Moco lead singer Steve Jones has a lot to be happy about. With Radio 1 airplay, critical acclaim from the NME and a forthcoming US tour at a series of top venues, it's all coming together for his Wigan-based band. Many believe the group will break into the big time with the release of their forthcoming debut album 'Out to go'. The LINC met up with the humorous, charming and generally nice front man to find out why he and the rest of the band won't be letting success go to their heads.

How does it feel to be on the verge of making it?
"Life is about as good as it could be. A lot of people have said you must be really disappointed because we were almost signed before and we weren't. We were nearly offered a really huge deal by Sony but it fell through at the last minute. Sony merged with BMG and so they couldn't sign anyone for three or four months. Unfortunately, at that time we needed a single to go out to prevent us from being forgotten about. But we're now in the best position we've ever been in. We're on with some really good bands in American and the idea is for us to get a worldwide record deal while we're over there. A lot also depends on what you think 'making it' is. I've already had some of the best band memories I'm ever going to have. We're just going to go out to America and see what happens. If everything goes well then I'll be doing a lot more of this!"

Were there times when you thought it wasn't going to happen?
"Yes, but you just need to keep reminding yourself why you do it. It’s a really privilege to be on stage getting people's attention."

How are you coping with all the current attention?
"It isn't really having too much of an affect as I'm still working in a job (Steve is still employed by The Wiend Centre as a play worker) and all the people around us are making sure none of us get our feet even slightly off the ground. I'm hoping I can keep combing the music with the day job. It would be great if we could do a tour and get all the kids on stage!"

Is working with kids not a bit incompatible with the rock n' roll lifestyle?
"Rock 'n' roll is quite a selfish thing to do really. I do tend to get fairly wrapped up in myself with the music. But we've had hype before and when you come down from it you start to think about what really matters to you. You can either carry-on like Mick Jagger or you can give something back. It's about time the bigger musicians started to put their wealth towards more important things, even responding to issues. There’s been a second Gulf War and it would have been nice if a few people with influence had said something about it."

You’ve been compared to Jarvis Cocker and Mick Jagger. How do you feel about that?
"It's nice to be compared to people like that but hopefully, in time, people will be recognising me for what I do myself."

Are you ready for the kind of success those two singers have enjoyed?
"All the time we're routing to get better. Once you feel you’re backtracking, or if you feel you’re not progressing, then sometimes it's better to turn worse, rather than to stay the same. That way, at least you're still moving. Of course, we could make a million pounds and never have to work again, but how many times have you seen musicians waste it? The Libertines are one of the sad stories. They are a really talented group but you can't help but feel all their songs are overshadowed by the drugs and drink."

Has the music industry become more debauched?
"We supported Pete Doherty (former Libertines singer) when he played at Wigan Pier and it was tragic being backstage hearing the kids cheering him on, trying to make him more debauched. The more off his head he got - the more everyone seemed to love it. It reminded me of being at school when people push you to go that bit further than you want to go. In some cases, the music, the bit everyone should remember, is sadly forgotten about."  

Is there a lot of debauchery in Moco?
"Oh yes! We all like a drink but the most important thing is that it’s done in moderation. With the daytime jobs we do, which we all enjoy, you can’t live a debauched lifestyle. The key thing is to make people think you do. I like a glass of milk before I go to bed!"

Who are you’re influences?
"Every time I write a song, it’s the song I’ve listened to last that affects it most. Every musician is a leech and they take things from the people they most respect. At the moment, I am still routing my way through garage music. People like the Mummies and the Monks are not a million miles away from what we do on stage, but obviously we do it in a different way. 

What bands did you grow up listening to?
"All sorts! From The Muppets songs, to the Rolling Stones and The Beatles. The Kinks are also really important to our sound and I do remember listening to the Beachboys in my dad’s car, so they had some affect too. The Monkies used to be my favourite TV programme and I think the relationship in a band is very much like how they portrayed it on the show. We're like a small version of the Goonies except we just haven’t gone on our adventure yet!"

What other contemporary bands do you respect?
"I have to say that there is quite a good scene bubbling in Wigan at the moment. I think The VCs are causing small ripples - everyone’s talking about them. There's also a three-piece girl band called Hatemail and over time I think they’ll hit the front. I still like Sonic Youth, they’re not particularly new but they do new stuff. Wigan is the UK equivalent of Texas. Some of the best bands have come out of Texas, like Trail of the Dead. You have to wonder why so many really great bands come out of small places. The odds of making it from a small town make you work harder - that's why Wigan is a good place to be in a band."

How would you describe your music?
"Rock 'n' roll with little quirks. I think it's got quite a Lou Reed feel to it. There are also English bits and pieces to it, from The Beatles to Monty Python. There’s a comedy feel to it. Bands like Gene don't seem to have a sense of humour and they forget that it is important to have a laugh."

What do you think of Wigan's music venues?
"I think it’s a crying shame that the Ritz cinema wasn’t used to its full potential. It was a great venue. The Rolling Stones and The Beatles played it and I think Buddy Holly’s first European tour date was there. Unfortunately, it's going to be knocked down. The idea now is to find a really good venue and to push it, not just for Wigan bands but by bringing in bands from out of town to lift the stakes even higher." 

How do the others in the band feel about you getting all the attention?
"I don’t think they mind. I think that they are quite happy for me to do the publicity side of things, as they're a bit more introverted. They are like a family to me!"

What advice would you give to other young bands from Wigan?
"Imagine there’s a band down the road from you who are working five times harder than you and try to match them. You need to be pushing yourself constantly in order to improve."

Did you enjoy growing up in Wigan?
"I was born in Newcastle and I moved to Wigan when I was eight. Leaving all my friends behind and moving to a new place was quite a cool thing in itself. It had a big impact on me because I stood out from everyone else. I saw that as quite a cool thing. I lived on Wigan Lane in Whitley and I went to Woodfield Primary School. The friends I made there were some the most important I ever made because I formed my first band with them, although it wasn't actually in primary school that we got together! Wigan was a good place to grow up. We always used to hang out around Haigh Hall and there were lots of places that would get your imagination excited. Like everywhere else, there are bad sides to it but there are very good places to escape to. If it really was as bad as some people make out we wouldn't be here, we'd just get out!"

How do you go about writing the band's lyrics?
"They just seem to come to me. The more I concentrate on them, the harder it is. I think I initially get the mood of a song going and work it up from there. If you write completely from the heart then it can be quite upsetting, so I try not to take myself too seriously. So if I'm writing a love song it’ll always have a twist to it. The mood of the song is the most important thing."

How important are lyrics?
"They are important. The coolest thing is when someone tells you what one of your lyrics has meant to them. It's interesting to find out what other people take from your songs. Sometimes I've just put together a combination of words and someone has taken them to mean something completely different."

How did the name come about?
"Not very many bands were called Moco at the time and I just thought it was catchy. I thought 'Moco', short and sweet. I'd written a song called Moco Loco and I thought there was something about the name."

Do you know that Moco is Spanish for snot?!
"Yes, unfortunately! The Spanish crowds will tell us we're a load of mucus!"

Do you ever worry that you’ll take it all for granted?
"I hope so! The last few weeks have been hectic. It has been hard work keeping a job going with everything that has been happening. What I would like is a good night’s sleep – rock and roll!"

► Return to In the Hotseat
 

Trust Home Page | About Us | Leisure | Culture | Tourism | Sport | Arts | Libraries | Contact Us