After cementing themselves with a wealth of bold and adventurous efforts these last few years, Bristol-based outfit Cut Throat Francis return once again to deliver their vibrant new EP 'Everything's Normal'.
Featuring the previously shared cut 'I Want Your Money Back', their latest four-track collection makes for a brilliantly fresh and inventive listen. With its broad use of instrumentation layered amongst a soaring atmosphere and stellar hooks throughout, 'Everything's Normal' continues their ascent as one of the more creative names doing the rounds right now.
So with the new EP available to stream now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has been inspiring them most over the years.
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How and when did you form Cut Throat Francis?
2017 officially. It started from another project in 2016 when we did music for a friend’s play and decided to keep doing it. Tom and John have been playing for years though!
Where did your name come from?
A shaman told us in a joint vision after a bad curry.
What music do you all listen to? Do you all like the same type of music?
We like all sorts of music really. A lot that don’t really sound like us. I think the one band everyone all loves and completely agrees on is Queens of The Stoneage but we definitely don’t sound like them. Maybe the next release will be stoner rock? I will run it through with the guys…
What is your favourite song from your EP?
One Legged Dog, it’s a chilled one to play live and we’re quite happy with how it came out. It’s not about dogs or anything like that just in case PETA start sniffing around.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourselves?
Bella Ciao. If you know, you know.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
We cover John in honey and he runs through the town square naked chased by bees. He has to circle the Tesco Metro exactly 5 times while the rest of us dress in robes and sacrifice a goat to the dark lord M̸͔̂O̶̫̍R̷̨̒S̶͈̀ ̶̬́T̸͜͝H̶̗͗Ȅ̴̡ ̸̼͛B̶̪̿R̶̜͊Ḭ̴͂Ņ̶́G̸͕͑Ȇ̷̠R̷͍̆ ̶͚̋Ô̶͎F̷̹̊ ̴̢̄D̸̰͆Ë̷̦́A̴̡̍Ṭ̷̃H̵̘̓. A song appears almost immediately after the ritual it's weird. I assume that’s what everyone else does as well right? Sometimes it doesn’t work so we’ll usually get together with some ideas and jam it out til something that resembles a song appears.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
Too many to count. We all like vastly different stuff. I’m personally partial to a bit of “King Gizzard and the Wizard Lizard” and their bajillion albums. They’ve already released two as I’m typing this.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
We’re like the perfect opening band because of our smaller set up. We don’t have a drummer, it’s just Tom on the cajon and Harriet with the washboard so it’s much lighter but perfect for as an appetiser. If we could open for anyone, it would have to be our pals “Imprints”, another Bristol based folk punk band. We’ve opened for them many a time and their gigs are always incredible. So much fun and bring great energy and the whole gang are legends. They’ve got a new record coming soon so give them a follow and find out!
What is the most rewarding part about being in a band?
Finishing a recording is a great feeling! I love that sweet dopamine hit of a completed project. Also doing gigs in great places feels amazing. We’ve got a gig in August at the Glastonbury Abbey and if it’s anything like the previous one, it’s gonna be unforgettable!
And what is the most frustrating part?
Superfluous crap bands have to do nowadays on social media. Like Tiktok n all that. The annoying thing is I actually get it but it makes me want to repeatedly punch myself in the head til I knock myself out. When I regain consciousness I continually punch myself in the head again til I knock myself out. When I regain consciousness I continually punch myself in the head again til I knock myself out. When I regain consciousness (Editor: There was 30 pages of this, we trimmed it down for brevity).
What is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician/band?
To be able to have fun with your mates playing music is special and it’s important to stay grounded.
Not every gig is going to be “rock and roll” so remember when you’re playing that cool bucket list gig in The Bristol Exchange; you gotta bring that energy with you when you’re playing the Eastcombe hog rearing festival in front of 3 grandmas. Nans are people too.
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Cut Throat Francis' new EP 'Everything's Normal' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.