Sharks is a band (not the psychobilly band of the same name) from England. By phone, James Mattock (lead vocals, guitar) discussed his early affinity for Ramones, playing with The Wedding Present and Social Distortion, and why you should have the band's new album No Gods (Rise Records, 2012) in your collection.
Describe Sharks for someone who has never heard the band.
It's a modern throwback of an English indie-punk crossover.
I read that you were drawn to Ramones at a young age. How old were you when you became a Ramones fan and what was it that grabbed you?
I was about nine years old I think. I think it was the most accessible music I could find at that time. They're funny, like cartoon characters. It was the songs, the energy.
The reason I ask about that is because my son is not even three and he's already a big Ramones fan.
Great. He's on the right track. Yeah. My little brother is eight or nine now and he's a huge fan.
I think they're drawn because it's so primal and energetic.
It's like nursery rhymes played at 100 miles an hour.
I read that you got to play with The Wedding Present when you were getting started. What did it mean to you to play with bands like that in the early days of the band?
It meant a lot. First off, it was great to play with bands that big. It's really quite a compliment and shows that our band can cross over into alternative music. I didn't think many bands could pull that off. We pride ourselves on that.
What does it mean to you when you get the support of bands like Social Distortion and The Gaslight Anthem?
It's crazy. I can't help but laugh at the idea.. We definitely work hard at it, but to see the work paying off in that way. It's a huge compliment. It's meant great things for us. It's enjoyable.
You're on the road with Social Distortion now. What was your realization like knowing that you'd be on tour with Social Distortion?
It's pretty terrifying. We toured with them in April of last year. That was the first time. Given their profile and reputation, all we could have expected from the shows was a room packed full of Social Distortion fans and Social Distortion could just do their thing. We just made the most of it, kept our heads down and gave the best show we could every night. It's been a good experience. Social Distortion has been very welcoming and pleasant to be around. To have them ask us back is the biggest compliment we've ever had. We're just playing in front of people that have never heard our band. They like us too. That's cool.
The new album comes out next month. Why should I have No Gods in my collection?
There won't be another record like it this year. We've always managed to sidestep music trends. We've always written what we've wanted and it's kind of worked. The thing with that record is reveling in the joy of making music. Hopefully it brings joy to the people that listen to it.
What would you be doing if you weren't making music?
No idea. It's not really an option. I'd do anything to keep this going.
Sharks plays Wednesday 15 February at Nomad Gallery in LA. No Gods will be available everywhere on 20 March.
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