Interview with Django Jones and the Mystery Men: ‘It’s the most similar to ‘Bad For You’, it’s a stepping stone into the rest of our stuff’

Sheffield post-punk band Django Jones and the Mystery Men have just released their punchy debut single ‘Bad For You’.

They comprise Will Tomlinson (vocals), Ciara Hurding (drums, also for Sheffield band The Seamonsters), Joe O’Grady (guitar) and Isaac Rodgers (bass). Since recording their debut single, they have also acquired a fifth member, Matt Jones, on guitar: ‘The band started in the second year at uni, I lived with Joe the guitarist,’ Tomlinson said. ‘I played with Matt in bands in Birmingham and met Ciara in a pub – we bumped into Isaac in a pub as well! Myself and Joe were looking for a drummer and we just thought ‘Django Jones’ would be a really good drummer’s name (laughs). One of our housemates said “Django Jones and the Mystery Men” and we liked it, so that became our name.’ Hurding laughs: ‘It’s soooo long,’ she said. Tomlinson agrees: ‘Every time on the line up when our name takes up so much space, we feel embarrassed in a way!’

They have burst onto the live scene with a screeching and energetic sound. With resounding vocals, punching drums and overdriven guitars, they promise an undeniably relentless experience. ‘Bad For You’ channels the chaotic post-punk energy of their live shows, drawing inspiration from The White Stripes, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and The Ramones. It is definitely music written for the restless, with all the swagger you associate with an edgy, tightly written rock song – it comes in just over two minutes – rather than the snarling defiance you would typically expect from a punk song. It erupts with a fuzzed up, almost maniacal, frenzied wall of guitars that builds, hooking you even before Tomlinson comes in on vocals with his jubilant “Ahh yeah, baby, woo who!”: ‘It’s definitely energetic,’ Hurding said. ‘We wrote a set of songs about a year ago, we wanted something to hook people. Every set so far, we’ve opened with this one. Our sets are pretty energetic, it’s quite tiring! We’ve got some other songs half-done, we’re doing more recording in January, then we’ll release a few singles throughout the year.’

‘I was writing around this sleazy motel character’

‘Bad For You’ turns out to have been inspired by the Nick Cave book titled ‘The Death of Bunny Munro’: ‘I was writing around this sleazy motel character,’ Tomlinson said. ‘I was listening to a lot of Ozzy Osborne at the time, which I think influenced it.’

As the track kicks off: “Ahh yeah baby, I got a feelin’ I ain’t felt before. I kind of like it but you ain’t so sure. I’ll keep it tight, got my head in the noose (I got my head in the noose). I got them sayin’ that I’m bad news (Oh I’m bad news).”

Often, they will jam an idea out, according to Tomlinson: ‘A lot of the songs have been me, Joe and Matt bringing a riff or an idea to practice,’ he said. ‘With ‘Bad For You’, I remember talking to Matt about it, for a lot of us, it was the first time properly gigging around. There’s a Queens of the Stone Age song, I can’t remember which one, but Matt came to practice with a riff from it.’ Hurding weighs in: ‘Generally, when one of the guitarists comes to us with something, I find it hard to know what energy it should have if I don’t actually hear it,’ she said. ‘We pretty much write our own parts. It’s so exciting when you finish a song you’ve written together.’ I ask her when she first started drumming: ‘I was seven, in primary school. I was the kid who was shy and didn’t talk to anyone but my parents are very into music. My dad was into drums, I think he wanted me to be as well (laughs). I grew up with a lot of good music. They loved The Specials, The Stone Roses for the drumming and Nick Cave.’

Tomlinson cites other influences: ‘I say, for myself, The White Stripes. My mum loved The Clash and The Ramones. My dad listens to a lot of The White Stripes and The Jam. Joe loves Led Zeppelin and Rory Gallagher. I remember telling him I wanted to be in a punk band. We’re not a chord mashing punk band (laughs). I want to do a three chord song but they won’t let me!’ Hurding laughs: ‘Joe loves his solos too much for that!’

‘It has a similar energy to ‘Bad For You’ but it’s a bit longer, about eight minutes!’

Next up could be their track ‘Animals’, according to Hurding: ‘It has a similar energy to ‘Bad For You’ but it’s a bit longer, about eight minutes!’ Tomlinson nods: ”Animals’, we aren’t really sure what this song is about yet,’ he said. ‘It kind of started out with an idea myself and Joe came up with around a jokey, catchy loop of the lyrics “like an animal” and it’s kind of taken off from there. Currently, a lot of the lyrics are focused on the idea of toxic masculinity and I kind of just let it run from there.’

Another upcoming track was written about their guitarist O’Grady, titled ‘Date Night At Joey’s’: ‘It’s just fun,’ Tomlinson said laughing. ‘Potentially, it could be out next, it’s the most similar to ‘Bad For You’, it’s a stepping stone into the rest of our stuff. We lived together, me and Joe, for a long time – it’s about some of the antics we got up to together!’

If he could go for a pint with anyone, Tomlinson picks The White Stripes’ frontman Jack White: ‘I’d ask him what happened with Meg (his ex-wife),’ he said. ‘I think everyone wants to know that! We bumped into Jack White in Third Man Records in London (an eclectic, vinyl-focused independent record label founded and owned by Jack White, Ben Blackwell and Ben Swank), he just walked in. I’d never been lost for words until that moment. I think I scared him (laughs), I shouted “Jack!”. I told him we’d been at his gig the night before, he was so nice, all “Oh really?” like he couldn’t believe we would want to go, he was very humble.’ Hurding goes with The Smiths’ guitarist Johnny Marr: ‘I’d ask if he wants to adopt me!’

They’ve had some entertaining albeit dangerous moments onstage: ‘Will has fallen over twice onstage,’ Hurding grinned. ‘Once, my bass drum kept moving, so someone put a brick in front of it and Will fell into the drum kit!’ Tomlinson laughs: ‘I was sober, honestly! Recording was funny, just being sat in that room, we had a laugh. When you’re stood onstage and you turn around and there’s the five of you, your good mates, that’s a lovely feeling.’

He puts together an eclectic dream line up for the night: ‘The White Stripes – always The White Stripes (laughs), probably a bit of more dancey stuff like LCD Soundsystem and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and then throw a bit of Nick Cave in there and I can’t imagine a better night!’

(Photo from left to right: Isaac, Will, Ciara and Joe.)