The Evil Litter: Back on the prowl
The Crow’s Nest, a music column by Russ Litten
Plus Portrait of the Artist
The Evil Litter were one of those Hull bands whose star seemed to be firmly in the ascendent before the pandemic swooped down and sent the local music scene scuttling indoors.
A formidably intense live outfit, their brash and beautiful album, Keep Yourself Afraid, has been never far from my home playlist for the last year or so.
The Evil Litter was formed in the summer of 2013 by cousins Leon Welburn and Claire Scott. It had been their desire to start a band for years, but after Claire was asked to guest on backing vocals in Leon's previous band Mammal Hum, they decided to make this intention a reality.
The Evil Litter have since developed into a three-piece with a firm Garage Punk ethos and an edgy Pop-Art Punk attitude.
Each song is written to a strict twenty minute rule in order to ensure it is energetic and raw.
Often compared to PIL, Siouxsie and the Banshees, PJ Harvey and Sonic Youth, their performance style is intense, visceral and unapologetic. They also have a deeply soulful aspect to their sound, a kind of broken melancholia redolent of American slacker college bands.
Live, they always reminded me of a kind of a Goth Blondie. With rumours of fresh new material in the offing, it seemed like a good time to catch up with Evil Litter singer and co-songwriter Claire.
Remind me about that twenty minute rule…
“When we first started writing together we were both teachers (I've since resigned), and we spent an entire afternoon of the summer holidays desperately trying to write a song, and we got nowhere! Particularly in terms of my lyrics.
“I felt so terribly embarrassed to share my ideas even with Leon - despite how close we are - so after hours and hours of trying, I remember it was twenty to four, we just said, ‘Right, if it gets to four and we can't write a song, that's it!’
“And we did it. We wrote one of my favourite ever songs we've ever written in four minutes: Sort Of Filthy. Then we wrote another in eighteen minutes. So in twenty-two minutes we had two songs. Eight years later, it still works!
“So long as we don't cheat, the rule works. Even if we work apart, we note down the time we spent working on it: ‘Listened to hum of traffic & recorded this melody - 4.5 minutes...’ etc!”
What’s it like being in a band with a close family member? How does it affect the dynamic?
“Leon and I are like brother and sister, so we are really incredibly close, but we have SO much in common.
“There's only two years between us, so our cultural reference points are very similar - music, art, socialising etc, although by the time Leon was going to Spiders [nightclub] and drinking/gigging I had moved down to London to study, so there was a whole chunk of pre-internet time (well over a decade, actually) when we lost touch completely.
“In terms of the dynamic, lots of stuff is intrinsic and predetermined, whether that be because of those reference points - both knowing Queen II inside out, or intuitively a Kim Deal-esque harmony - or the fact that I know what makes him tick: when to leave it, when to push a bit further etc.
“But I also think that, in terms of the intensity of the Evil Litter and what's required on stage when performing in that band, Nat is SUCH a vital member.
THE EVIL LITTER: From left, Leon Welburn, Claire Scott, Nathaniel Lawson
“As a drummer, he brings brevity as well as his brilliance. Nat allows for a different energy and influence to bleed into all facets of the sound and that can allow Leon and I the space to really get loose, knowing that Nat is pinning down the core energy of the songs.”
Your lyrics are very vivid and often tell stories. What sort of things are you drawn towards writing about?
“Anything and everything! I make a notes on my phone of snippets of conversations, things I've heard on TV, people I admire, but mostly it's experiences in my own life.
“I tend to write things down in a note book - sometimes on my phone, but usually in pencil in a notebook. I tend to write about seemingly mundane events or passing exchanges.
“I've always preferred lyrics or writing that finds interest or beauty in everyday things, as opposed to the sensational, and that's what I prefer to concentrate on when I write, too.
“I also like to include odd words of sporadic detail here and there to pepper our songs with, and am not too bothered if this is very abstract in tone. (Writing songs in twenty minutes prevents you from over analysing anything too much!)”
Non-musical influences - which other art forms feed themselves into your songs?
“We blatantly follow a Pop Art chance procedure by writing every song in twenty minutes and it is an artistic decision!
