MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT ISSUE 002 SEYE WORKINGGARYADELEKANPOWELLMENSCLUBGAVINWATSON VELVET UNDERGROUND TATTOO CLIVE FRANKYLANGERPEREZ CRYPT OF THE WIZARD TAKE A RIDE ON THE WILD SIDE
Black Metal
2 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT|ISSUE002BirminghamFrom WWW.MUTTMOTORCYCLES.COM
841224 LONDON CALLING There’s not a lot that London Store Manager Saffron, doesn’t know about bikes… DID SEYESOMEONEMUTT? We chat all things cool with Gorillaz bassist Seye Adelekan. SKINS, PUNKS MOTORCYCLESAND Iconic skins and punks photographer Gavin Watson steps in front of the camera for a chat.
4 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT|ISSUE002MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT ISSUE 002 THE MUTT WAY OF LIFE 5 SKINS, PUNKS AND MOTORCYCLES 11 ROXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS 19 THE HOUSE OF MUTT 23 DID SOMEONE SEYE MUTT? 29 HOUSE OF THE UNHOLY 37 E-Z RIDER 41 MEMBERS ONLY 47 WHAT BECAME OF THE LIKELY LAD 53 CRYPT OF THE WIZARD 57 PRODUCING THE GOODS 61 THE MUTT MIXTAPE 65 BLACK METAL IN SINGAPORE 67 FRANKY GOES TO BIRMINGHAM 71 LONDON CALLING 77 MUTT MODELS 812062 ALL HAIL HEAVY METAL AT THE CRYPT OF THE WIZARD Talking heavy metal with Charlie, the owner of London’s one and only specialised heavy metal record store. ROXY’S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS Owner of London’s first female-only staffed tattoo studio, ‘Velvet Underground Tattoo’, Roxy Velvet is as metal as they come. 56 PRODUCING THE GOODS We invited music royalty Clive Langer to our London store to talk bikes and life as a producer, songwriter and composer.
the waymuttoflife
BLACK METAL FROM BIRMINGHAM inspired but found the whole thing was pretty daunting and unaffordable. So we put our creative heads together and got to work applying the same build quality and approach we used in building one-off customs to create a stripped-back, unique small cc machine that was easy to ride, easy to maintain, and easy to look good on. And so the original Mutt was let loose into the world, and a new way of riding was born. But our creative inspiration doesn’t just come from the world of bikes. A nod to our Birmingham heritage of engineering and manufacture, an absolute obsession with our local musical heroes, and a modern design ethos come together to create something new and unique - a take on our heavy metal roots.
True to our origins, we’re honest, no-nonsense, laid back, and firmly tongue-in-cheek like all Birmingham folk. But that doesn’t mean we’re not pretty serious about making sure we pay attention to the details and taking great pride in serving our community of enthusiasts, creatives and freedom-loving adventurers that make up the Mutt family.
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From these beginnings, our story has been one of bringing our black metal from Birmingham to an ever-growing worldwide family. From Tysley to Tokyo, Digbeth to Darwin, our community grows ever larger. All of this comes from the beating heart of Mutt - our HQ and showroom in Kings Norton, Birmingham. So read on and find out more about what the f*ck is this all about. You never know; you might find your new passion and obsession right here amongst these pages. Welcome to the Mutt Way of Life.
Mutt Motorcycles is all about passion and obsession. But not just about motorcycles. While we’re 24-7 devoted to motorcycle culture and pretty much everything about being on two wheels, our passions and obsessions are much broader. It’s not just about our custom inspired bikes but also creativity and freedom in its many guises. We’re pretty clear on our core mission: providing unique small cc bikes that make motorcycling more accessible and getting as many of you as obsessed with motorcycles as we are. But beyond that, we want to turn everyone on to new creative experiences and welcome as many people as possible into the lifestyle of freedom and adventure that we love. So out of the desire to share what we’re obsessed with, we created the Mutt Motorcycles Magazine — focusing our attention on unique and inspirational trailblazers and sharing their views on creativity, adventure, freedom, and inspiration from the world of motorcycling, art, music and more. A window into our world and way of life. There will be some of you reading this who already know who we are and what we do, and you may already be riding one of our bikes and be well and truly part of our Mutt family. So you can probably skip the next bit. But an introduction is perhaps needed for any of you who have picked this up thinking, ‘what the f*ck is this all about?’ Mutt Motorcycles was born out of a desire to create something new. After a long time spent building high-end, custom bikes, we noticed that many of you out there wanted to get into motorcycling and ride something custom-
IN THIS ISSUE…
Let’s start with Seye Adelekan. Primarily known as the bass player for Gorillaz, multi-instrumentalist and super-cool motherf*cker Seye has been a crucial contributor to several musical projects, including his Youth of the Apocalypse supergroup. He spills the beans on what it is like to work with some of the biggest names in music on the planet. We also spoke to Gary Powell, drum legend of one of the most iconic British bands of the last 20 years, The Libertines. He gave us some insight into his time with the band and chatted about his record label, radio show, charity work, and graphic novels. Oh, and we managed to squeeze in a bit of bike chat. This guy has so much going on; we don’t know when he finds the time to sleep. Talking about legends, we spent time with producer, songwriter, composer, and musician Clive Langer. Clive has worked with some of the most well-known names in British music, including David Bowie, Madness and Morrissey. With some stories to tell, we were all ears. We’ve got some info on our new HQ, plus a catch-up with our own London store manager Saffron. A no-holds motorcycle fanatic, she is the ultimate enthusiast. What Saffron doesn’t know about bikes isn’t worth knowing, frankly. While we’re talking bad-ass, we dropped in on Roxy Velvet, founder and owner of London’s first female-only staffed tattoo studio. Roxy tells us what inspired her to start her Velvet Underground studio and gives us a little insight into her day-to-day life as a trailblazing creative.
So what have we got going on in MMM #002?
On a visit to Sheffield, we met up with Elliot Taylor - Mutt owner and one of the hardest working tour managers in the land. In a rare moment of free time, Elliot talks to us about how motorcycling allows him an outlet of escape and helps him leave behind the pressures of his hectic lifestyle on the road.
We
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Working Men’s Club are a firm Mutt favourite and are on heavy rotation at Mutt HQ. We caught up with the outrageously cool, outrageously young, outrageously talented Syd MinskySargeant at our London store. As full-time metalheads, it was a pleasure to visit Charlie at Crypt of the Wizard - London’s one and only specialist heavy metal record store. For all things metal, COTW is the (un)holy grailpacked full of vinyl rarities you just won’t find anywhere else. Through this issue you may notice a lot of credits for one photographer in particular. We asked Gavin Watson - one of Britain’s most iconic photographers and counter-culture documentarians - to not only talk to us about his creative history and process but also to put it into action. Sheesh. There’s so much going on that we need a sit down after just telling you about it. We hope you enjy reading this as much as we have making it. Time to start your engines.. hope
you enjoy reading this as much as we have makinG it Time to start your engines
FORNEWMATTgt-srBLACK/SILVER2501252022
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While we like everything black, we enjoy a little bit of chrome here and there - just enough for a nod back to our Brit bike roots. Riders will see that classic Monza-style fuel cap plated in chrome when looking down on the tank. Getting back to that candy. We’ve got the whole shop on this bike. Upfront, we have our beautifully made stainless steel mudguard brackets; you won’t see anything like that on any other production bike. Then there is the brand new LED headlight. This thing is bright! This headlight and our new Flexi-LED mini indicators will totally light up the road. They also give this bike an all-new head-on look. We even have another upgrade in the shape of adjustable CNC levers on the bars in a beautiful anodised semi-gloss finish. We’ve also added a drilled gear shifter, rider, and pillion pegs, on top of new indicator brackets, shock nuts, and engine jewellery. All resplendent in that deep, hard-wearing, anodised finish. No outlay for extras - it all comes as standard. We’re super stoked with this new addition, and we know you will be too when you get your eyes on it.
The Mutt GT-SR is here, and it’s coming in DAMN hot.
Get a load of the new Mutt GT-SR, our latest street bike addition. It’s the perfect all-rounder with a low centre of gravity, a big capacity tank, and wide road tyres. All with that down-and-dirty Mutt DNA running right through its veins.
Rolling on 18” black aluminium rims with polished stainless spokes, we opted for a chunky 130 rear tyre and a 120 front tyre. The rear gas shocks give this bike supreme handling characteristics and real chuck-ability wherever a ride. Fat is where it’s at with a Mutt, and that burly 15-litre tank combined with our wide aluminium mudguards makes the GT-SR one of the beefiest bikes around.
To cook this one up, we took all the pretty candy from our other Mutts, added some technical upgrades, and applied a dash of new styling. This all comes together to make the GT-SR one of the highest spec bikes in our range.
Gavin Watson is one of the most iconic photographers on the planet and one of the most unique in terms of his work and personality. He’s a down-to-earth maverick. For him, it’s all about passion, being authentic, not giving a f*ck and doing it your own way. So that’s why in this issue, we’ve not only invited him to get behind the lens for a load of the editorial features. We also convinced him to sit down with us, chew the fat, and throw in a couple of never-before-seen photographs from his archives.
ICONIC SKINS & PUNKS PHOTOGRAPHER WATSON IN FRONT OF THE FOR A CHAT
SKINS, punks & motorcycles
GAVIN
So let’s set the scene. Gavin Watson, a man whose detailed history of photography includes his books Skins, Skins & Punks, Raving ‘89, album covers for Plan B and Jake Bugg, ad campaigns for Dr Martens with Agyness Deyn, editorial work in the likes of Vice, Sounds, Dazed and exhibitions of his work everywhere from Australia to Paris. In essence, his work celebrates British youth culture. It gives a personal insight into the cultural aspects of people’s lives, particularly Skinheads.
CAMERA
STEPS
This work was so monumental that it became an essential inspiration for Shane Meadows’ iconic ‘This is England’.
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VICTORIAKAYLEIGHPHOTOGRAPHY:
I was so shocked when I saw the sabbath existed. I couldn’t believe that somakingthey’resomethingwicked!
With his daughter Kayleigh on duties behind the camera to give him a break (he’s not the kind of man who takes a selfie), we talked to Gavin at length about his passion for photography, bikes, music, and more.
So, where did his love of photography start? At the age of 14, as your average teenager might at the time, Gavin walked into Woolworths with his Christmas money, and it was there he bought his first camera. He tells us how he was pleased the new camera had a glass lens, so the photos were immediately better than what he was used to seeing, which were “blurry pictures with people’s heads cut off at your uncle’s house.”
“My dad saw something, and he decided to invest in this Olympus OM-1, which, looking back, was quite an amazing thing to do with three sons. I just threw myself into it because I just fucking loved taking pictures. No one ever saw them because I never printed them, just processed them. I enjoyed taking them more than the rest of the process, but I just loved doing them, and I thought at the time, and I was right, that it was a really special time.”.”
