The Vandal is coming back for one show...
Sumo @ Clwb Ifor Bach. Cardiff. 20 May 2022

I started this journey of DJing, raving, producing, partying, remixing and traveling over nearly twenty years ago. Released on loads of labels like LOT49, U&A, Global Underground, Plastic Raygun, U&A, I've been fortunate to be able travel all around the globe playing beats, breaks and techfunk. Raved it up in USA, Australia, China, all around Europe, Russia, Ukraine and more. From Sheffield to San Francisco, Budapest to Berlin, Melbourne to Manchester, I've been all over the place. I even got to smash up Fabric a few times...Rave safe people.

‘Big Convoy’ formed in 2011 and is comprised of singer/ songwriters Mat Wale (ex ‘Rackets’ & ‘Arrogant Whale’), John Bachelor (ex ‘Whiskey Cove’), bass guitarist Joe O’Brian (ex ‘Pocket Satellites’) and Drummer Tom Hudson (ex ‘Starlins’). The band has independently released 3 EPs; 2012’s ‘Big Convoy EP’, 2013’s ‘Life Is Easy When You Know How’ and 2014’s ‘The First World Problems Of Big Convoy’ as well as keeping a heavy gig schedule. Since their debut they have become an integral part of Sheffield’s thriving Alt. Country scene.

Seminal, lo-fi alt. Country band Mat Wale & The Rackets formed in late 2006 in Chesterfield with the line-up of Mat Wale (Vocals/ Guitar), Thom Gill (Bass), Tom Barnett (Lead Guitar), Jack Collister (Drums) and Tom Potter (Tambourine/ Guru). The band were a stark contrast to many bands around at the time and found early success supporting local bands such as ‘avanGaad’ and ‘Vigilante Wing’. The band performed ramshackle versions of Mat’s solo material and set a precedent for their sound that they would follow to the end.

2007 saw a line-up change, with Mick Bailey stepping into the fray for the departed Jack Collister on drums, reportedly for not showing up at a gig.  This completed the so called ‘Classic’ line up of the band and they released their debut EP ‘Who Killed Eric Morrison?’ shortly after. Its odd mix of bedroom psychedelia and ‘Stonesy’ rock was not indicative of what they would later release but still had bags of their trademark lo-fi sound. The second EP ‘Oadby Drive’, released a few months later, however showed the band at the peak of their powers, mixing ramshackle indie with alt. country twang. This along with the bands relentless gigging around the time of its release allowed the band to pick up a dedicated local following. Songs from the EP like ‘Proper English’ and ‘Resusitation Blues’ remain some of their most popular tracks. 

By September of 2007 the band were gearing up for their third EP ‘Viva Las Misery’ but cracks were beginning to appear in the ‘Classic’ line up. Tom Barnett had no showed at two gigs and reportedly had stopped rehearsing with the band. The EP was released and the band managed to hold it together for a small run of shows before imploding at the end of the year. The EP was however a great success and produced one of the ‘Rackets’ most successful songs ‘Oh Fuck Me Pt. 22’. 

In 2008 Mat would perform almost exclusively as a solo artist and as part of side project ‘Arrogant Whale’. The summer did bring with it however the fourth Racket EP ‘God Hates Us All’. The EP featured new guitarist Paul Heeley in place of Tom Barnett and would mark a distinct change in the sound for the band. The band only performed once around this time with Liam Burns (then avanGaad singer) on drums in place of Mick Bailey. The reason for the Rackets’ lack of activity is often attributed to Tom Barnett’s departure however Mat has never said outright. 

2009 saw the band back together and touring heavily in their ‘MK 2’ guise with Paul Heeley on Guitar. Shows around this time became infamous even by Racket standards for onstage chaos. The band often too drunk to play and even members walking off stage mid- set.  What would have been their 5th EP ‘The Perks Of Being a Wallflower’ was recorded in the summer but aside from the tracks ‘Put Me On A Train’ and ‘Drunk In A Cowboy Shirt’ the EP was never released (both tracks later appeared on ’06-09’ Racket compilation).  The band played their final gig of the year in September at The Leadmill announcing a band hiatus shortly after. This was to be Mick Bailey’s final show with the band.