“Leon and I had a magnificent art teacher at Wilberforce College in the nineties called Betty Rawson, and she was utterly maverick in that she removed all barriers in terms of what we conceived art to be, and that was MASSIVE in terms of East Hull estate kids.
“I lived on Ings Estate at that point and Betty was teaching me about Dada and Bauhaus and performance art … it was like taking acid!
“I know she had a similarly profound impact on Leon two years later when he studied art with her too. Dada is a big influence - we wrote a song called Lets Be Dada & Max Ernst.
“We love any art forms that subvert or cast a playful light on how to create art - we're not too precious about our work.
“I think that's why Dada appeals, as it has that good-humoured and provocative approach, where the work is potentially disposable. It's quite liberating and stops me from being too precious about any aspect of what we are doing.”
Recording studio - what’s the process?
“We've just finished recording four Evil Litter tracks with Lee at Yuba Studios in Barton, and cannot wait to get them out!
“The first track Salt will be released at the Fast & Bulbous [record label] Hulloween event on Saturday 30th October, and the remaining three: Tektite, You're Boring, and Sailor will be released over the subsequent months.
“Firstly, it's important to find the right place in terms of sound. We really like the Newmeds’ most recent recordings, so those guys put us onto to Lee, as did Life, so we had two great recommendations.
“We knew we wanted a great ‘live’ recording sound - we didn't want to sound too over-produced or polished: we wanted to sound raw, like we do live. So Lee recorded the 'basic tracks' live - all of us at separate stations but listening to each other over headphones.
“We then recorded overdubs to add depth and detail and fatten out the sound, make the tracks richer. Lee completely got us. I’ve never felt like this about a recording in the past.
“I am utterly thrilled with how he's made us sound - how he's made me sound. It's us, it’s not a version of us, and it's just soooooo intense! And really loud! We're genuinely buzzed about the tracks getting out there and we really have to do something with them!”
Live performances - how do you approach them?
“Ha, we just turn up and do them! I've usually just got my son ready for bed, Leon has more than likely come straight from a work meeting, revision session or parents evening (he's a teacher), Nat’s shifts (if it's The Evil Litter) often finish at 7.00pm.
“He also has two very young boys, so he'll be on milk and bedtime story duties, so we just tend to turn up and do it.
“There are no band rituals I'm afraid! I've lost count of the times I've had to take a tearful bedtime call mid-soundcheck, so that keeps me rooted. I buy Vocal Zones, don't drink beforehand, but that's about it. Terrible really.”
Both yourself and Leon have worked as teachers. How has this influenced the band?
“Time is precious. Might be another good reason for the twenty minute rule - no flannel, maximise all our time. When we rehearse we really crack on and we don’t sit around talking crap and massaging each others egos. We just get the set tight, work hard, then go home!
“I think when you're a bit older and have (have had) full-on careers, you don't want to faff around playing Rock Stars, you just want to get the job done and get it done well … save the showing off and posturing for when you're on stage, not in the rehearsal room amongst yourselves when it's costing you £30 a night, or you've all arranged for child care, or when your driving to Nottingham for a gig.
“There's a time and a place for all of that and I think when you've worked with teenagers for a living you've seen it in ALL its manifestations, and you don't need it in your band life.”
What ambitions do you hold for The Evil Litter?
“The stuff we've just recorded is too good to just sit on and nest in our hometown venues, so we need to utilise the quality of the recordings that Lee has generated for us to secure some bookings out of town.
“But I’d also like some higher profile support slots, maybe some European dates, radio airplay, summer festivals and a mentor or representation would be great.
“Fast & Bulbous have taken us under their wing and we have some great contacts, so now is the time to call some of that in. It feels like the world is opening up enough to be able to safely make those bookings now - I think - so now my son is back at school, I can start the Autumn trawl. I can’t wait to see them back out in the wild.”
Tell me about the acoustic splinter band…
“As The Evil Litter gradually became a louder and louder band, we had this whole missal of songs that just didn't seem to fit anymore.
“Moreover, we had this core of fans who had stopped coming to see us as they didn't like the loud stuff, not to mention the fact that the acoustic gigs paid well, and Leon only had to bring his guitar.