Gavin didn’t officially start working as a photographer until he was 40 when VICE first published his book Skins & Punks: Lost Archives 1978-1985. “ “
So what does Gavin think of Mutt? “I would get that Fat Sabbath, 100%. I would get that as an old, middle-aged man popping around in my leathers, helmet, and goggles. I’m a great admirer.”
He tells us of countless bikers who have been around him throughout his life. “I only owned one at 16, and I’ve got those photographs because bikes were such an important thing to teenage kids back then. None of us ever wanted a moped. There was that song by Peter and the Test Tube Babies’ Moped Lad.” Gavin treats us to a brief rendition of the song before continuing. “Of course, all these lads would leave school, get a Honda 50 and be outside school, giving it large. But none of us were fucking around with those scooters because it was embarrassing, and they even wrote that song about it.”
“But that wasn’t true, the book had gone out there and been truly influential, and no one knew where I was. They couldn’t get hold of me. When they did, the whole thing blew up, and I sort of got turned into a fashion photographer. It’s been a very strange and odd journey.”
“When I did that book, it was in every fashion house, and loads of high-profile photographers have been inspired by it. I knew nothing of this when I was carrying washing machines around on the dole. I thought I had just done a book for some skinheads, and I was an old has-been that never got anywhere.”
Conversation returns to the Fat Sabbath and why Gavin is so interested in them. “I was so shocked when I saw it existed, and I couldn’t believe that they were making something so wicked - the sort of thing that my dad used to ride because he had a bike when he was young and went on his honeymoon with it. So it genuinely filled me with joy that these kinds of bikes Whenexist.”
What’s unique about Gavin’s work is how personal it is. In his words: “Who has a fucking microscopic journey of their life as a young man detailed to such extent? You get up, you get in groups, you forget. Forgetting is something that comes naturally to human beings for a reason. You’re not meant to relive every fucking tiny detail of your life.” A case in point is some of the photos from the Watson archive. Gavin tells us how he first stumbled across some old scooters whilst working at a petrol station in High Wycombe. He and a friend managed to wheel a couple home and do them up before selling to a local mod. As you do. Gavin’s has loads of stories that roll off the tongue, most of which seem to be documented on film (which is handy for proving doubters wrong). When asked about his other motorbike experiences growing up, he tells tales of ‘borrowing’ a mate’s mum’s bike. Getting fined by the police for riding without a helmet, and once riding down to London for a job on a 100cc Kawasaki: “By the time I was halfway there, I thought ‘I’m never doing that again’ all day long I’m thinking I’ve gotta ride home too. It was fucking terrifying. That was my motorbike experience. Thank God it didn’t last long because I definitely wouldn’t be here. But I’ve always been a great admirer. I love them, but I can’t ride them because I’m a coward.”
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asked why he thought his work has proven so popular, Gavin replies: “The honesty of it. I don’t think it was meant to exist. There was a narrative: skinheads against the wall, aggression, punk aggression. You’ve got to be scared of this, and we’re going to push the narrative that this is who these people are. But mine is just human beings, which wasn’t part of that narrative.” Gavin’s work portrayed skinhead culture in a much human way. “My photography is quite romantic in its own way. It’s not hard, brick walls, angry young people pictures. Parents are
When asked what piece of advice he would give to young photographers, Gavin responds with a simple “focus on what gives you joy”.
And how did his friends feel about having a kid around who was constantly taking photographs? “They didn’t give a fuck!”. In fact, Gavin insists that he was a trendsetter. “All of my friends had some sort of camera by the time I was 16. They all thought they could have a crack at it. The surprising thing was that I kept doing it, I suppose. If I saw something and had my camera on me, I’d take it very fast. It was a very small, very inoffensive camera. It’s like the perfect camera because it’s this tiny, small little thing but with a beautiful lens on - it wasn’t in your face. I didn’t whip out a great big Nikon and start asking people to do this and the rest of it. I’d see something, be in the middle of that conversation, take the picture and just carry on with the conversation or whatever else we were doing.”
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
there, friends are smiling, and girls are laughing and just being young in a horrible environment.” It’s this love for people and the clear, trustworthy relationship between the subjects and him that make his work so endearing.
In 1989, raving exploded in the UK. Gavin was 23, and, as he put it, he was “old by then” and thought his day of snapping these moments may have passed. “At that age, I thought the next step was going to be marriage and kids. I didn’t realise that a whole new world would open up just as everything else got really shit. It was like a gift from God.”
So what were the main differences between the cultures? How did he adjust from being a skinhead to going to raves? “Clothes” is the short answer. “It wasn’t much of a difference because I was surrounded by my mates and brother. We just grew our hair and wore baggier clothes, but you know you can’t get rid of that ten years of skinhead. It was that divide. Either people wanted to embrace it, or they didn’t, and it just wasn’t something they were going to get involved in. Me and my brother were always on the more adventurous side. We went to the gigs in London. We actually did stuff and got out there, so it was natural for us to progress to that.”
16 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT|ISSUE002My dad somethingsawand he decided to invest in this Olympus OM-1. I just threw myself into it because I just fucking loved takingpictures.““
A GLIMPSE AS PROMISED, THESE SHOTS ARE FROM GAVIN WATSON’S ARCHIVE AND NEVER SEEN BEFORE. SO YOU, READER, HAVE AN EXCLUSIVE ON YOUR HANDS.
18 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT|ISSUE002into THE ARCHIVES
PHOTOGRAPHY: GAVIN WATSON
Roxy didn’t have a single tattoo at the time. But what followed was “A life-changing moment” and resulted in her packing in her performance career, moving to Thailand and subsequently Sweden. It was over this period she trained with Thai Art and Stockholm Ink. Once she’d put in the graft with her training, Roxy started running her own studio. She quickly decided that she wanted it to be an all-female enterprise. “In the beginning, I thought very carefully about the kind of studio I wanted to run and the experience that I wanted the clients and artists to have. The way I see it, women haven’t been given much opportunity to develop and establish their own ways of doing business, particularly in traditionally maledominated industries. As a society, we’re moving towards more ethical, less environmentally damaging commerce and an increasing focus on employee well-being.
RUNNERSMUTTNIGHTROXYS
MEET ROXY, THE OWNER OF LONDON’S FIRST ALL-FEMALE STAFFED TATTOO STUDIO
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Owner of London’s first tattoo studio with an all-female crew, Velvet Underground Tattoo, Roxy Velvet is as metal as they come. With ten years of fetish, burlesque and circus performance under her belt, all it took was one particularly wild night out to send her spinning into the world of tattoos. A pal set her up on a machine, applied a stencil to his arm and said, “Go on then!”.
A quick scroll through the Velvet Underground Instagram page shows off the range of tattoos and styles offered up, plus some the way I see it, women haven’t been given much opportunity to develop and establish their own ways of doing business. “ “ of the more bespoke requests. Roxy enjoys the challenge of “working with people’s ideas to create something unique” and refers to some of the art she’s currently working on, including a “sleeve of Manta-Ray skeletons, a Paradise Lost inspired leg sleeve and a kitsch Jesus back-piece.” Hopefully, not all on the same person...
So as an avid rider, has Roxy got any bike-inspired tattoos?
I think women have a huge part to play in that, but unfortunately, many are held back by sexism, harassment and the wage gap. I was curious to see how a group of strong, independently-minded women would work together, albeit with some trepidation.”
You@velvetundergroundtattoo.canalsokeepupwitheverything Roxy via @roxyvelvet.
And when it comes to an anthem for listening while she rides? ‘It would have to be Venus In Furs. We have one of the lyrics, “different colours made of tears”, in neon on the studio wall’. See you out on the road, Roxy.
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“We started by flying into Ho Chi Minh City from Bangkok, where we picked up a couple of bikes and then made up the route as we went along. Our original plan to ride to Hanoi was a little far-reaching. We hadn’t accounted for Tet, Vietnam’s New Year and most important national festival. Having been delayed by some minor incidents (me losing my bike keys in a waterfall) and slowed down by ‘Brad Pitt-Stop’s roadside beard trims, we rolled into Hoi An just in time for the Tet celebrations to explode, and it was joyous!”
“We dropped off our bikes at the rental company’s Hoi An garage, continued by train to Hanoi and picked up a couple of custom bikes there from a local. Vietnam is full of surprises, culture and wonderful people. I highly recommend it.” Roxy’s eyes were constantly flitting around and admiring some of the Mutts in our Bethnal Green store, so we asked her what her favourite thing about them was. “I love the custom feel and retro-inspired styling of Mutt bikes. As a fairly slight, 5’3” woman, the size and weight of a bike is always a bit of a consideration for me, especially for city riding. Mutt bikes are perfect in that respect while still having a satisfying gravitas about them. They look great, sound great, turn heads, and are ideal for getting me through the traffic in style when I’ve slept through my four alarms. It just makes you grin every time you ride it!” If she had her way, Roxy would make a custom Mutt inspired by a suitably dark legend. “Hel or Hela. The Norse Goddess of The Underworld, who is in charge of the souls that don’t make it to Valhalla”.
If you’re itching for new ink, give Roxy and the crew a visit at the Velvet Underground Tattoo studio in London. Or take a peek at their recent work on Instagram,
“I’ve got a few strategically placed tattoos covering various motorbike-related scrapes and burns, including an old-schoolstyle pulled tooth on my ankle.” Not technically moto culture, but we can make exceptions. Roxy was an early adopter of two wheels, getting her first manual bike aged 19. “It was a Suzuki RV125, which was in pieces in my boyfriend’s Dad’s garage. He said he’d rebuild the engine if I did the electrics. I was well out of my depth, but I really wanted that bike. So I figured it out somehow.” Since then, Roxy hasn’t looked back. She even managed to squeeze in an impromptu three-week road trip through Vietnam just before we went into the first UK lockdown in 2020.
THE DOORS AT OUR NEW HQ ‘THE HOUSE OF MUTT’ ARE FINALLY OPEN, AND LEAD ON TO A SHOWROOM, RETAIL STORE, R&D LAB AND COFFEE SHOP Never ones to make it easy on ourselves, in early 2021, at the height of the UK lockdown, in the middle of winter, we decided to move across our beloved city of Birmingham to a new, much larger HQ. Whilst it was a sad day to leave our original Digbeth location, our bigger vision required a bigger place to house it. First things first, location. This was the easy bit. We were born and bred in the creative and industrial heart of the UK, the historic birthplace of British motorcycling; Birmingham. We love this city, and we’d be mad to leave, so keeping as local as possible was a solid yes. The building itself had to be as individual as our bikes. We’re not the sort of people who are at home in a big grey metal box in an industrial park. So instead, we found a building steeped in the area’s industrial heritage. Part old Victorian Mill and part ‘70s car museum, the place is packed with unique details and is full of Brummie character. Welcome to The House of Mutt.
WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF MUTT
PREECETOMPHOTOGRAPHY:
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legendary night that will be remembered (albeit in patches) for a long time to come. It’s exciting times here at Mutt, and we can’t wait to tell you what the future holds. Making this house into a home is an ongoing labour of love. Still, we are absolutely buzzing to fill it with new memories. Sure there’s been a lot of change recently, but we’re still the same helpful folks who know a thing or two about bikes. So drop over and check it out for yourself. Our doors are always open, and we’ll always make you welcome, even if it’s just to pop round for a coffee and a chat. Because we like nothing more than great coffee and a chance to gas about bikes.
HORTONMARKPHOTOGRAPH:
It really is the perfect hang out space for all your ride out and meet up needs.
Spread across a mammoth 35,000 sq ft, it’s massive. And we’ve gone all out, packing the building full of unique spaces, including a one-of-a-kind showroom, retail store, R&D lab and a coffee shop. All with that undeniable Mutt DNA running right through it. Like ‘Birmingham’ through a stick of rock. It really is the perfect hang out space for all your ride out and meet up needs. And with a greater space comes greater opportunity. The opportunity to throw bigger and better parties. Or shall we call them events - sounds more professional, right? We kicked off proceedings with a launch party back where people came from far and wide to see that black ribbon cut (and drink free ale and listen to monster tunes, of course). A
250FAT125 FORNEWTITANIUMSABBATH2022
OUR LEGENDARY CLASSIC, NOW SLIGHTLY LESS BLACK
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With our original Fat Sabbath, we stuck with the old adage that you could have it in any colour you wanted, as long as it was black. And we mean black. But we’re always up for breaking the rules, even our own. So, new for 2022 is the Fat Sabbath Titanium. Still with all the original Black Metal From Birmingham you expect from Mutt, but with a super-slick titanium grey tank. We think you will agree; this is a thing of wonder. Available in 125 and 250, hit us up at muttmotorcycles.com or roll on over to your nearest dealer and check it out before they’re all gone.
PHOTOGRAPHY: LUIS KRAMER
SEYESOMEONEDIDMUTT?
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He was super dope, I got a bit starstruck but he wasn’t being starstruck-y do you know what I mean? He wasn’t giving off that vibe, he’s just one of the coolest people on the planet.
Everybody has a Cure song that they love!”
Some people just ooze coolness, which is great for them, but slightly frustrating for the rest of us. Chuck together Gorillaz bassist Seye Adelekan and a Razorback 125 and it becomes entirely unfair.
Seye then casually mentions how “working with Sir Paul McCartney was amazing”, just in case you needed more examples of the plethora of stars Seye has worked with during his musical career.
Joining Damon Albarn’s band back in 2017, Seye has spent the last few years working with some of the biggest names in music. “One of the great things about working with Gorillaz is that I get the chance to work with some amazing people,” he tells us while visiting the London Mutt Store. Skepta, St Vincent, Elton John, Slowthai, Slaves and Beck are just a few to have collaborated with Gorillaz on their 2020 album ‘Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez’. Yet Seye still confesses to getting starstruck every so often GORILLAZ BASSIST, WRITER, VOICE-OVER ARTIST, RADIO HOST AND ALL ROUND TRENDSETTER; SEYE ADELKAN even after working with such illustrious names. “We did a live stream and Robert Smith from The Cure was singing with us. Everybody from our crew, to the people on the lights and production and management, to the band, to Damon himself was just like “I can’t fucking believe it’s Robert Smith”.
But if we’re talking about favourite venues, Seye’s response may surprise you. “Still, to this day, one of my favourite playing experiences was back in secondary school when me and my friends had a band and we used to play at the Tunbridge Wells Forum quite a lot - which is a great sort of sticky-walled venue.
Growing up, Seye was constantly surrounded by musicsinging in the church most days. His mum sang music and would sometimes have the whole family performing, including Seye’s dad on guitar. The “fertile musical environment” that Seye and his siblings grew up in clearly rubbed off, with his two older brothers also becoming professional musicians - one of whom is producer and pianist Niyi “Synematik”, while the other is Olugbenga, the bassist for Metronomy. It was actually while crashing at his brother’s house during Seye’s gap year that he got his first break in the music game. “I was sleeping on Olugbenga’s couch and he was playing with Jeremy Walmsley but couldn’t do this one particular tour, so I covered him. Jeremy and I started working together for a long time after that.” The rest, as they say, is history. So was there a moment when Seye thought he’d made it as a musician? “I wouldn’t say there was one moment when I felt like ‘I’ve made it’ because I feel like that’s a dangerous way to think. Things fluctuate so much, you might have a great year, might have a great couple of years, but then the next ones might not be too great. The first time I headlined the Latitude Festival with Damon Albarn was quite a big moment because I love that festival. The first time I played there was in the coffee shop, then the next year a small stage, then the next year a slightly bigger one and then with Damon’s solo album we headlined. So that was pretty special, having come up through the ranks.”
32 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT|ISSUE002I wouldn’t say there was one moment when I felt like ‘I’ve made it’ because I feel like that’s a dangerous way to think. “ “
It’s this old-meets-new style where the most amazing things come from in Seye’s opinion. “It’s the same with music. There’s kind of nothing worse than someone just doing a ‘60s record, for example,
We cut our teeth there when we were like 14/15 so that’s always going to be up there in my heart.” There’s also a special mention given to the million-year-old Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado. “That was just insane. And they give you a bit of rock when you play there so I’ve got a bit at home with my name on it.” Anyway, time we had a little chat about bikes. Seye is about to do his CBT so we’re curious what made him want to venture into the world of two wheels? “Well, the freedom of it. They’re obviously just cool machines, but there is something I feel that signifies the free spirit, the way you can just get up and go somewhere. Where there’s something about a car that feels like a more stifled experience, you’re less in contact with the world around you. There’s also something about motorcycles being a more solo experience. You might ride with people, but it’s your story, you and the road. That sort of feeling fascinates me. I could definitely see myself on a motorcycle going down the coastline for hours and hours and it not being boring, whereas I feel like if I was in the car I’m more likely to nod off. It feels like a much more active way of getting somewhere.” And what about a Mutt? “They’re super cool. I think they’re great, they are somehow classic and somehow modern and I’m not entirely sure how that’s happened, but obviously, lots of really good people have worked hard to do that. They just look like a really well made, wonderfully crafted machine.”
MUTTS ARE super cool. They are somehow classic and somehow modern. THEY ARE Wonderfully crafted. “ “ “
It’s the freedom of it. They’re obviously just cool machines but there is something I feel that signifies the free spirit. it’s your story, just you and the road. “ “
If you want to keep up to date with everything Seye is up to, give him a follow on Instagram, @seyemusic. You’ll be treated to clips and pics of his many musical endeavours as well as a generous helping of style (warning, you will leave his page with outfit-envy). You can also catch him presenting his radio show on Boogaloo Radio and Islington Radio.
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I don’t think there is necessarily anything great in someone just nodding or being reverent to what’s been before. My favourite stuff is often where there is something classic and timeless, but it’s referencing something made today, clearly of now and not just nostalgic, not just futuristic.”
Other than becoming a blacksmith and getting his CBT, Seye is already busy and will be for the rest of the year and He’sbeyond!released a sci-fi short story written with his brother Olugbenga, supported by Dr. Martens with all proceeds going to the charity Black Minds Matter. Sci-fi is often a genre lacking in adversity, so The Brothers Adelekan put their bass guitars down and picked up a pen to provide a more Afro-centric viewpoint, tackling the legacy of colonialism and reclaiming their narrative. Seye is now heading back on the road with the Gorillaz for the rest of 2022, as well as aiming to release his own EP and continuing his voice-over work. Thanks a lot Seye, you absolute legend!
His passion for creativity and curiosity in other people’s interests is clear. Even when we were discussing Mutts’ music and craft, double entendre tagline ‘Black Metal from Birmingham’, Seye starts telling us about these blacksmith videos that he’s been watching. “I got well into this thing called ‘Man At Arms: Reforged’ which is about these guys who make weapons from films and video games and recreate them. It’s black belt level stuff off something that I do not understand. I really want to get into making knives, maybe kitchenware, maybe jewellery. It’s something that I’d really like to try. The same way I started watching these videos of this guy who’s a coffee expert and would compare espresso machines and stuff. It’s got nothing to do with what I’m good at, but this guy is so passionate about it and I love that.”
WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF THE UNHOLY
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APPAREL FOR THOSE INNER-CITY RIPPERS WHO COMMUTE FULL THROTTLE Introducing the latest range of Mutt apparel, the House of The Unholy. Designed by our team of highly skilled pencil monkeys and delinquents at our Birmingham HQ, these pieces are filled with hand-drawn artwork that pays homage to our greazy workshop roots of custom bikes, loud music and thrillseeking good times.
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Just like with our bikes, we like to approach fashion design a little differently. Sure we love snakes and skulls just as much as the next person, but we also like to keep things playful and not so serious. Without pointing any fingers, a lot of other brands go very hard on making super aggressive artwork which just isn’t our vibe. When you walk through the doors at the House of Mutt you’re made to feel welcome and are always greeted with a smile, a joke and some damn good moto chat, not a punch to the face. It’s that feeling we try to bring to everything we do. You can shop the full collection via muttmotorcycles.com.
RIDERE-Z PHOTOGRAPHY: MARCIA RICHARDS
Fast forward a couple of years, after living in England’s capital, Elliot returned to Sheffield, a place he very much sees as his permanent home. The city has much to offer, with its rich music history and numerous cultural venues. For someone on the road as frequently as he is, there’s little point in paying sky-high London prices. As he says, the rock scene in Sheffield is thriving, due to bands like While She Sleeps, Bring Me The Horizon and, let’s not forget wilful British rockers The Arctic Monkeys - resolutely proud Sheffield lads. While Elliot has harboured ideals of living elsewhere in vibrant European cities, touring affords a taste of that. So it makes sense for someone consistently on the road to plant some roots in the UK.
ONE OF THE REASONS WE’RE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT MOTORCYCLES IS THE FREEDOM THEY BRING. TOUR MANAGER ELLIOT TAYLOR TELLS US ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS TO HIM. As Elliot says, “if it is the UK, then it has to be Sheffield.” The industrial neighbourhood in which Elliot resides is pitted with music meccas, recording studios and busy cafés.
