MATTHEW WHITAKER, Guitar & Vocals..... SAM DRAPER, Drums..... PIERS MOTH, Bass Guitar & Double Bass..... FELIX HUGHES, Saxophone & Percussion..... DAVE CHAPMAN, Trumpet & Percussion
Influences
Ahmed Jamal - Ali Farka Toure - Antonio Carlos Jobim - Aphex Twin - Argy - Art Blakey - Austin Barrios - Autechre - Avro Part - Azymuth - Beach Boys - Beatles - Beck - Bernard Hermann - Bill Evans - Bjork - Bob Dylan - Bobby Conn - Bobby Womack - Buddy Rich - Buena Vista Social Club - Cal Tjader - Chaka Kahn - Charles Mingus - Charlie Parker - Chet Baker - Chick Corea - Cinematic Orchestra - Clifford Brown - Cream - Curtis Mayfield - Daft Punk - Damon Albarn - Dave Walsh - Dave Weckl - David Bowie - Debussy - Digitalism - Dizzy Gilespie - Django Reinhardt - Duke Ellington - Eddie Palmieri - Elvin Jones - Eric Dolphy - Eric Satie - Flaming Lips - Fleetwood Mac - Four Tet - Frank Sinatra - Frank Zappa - Freddie Hubbard - Gideon Conn - Gil Evans - Gil Scott Heron - Gilad Atzmon - Gomez - Gorillaz - Greenskeepers - Gypsie Kings - Herbie Hankock - Hot Chip - Ian Dury - Jack Dejohnette - Jaco Pastorius - James Brown - James Holden - Jaques Le Cont - Jazzanova - Jeff Mills - Jim Wallace - Jimi Hendrix - Joao Gilberto - Joe Bataan - Johann Sebastian Bach - John Coltrane - John Martyn - John Schofield - Joni Mitchell- Justice- Keith Jarrett - Kraftwerk - Led Zepplin - Lee "scratch" Perry - Lemon Jelly - Leo Brouwer - Louis Armstrong - Love - LTJ Bukem - Luke Flowers - Luke Solomon - Machine - Marvin Gaye - Matthew Herbert - Max Roach - McCoy Tyner - Miles Davis - Milton Banana - Minnie Riperton - Misty’s Big Adventure - Mitch Mitchell - Momir Papalescu & The Nihilists - Nick Drake - Outkast - Paul Simon - Pink Floyd - Plaid - Portishead - Radio Slave - Radiohead - Rage Against The Machine - Rashaan Roland Kirk - Ray Barretto - Ritchie Hawtin - Robert Johnson - Roots Manuva - Roy Ayres - Sebastian - Skee Lo - Sly & The Family Stone - Soulwax - Squarepusher - St Germain - Stan Getz - Steely Dan - Stereolab - Steve Gadd - Stevie Wonder - Stockhausen - Stravinsky - Sun Ra - Super Furry Animals- Syclops - The Alchemists - The Bees - The Clash - The Doors - The Go! Team - The Meters - The Sea And Cake - The Temptations - Thelonious Monk - Tito Puente - Tom Jones - Tony Williams - Tortoise – Trente Moller - Varese - Velvet Underground - Vincent Gallo - Wes Montgomery - Willie Bobo - Xenakis - Yound Blood Brass Band - Yousef Lateef-
Delivering a genre-bending mix of gypsy-swing, jazz-punk, skiffle and pop that is impossible to resist, Whiskycats have been enthusing and delighting audiences nationwide.
The band is widely considered as one of the most exciting and original live acts around following their relentless gigging across the country. They have appeared alongside bands and DJs as diverse as Arctic Monkeys, Arrested Development, Mystery Jets, Misty’s Big Adventure, Plan B, Quantic Soul Orchestra, Gilles Peterson and Norman Jay.
In November 2005, debut single “In This Chair” was released on their own imprint Medical Records. This was followed in September 2006 and February 2007 by the EPs “image n all the people” and “Put Your Title Here”.
Airplay on numerous local and national radio stations followed each release, with Phil Jupitus and Clint Boon backing the band on BBC 6 Music's breakfast show and XFM Manchester respectively. "Whispering" Bob Harris, meanwhile, described their sound as "excellent...so original" on his Radio 2 programme and Radio 1’s champion of new music Huw Stephens played a track from their forthcoming album on his evening show in May 2007.
Live highlights in the bands career have been two appearances at the 40,000 capacity Fruitstock festival in Regents Park, London, and sell-out shows at the contrasting venues of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho, London, and the 900 capacity Manchester Academy 2. Whiskycats also gained exposure to a new audience while demonstrating their skills playing other people's music, with a post-gig DJ set at legendary Manchester club Sankeys. In November 2007 Whiskycats became the first unsigned band to headline their own show at the 2,300 capacity Manchester Academy 1.
Production on the bands eponymous debut album was completed in late 2007. Recording took place at The Charlatans’ Big Mushroom studio before they headed over to Jonny Marr’s studio to lay down the guitar tracks. The man at the controls for this project was Jim Spencer, who has previously worked with Black Grape, New Order, The Charlatans and Jonny Marr.
Slipped Disco, the first single from the album, is released on Monday 10 March again on WHISKYCATS own Medical Records label and is backed by the bands own remix and album track God of the Vacuum. The video has been directed by JP of Monster Music Videos who has previously worked with Jim Noir.
On Monday 5 May 2008 Whiskycats debut album will be released.
Both the single and the album release will be supported by a series of live dates across the country.
