Andy Watts was the drummer with The Seahorses, and played all drums and backing vocals on Do It Yourself. Since leaving the band, he has written over 2 albums worth of material and formed his own band, Mozer, in which he sings lead vocals and plays guitar.
Mozer came together late '99, as Andy Watts made the transition from drums and vocals to frontman with ease. Having met guitarist Paul Dawson down the local coiffeur, the two soon discovered a mutual love of melody and cheeky barnets. The band are currently in the process of recording their debut single and have received widespread acclaim and airplay in the states. With a lyrical loveliness and a way with melody, come find the fireworks within courtesy of mozer.
Mozer are:-
Andy Watts - vocals / programming / guitars Paul Dawson - guitars Dobbo - bass / backing vocals Kev Paver - acoustic kit / percussion
The following is taken from an interview conducted by StoneRoses.net with Andy - click here for the full interview.
SR: How did you come to
be in The Seahorses?
AW: Well, I was in a band with Stu Fletcher
years ago, and John Squire wanted a singing drummer. So
basically through past tenuous historic connections. I also
knew Chris Helme, but Stuart was the main protagonist in getting
me involved.
SR: You and Reni have both
moved on to singing and playing guitar from the drums after working
with John Squire! Why in your case did this happen?
AW: Well, I'm a better guitarist than
a drummer, and I always intended to form a band. I was classically
trained on the guitar, I've been playing since I was six.
It was always a joke with the road crew that I was more proficient
than John technically, as I was classically trained. But
John was mindblowingly quick in terms of speed and finesse.
I started out playing drums in a band, but like I said, I hadn't
played them for six months before joining the 'Horses. The
thing I'm doing now was a natural progression for me, it's not
like I've taken a BTEC in frontmanship. The Seahorses was
too good to turn down, but it just held my ambition to do this
back a couple of years, basically.
SR: Your new band, Mozer,
what are your influences, and what are your hopes for the band?
It is 'Mo-zer', isn't it, it's not pronounced 'Mozzer'?
AW: Yeah, it's 'Mo-zer'. I'm like
John, I'm a cycling fan, and I found an old Italian bike called
Mozer, so the name came from that. But yeah, it's not 'Mozzer'
- I hate that! That's how XFM introduced us. If it
was Mozzer it'd have two 'z's! Get it right! It's not brain
surgery eh? And we're not, I repeat, not, a Morrissey tribute
band...!
Er, anyway... influences... On a conscious level I couldn't tell
you. Sub-consciously, just a life-long love of music.
I listen to a lot of dance music, DJ Shadow, Aphex Twin, Money
Mark, David Holmes. Still listen to Led Zep/Sabbath/Hendrix
old school etc - I'm currently listening to Goldfrapp, Minotaur
Shock, Elbow, King Biscuit Time, Turin Brakes - tonnes of stuff.
There are too many influences to mention. John used to hate
me saying this, but Gary Numan is deffo in there somewhere!
Hopes for the band... hard to answer that one without coming out
with a cliche. I hope we all die in a bizarre gardening
accident, I hope for world peace.
SR: Time Out magazine compared
you to the early Stone Roses - can you see the comparisons?
AW: Musically, no. I think we're
a much heavier proposition. It's just lazy journalism.
That's unfair actually, it's just about giving people a reference
point. We're ultimately a guitar band but we're utilising
technology. I think Ian Brown's last three LPs have been
great. But we're a more corpulent, bloated outfit!
In terms of attitude and vibe, yeah, maybe. I don't know
much about the early Roses, but I used to hit the floor to Fools
Gold when I was rinsed. Top tune.
SR: What did you learn from
your experience with The Seahorses that you are putting into practise
with your new band?
AW: Trust no-one! (Laughs).
Enjoy what you've got while it's there, cos it can disappear tomorrow!
Life is a journey not a destination. Talent borrows, genius steals...
