Clixie Interview – 8th August 2011

We chat to the female acoustic trio. Ready to release their brilliant debut album, One Sixth of Tommy are a natural, soulful acoustic trio made up of Jordan Martin, Joanna Grennan and Jorja Bates. They chat to us about the band, their debut album and the future.

-When did One Sixth of Tommy start?
September 2007, not sure of the date but is was the afternoon and Jordan & Jorja were late.

-Where did the name come from?
It’s a mystery that will never be revealed! Muhahaha!

-Do you think the fact that you’ve taken a somewhat grassroots approach to your career will help you stand out?
Hopefully it’ll be our music that makes us stand out more than anything, but we hope the fact we’re not a manufactured band will also help.

-How were your appearances at Glastonbury?
Amazing! We had great audiences, especially on the first day. Best gig ever!

-Have you been pleased with the reaction to ‘The Pact’?
Yes it’s been great, someones even done a cover of it and posted it on YouTube!

-How much control did you have over your debut album, in terms of track-listing and other details?
We had a say in everything. Helium always made sure they included us in the decision making process, which made making the album a lot more fun.

-Are you excited for the release of You’re In My Head?
We’re very excited! And obviously nervous, but we cant wait and we just hope people like it.

-How has it been working with Chris Hughes and Mark Frith?
It was so much fun! They gave us so much freedom and encouraged us to be as creative as possible, making the whole experience really enjoyable for us.

-How would you describe the album?
Imagine a basket full of kittens next to the brightest rainbow, as ponies gallop past freely…

-Who are your influences?
Between us there are loads but we could narrow it down to Suzanne Vega, Bright Eyes, Fleetwood Mac, Azure Ray, M. Ward, Tegan and Sara, Feist and Bon Iver.

-Has the natural formation and progression of the band affected how you’ve worked on the album?
The fact that the band has progressed so naturally has definitely affected the overall feel of the album. The ‘no pressure’ album making process resulted in the chilled out vibe of the album.

-What do you have planned after the album release?
Hopefully lots more gigs and other promotion as well as starting work on the second album!

Alistair McGeorge