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Elliot Taylor should be, in regular human terms, exhausted. He has been on tour since he was 16 years old. Like the rest of the world in 2020, the pandemic forced the tour manager to slow down and to take stock. But tour managers are a particular breed - programmed to work hard, to endure often long and fatiguing 18 hour plus days, and to keep going until the job is done. Sleep is a luxury, time permitting. It’s no surprise then that in the absence of a typically hectic life on the road, and where most people would opt to check out and indulge in some down time, Elliot used his locked-down time to keep busy. Elliot selected to survive the tricky times by focusing on efforts on planning his bands’ schedules for the fairly un-plannable future and balancing a professional responsibility while keeping his sanity by riding his Mutt Mongrel 125 against the grand backdrop of his beloved Sheffield. Born and raised in Doncaster, he soon attached himself to what he describes as the closest and best city, Sheffield.
Still, over the last few years, the area has become a haven and a welcome refuge for escape after long months away supervising a cramped tour bus full of musicians.
I went on my first tour at 15 years old. Which is crazy Young to be out on the road “ “
There’s a real sense of intimacy to be enjoyed from Northern Soul or jazz nights in Sheffield’s local scene. The buzzing social district right on his doorstep coupled with the familiarity and realness the city provides makes for an ideal local hub that helps to keep Elliot’s feet on the ground. So what better way to spend his days off than astride his Mutt Mongrel, burning up the tarmac of the urban streets, escaping to the contrasting wild splendour of the Peak District which sits within spitting distance of Sheffield’s City centre, this is a place that has it all. As Elliot says, “for me, it’s the biggest thing Sheffield has to offer.” Just a 10-minute ride out of Sheffield delivers you to the rugged and extraordinary beauty of the Southern Pennines. Growing up, Elliot always knew it was there.
Elliot pursued his new-found hobby through seeing friends involved in motocross. “My step dad basically spent his own birthday, which is also Valentines Day, driving from the north of England down to Devon with my mum in the back of the van, just to pick me up a bike. He got back at 10 o’clock at night, opened the door and there was a 125 bike in the back. It blew my mind!” The seed was firmly planted, and from that moment on, the act of generosity by his step father bonded the pair and secured an intention to learn to ride. Motocross training with his step dad followed, but it soon became clear enduro riding wasn’t where Elliot’s curiosity lay. “We’d go to the tracks and down the middle of them between the enduro and the motocross tracks were the fire roads. After we’d been on the trails, we’d bomb down the fire roads for half an hour, enjoying the simple riding. Something clicked. This was the most fun part for me. I kind of pieced it together and started riding more on the roads and country lanes.
Getting a Mutt has been huge for Elliot. His appreciation of motorcycles was sparked from a young age, as the son of a man with a keen affection for superbikes. But Elliot’s own passion for two wheels didn’t develop until much later. When his mum remarried and with Elliot still a teenager, it was his stepfather who opened him up to the possibilities and showed him the way. “My step dad is this super, aggressively loving guy with a heart of gold! He had ridden motocross as a kid and had damaged his knee, so he had a lot of time away from riding.”
The natural locale has become a hugely important place to soul search, to clear thoughts and to forget problems.
My “picktoDoncasterdrivinghisbasicallystepdadspentownbirthdayfromdownDevonjusttomeupabike.“
One arc, in particular, has secured its place in Elliot’s heart. “There’s one spot called, ‘Surprise View’ and you’re literally driving out on a country lane when suddenly you’re faced with one of the most amazing views I’ve seen in the UK. To see that from a bike on my regular route is just priceless.”
Owing to some prior owner wear and tear and knowing he had time on his hands, Elliot got in touch with Mutt to help him with the restoration project, bringing the bike back to its original building place for the work. Taking parts from the Fat Sabbath and a mixture of the understated, cross-breed features from the Hilts design (chunkier tyres and bars) the updates were added. As were new lights, chain, rear shocks, grips, a Fat Sabbath seat, throttle and controls, brake lines, a new exhaust, headlamp and indicators.
At home, Elliot rides a 2016 Mutt Mongrel 125, one of the first of its kind. Bought second hand, it was the bike Elliot was drawn to, with aspirations of riding throughout the summer.
Ninety per cent of my travel is for work, and I’m usually always responsible for others, so being able to get on a bike and ride to the Peaks or wherever in the world, it’s the only real time when I’m travelling that my mind isn’t on someone else’s comfort.”
The association biking has with freedom is felt by all riders, regardless of what it is you’re riding. Elliot certainly feels that sense when he’s out on the road. “I think it’s also given me peace to be solo. Being away on tour you live with the people you’re working with. You’re on a tour bus with 20 people for months on end, you get home, and suddenly you’re on your own! I have spent so much of my life in big groups of people and very little time on my own. Riding gives me that peace and clarity that it’s OK just to be. Biking only makes me think and feel biking! There’s nothing else to think about but what you can see and the handling of the bike, but when I’m home and reflecting on it, there’s an appreciation of not feeling.”
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After a heart-pumping test ride, the purchase was made, and Elliot was hooked. He describes it as the best 125 he has ever ridden. And pleasingly, aesthetically it looked the part.
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Having checked out local listings and via friends in Birmingham plus connections with other riders like Liam from the band Cancer Bats (who rode a Mutt from our HQ, through Europe, across the African desert and back again), Elliot discovered Mutt Motorcycles. He knew instantly that this was where he wanted to focus his search. A lucky and convenient lead introduced Elliot to a guy located merely streets away.
Like many enthusiasts would, Elliot has jumped at opportunities to ride in exotic locations around the world. A trip to Bali and an insane cruise around Bangkok’s crazy roads to visit temples are just two trips he recounts with a wide grin. South America and Mexico are dream destinations for riding and are on the cards. “Even with a helmet on, you seem to be able to embrace those landscapes and enjoy it a bit clearer than usual.”
That said, I’ve got a bit of an urge to do some off-road riding. But at the moment for me, being able to enjoy the scenery while cruising through any kind of rural area is so satisfying.
This has been an uncertain and peculiar few years for the entire planet. As Elliot reflects on them, the beginning of 2020 in particular, he notes, “it’s strange to have been grounded. There have been some absolute highs and some crazy lows. It’s the most time I had ever had at home. I’m usually out of the country 10 months of the year. I’ve always wanted to get a dog, and so I did during lockdown. I would never be able to train a dog while on tour, so that’s been a massive high.”
Recent personal and professional highlights for Elliot include working with with high energy experimental American punk band, Fever 333,(“a health and safety nightmare!”) The band
are visceral performers who use their stage presence in a different way, something Elliot was thrilled to see again with crowd engagement and person to person participation that only happens when fans and musicians are boxed in together by walls, locked into the intensity and power dealt out ritually by the band members on stage. As he says, “the whole theatrical experience makes for such a good show.” The musical antithesis to Fever 333 is pop/folk artist Dodie, who has been selling out venues and headlining stages in the USA, despite only touring for a few years. And then there’s life at home in Sheffield, enjoying the days with his dog Oslo and riding his Mutt Mongrel on the streets he loves and knows so well. “The last few years have definitely given me a sense of appreciation, but I’m really excited to be working and living again.”
If you ever wanted to know about the nonstop life of a tour manager, Elliot is an intriguing character to dig down with. “I’ve been working with Frank Carter (of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes) for the best part of 5 years, but even before that when Frank was with Pure Love. When Frank started Rattlesnakes, he gave me a call and I went to work with him. I took a bit of time off about 2 years ago to travel, and came back to touring, looking after the hospitality side of things - mostly heavy logistical stuff as well as the more personal assistant side of things, essentially making sure everyone is as comfortable as they can be on the road. The hospitality side of it, working one-on-one with people - doing those little things that can make someone’s day more positive. That’s the side I really enjoy. Going back to work with those guys, I get to organise all the fun stuff. I went on my first tour at 15 years old. Which is crazy young to be out on the road. I went from my job working in Tesco to helping out on the road for 2 months with the band ‘While She Sleeps’ one weekend... and never went back. I’m still in the van 12 years later!”
Want to see Elliot and his Mutt in action? Scan the QR code to see the short film, shot by Aaran McKenzie of While She Sleeps, made exclusively for Mutt Motorcycles. To finish, the machine was given a blacked-out look by spraying the frame. As every tour manager and band member knows, black is the only colour. Elliot describes his Mongrel as being an already incredible bike, but with the new mods and while riding around Birmingham, his mind was blown at the amazing job executed by the mechanics. The end result was the exact style and sound he was after. Looking ahead, the Razorback is a tempting next step for Elliot. Maybe a 250 from the range. Elliot considers the approaching months. “Perhaps next year. Depends on touring!”
I think it’s given me peace to be solo.
Riding gives me that peace and clarity that it’s ok just to be.
“ “
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I think my music “Ieverythingsaysstandfor “ PHOTOGRAPHY: GAVIN WATSON
Despite the delays from the-virus-that-shall-not-be-named, their self-titled debut album finally saw the light of day in 2020 along with a remix album Minsky Rock Megamix in 2021, which was created entirely during lockdown. There are worse things they could have done with the time to be fair. We got Syd to hop over to Bethnal Green to answer some quick-fire questions while we showed him around the gaff.
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Working Men’s Club is the brainchild of Syd Minsky-Sargeant, a scarily young lad from Todmorden in the Calder Valley, West Yorkshire, who has already racked up a nomination for Best Breakthrough Act at the Q Magazine Awards, appeared on Jools Holland and picked up a list of admirers in high places in the world of music. So this lot are probably worth a listen if you haven’t heard them already.
SYD FROM WORKING MEN’S CLUB TAKES ON A QUICKFIRE MMM Q&A
Who’d want to be a musician these days? With post-lockdown life being notoriously difficult for creatives after a few years of no gigs, no tours and no late night tales on the road, it’s not exactly been the rock and roll lifestyle Working Mens Club might have dreamed of. But, it’s all about the music isn’t it?
ONLYMEMBERS
As a live outfit, Working Men’s Club are a band who have not been able to coast. Having signed to Heavenly Records, and with the hype around them building, underlying tensions came to a boil a mere five days before the band’s all-important first London headline show - Syd was left high and dry; guitarist Giulia Bonometti had decided to focus on her blossoming solo career, and drummer Jake Bogacki was against the new electronic direction Syd was taking. All that remained of the outfit was Syd himself. But with staunch determination burning in his belly, he quickly assembled a line-up consisting of himself, Liam Ogburn, Mairead O’Connor (The Moonlandingz) and Rob Graham (Drenge, Baba Naga) — both of whom he had met at the Sheffield studio of producer Ross Orton (The Fall, M.I.A., Arctic Monkeys) — replaced the live drums with a drum machine, and rush-rehearsed the new setup before going ahead with the show. “If it wasn’t for Sheffield then we probably wouldn’t have played that gig” he says. “I was shitting myself, because I didn’t know what would work and what wouldn’t” Luckily, something stuck: “After about three gigs with that line-up it was already way better than what we’d had before.”
