Formed at the start of 1991, and features ex-members of The Felicitys and Basinger, The Tony Head Experience have surprised many with their sudden prominence on the South-West music scene, and of the interest bestowed upon them elsewhere in the UK and Europe.
It was a four-track demo recorded in one day back in February that started the ball rolling. The Caz Ford Show on Radio Bristol first picked up on the tape and played it constantly for the following couple of months. Then other regional shows started taking an interest and finally the demo found it’s way onto playlists in France, Germany and Belgium. This subsequently has led to articles starting to appear in fanzines and magazines across Europe.
Then, in June, the band signed to Big Internation Records and recorded the Sleeper EP, re-recording two of the original demo tracks for the b-sides.
1. The obvious one to start, who is Tony Head?
Tony Head is the world famous inventor of the electric guitar plectrum, who died on March 13th last year.
2. Another obvious one, who are you influenced by?
We’re not influenced by anyone.
3. Did the members of The Felicitys and Basinger leave to join Tony Head or was it something that just happened?
Yes. The Felicitys were an indie-pop accident waiting to happen and Basinger was a boring rock monster alive and horribly kicking. We got out while the going was good.
4. Who’s Caz Ford?
Caz Ford is a rather wonderful disc-jockey of a female leaning who broadcasts between 8:00-9:30pm on a Sunday on Radio Bristol…..95.5FM.
5. How would the Tony Head Experience describe themselves? Are you trying to following particular trend?
We’re not following any trends and we don’t know how to describe ourselves…..that’s your job matey!
Tony Head Experience
6. What’s each band member’s funniest habit?
Elisa: Sex with cats; Jon: songwriting; Nick: Cynacism; Steve: Dutch vacations that last a year; Matt: Employment allergy.
7. Do you find you get a better reaction in Europe than the UK?
The Tony Head Experience are widely popular in Madrid, Vancover and Gateshead. Weird eh?
8. What’s he fanzine scene like on the continent?
It’s good in Spain, by all accounts and still fighting off extinction in most other countries.
9. Where do The Tony Head Experience see themselves a year from now?
On EMI Records, fat, rich, infamous and into double concept compact disc albums!
10. If you were starting a fanzine what would you call it?
Carp!
Interview by Darren Jones