studio setup look like – any instruments you’ve really been dialing in on lately? We swear that we heard vintage drum machines on a few of your releases. We’re huge fans of Roland, in specific.
P (Rory): Mainly, the Korg MS-20 – we’ve been using it for leads, pads, bass, and effects. It’s got such a nice big sound – there may be a few 808 samples thrown in, but we’re yet to own the real thing.
FS: Yes, it must be quite versatile – your discography is certainly proof of that. Speaking of your studio – do you have any new music in the works? We can’t get enough of Patagonia (and all of its soulful bliss) at the moment.
P: Ah, well we are glad your enjoying it! Yes, we are currently working on an EP for release in October/November. We are super happy with what we have done so far and are so excited for people to hear it!
FS: We’re excited too! What else can we expect from you in 2019? A world tour, perhaps?
P: Haha, that would be nice! Realistically, you are going to see a lot of shows in the U.K. and around Europe – hopefully a great festival season 2019 too – oh, and possibly an album! Lots to do!
FS: Sounds like it’s going to be a busy year! Any final words for those tuning in?
P: Come and see us live on our first big UK tour in Sept/Oct this year! Our Tour poster is pinned on Facebook and Twitter to grab tickets (links below too)! Hopefully see you there! x
FS: Well, there you have it folks. Stay tuned over the next few months as Patawawa prep for a new EP release and several tour dates (see below for tickets).
- Birmingham: Sep. 26, 2018
- Reading: Sep. 28, 2018
- Bristol: Sep. 29, 2018
- Newcastle: Oct. 3, 2018
- Leeds: Oct. 4, 2018
- York: Oct. 5, 2018
- London: Oct. 10, 2018
- Sheffield: Oct. 11, 2018
In the meantime, listen to their current sounds below!