“ WE LOVED YOUR DEBUT ALBUM! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE IT OUT THERE AND GET SO MUCH HIGH PRAISE FROM THE MUSIC PRESS? “Thanks very much! It’s really nice to finally have it out, it was strange to not tour the record after releasing it, however, I think considering the circumstances we are very fortunate in terms of what we were able to do and the way the record was received.”THEALBUM SOUNDS MEGA AND VINYL COPIES
“
WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE MUSIC INDUSTRY RIGHT NOW? “Boring!”
WHAT FIVE THINGS DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED FOR? “Music, music, music, music and music!”
i always wanted to be able to ride a motorbike just so i had an excuse to wear a really wicked motorbike helmet.
SOLD OUT ONLINE PRIOR TO RELEASE! WHAT WAS THE TOUR SCHEDULE LIKE FOR THE “TheALBUM?process was interesting and very different, as we got into it and realised how best to work with what we had (Zoom and a minimal recording set up) it was really good fun. It was all about making it feel like we were in the same room as one another as much as possible really so we could musically and mentally be on the same level and we managed to achieve that and deliver the Megamix to the best of our abilities considering the circumstances.”WHATDOYOU STAND FOR AS AN ARTIST? “I think my music says everything I stand for, that’s how I voice my thoughts and opinions.”
50 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT|ISSUE002WITH LIVE MUSIC WELL AND TRULY BACK IN ACTION, WHERE SHOULD WE GO AND WHO SHOULD WE SEE? “The Golden Lion and The Trades Club (Venues), Brian Destiny and Yard Act” SO WE KNOW YOU DON’T CURRENTLY RIDE A MOTORCYCLE, IS THAT SOMETHING YOU’D FANCY DOING IN THE FUTURE? “I always wanted to be able to ride a motorbike just so I had an excuse to wear a really wicked motorbike helmet...” WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE WORKING MEN’S Sounds“MoreCLUB?music…”goodto us! Go give ‘Widow’, their latest single a good listen - we promise you wont forget it. Full album, ‘Fear Fear’, is out on July 15th. You can keep up with Syd and everything Working Men’s Club on Instagram: @working_mens_club
250 FORNEWMATTMASTIFF125GREEN2022
THE
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Our original Mastiff was designed to be a stand-out-from-the-crowd machine. With the looks (and sound) to turn even the stiffest heads. This year, the Mastiff is now available in a rugged Matt Green. The large capacity matt finish tank, the aged brown diamond-stitched seat, and brushed aluminium details give our original heavy-hitter an all-new modern military-styled look. If you can’t turn some heads on this beast, then you just ain’t doing it right. BIG DOG HAS HAD A MAKEOVER…
PHOTOGRAPHY: GAVIN WATSON WHAT BECAME OF LADLIKELYTHE
With all four members pulling in the same direction, it was easier for the band to stick it out together than go it alone.
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They’re a far cry now from when Gary first joined the band at the turn of the millennium: “We were still in the genesis of everything, we had no deal, no money, Pete and Carl had nowhere to live. I had a really shitty job. John was studying and living in his mum’s house. We were literally at the beginning of everything moving forward with reference to us, not everything else, just us guys. So there was a basic equilibrium that kinda levelled us all out. There was no hierarchy.”
Gary has plenty of other projects from over the years under his belt. These include work with Hope Not Hate, his graphic novel project ‘The Invasion Of’ with Heroes writer Jim Martin, and his record label 25 Hour Convenience Store, which has helped keep him up to date with new and relevant music over the past ten years. When we spoke, he was keen to show off a potential new signing and was waxing lyrical about existing band Purest, who he describes as having a “very kind of New Order-esque sound with a tint of something else”.
Gary talks fondly of how that dynamic is still the same as when they signed their first record deal. “We still talk all of the same nonsense that we spoke about, we do all the same stupid things, we’re all just as stupid together. Outside of that, I come home, I’ve got the kids, I’ve got Unity Rocks, I’ve got my Record Label. But when I’m with the Libs, I’m Mr Rowntree. I’m a dickhead. Same dickhead I was when we first signed. So maintaining that dynamic and emotional connection is a piece of piss.”
It’s a Wednesday morning when Gary Powell, drummer for The Libertines, walks through the door of Mutt London dressed in double denim. He also sports a white leather gilet over the top of his jacket and a collection of dazzling silver across his fingers - which he admitted he was happy to have an excuse to wear. Topping it all off with a beanie, moustache, red socks and a Libertines neck scarf for good measure, this is a man who knows what he likes.
DRUMMER GARY POWELL TALKS ABOUT MEMORIES OF BIRMINGHAM AND THE FUTURE OF THE LIBERTINES
There’s no sense of Gary being a ‘former’ member of one of the UK’s most iconic bands of recent times. So we asked, can we expect new music from the capital’s most infamous foursome? “Who knows, to be honest, I kind of doubt it. It would be great if we did, if not just for us because we’ve been playing the same old material, which I still do really enjoy playing because it is really, really dynamic, and all of the other superlatives that go along with it. It’s just great material to play. But just to give us the impetus to do something for ourselves, as opposed to doing something for the greater good of everybody else. We haven’t done anything for us in ages because there’s no impetus to do anything for us, and it’s a little bit lazy. The whole hotel thing [Albion Rooms, Margate] was all Carl’s idea. My input into that was just the studio.” It’s not for want of trying, though. We find out from Gary that he wrote a whole bunch of songs during lockdown because “what else are you going to do?” And while the band may have been scattered across Europe, they still tried to catch up via video calls weekly. It’s been six years since the release of Anthems For Doomed Youth, the band’s third studio album, but they’re no strangers to long pauses - such as their hiatus from 2004 to 2010. “There was a lot written about the fact that we’d all kinda fallen out, but we hadn’t fallen out. It was well documented why we weren’t together, and it had nothing to do with us arguing. It was quite conducive, to be honest. When we did actually get together, it was just like a meeting of old minds, like the last time you saw a friend you haven’t seen in ages and you just carry on having the last conversation that you had with them, it was no different to that.”
Of course, Gary is a fellow Brummie, spending much of his youth travelling between our great city and the US. Even seeing Birmingham lads Duran Duran over in Yankee Stadium. But some of his older memories of the place are somewhat mixed.
“My history of Birmingham? I remember my uncle bought me a Sergio Tacchini tracksuit from Toronto for $39. Then some guy
After a while, the conversation turns to bikes, as you might expect in a showroom full of our pavement-pounding machines.
His stereo is currently pumping out the likes of Fontaines DC and Rex Orange County, and his Boogaloo Radio show keeps him checking out what’s new. “It’s just given me so much more time to investigate new music and new artists. So every week, I get to cherry-pick all this new music, and it’s all non-genre specific. The only thing that I’d say is genre-specific about the show is that I’ll play some jazz on the hour because I love jazz”.
Gary highlights The Astoria (“but they’ve closed that down, the bastards”) and Brixton Academy when talking about favourite venues. “I like shows at Brixton, and I especially like the crew at Brixton. They are really good - when we did my show for Unity Rocks, they really looked after me there. Brixton were very much of the mindset that this is for a really, really good cause, and we’re going to back you 100%. So even when Pete did graffiti on the walls, and that needed to be paid for, they didn’t take it from any of the fees whatsoever. I think they actually covered it for me, so shout out Brixton!”
Gary instantly admits he’s always wanted one of his own. “My affair with motorbikes started by watching the TV show ‘Kick Start’,” an absolute classic for those who remember. He tells Birmingham now is a great city and I’ve got some really good friends there... “ “ us an anecdote about a biking accident he had in Chicago while catching a ride. However, mentioning lawyers means skipping some of the details is necessary. “I went over the handlebars, and I just remember flying through the air and thinking, ‘you dickhead’.” Luckily, he wasn’t caning it, so it didn’t end too badly, “but my knuckles, hands, knees, elbows, and a bit of my face were all grazed.”
Luckily a bit of introductory road rash didn’t put him off. And he tells us he’s keen to bag himself a custom Mutt to call ‘GAP’ after his initials. Our conversation then turns to road trips, specifically what he listens to when he is on the road with the band. Gary refuses to pick a single album to listen to for a lengthy journey, so we settle on letting him have two. “On the way there, Jeff Buckley’s first album Grace. On the way back, A Tribe Called Quest - People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.”
Gary keeps himself busy with his record label, producing bands like Dead Freights and Brown Bear and presenting EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING on Boogaloo Radio on Thursdays. He’s also a writer for NYC based magazine
I’ve got the kids, I’ve got Unity Rocks, I’ve got my Record Label. But when I’m with the Libs I’m Mr Rowntree.
“ “ with a knife made me strip in the centre of Birmingham and take the whole thing off. I then got a lift home from the police. This was a Saturday as well, and it was packed with people wandering around. Birmingham was a very different place back then. I was never a big fan of England until I left and returned. As far as I’m concerned, Birmingham now is a great city, and I’ve got some really good friends there who run a clothes store called ‘Autograph’. Those guys are really, really cool.” So what about Gary’s legacy? “The best drummer in Rock’ N’ Roll. That’s it.” He laughs and admits to stealing ideas from drumming predecessors - he loves the artistry of percussion. Still, we’re confident his influence isn’t exactly going to fade away any time soon. “What will we leave behind? It’s a toughie because, being on the inside, I honestly don’t see what all the fuss is. I just don’t see it. I see better artists around, bands creating greater music, and bands with a much higher output than we have. The one thing that we have that maybe others don’t have is an understanding of our environment and wanting to be one with our environment. There is no hierarchy.”
Lockdown gave Gary the chance to spend time with his kids, skating a lot in Mile End and Margate (“The revolution is in Margate!”). He also took the opportunity to take the time to encourage people to have real conversations with each other rather than arguments. “Conversations had become so antiquated and aggressive towards people with a different political belief system or ideology for no reason whatsoever. Say, for instance, if I voted in favour of Brexit, and you didn’t, we could not have a conversation at that point of time which I was just like, ‘what!? Seriously!?’ Because I think differently to you on a subject that affects us both, now you hate me, and I’m meant to hate you? Makes no sense whatsoever!.”
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The day after we met with Gary was Stephen Lawrence Day. Hence, he was busy working with the charity Stop Hate UK to help increase the education around intolerance. He’s keen to advocate for the virtues of engaging constructively with others.
“We may be on different sides of the coin, but we are still on the same coin. We still want the best for our country, community, and family. We’re just going about it in different ways.”
Ubikwist. Writing articles on Skin from Skunk Anansie, Ben Harper, Art comes First fashion designer, and actress Yolonda Ross to name a few. And just before you thought that he couldn’t possibly fit anything else in, Gary will be back to DJing again this year. Honestly, we don’t know how he manages to do so much. Fair play Gary.
