Band of the Week: The Garage Flowers #0008



With a run of live shows on the horizon and new material coming up, this week's band of the week goes to London upstarts The Garage Flowers, where we threw some questions over to front man Joe Capaldi to get to know the band a little better.

Well what can I say about The Garage Flowers? They are bold, they are effortless, and they are what is cool RIGHT now - that's a pretty good start...I first caught these rebellious lads down at The End of the Trail showcase at The Fiddler's Elbow - and although they introduced themselves to me as a 'John Denver tribute band' they certainly showed they have some attitude and humour (sorry John Denver fans!) the stand out song for me was 'Maggie May' - with a hint of Libertines and indulged indie freshness that is far from a guilty pleasure. The crowd was buzzing and I think we are going to hear some really positive vibes from these lads - they are real and totally relatable!


Introduce yourselves! Who are The Garage Flowers - what makes you stand out?
Wagwan, we're a 4 piece of scumbag upstarts living in a car in North London. We've always stood out, be it in a good or bad way. We've never been part of any scene. We're massively ambitious, we write real songs about real things, - and it's hard to be accepted in a scene when you think for yourself and do those things.

Can you tell us the story behind the band name?
It's about flowers you buy for someone you love in a garage, ya know - trying to do a simple and beautiful gesture that you see in films but really just funding the destruction of the planet.

You list your influences on Facebook as Keith Moon, Keith Richards, Keith Lemon.
Can you rate the Keiths in best Keith to least best Keith?

In that order.

Outside of music, what else drives you as a band?
My literal inability to hold down a job.

Imagine you were releasing a 4-track covers EP, what songs would be on there?
'I've Tried Everything' (acoustic) - The Cribs
'Sally Cinnamon' - Stone Roses
'My Friends Dead' - Misdemeanor
'Saturdays Kids' - The Jam

You seem to pull from influences of the garage rock/ punk genres without replicating the sounds of decades past to the extent where you become lost in the 21st century. There’s still this (sleazy) popular appeal that makes you feel really relevant. What can we expect to hear from future material?
We've got a new single we're just about to record. It's something different, a lot more groove orientated, riff driven - its sexayy - paddles at the ready ladies.

Imagine you could have a pint with three musicians from your genre influences (dead or still living). Who would you be sitting in the pub with?
-Sid Vicious
-Morrisey
-Jim Morrison

The Garage Flowers at The Crowndale for Camden Rocks… have you got any more live dates coming up?
26/5 - George Tavern, Whitechapel, London
27/5 - The Lanes, Bristol (Dot To Dot Festival)
3/6 - The Crowndale, Camden, London (Camden Rocks Festival, stage time 11:30pm)
9/6 - Hawley Arms, Camden, London

Feature by Lorin Forster