The Chemists interview

By Dave Tindall Last updated: 9th March 2010

We talk to Bristol band The Chemists about golf, music and pose them a conundrum about Radio 6.

GOLF365: How long have you been playing golf?

Wayne: I've been playing since I was about six or seven I think. I'm 18 now so what's that (laughter - Wayne is 29)? I had lessons in school as well for some reason but then didn't play for yonks.

Sam: If only it worked out that the amount of time you've played for was your standard because I started playing when I was seven. But then I didn't play for about 15 years. I only really started playing again with you (turning to Wayne) about four years ago but we don't play particularly regularly.

GOLF365: Where do you play when you get the chance?

Wayne: We've got Woodspring in Bristol. That's just a roll up and play course.

Sam: And Tracy Park we play as well. That's quite a nice course.

Wayne: And when we're out on tour, wherever our tour manager Rich takes us.

Sam: Wherever he can blag us.

GOLF365: Have you ever fancied basing a tour schedule around where there are good golf courses?

Wayne: If Rich had his way I think we would. He's got all the golf courses sussed. On the last tour we did (a European tour supporting Skunk Anansie) he had every place available. Unfortunately they were all about 120 Euro each.

Sam: Music venues and golf courses don't really mix together, do they.

Wayne: Especially not with the money we're on.

GOLF365: If you could pick a course where you'd like to play, which would it be?

Wayne: It's got to be the Old Course for me. Definitely. I've walked it, got to play it now.

Sam: Our singer got married up in St Andrews, we had a nice weekend up there.

Wayne: Or one of the American ones. I'd say Augusta but you'd never get on that.

GOLF365: Say you could...

Wayne: If I could, I would. I just want to see them paint the grass.

GOLF365: What's the best round you've ever shot?

Sam: I've done 94. It's hard to believe on that performance today!

Wayne: Mine's probably about 96, something like that. Thing is, we don't play often enough. We love it but we just never keep it up.

GOLF365: Do you ever have a bet on the golf?

Wayne: Oh yeah. I had a nice bit of money on Perry at The Masters. He naffed it in the play-off but luckily I had him each-way. He was 80/1.

Sam: I don't but I should do. I don't bet very often but when I do I'm quite lucky.

GOLF365: Okay, give us a tip for this year's Masters

Wayne: I'm going to stick my neck out and say it's going to be a European. Poulter's playing really well at the moment and Casey did well at the Matchplay after coming back from that injury. I say that, they aren't gonna come anywhere are they!

GOLF365: Do you bet on other sports as well?

Wayne: Yeah, horse racing. I like the odd flutter. Football, I used to but the forms in the bookies now are so confusing, it's just like 'what?'

GOLF365: Do you have a favourite golfer?

Wayne: Mine was Seve when I was a kid, watching him come out of the trees and all that. As you can tell from the round we've just played I model my game on him quite well.

GOLF365: And what about the current generation?

Wayne: McIlroy, but probably just for his hair. No, he's definitely one of them I like. And Chris Wood as well. He's a local Bristol boy. I reckon he's going to do good things.

Sam: You'll have to let me know next time he's on TV. I'll have to watch him.

GOLF365: You've had famous people in your videos - Richard E Grant for forthcoming single 'This City' (out 29th March) and Howard Marks in last single 'Milk and Honey'. If you could put a golfer in your next video, who would it be?

Wayne: It's got to be Tiger Woods and you could bring along all the women he's been linked with. Imagine that. It would be brilliant. It'd be like a P Diddy video!

GOLF365: Who would be in your dream fourball?

Wayne: (thinks) Hmmm. Well there's going to have to be a fit bird in there.

Sam: What about Catherine Zeta-Jones? She's meant to be a good golfer.

Wayne: Yep, she can be in there. Bill Murray might have to be one but he'd have to come as Caddyshack. Can't pick another one from Caddyshack so I'm not going to say Chevy Chase, erm....

GOLF365: A musician?

Wayne: Oh, Alice Cooper. He's supposed to be really good. His stories are meant to be brilliant.

Sam: He's meant to be amazing. He wouldn't let you go near him. You've got to have a handicap.

