SOUNDS FROM ACROSS THE POND: Common Purpose (London, England)

I first heard about the London-based four piece Common Purpose through the BBC Introducing section on the BBC London Web site. Intrigued by what I read about the band and the song snippet on the BBC Introducing page, I checked out their MySpace page to give them a more thorough listen. I was quite impressed. Common Purpose remind me of some of my favorite British bands. They sound like a hybrid of The Jam in their early years and The Rifles. So I was not surprised to learn that Common Purpose had been a support band for The Rifles earlier this year.

Hailing from Highams Park, East London, Common Purpose play what they describe as a mixture of indie, post-punk, and rock and roll. The band recorded a four-track EP titled Take It Easy in August of this year. They are currently unsigned.

Common Purpose (pictured above, left to right) are Harry Watts (drums), Elliot Beasley (lead guitar and vocals), James Evans (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), and Cary Smith (bass).

POWERLINE A.D.: How and when did the band get together?
James: The band first got together as Common Purpose about two-and-a-half years ago but Elliot, Cary, and myself had previously been in a band called The Artisans. It was only when Harry suggested he could play drums for the band that we really got started. I then decided to learn guitar so the band dynamic changed a lot.
Harry: We all went to the same secondary school (Highams Park) and became close mates. Music was our shared interest and we thought about starting a band. By the summer of 2007, we had started practicing together in Cary’s garden shed!

POWERLINE A.D.: Why did you decide to name the band Common Purpose?
Harry: A band is a group of people with a Common Purpose and it sounds pretty cool.
James: We’d been playing around with a few names but couldn’t find one which all four of us were happy with. When someone suggested Common Purpose, it just seemed to fit quite nicely.

POWERLINE A.D.: On your MySpace page, you cite some older bands such as The Jam, The Clash, The Beatles, and The Stone Roses as influences. How did you get into the music of those bands? Was it on your own? Or were you introduced to that music by an older friend or relative?
James: I think the style of music we play is generally more reflective of the older bands you mention. I personally always liked The Beatles and would say listening to their music first got me interested in writing songs. In some respects our band dynamic, having two main singers and sharing the songwriting duties, is very similar to their setup. I’d say it wasn’t until we started the band that Elliot introduced me to music like The Clash and The Libertines, which really changed my outlook.
Harry: I had always liked a few older bands, but the others introduced me to some of the other older stuff like Stone Roses. We all share the music we’re into with each other, so I’m always listening to something different whether it’s old or new.
Cary: I’ve always been influenced by the music my Dad listened to and got into Mod, ska, and punk through him. So bands like The Jam and The Clash fall into those categories.

POWERLINE A.D.: You supported The Rifles earlier this year. What was that experience like?
Harry: Supporting The Rifles on two of their tour dates was a brilliant experience. The gig at the O2 Oxford Academy was the biggest crowd we’ve played in front of yet.
Cary: It was good getting to meet the band and playing in front of a bigger audience than we normally would.

POWERLINE A.D.: Are you all still at school or have you finished?
James: No. We are all now eighteen and so finished school two years ago. Elliot, Harry, and myself continued onto college but have now all finished.
Harry: I’ve just finished college (A-levels).

POWERLINE A.D.: Do you all work jobs to supplement your music income?
Cary: I’m currently in the middle of a joinery apprenticeship, which I started when I left school at sixteen.

POWERLINE A.D.: Is the band gigging in the London area only, or are you playing in other parts of the UK as well?
Cary: London currently, but if anyone is willing to pay for a tour of America we’re definitely up for it.
James: We generally just play in London and the surrounding area as it’s so easy for us to get to gigs. We have played outside London though and might possibly do some gigs in the North of England soon.

POWERLINE A.D.: Do you have a favorite venue to play in London? If so, what is it?
James: There’s a venue called The Standard in East London which we’ve played about six or seven times. We always get a good crowd when we play there and the promoters know what they’re doing so you’re guaranteed a good night out.
Harry: My personal favorite is our good old local, The Standard Music Venue. There’s always a good crowd there.

POWERLINE A.D.: What do you think of the London music scene at the moment?
Harry: There’s plenty of good unsigned bands in London at the moment, it’s just a matter of getting exposure and getting your music out there.
James: There’s a lot of good venues to here great music. The good thing about London is the scale of the city, you can always find somewhere new to go. I generally tend to try and avoid the bigger venues though, as you tend to find the atmosphere suffers. The best place to be is in a smaller venue where you can really connect with the music.

POWERLINE A.D.: How does the band’s songwriting process work? Do you have a main songwriter? Or is it more of a collaborative effort?
James: The songwriting process very much involves all of the band in some form or other. Elliot and myself tend to write the bulk of songs under the partnership of Beasley/Evans but Cary and Harry have also written some of our most popular songs. For example the song “Walking All Night” was formed from a bass line which Cary had, so I wrote the lyrics around that.
Harry: I’d say James and Ell write most of our stuff, but everyone chips in and writes some songs of their own songs and inputs on others, whether its musically or lyrically. Overall, it’s a collaborative effort.
Cary: James usually contributes most of the words but musically I prefer to write my parts (predominantly bass) with the drums.

POWERLINE A.D.: Being a young, unsigned band, what do you think about the problems in the music industry (file sharing, shrinking CD sales, etc.)?
Harry: CD sales are nowhere near as high as they used to be but bands are playing more live gigs and festivals for their income, which is not a bad thing.
James:James: If you’re good enough people will buy your music, simple as. For this reason I’m not too worried about the effects of file sharing on the industry.

POWERLINE A.D.: What other new bands and artists are you listening to at the moment?
Harry: I really like Bombay Bicycle Club at the moment, I saw them at Reading Festival this year. They’re from London, too, not far from us.
Cary: At the moment, I’m listening to Golden Silvers and Hockey.
James: I wouldn’t necessarily class him as a new artist, but we all really like Jamie T. I don’t think he’s as big in the U.S. as he is over here, but if you haven’t listened to him you definitely should.

POWERLINE A.D.: What did you think about the break-up of Oasis?
Harry: It’s a shame but I reckon there will be some solo material from both of the brothers, which I look forward to hearing.
Cary: I wasn’t really affected by the break-up of Oasis.
James: Definitely Maybe is one of my favorite albums, likewise Morning Glory, but any band would always struggle to carry on such great music as I feel Oasis did.

POWERLINE A.D.: What are the future plans of the band? Is there an album in the works?
Harry: I think we definitely have enough material to put out an album; we just need to get signed or get the funds together!
James: We’ve got so much material, I think we’ll be back in the studio around Christmas time. In terms of an album we’ll just have to see what happens, but we’re willing and able so fingers crossed.

For additional information on Common Purpose, see:
www.myspace.com/commonpurpose

Interview by John Curley