METALTHETOPEDAL PHOTOGRAPHY: GAVIN WATSON
For anyone not up to date on their metal music history, we should probably fill you in on the story behind the store’s name sooner than later. Crypt of the Wizard takes its name from a compilation album by Norwegian artist Mortiis. “Mortiis is someone who has featured in the metal world for a really long time. He’s a mixed character. He was pretty important in the early black metal years, being a member of the band Emperor (which was already a big deal). Then he invented a genre of music. But he’s sort of a figure of fun to some degree.
He’s always been an easy target to sort of make fun of a bit, with his goblin mask and wings and stuff. I think having a bit of an ability to laugh at yourself within metal is quite important because, you know, it’s a balance of the ultraserious and the sort of silly. So the name just popped into my head when we first opened, and my little group of mates were throwing names at each other. It just stuck as one that seemed to be functional. Now we’re referred to as ‘The Crypt’, and then there’s this wizard figure who sort of stands aloft it all. I knew it would stand out.”
As the folks who make ‘Black Metal from Birmingham’, you might think that here, at Mutt, we like our musical offerings on the heavy side. And, of course, you’d be damn right. For us, heavy metal and motorbikes go hand in hand, like apple pie and custard. Charlie Woolley, the owner and manager of London’s one and only specialist heavy metal record store, Crypt of the Wizard, agrees. “I fucking love bikes! Growing up, bikes, tattoos, and metal was all one thing, and that was all you wanted in life,” he told us as we chatted outside his store on Hackney Road.
That’s what I want, to make a place where you really can’t get most of the stuff anywhere else, you’ve got to come here and that’s more fun. “ “
The original set-up at Crypt of the Wizard was “quite a different shop to the one we’re in now”. Time has helped Charlie and his team develop it into exactly what they dreamed of that day in Sweden. “With the original shop, we were trying to please quite a broad swathe of people.
WE PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE TO HEAVY METAL WITH CHARLIE OF HEAVY METAL RECORD STORE ‘CRYPT OF THE WIZARD’
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The journey all started for Charlie when he was at a festival with friends in rural Sweden called MUSKELROCK. A fantastic old school metal festival breaking a lot of new bands into the scene but also bringing back the classics - well worth a visit for any metalheads who haven’t ventured that way yet. “We just got talking about doing something. Whatever the ridiculous idea was, I was keen to join in and be a part of it because I didn’t have anything better to do.” Eventually, they decided that creating a heavy metal-only record store would be it. So they all quit their jobs and started working towards this unique new venture. “That was sort of Crypt of the Wizard 1.0.”
What isinterestsreallymenewbands and new music and that’s what gets me up in the morning. “ “
“So what I decided to do when the new Crypt of the Wizard opened was to please myself and try and build it up around that.” Now Charlie focuses almost entirely on underground releases as one of the store’s key niches. “I don’t really bother with any major label stuff because you can get it elsewhere fairly easily at the end of the day. There’s a lot of loyalty, and I love that. I buy a lot of records, and if I can get them cheaper somewhere else, I will because when you’re buying hundreds of records a month, you’ve got to think about how much you’re spending.”
The new version of the shop is fuelled 100% by underground releases, including some proper DIY bedroom labels. “I just started stocking a tape label called ‘Horrible Room’ from Russia. He can only give me two of each release because he only makes like twenty. And there’s a French-Canadian label called ‘Murder On Ponce’, which is again a similar situation. They sell instantly because no one else is stocking them. I want to make a place where you really can’t get most of the stuff anywhere else, you’ve got to come here, and that’s the fun.”
We didn’t want anyone to come in and be disappointed, and that doesn’t work because you’ve got a little bit of something for everyone, and it’s too thin that way.”
Charlie’s love for music and discovering new music is indisputable and, clearly, a crucial part of his life both when it comes to work and play. “What interests me is new bands and new music - that’s what gets me up in the morning.”
On top of this, Charlie also runs his record label named after the store, working with real old school British heavy metal bands like Heavy Sentence. He hosts radio shows for NTS Radio and does podcasts interviewing people over Instagram. If that wasn’t enough, he also puts on gigs at Helgi’s in Hackney. So it’s not exactly a ‘phase’, this music lark. “It’s a 50 person capacity, so I’ve been putting on gigs that only 50 people are likely to come to. There’s no money in it - I can just about pay the bands for their travel and all that stuff. I brought Hail Conjurer over from Finland, one of my favourite ongoing projects. He’s only been going for about four years, and he’s done an album every year - that gig was unbelievable, with Sump (UK black metal band) supporting. People came from all over England because it was quite a special thing. You can find 50 people who desperately want to go to that gig, but you couldn’t find 300/400. I like doing stuff on that scale” Charlie has definitely found his niche and seems to be doing a better job of nailing it than anyone else.
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So, how the hell does he manage to keep it so relevant? “It’s an endless fucking nightmare! I see music forums in my sleep. You just do what you can - you’re never 100% on top of it. You always miss stuff, and you kick yourself all the time, but I do what I can; I’m only one person.”
CRYPT OF THE WIZARD 264 Hackney Rd, London E2 @cryptofthewizard7SJ
The big question, as always, is: Can he ride? “I was halfway to getting my bike licence, but things got in the way. I’ve got a sweet little ‘90s Honda CG which I’m definitely too big for. So I did my CBT and rode that little thing around for a couple of years until I had kids and never quite got onto the next stage. So it’s what’s happening next - I’m looking forward to doing it and getting up to the full licence. I used to ride them without a licence, but I can’t do that now - I’m a responsible adult.” Of course, we have to ask him the inevitable question. If Charlie could pick a famous heavy metal musician to join him on an epic road trip across Europe, who would it be? “It’s got to be Lemmy [Kilmister, of Motorhead] - I don’t think he ever rode a bike in his life. Who’s a bike rider? Wino, Scott Weinrich, from Saint Vitus, is a legendary chopper rider; he’d probably be good. Still, he’s a bit too much into his [redacted for legal reasons…]. Lemmy would be more fun; you’d have a giggle and get in trouble.” Now that would be a trip. So let’s do the good thing and support this amazing record shop (otherwise, these cool independent shops will disappear, folks). Drop into the East London store or visit www.cryptofthewizard.com to buy online.
GOODSTHEPRODUCING PHOTOGRAPHY: GAVIN WATSON
GOING HEAD TO HEAD TO WITH MUSIC ROYALTY - CLIVE LANGER
“The most memorable and quite recent experience I had was riding on my own, in the summer of ‘19, from London to a hamlet in the mountains of the Auvergne called Boisseuge not far from Clermont. I had a map and jumped on the overnight ferry to St Malo. I stopped wherever took my fancy - I had a credit card, two great lunches, a dinner and room for the night in Tours. The roads were great. Empty A and B roads and the last 20 miles on mountain winding single-lane tracks.”
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On a rainy day in East London, we opened the doors of Mutt’s store in the smoke to record producer, songwriter, composer and musician Clive Langer, one of the most infamous names in the business. It’s not every day you get to hang out with the guy that co-wrote Shipbuilding with Elvis Costello, played the guitar in both Deaf School and Big In Japan, composed the music for the films Still Crazy and Brothers of the Head and produced albums for Madness, Morrissey, The Teardrop Explodes, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Aztec Camera... The list goes on! In short, Clive is music royalty and exudes the energy of a man who has been there, done it and chucked the t-shirt out the window. Fortunately for us, his other passion in life is being a massive motor-head, and he has a long, detailed history of being out on the road on two wheels. When we first set up Mutt, Clive was an early customer of ours - he visited Benny in the workshop (version 1.0) in Birmingham, and Mr Langer’s first custom Mutt was born. It’s fair to say we’ve been gagging to get him over to our Bethnal Green store, near to his home by Victoria Park, for a friendly grilling, and, look, here we are: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING MOTORCYCLES FOR AND WHAT GOT YOU FIRST INTERESTED IN THEM?
“I’ve been riding motorcycles since I was 16 - 1970 - I only rode for a year, though. I was desperate to pass my test and break away from the L plates and the (then) 250cc limit, but it was not to be. At that time, I owned a ‘58 Triumph Tiger Cub with a maroon and grey tank. The problem was I failed my test twice, the first time for driving too close to parked cars and the second for arriving at the test centre without my provisional license. I was gutted. I was just turning 17, so I traded my bike for a Ford Anglia van that I bought from a window cleaner for £25 and passed my car test the first time! Until I was 60, 43 years later, whenever I saw or heard a motorbike, I was reminded of what I didn’t have. So at the tender age of 60, I set my mind on getting my license. I took my test on the Isle of Wight and passed! I have been interested in motorcycles for as long as I can remember - the noise, the look, the smell, the roar - and with films like The Wild One and later Easy Rider. I was WHAThooked.”HAVE BEEN SOME OF YOUR BEST MOTORCYCLE EXPERIENCES?
WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT MUTT “WhatMOTORCYCLES?Ilikemostabout Mutts are their look, feel and sound, like ‘proper’ bikes! Like my memories of classic bikes from my past, the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s Triumphs and BSAs.”
THERE ARE A FEW MOTORCYCLE REFERENCES THROUGHOUT YOUR ALBUM PRACTICE WHICH YOU RELEASED AS PART OF THE BAND ‘THE CLANG GROUP’. “A track on The Clang Group album (Practice) called ‘Knock Me Off’ (My motorbike, haha). It’s about being knocked from my bike after being hit, side-on, by a car. It was based on an experience I had whilst riding my Mutt CL Cub near Whitestone Pond in Hampstead; luckily, I braked and swerved, and it made no contact, but I was fantasising about how it would feel - the thoughts going through my head whilst flying through the air, not knowing what to expect!”
YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND, AND HOW HAS IT DEVELOPED OVER TIME? “Well, I went on to produce the first Madness album (One Step Beyond) with Alan Winstanley - we worked together for the next 30 years and more. He always engineered, so I suppose our ‘sound’ came from him. I never could really describe it, so I leave that to others.”
What I like most about Mutts are their look, feel and sound, like ‘proper’ bikes! Like the memories I have of classic bikes “ “
HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INTO MUSIC “IPRODUCTION?firstgotintoproduction when I started working with Madness; I went on to co-produce them until this day. They came to see my band Deaf School playing at The Roundhouse in North London, where I saw these interestingly dressed, stylish young men, gang-like in appearance, standing by the side of the stage. I knew Mike’s older brother (Ben Barson), so I recognised them and agreed to meet them after the show. We had a chat, and I arranged to come to one of their rehearsals where I first heard ‘My Girl’, and I was smitten. We agreed that I would produce a demo. We did! When Suggs played the demo to Jerry Dammers (The Specials), he wanted The Prince to come out on his label 2Tone. It did. It was a hit. I was a HOWproducer!”WOULD
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON MUSIC/ PRODUCTION-WISE AT THE MOMENT?