GOLF365: Have you ever played with any other bands or do you know any other bands who play golf?

Wayne: We toured with The Music and the singer, Rob, he plays golf although we never got round to playing when we were on tour. I know The Enemy play and Hard-Fi.

GOLF365: Some of your music is on Sky Sports I believe

Sam: That's right. They've used quite a lot of it on the rugby. They used it on the advert for The Lions and 'The Rugby Club'. We released a single called 'Hear Our Song' and it was a remix for that they initially wanted to use. And since then they've got really into it and have been playing every song from the album now after our management sent them a sampler of all the remixes, all the singles and all the videos and they've been using the whole lot on a sort of rotation. It's great.

GOLF365: Sam, I know your Dad's got a little bit of money (strange but true, Sam's Dad is Sir James Dyson, who invented the bagless hoover). So, if you had a choice between building your own private golf course (KK Downing style) and saving Radio 6 what would you do?

Sam: Save Radio 6 every time.

Wayne: I was going to say golf course... joke!

Sam: Oh man, it's unbelievable they're contemplating closing it.

Wayne: 6 Music has been really good for us.

Sam: It's good for independent labels and all new music out there. Before you get on the Radio 1s, Radio 2s, even Xfm you have to start at the specialists. It's like a process. You just can't jump straight in at Radio 1, Radio 2, it's incredibly hard to do it so 6 Music is just absolutely crucial for every independent and every bit of new music out there to get in there first and work your way up to Radio 1. But now that that's gone what are you going to do? You're stuffed really.

GOLF365: You started up Distiller records, didn't you

Sam: Yes, we started it properly about three and a half, four years ago just because it's a great thing to be getting in to as I've loved music ever since I was really little so it's just always been a huge passion. We've worked with the right people and have been in the industry a little while now so you get contacts and we formed it more officially about two, two and a half years ago. All the bands have started at Radio 6 and now Xfm and Radio 1 are starting to play them and it's doing really, really well, it's quite exciting. But then it's so, so important for the label and everyone that Radio 6 is there. It's going to be tough without it.

GOLF365: How did you come to be touring with the Fun Lovin' Criminals?

Sam: Their tour manager was also the tour manager of The Music who we toured with and he kind of put us forward for it, as did our management and they had a listen and really liked it and, yeah, that's how we got it. It can often be about who you know really.

GOLF365: You've only played one gig so far so have you spent any time with them yet?

Wayne: Only just briefly spoke to Huey yesterday and that's it so far really. I mean they sound check, come off, we sound check, doors open, we go on, we come off, they go on...

Sam: Tonight we'll stay around and watch them and hang out a bit. All the tours we've done before you get really friendly with the other band and hang out quite a bit. Huey, he's just super cool isn't he. He just oozes it.

GOLF365: Your album - "Theories of Dr Lovelock" - came out in November. How's it done?

Wayne: Yeah, it got to number two in the charts didn't it.... in Vietnam (laughter).

Sam: No, it's had some really, really great reviews and all the feedback has been amazing. We'll keep on plugging it and hopefully it'll grow and grow and grow. We're doing the support tours at the moment as we try and build the fan base and then hopefully we'll start to do our own tours and in the next couple of months we'll start work on a new album.

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On that musical note, the tape is turned off but the golf chat continues.

Tour manager Rich reveals how to be part of Alice Cooper's crew you have be an 18 handicapper or less while Wayne declares that he wants to play in the celeb Ryder Cup which Ant and Dec host ("just so I can beat Meatloaf"). Golf boring? "No, it's the new rock and roll" says Wayne.

So there we are. The Chemists. Top band, top blokes and, if tour manager Rich can keep finding them courses to play, maybe top golfers one day too. We look forward to a rematch in Bristol.

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March UK Tour dates with The Fun Lovin Criminals:

6th - Manchester, Academy
7th - Leeds, O2 Academy
8th - Glasgow, O2 ABC
9th - Newcastle, O2 Academy
11th - Bristol, O2 Academy
12th - Oxford, O2 Academy
14th - Leamington, Assembly
15th - Nottingham, Rock City
16th - London, Koko