The Rackets reunited briefly in 2010 for the release of compilation album ’06-09’, issued by ‘Arrogant Records’, and played two shows with Toby Evans on drums in place of Mick Bailey. Tom Barnett also played guitar with the band for the first time since 2007, appearing alongside Paul Heeley at the Chatsworth Rally show. Around this time Mat and Paul were regularly performing acoustically, relying heavily on Racket material in their sets. The band reunited for a second time in 2011 performing a run of shows with Toby Evans once again on drums. The shows were a success for the band, but due to a lack of rehearsal, were marred by shambolic performances.

2012 marks the five year anniversary of the Rackets’ first three EPs and to commemorate this ‘Arrogant Records’ will be reissuing all their EP’s and 
releasing a brand new collection of unreleased material entitled ‘Lost Tracks’ in September.
 


Mat Wale has been writing and recording since early 2004. Rising out of the tumultuous Chesterfield music scene of the mid 2000s that spawned ‘avanGaad’, ‘Vigilante Wing’ and ‘The Culture Thieves’ among others. Whether working with Alt. Country behemoths ‘The Rackets’ (2006-2013 on and off), Grunge/Electro/ Folk duo ‘Arrogant Whale’ (2006-2010), Country Rock outfit ‘Big Convoy’ (2011-Present) or performing solo, Mat is untouched by his peers in terms of sheer volume of work. Unwaveringly sticking to his ‘Lo-Fi’ ideals and grass roots approach to making music, at last count he has independently released 18 E.P.s, 7 albums and provided the soundtrack to Welsh indie film ‘Big Font, Large Spacing’. Since 2006 he has also kept a relentless gig schedule of 40 plus dates per year without fail. 

Seminal, alt. folk duo Arrogant Whale formed in the summer of 2006 after jamming around the campfire at Stainsby Folk Festival. The band comprised school friends and ex-bandmates of short lived heavy metal band ‘Deadface’, Mat Wale and Jack Collister.
  
After the festival the band began playing shows and quickly released their debut EP ‘The Arrogant Whale EP’ which consisted of live favourites ‘If I Die, Please Cremate Me’, ‘Being For The Benefit Of Mr Jones’ as well as a re-recorded version of ‘Wholesale Love’ (a song which featured on Mat’s ‘Seventeen’ solo record). The EP also included the song ‘That Tribal Rant I’ve Been Meaning To Write’ which was straight from the campfires of Stainsby Festival and hinted at the future experimental turn the band would take with their ‘Interlude’ tracks. 

In 2007 the band, after a brief hiatus, put together their first album ‘Les Album Arrogante’. The album’s schizophrenic style saw the band experimenting with garage blues, folk, country and electronics. Songs such as ‘Too Much Racket’, ‘Drugstore Cowboy’ and ‘Peter Sellers Saved My Life’ even caught the attention of the Welsh independent film industry and the band found themselves sound tracking the film ‘Big Font, Large Spacing’. The album also introduced the aforementioned ‘Interlude’ tracks, which were largely under the control of Jack Collister and featured odd instrumental loops combined with samples and political statements. 

Following the album the band played a number of impromptu shows including an unannounced slot on Stainsby Folk Festival’s second stage and then seemed to disappear without trace. In reality Mat Wale formed ‘The Rackets’ and Jack Collister formed ‘Mexican Kids At Home’ and both had varying degrees of success in their own rights. 

By 2010 the band had been split up for 3 years and their future together seemed uncertain. However, a chance meeting and a few excited emails later, a reformed Arrogant Whale headed back into the studio. The album in question turned out to be ‘Little Ice Age’ a political, electro, grunge record that would become the band’s masterpiece. The gap between the releases was referenced in the album’s opening track ‘3 year Glitch’.  

‘My So Called Life’, ‘You Me and Everyone We Know’ and ‘Perfect Soundtrack’ showed the band had matured. Gone were the lo-fi acoustic guitars and Cajon beats. The songs were now backed by multi-layered electronic soundscapes and featured heavily distorted guitar and keyboard work. The band reportedly planned to recruit a live band and take ‘Little Ice Age’ on tour this however never came into fruition and the band once again went on hiatus.

Since 2010 Mat Wale has featured Arrogant Whale songs heavily in his acoustic shows and at various points has hinted at a reunion. In 2013 Arrogant Records reissued the Arrogant Whale albums with some added bonus tracks and these limited releases were made available at Mat’s acoustic shows. 


Awkward crooner and noise-enthusiast.
https://jamesewantait.bandcamp.com/

A singer/songwriter who delivers masterfully crafted songs with passion and commitment. 

 A part of the legacy of Guthrie onwards, and he wears it well but is not hampered by it - his music is his is own. Contemporary yet timeless

Big Convoy is following