Interview

The Latch are a relatively new band featuring guitarist/ drummer Simon J. Pinto ("Guitarist of the Year 2002" finalist) and singer Lee Latchford Evans. The duo came together through a chance meeting at a recording session and instantly hit it off. Then began a friendship that spawned a writing partnership, which transformed into The Latch. Their creative commercial rock music isnt just about getting a hit, but more about passion and musicality. Capturing their unique individual style, the Latch push boundaries through their exciting stage performance and musical ability.

For those that are new to the The Latch, can you give us a little background on the band?

Simon: Yeah, certainly. The band Is Lee and myself we do all the writing we do all the arranging and for this single we played all the Instruments and did all the singing so. It's us basically!

Lee: Yeah live we have a full band, and we have regular guys we always use but It's very much music written from a point of passion and love for what we come up with rather then trying to write something we think will do well or having other people write for us.

How did the name come about?

Lee: Well the name is taken from my middle name 'Latchford' and was more for fun when Simon first suggested that we call the band it. Also it resembles Latch Key Kids, Myself and simon we're both Latch key kids - you may have been one yourself????..........Basically a 'Latch key kid' is a young child who wore the key to the door on a chain around his/her neck so they could let themselves in the home if their parents were not there - either during the war or more modern day, parents working late. That is also why we have the Keyhole in the Latch logo...

Simon: I came home one day and my mum had run away and left a note saying not to try and find her and leave her alone. she was very objectionable to ugly children it seems! (they both laugh!). Or maybe just the sound of my voice who knows!

So, How long has the band been going?

Lee: We have been working on this project now for three years.

That includes finding our sound by writing in the studio, thinking you have found a hit song and then gigging up and down the country where I realised that sometimes the crowd decide which song is the hit song.

Simon: We've been playing every small venue & toilet up and down the country we could find and anyone who's been to our website will see the list of gigs we've done over the last few years.

Why release a single now?

Lee: Well we just feel that it is time to give something back to all the fans that have followed us from day one. We havent had lots of big gigs and we havent been heavily pressed so there is still a lot of people out there that don't know we even exist.

Simon: Well all the girls seem to know he exists! (shakes his fist in the air comically!)

Lee: We have built up a small following over the years and it is slowly growing so we thought why not? We feel we have a great song with Miracle and we do want to share it with the world.

What music influences the Latch?

Lee: Today I would say, Nickelback, U2, Hoobastank, the new Linkin Park album, Snow patrol, Pink, Foo Fighters, Maroon 5 and Robbie have all found a place in my cd collection.

Simon: I tend to go for heavier things or Jazz or Classical actually any good music is good music. If it grabs you by the balls and you want to know what happens next or it makes you feel good, then play on McDuff!

Who were your musical heroes growing up?

Lee: I liked to listen to bands like Bon Jovi, Simple Minds, Depeche mode, I always liked the big power ballads as well, whitesnake, Foreigner, Heart. But I did like Billy Ocean, Otis Reading, Drifters and Jackson 5 as my dad loved his soul music.

Simon: Growing up my musical heroes tended to be more virtuosos really. I loved Stewart Copeland, Gary Moore, Brian May, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mark King, Stewart Hamm, Billy Sheehan, Vai, Satriani, Bonzo (John Bonham), Michael Shenker, Van Halen, Dave Gilmore wow, just too many to mention really

Lee: Yes we are working on an album at the moment and we are hoping to release it next year.

Simon: We have written so much material, at the moment we have enough for about 3 albums, but as always its a process of seeing what we think we feel the most passionate about and getting those ones just right. We looking at a second single first then the album to hopefully follow maybe beginning second quarter next year. Well as things stand at the moment

Do you enjoy playing smaller venues?

Lee: I have to say when we first started out I was a little nervous about playing all the small underground type venues, toilet trash as they call them but it has to be done if you want to be taken seriously and the more we perform the more comfortable it's become and now I really look forward to playing in front of a live house be it 50 people or a thousand.

Simon: People wont know a lot about me, unlike Lee, but Ive played some huge Arenas and some rabbit holes. If you have a good crowd and the band chemistry is great, its the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

Where would you like to play?

Lee: Wembley stadium of course! You think we are aiming too high erm ok lets do an european tour first ha ha.

Simon: Jessica Albas bedroom!

Who would be your ideal tour-mates and why?

Lee: The Pussycat Dolls, Do you need a reason?!!

What can we expect from your performances?

Lee: People have been surprised when they have come to watch us as I think they think I'm gonna start line dancing! But you get a very tight high energy band with a good sense of fun and aggression.

Simon: We always get at the end, really didnt expect it to be so good so either we look like a bunch of tramps who couldnt pee in a pot without help or people expectation is being outstripped which is cool!

Where can we expect to see the Latch next?

Lee: If you check out our myspace site www.myspace.com/thelatch

or our official site - www.thelatchofficial.com, you can find out everything you need to know.

Simon: or come round my house well do lunch!

And of course, youll find out about the latest gigs on this very site, too, kiddies!

Miracle is out on 29th October for download and purchase through record shops. You can pre-order the single through Ditto Music.