Featured band: The Stiggz

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Read our interview with the Stiggz

The Stiggz are

Richard Elderton (Lead vocals/guitar)
Jack Patrick (Lead guitar and backing vocals)
Chris Elderton (Bass guitar)
Ben Jones (Drums and percussion)

The Stiggz formed in early 2008, and in the summer won the Coalville battle of the bands in only their third live performance.  Over the next few months they gigged regularly in Leicester, Derby and Nottingham and steadily building a strong fan base with everyone that saw them immediately attracted to their catchy, well constructed songs.

Played on the BBC

At the end of 2008 a demo was recorded and sent to radio DJ Janice Long, who featured songs on her Radio 2 and Radio WM shows, several time closing the Radio WM show with Lot to Learn.  Jack joined towards the end of the year, and his skilful guitar playing gave Richard an opportunity to stretch his already impressive song writing arm.

Over the year, they continued to work hard on the live circuit taking in additional venues in Manchester, Birmingham and Northampton and making their debut at the Glastonbudget Festival.  In September the band became the first confirmed act to play Glastonbudget 2010, and headlined two gigs at The Assembly Rooms in Derby.

The appetite of the nation has been given a taste of The Stiggz with two of the bands tracks were released on the DAB station Amazing Tunes in 2009, and by July both tracks had reached the number one slot.  The ska feel of 'Speaking of Improper Conduct' topping twelve charts simultaneously! 

Rock City here we come!

2010 looks like being another busy year.  In January, they supported Mercury Records latest signing Tiffany Page at The Musician prior to her UK tour with The Noisettes, before headlining a further show at the Derby Assembly Rooms.  In March they head off to take their place in the national competition for unsigned bands 'Surface Unsigned' in Birmingham, before returning home to take on the best of Leicestershire's bands in OBS and releasing their debut album 'Don't Read The Small Print'.  An offer to headline a gig at Rock City in Nottingham in April has also been received, raising money for The Princes Trust

Our Interview with the Stiggz

Artsin: How long has The Stiggz been playing?

The Stiggz: Two years,  Jack joined us about six months after that.

Artsin: How did the lads meet up?  How did the band form?

The Stiggz: Through school.  We messed about for a while, then took it more serious when we realised we were quite good.  We've all played music for a few years, so had a lot of common interests.

Artsin: What was the first gig the Stiggz ever played and how did it go?

The Stiggz: As the line up as it is now, it was The Vic in Coalville.  Went very good actually, Jack only had about a day to learn the songs.

Artsin: What style of music does The Stiggz play?

The Stiggz: Indie, rock (Jack) alternative. (Rich) Yeah Indie/Alternative, it's a mix, varies, we're indie, but it drifts

Artsin: What are the main influences on The Stiggz?  Which other bands do you like most?

The Stiggz: Individually? We all come from different backgrounds, so loads, which is why we get our own unique sound.  As a whole we like...(Rich) I'm influenced by Eastenders!  (everyone laughs) Courteneers, Oasis, Kasabian, on the local scene The Heroes are fucking cool.

Artsin: Who in the band writes the songs?  How do they do it?

The Stiggz: (Rich) I write the songs, (Chris) I help out a bit though, (Jack) I come out with the occasional lyric, (Ben) I come up with the occasional word! (Rich laughing) Yeah and the band comes up with the occasional word.   I dunno really it's just random bursts of inspiration comes from here and there. Yeah, I dunno.

Artsin: Which comes first the lyrics or the melodies?

The Stiggz: Both, either, depends, get a guitar, sit down for a bit play a tune,.  Start off with a chord, get some lyrics going, depends what mood I'm in. Sometimes the lyric comes first, sometimes the music,  Sometimes it comes spontaneously. 

Artsin: What do you think of the live music scene in Leicester?

The Stiggz: It's crap (everyone laughs), the majority of it, some places are good.  But it's not the venues, it's the crowd just can't be bothered, just don't seem to wanna have it.   There just seems to be no hype going on in Leicester at all.  There's some good venues like the Shed, Musician and Charlotte, but there's nothing.  There's no energy, but there's only like a small minority of people that like 'em. 

Artsin: Which is your favorite venue?

The Stiggz: The Shed or The Musician..  (Rich) The Shed are very lovin, both got very good sound quality, some good people to work with down there.

Artsin: How does Leicester compare with other towns the band has played, such as Nottingham or Derby?

The Stiggz: (Rich) On a good gig, very good. (Chris) Compared to the venue's at Derby maybe not as good...(Rich) It could be better to say the least.  Like I say people are not havin it down there, it's not the venues, there's a great team down there, like loads of people we know, the owners, the sound guys, promoters and stuff like that.  It's just the crowds themselves sometimes...they can't be bothered. there's no-one there unless you take them from your own area you've got no...i dunno.  You can't win a new crowd over really cos there's no-one there to win a new crowd with. I mean it's fuckin incredible The Charlotte is closing again, but there was like 200 people set up a facebook group to save it, and yet you look at the number that actually go to the gigs...it doesn't make sense.  There's so much good music in Leicester right now that people should be hearing.

Artsin: Does the Stiggz perform covers?

The Stiggz: We do.  Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Libertines, Oasis (Chris ) Courteneers. (Rich) The Courteneers,

Artsin: What plans has the band got for the year ahead?

The Stiggz: (Rich) Er take over America.(everyone laughs). No, not really, i dunno. Yeah play some more gigs, release an album (referring to 'Don't Read The Small Print'), support some good bands, Glastonbudget, OBS, Surface Unsigned.  (Jack) Building a good hype, trying to get more people interested, trying to get people going really.  (Ben) Have a good time really, (Jack) The Stiggz magic bus, (Rich) Yeah The Stiggz magic bus, beer and a bus. No it's a good laugh, it's a cheap night out, you get into some good venues, with good people make new friends, have a laugh and there's usually a few stop offs for beer. (Jack) Yeah you can't drink on the bus.  (Rich) there's not a lot of women at the moment, so women are invited.

Artsin: Which other bands have you supported?

The Stiggz: Er Tiffany Page, down at the musician, she's just signed to Mercury records.  (Jack) The Sons, in Derby, (Rich) Yeah The Sons, and hopefully we've got another big announcement to make any day on another support slot.  So yeah loving it, having a wild time.  Its all about parties.

Artsin: I see the Stiggz have been on the radio a few times?  What response did you get from that?

The Stiggz: Yeah buzzing for Janice Long, she's the woman!  (Rich) Played on Radio 2, played on some smaller radio stations, midlands radio and stuff.  (Ben) We were on that Amazing Radio. (Rich) Yeah buzzin, that was cool, we got a couple of number ones on there, shame it's not the proper charts, cos i ain't getting no fuckin money from it (laughs).  (Jack) Erm, no it was really good we got some really good comments back from Janice Long. (Rich) yeah Janice Long's wonderful, I'd take her out for dinner if she wasn't married! (rest of band laugh)

Artsin: What do you think of Kasabian?

The Stiggz: They fuckin have it, they're amazing, good live, good albums.  (Chris) They're no Stiggz (band laughs) (Rich) They're no Stiggz, no don't put that I'm joking and we wanna support them. No they're good they have it, they're original, everyone compares them to Oasis, but if you listen to their songs, they're original, they're creative.  They use a rehearsal studio in Earl Shilton, and the people down there are amazing, we've played loads down there, good crowds, really sound people. (Rich) Best music scene in Leicester...Earl Shilton!

Indie Disco on YouTube

See the Stiggz Indie Disco video on Youtube