“The last bit of proper work I did was the track ‘Feet’ by Fat White Family. A good experience!”
“Working with David Bowie and producing Absolute Beginners was quite a high point; I felt like ‘Blimey, we’ve made it!’ Being a fan of his work, especially the ‘Low’ period, I couldn’t believe I was producing him, I mean, he was one of my favourite producers, and I’m producing him!”
“I heard an interesting track on Radio 6 the other day by Do Nothing called ‘Uber Alles’. And at home this week, I’ve been listening to Phoebe Bridgers and the fantastic Charlie Mingus album Oh Yea.” Cheers Clive, until next time!
TELL US ABOUT THE LARGE COUNTRY STUDIO YOU USED TO OWN? MUST HAVE BEEN SOME GREAT RIDES AROUND THERE?
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER SO FAR?
working with David Bowie and producing Absolute Beginners was quite a high point, I felt like Blimey we’ve made it! “ “
WHAT NEW MUSIC ARE YOU LISTENING TO AT THE MOMENT?
“Yes, it was Hook End Manor; Alan and I acquired the property from Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd). We went on to create the best residential studio in Europe (I think). As I explained earlier, I wasn’t riding motorcycles at that time, but I had some great runs in the woods while recording Kill Uncle with Morrissey!”
Once described by Bill Drummond as ‘the greatest rock band of all time’, this track from Liverpool’s indie royalty is a total classic.
FLY LIKE AN EAGLE STEVE MILLER BAND
THE TakenYARDOVERLOADACTfromthenewly released same-titled full length from the Leeds foursome, The Overload is a witty, sardonic tale about life in modern Britain. HOT STUFF PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS As heavy as a hippo on a Harley, this pulverising monster of a cover has been on constant replay at HQ since the end of last year.
This timeless classic from The Man in Black is the most up-beat song about going to prison for murder ever recorded. MYTHIC NewBAMBARALOVEthisyearfrom Bambara, the Athens, Georgia outfit return with some of their trademark emotive and anthemic alt-rock.
In February, we lost a musical legend. Mark will be very sadly missed. ‘Snake Song’ comes from ‘Hawk’, a 2010 release with Isobel Campbell.
THE MUTT’S NUTS CHUBBY AND THE GANG This opener from last year’s album of the same name is raucous, brash, loud and totally fucksfree. Relax? No chance… SWEET DREAMS OF OTHERNESS
ThisALEXISONFIREnewtrackfrom post-hardcore legends Alexisonfire sees them true to form. Look forward to more new music later this year.
Singer-songwriterSTEVEPROTECTIONGUNN Steve Gunn has combined folk, blues, jazz and psyche while creating an always-evolving musical output.
SEVEN SEAS ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN
SNAKE SONG MARK LANEGAN + ISOBEL CAMPBELL
MUTT M XTAPE
This track has variously been described as an ode to social justice, a tale about a euphoric drug experience, or just a song about an eagle.
FOLSOM PRISON BLUES JOHNNY CASH
BLACK OfSNOWBLINDSABBATHcoursewecan’tcreate a mixtape without including the legendary Sabbath. We picked this because it’s ace. Really fucking ace.
66 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT|ISSUE002PRESENTING THE MUTT MIXTAPE - A COLLECTION OF MUTT-APPROVED MUSIC. SOME NEW, SOME OLD... SOME ANCIENT. WE’VE LISTED A TASTER SELECTION FROM OUR FIRST FEW MIXTAPE PLAYLISTS BELOW TO GET YOU IN THE MOOD. FOLLOW US ON SPOTIFY FOR MORE. (OR SOD OFF AND LISTEN TO THE TOP 40. WE AIN’T BOTHERED) NeverIDLESCRAWLone to shy away from a tough topic, this track deals with Joe Talbot’s struggle with addiction and recovery. THE Boston’sTRAPFACTSTHEM‘TrapThem’ were ultimate metal/grindcore merchants. Their sheer sonic force is a visceral assault on your ears. UpcomingCREEPSUFFOCATEFEATURESSydneyrock-duo Creep features deliver a track about post-breakup chaos over catchy riffs and a monster breakdown. UNTITLED (FEAT. SCAR) KILLER MIKE Known for his work with long-time collaborator El-P as Run The Jewels, Killer Mike is at his unimpeachable solo best on 2012s’ R.A.P. Music’. DO CanadianGHOSTYOUWOMANmulti-instrumentalist Evan Uschenko delivers us a cool slab of fuzzy, contemplative neo-psyche.
SLOWLY SEPARATE LondonCROWSbased noise-merchants Crows released their first new music in a couple of years, with ‘Slowly Separate’ being one of our faves.
INNER CITY BLUES MARVIN GAYE Closing out the landmark ‘What’s Going On’ is this absolute belter. A sublime musical backdrop underpins the hard politics of the track.
PurveyorsCIRCLETERMINALofapocalyptic psyche-doom rock, Finland’s cult rockers Circle go all out on this one. All hail the riff!
JACKIE DOWN THE LINE FONTAINES D.C. Fontaines D.C. have adopted a slightly softer sound, but don’t let that fool you. This early release heralds more for this year.
INMETALBLACKSINGAPORE
As a born and bred Brummie, with an obsession for vintage stripped-down motorcycles, I stumbled upon Mutt’s original HQ on the way back from a meeting. I just remember thinking ‘WOW - this is incredible. The timeless aesthetic, the brand, the sense of adventure and freedom, and the people - formula nailed. From that point on, Mutt HQ was a regular hangout for me. Jump forward a couple of years and I’m having a beer with a good friend, Jules, in Singapore where I now live. The conversation quickly shifts to bikes, as they often do for me, and Jules tells me he’s been relentlessly hunting for a sub 200cc bike that will “make me feel like Steve McQueen”. Of course, I knew just what he was looking for - the only challenge was, they didn’t have a base in Singapore... Yet. In September 2019, Jules’ Hilts Green rolled off a container in Singapore with a few other bikes ready to join the Mutt Singapore pack and make Mutt Motorcycles a household name in Southeast Asia. Jules and I soft-launched the brand at the Singapore F1 Grand Prix later that month at a 3 day-long party packed full of petrol heads, which was great for starting to build the community of like-minded folk here. As a new name in Southeast Asia, Mutt had a few hoops to jump through, so it was late February before our first road-legal Mutts were bashing around the streets. That didn’t stop the motorcycle-hungry community from snowballing - the number of members in our ‘Mutt Club’ began to ramp up, coordinating ride-outs and meet ups. We quickly learnt that those who choose Mutt are all different by design - they’re the cool kids, who are standing out from the crowd for all the right reasons.
“Interestingly, our Singapore chapter actually kicked off back in Birmingham (of all places) in around 2016.
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IAIN FROM MUTT SINGAPORE GIVES US AN INSIGHT INTO MUTT’S LIFE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
The initial months following the release were awesome - we were lucky enough to be surrounded by folks who understood the passion and obsession for these machines as much as me. I even managed to sneak in a road trip across the border to Malaysia and beyond on my Sabbath. Life was good. Until one day a little virus washed up on our shores... Covid hit us hard here; it was a particularly stern kick in the nuts when the authorities put an industry-wide ban on the registration of new bikes for four months to ensure bike sales weren’t contributing to the spread. It was a bit of a shit sandwich, but tough times always breed opportunity, and we took advantage of the downtime by designing our new flagship store, so the Mutt family would have somewhere in Singapore to call their own.
True to the standards set by Mutt HQ, we wanted to do something different to the rest of the industry. So we ditched the remote industrial estate in favour of a place in the heart of a Joo Chiat, a super fun neighbourhood full of quality caffeine, all the food you could dream of and an endless number of nice places to hang out. It’s a perfect fit for our laid back custom vibe and the Mutt Singapore hub swiftly became a hotspot for motorcycle and brand enthusiasts alike.
As Mutt Singapore continues to grow, we’ve managed to maintain the core family mentality, and I speak for the whole team here when I say we have made some lifelong friends in the process - and that’s what really matters, isn’t it?”
I love the simplicity and un-fussy beauty of a Mutt. They are easy to clean, maintain and fun to ride! “ “
The community here has continued to grow and we’re so stoked with what it has become. We’re especially proud that we can boast a massive amount of female riders choosing to ride a Mutt, making up just short of 1/3rd of our community!
Mutt is redefining the motorcycle industry here; we’re true to the core Mutt ethos of a damn fantastic motorcycle experience, regardless of who you are and what you know about bikes. There seems to be an ‘intimidating’ stigma around the motorcycle industry and we’re keen to be part of changing that. Nice people ride bikes too, our riders are evidence of that. We welcome all with open arms.
70 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTTISSUE002Get yourself into all things Mutt Singapore: 427647Singapore432Instagramwww.muttmotorcycles.sg&Facebook:@muttmotorcycles.sgMUTTMOTORCYCLESJooChiatRoad, A Mutt is a great first bike for anyone starting out or getting back into bikes after some time off. “ “
WE CAUGHT UP WITH ROCK ‘N’ ROLL LEGEND AND MOTORCYCLE FANATIC FRANKY PEREZ AT OUR NEW BIRMINGHAM HOME
Franky has recently been fronting the Finnish symphonic metal band Apocalyptica alongside writing and performing solo.
As well as being a prolific multi-instrumentalist, Franky is also something of a motorcycle obsessive. In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, he set off on his bike across the US, filming as he went. As he rode cross country, Franky met with fellow musicians and embattled healthcare workers and their patients. The resulting documentary ‘Crossing the Great Divide’ is due for release in mid-2022, with an accompanying album of the same name. Highlighting just how much work Franky puts in, he wrote all the songs, performed 90% of the instrumentation and engineered and produced the whole album himself. Now he is just making us look bad.
BIRMINGHAMGOESFRANKYto
We chatted with Franky about music, bikes, the upcoming album, and the idea of touring across the UK on a Mutt…
It’s always great when people drop into Mutt HQ to chat about all things music and bikes. And they don’t come much greater than rock legend Franky Perez. Currently based in LA, Franky has worked alongside some of the rock business’s biggest names, including Slash, Steven Tyler, Sex Pistol’s Steve Jones, Billy Morrison of The Cult, and System of Down’s Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan in Malakian’s Scars on Broadway project. He has also worked with none other than local rock royalty Geezer Butler. Saying he is well connected is something of an understatement.
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“When I was a kid, my family acquired a massive record collection (that I still own today) from a garage sale. It had everything - Elvis, The Beatles, James Brown, Otis, Wilson Pickett, Glen Campbell, Steve Miller Band, The Stones, Zep, The Jackson 5, Johnny Cash, Dylan, Ike and Tina, Miles, Herbie, and so many others. Add to that our already vast Latin and jazz music collection, and it’s easy to see that I wasn’t influenced by one artist or genre in particular but by music in all its glorious forms!”