“But I missed singing these songs lots too, so we decided to make a splinter acoustic duo called Ubu Roi (named after an Alfred Jarry Dada play) whereby we could play this back catalogue and also write some new tracks in the same vein.
“We love it! It's a very different beast to The Evil Litter but in many ways has the same principles - song-writing rule, for one, but the themes of the songs have a similar subversive through-line underpinning them as well as a tendency towards unusual melodies and time signatures.”
What are your thoughts on the current music scene, local and international?
“I think we are blessed in Hull and have been for some years. In fact, it's not until you venture to other cities and see other running orders, that you realise just what a wealth of talent this city is boasting at the moment, and just how tight those bands and artists are too.
“We set high standards for ourselves and we come to expect it! (We don't even see it anymore.) There's wonderful support here too, whether that be from the team at Fast & Bulbous and Adelphi, or at Sesh - here's to what might come from the reopening of Polar Bear too - but that stretches nationally amongst bands.
“There's a real warmth and genuine eagerness to help each other along. We've made an incredible bond with Girls In Synthesis in London who are always eager to work with us, support us and gig with us, with Will Robinson of I'm Not from London, and Jimi Arundel in Nottingham, as well as bands who we've recently gigged with who are looking to invite us to come to their home towns.
“It's a great community. Mez and Stew from Life gave me a great piece of advice some years ago to always be positive, friendly, watch every band you’re playing with, and take time for your audience and you'll reap it back... they're so very right.”
What’s it like being an artist in 2021?
“It's tough as you have to book and promote everything yourself, plus you must have all social media platforms up to date, regular content but not too much, merchandise without guaranteed sales, new dates, pre-release teasers, pre-drop viral soundbites, video content, new images...where does it all end?!
“Above all of this what I'd really like to do is write a new song before the gig with Thumper in October, but sometimes writing songs gets shoved to the bottom of the list.”
A song you wish you’d written?
“Too many! I can't possibly pick one. And the minute I've sent this I'll think of a dozen more.
“For The Evil Litter, I'd have to say Shelanagig, PJ Harvey; Territorial Pissings, Nirvana; Gouge Away, The Pixies; Kool Thing, Sonic Youth; Happy House, Siouxie and the Banshees; Touch Me I'm Sick, Mudhoney; You Made Me Realise, My Bloody Valentine.
“Cloudbusting, Kate Bush; La Fou Edith Piaf; These Days, Nico; Real Life, Joan As Police Woman; Ready To Take A Chance Again, Barry Manilow; GMF, John Grant; and Hyperballad, Bjork.
“I'm sure Leon and Nat would suggest different ones...Nat's would be very different for sure!”
The Evil Litter - Links
Portrait of the Artist
Ruth Toynton
Who are you?
“I'm Ruth and I'm a singer and writer based in Hull. I love soul blues and jazz. I'm a massive fan of Amy Winehouse and Jill Scott. I've been in various bands during the last few years. I love to be involved in lots of different projects.”
What do you do?
“I enjoy singing and writing so I look for as many opportunities to do either as possible. I sing with a gospel choir, Gchoir, and am gigging in pubs with a guitarist at the moment in a guitar duo called The Cats Groove.”
Current or forthcoming release?
“Retrograde, a four-track, Neo-soul and jazz-inspired EP. It started out as a lockdown experiment. I’d brought myself a home studio set-up as a way of keeping myself busy.
“It is my 2nd solo digital release, and a different sound for me. It's a modern mix of all the genres I really love. I found a guy making beats on Instagram and I fancied a challenge. The tracks were produced by beatmakers from Europe and America, and all recorded in Hull.
“They were so intricate and wonderful by themselves, l had to make sure that what I brought to them was just as special. The tracks were so beautiful before I added anything to them, they seem to take on a life of their own.
“I took them to Element Studios and recorded them, I fell in love with them, so I decided to release them.”
Forthcoming gigs?
“I'm doing gigs with The Cats Groove in Hull and some Christmas events with Gchoir coming in December.”
Plans for the future?
“I'm planning more solo releases and an album of tracks similar to Retrograde next year. Once I have enough tracks, I'll be playing them live as much as possible!”
Ruth Toynton - Links