I did a calculation the other day, and alarmingly it's been around 20 years since I last saw The Embrooks play at The Narrow Boat in Nottingham. I chatted with guitarist / vocalist Alessandro and asked, apart from other things, what's up with those flares? 

After our first reunion show on Dec 31st 2015 as part of Hipsville NYE party in London (Camden), we have been committed to a few shows in the UK (Norwich, London, Bristol, etc.) in the summer and the Gambeat Festival in Barcelona in September this year. We recorded a new original track backed by a brand new version of our classic 'Helen' for a 45 release on State Records. We are looking forward to do as much as possible in the near future. There are already offers to do more shows in 2017.

Debbie: How did you guys meet and evolve?

We met in the summer of 1995, when Mole’s group at the time, The Mystreated, played with the group Alessandro was playing then, Head & the Hares, at the Italian beat festival in Castel San Giovanni (Piacenza). In September of the same year, Alessandro moved to London to study and stayed in touch. Mole and Lois first created The Lyds (Lois on drums, Merv on guitar and Mole on bass and vocals), they released one single as Lyds then Merv left and Alessandro was invited to join. The group really began to exist at the end of 1996 and lasted until the summer of 2005 (our last show was in Liverpool as part of The International Pop Overthrow Festival). We have reformed since September 2015 with the same lineup (Mole, Lois and Alessandro).

Debbie: Walk us through your main influences...

We are influenced by the aggressive '60s pop (Easybeats, The Who, The Small Faces, Move, The Yardbirds), '60s freakbeat/psych bands (Eyes, Creation, Game, Smoke, Open Mind, The Koobas, anything on the Rubble compilation series), the rock of the late '60s early '70s (Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath), classic pop (The Beatles, Zombies, Left Banke), the US garage rock (Love, 13th Floor Elevators) but also lots of European and Australian beat. Many different things as you can see!

Debbie: The Embrooks are playing on Saturday evening of the Franklin Fest weekend, what can we expect to see? 

Our shows are known to be loud and highly energetic. Freakbeat is no longer in ‘fashion’ these days and there are not many bands that sound like us around. In addition, we believe that our music has potential to be appealing outside the usual niche of '60s aficionados.

Debbie: What you are looking forward to the most about playing at the Franklin Fest?

One of us (Mole) played the Festival last year so we know that it will certainly be a lot of fun. We expect to re-unite with some of our historical fans who live up North and Scotland but also to conquer ‘new generations’ of freakbeat-ers and rockers who have not heard or seen us live before!

Debbie: Last question, where did you get those flares? 

Ha ha…..I stole those from my ex-wife!

More info (and less personal questions) about the band can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/theembrooks/

The Embrooks will be playing on Saturday 25th June at The Franklin Fest from 7pm with the likes of Oh! Gunquit, Thee Jezebels, The Mindreaders and The Sine Waves! Tickets can be purchased here... tickets-scotland.com

I caught up with excitable frontman Hugh McLachlan in the lead up to the The Franklin Fest 2016.  The Reverse Cowgirls will be playing at the Voodoo Rooms on Thursday 23rd June supporting Kid Congo And The Pink Monkey Birds along with Rosco (aka Sterling Roswell).

Debbie: So what's happening in Reverse Cowgirl land just now?

We have had a reasonably busy time of late what with supporting The Blind Shake, Dan Sartain and the legendary James Leg (Black Diamond Heavies) in Weegieland, and our various other side projects.

Not always being the bridesmaids, we have a couple of shows down Engerland way booked in for 9/10th September so far, which we are thoroughly ganting for also.

Not content to rest on our gilded laurels on self-releasing our two albums on Northern Cowboy Recordings. 'Hokum' and follow-up 'Outskirts' we are recording our first vinyl E.P. 'Lost Tribes' next month which has made us tres excited and beside ourselves in anticipppppation!

Debbie: How do you feel the RC slot into the whole Franklin vibe? You played at the Franklin Rock 'N' Roll Club in 2015, and of course at last years Franklin Fest afternoon show at The Parlour...

Like all good country garage bands we want to make a cool racket and have fun. The Franklin Fest knows this and caters to our particular sonic nuances and always have Angus at hand, on sound, to make this a thing. We have been involved with Calvin and Colin throughout the years in various musical outpourings and not managed to piss each other off much, which is a good sign, if not, a blossoming relationship, in our eyes.

Debbie: Are you excited about playing with a legend like Kid Congo? (previously of The Cramps / The Gun Club / The Bad Seeds / Knoxville Girls)

We are of course looking forward to playing alongside our hero Kid Congo, which we all dreamed about as small children. Also, can't wait to see Les Grys Grys again. a sight and sound to behold. The whole thing should be fab! If Edinburgh is good to us we'll be good to them, it's only fair. The Reverse Cowgirls are champing at the bit! 

Please note that this night requires a separate ticket to the Franklin Fest Weekend ticket (which is for Friday night and Saturday afternoon and night) details about tickets can be found here, and as their last show in the 'burgh sold out, it's advisable to buy now: https://www.facebook.com/events/790167527755692/