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO CURRENTLY?
And just like that, Franky jumped back on his bike and rode off into the Franky’ssunset.fifthsolo album, Crossing the Great Divide, will be released on June 24th and set to be a must-hear for bike enthusiasts. Full of songs inspired by his recent cross-country motorcycle ride captured in his new documentary, we’ll be playing it loud at Mutt HQ.
Follow Franky on Instagram for a glimpse into his musicalmusings: @frankyperezofficial
“Riding along the causeway into New Orleans at sunset during the filming of the Crossing The Great Divide documentary was pretty MUSICALLY,spectacular.”WHO WERE SOME OF YOUR BIGGEST INFLUENCES GROWING UP?
WHAT FIRST INTERESTED YOU IN THE WORLD OF TWO WHEELS? “It’s tough to say, but what I can tell you is that ever since I was a little kid, if given a choice between a car or a motorcycle toy, the motorbike would always end up in the grocery cart.”
HAVE YOU GOT A CAREER HIGHLIGHT? “There are a few, but the one that sticks out would have to be singing Knocking On Heaven’s Door, shouldered up to Ronnie Wood and Slash in front of an audience of 20,000 at a festival in Norway. Everything came together. The weather was beautiful, the band was tight, and the crowd was in the moment with us singing every word. It was perfect. YOU’VE PLAYED WITH SOME MASSIVE STARS; HAVE YOU EVER BEEN STARSTRUCK? “Only once. I felt the full force of Beatlemania take over me when I met Ringo. I played it cool on the outside (I think...), but inside I was a blubbering, fainting fan in the audience at Sullivan circa WHERE’S‘64!”
“Even though I take long cross country trips on large touring bikes, I usually gravitate toward bikes I can whip around and use as daily drivers. Mutt bikes just look like a blast to ride. Besides that, I like my motorcycles the way I like my Rock… Classic!”
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE ROAD TRIP MOMENTS?
“My WHATgut.”ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT? AND WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD?
WHAT IS IT ABOUT MUTT THAT CAUGHT YOUR EYE?
THE CRAZIEST PLACE YOU’VE “IPERFORMED?wouldn’tcallitthe craziest, but taking the Trans Siberian Express to Siberia to play an Apocalyptica gig was pretty surreal. I rode in my own compartment with the cellos, and every morning a babushka would kick my bed and yell at me to get up. To this day, I have no idea why she did that! I must have reminded her of her lazy son or something.”
“Rehearsing the new album. Can’t wait to get out on the road and play it!”
74 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT|ISSUE002Mutt bikes just look like a blast to ride. Besides that, I like my motorcycles the way I like my Rock…Classic! “ “
GREY FORNEW2022
COOLFSR125GLOSS
250
76 MAGAZINEMOTORCYCLESMUTT|ISSUE002WE NEVER THOUGHT ANYTHING COULD BE COOLER THAN BLACK
It seems we were wrong because our new grey FSR is really f*ckin’ cool. When we added the original all-black, low-down, street machine that is the FSR to our model line-up, we didn’t think we could make it any more beautiful. Turns out we could. The gloss finish cool grey tank and panels on this new FSR have to be seen in the flesh (or, more appropriately, metal) to really be appreciated. And once you do, you will be hookedthis bike is that good. So this year, grey is the new black. But then maybe it always has been…
“I’ve only been riding motorcycles for just under six years; I did my CBT in September 2016 and got my full licence in April 2017. My father was a mod in his youth, and both my grandfather and great grandfather rode bikes, so maybe it
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING MOTORCYCLES FOR, AND WHAT FIRST GOT YOU INTERESTED IN THEM?
CALLINGLONDON
HOW’S EVERYTHING GOING AT THE MUTT LONDON STORE?
For those of you who have taken a trip down to the big smoke to visit us, there’s a 99.99% chance you’ll have already met our incredible London Store Manager, Saffron. This is someone who not only knows everything about Mutts, but is also a fountain of knowledge when it comes to London bike scene, the pushbike life, East London haunts and everything you’ll need to know to hit the road in safety and style, no matter what experience you already have under your belt. So we grabbed a stool at the Bethnal Green Store and proper natter with the lady in charge.
“Things are going really well! Especially considering I had to be closed for several months during the lockdown both last year and the year before. I think many people decided to PULL UP A STOOL AND JOIN US FOR A CHAT WITH OUR LONDON STORE SUPREMO, SAFFRON. get a motorbike to avoid having to use public transport, so Mutts have been in high demand. I’ve really enjoyed helping set the shop up and running it. There’s something so joyful about new riders collecting their bikes; they are filled with so much excitement to be on two wheels. It really does make me smile. I love working at Mutt because it’s not like working for a company - it’s like working with friends. Everyone is super cool and gets on; we are a family - sometimes a bit of a mad family, but a family nonetheless.”
WHAT WAS THE FIRST BIKE YOU OWNED? AND WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT COLLECTION LIKE?
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Running the Mutt London store puts me in an excellent position to help and advise any ladies looking to get into riding or buying their first motorcycle.
Personally, I never felt being a woman was an obstacle or that it was a “man thing”; I wanted to ride, so I went out and did it.”
has always been in my blood. It wasn’t until I rode pillion on a Harley with an ex-boyfriend that I thought about learning to ride myself. I enjoyed the feeling of being on the bike - that combination of fear and excitement was addictive; plus, I don’t have a car licence, so the thought of being able to go wherever I wanted was appealing. Learning to ride has given me so much freedom and opened up my life in ways I’d never have imagined. I’ve made amazing friends, done some cool stuff, travelled, and even met my husband because of it!”
“My first bike was a 1979 Honda CG with a kickstart, which I got because it was all I could afford at the time, and I wasn’t super aware of what was on the market and available to me as a new rider. The Honda was a total pain in the arse: it was refusing to start one day, so I posted on a Facebook group asking if anyone knew a decent mechanic in my area. I got the usual ridiculous comments asking if I had petrol in it and so on. A very kind man offered to come and help me bump-start the bike and let me know where to take it to get looked at, and that’s how I met my husband! When I passed my test, I got a 1989 Kawasaki GT550; it was beautiful, big and heavy and taught me to ride properly.
MOTORCYCLING CAN BE QUITE MALEDOMINATED; WHY DO YOU THINK THIS IS, AND HOW CAN WE GET MORE WOMEN “INTERESTED?Motorcyclinghas been male-dominated for a long time, but there is a growing trend in women learning to ride. I think this rise in women getting a bike has been massively helped by women on social media posting about their riding experience, showing how accessible it really is and how many women are actually into motorcycles. There are women-only events happening, women’s motorcycle groups on Facebook where you can ask for advice and give each other encouragement to learn or progress without any pressure!
My current collection is a Honda Hornet 600c, a CBR900rr FireBlade, a Suzuki SV650s track bike and we recently bought a Kawasaki Ninja ZXR4 400cc, which my husband and I are doing up. Of course I have a host of Mutts at my disposal that I can ride whenever I want. In all we have seven motorbikes between us, and ride all sorts of bikes all the time.”
There are also some amazing women who compete in races, both track and off-road, against men, proving that it’s not just a boys club. I think many women may find it daunting to go into a bike shop as, usually, it’s men that work in them.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO START OUT RIDING?
“Completing your CBT then getting yourself a 125cc to ride is a good way to start; it enables you the time to learn, gain confidence and on-road experience before thinking about going for your full licence.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GAVIN WATSON
“I love the simplicity and un-fussy beauty of a Mutt. They are easy to clean, maintain and fun to ride! A Mutt is a great first bike for anyone starting out or getting back into bikes after some time off. They are lightweight and not intimidating at all, plus they always turn heads. Whenever I take a Mutt out I have a real blast, they are just so much fun!”
I love the simplicity and un-fussy beauty of a Mutt. They are easy to clean, maintain and fun to ride! “
Booze wise, we have Satan’s Whiskers cocktail bar along the street, and The Hare is further along towards Hackey - it’s a proper old boozer.
WHAT IS IT YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT MUTT BIKES?
My favourite pub is the Lord Morpeth, it’s around a 20-minute walk from the shop, in Bow, but it’s well worth it. They do delicious sour dough pizza, so you can get beer and pizza in one place, which is always a winner in my book. I often go there on summer evenings after work. Take your time and don’t try to rush it; enjoy the experience. It’s also beneficial to learn basic maintenance and how to care for your bike - it’s pretty fulfilling to know how your bike works and what to do if you have an issue. There is an incredible online Mutt community, and in London, there is a riders group that organises ride outs and meetups. Going for rides with others is one of the best ways to help boost your confidence, plus you get to spend quality time with good people!”
“Ooooh did you say pizza! I love pizza. There is Yard Sale Pizza on Hackney Road, which does the best pizza; they also do an amazing Marmite and cheese garlic bread. Behind the shop in the railway arches is Sodo Pizza which is also really good and very close to Mutt London.
WHEN WE’RE NEXT DOWN VISITING THE BETHNAL GREEN MUTT STORE WHERE ELSE SHOULD WE CHECK OUT? ANY GOOD BOOZERS, PIZZAS, LONDON RIDE-OUTS?
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I’m looking forward to more track days and some longer trips, including riding around Spain later this year hopefully.”
I prefer to ride out of London, rather than into it (the traffic is hideous!), so the roads out around Essex and Sussex are my go-to - they’re just lovely. I’m quite partial to stopping at the Tea Hut in Epping Forest for a sausage sandwich, it’s been there for years and years, and you will always find loads of bikes WHATthere.”HAVE
BEEN SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE ROAD TRIPS AND RIDING EXPERIENCES?
Londoners - get yourself down to Mutt London to meet Saffron yourself; she’ll have you captivated and chomping at the bit to get your butt on a Mutt. 399 Cambridge Heath Rd Bethnal GreenLondon, E2 9RA Tuesday - Saturday: 10:00am - 6:00pm
“I have already done so many things in the years I’ve been riding, so it’s hard to pick a favourite, but riding in France through the Pyrenees mountains while at Wheels and Waves was pretty amazing. The scenery was spectacular, we even encountered mountain bulls and cows that were just hanging out in the middle of the road, and we had to go around them. It was a bit terrifying as I had only had my full licence for about a month, but it was an unforgettable experience.
A Mutt is a great first bike for anyone starting out or getting back into bikes after some time off. “ “ Doing my first track day on my own bike is pretty high on my list as well, learning what my bike is capable of in a safe environment and being able to push myself that little bit further along my motorcycle journey. It’s safe to say I’ve now got the track bug! I finished building my own track bike last year, which I’ve enjoyed putting to the test!
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