Parish Cake Autumn 2017

events
We’re Predicting
Great Things!
Trisha Fermor talks to Cranbrook-based band
about its name, sound and upcoming gigs
PERHAPS THE Weald is
not the first place you
would link with hardened
blues rock but Cranbrook
can pride itself on
spawning a band with a
brilliant future.
Think Led Zeppelin,
think Bowie, think Black
Sabbath and add the fiveman
Tarot Rats who are
fast-tracking their way to
joining the best.
The eclectic bunch of
music-makers are riff
wizard, much tattooed
father of four, Johnny
Hammond, 36; guitar lord
Chris Sansom, 39, also
father of four; Adrian
Smithers, 32, rhythm
glue; Alex Ribchester, 33,
stickman, and the baby
of the band, singer Tim
Hill, 29.
Where did their
unusual name come
from? Johnny explained:
“We kept picking names
and found they had
already been taken. Then
we had a eureka moment
and thought of Tarot Rats
because we write some
songs with reference to
tarot cards, which are not
all gloomy.”
The band has just
completed an EP of their
work which is being
released on September
1. Entitled 3.0, Johnny
explained: “It refers to
the third full line-up of
the group, rather like the
Phoenix rising from the
ashes. Now is such an
exciting time for us and
we are looking to next
year for more festivals
and perhaps the year after
a tour of UK and after
that Europe. Glastonbury
is not happening next
year but we would love to
play there in 2019.”
The Rats were eager to
sing the praises of record
producer Guy Denning
who runs the Granary
Studio in Lamberhurst.
Looking to the sounds
“IT JUST FEELS RIGHT AT THE
MOMENT. OUR SOUND HAS
MATURED AND OUR PROFILE
WILL GO UP AND UP”
of the past, he recorded
the band using old
technology – reel-to-reel
analogue tape – and Chris
said: “It is very expensive
but the sound is just
amazing.”
WIN, WIN,
WIN...
Johnny said: “It just
feels right at the moment.
Our sound has matured
and our profile will go
up and up. We will be
supporting some big acts
and aim to release our
first full LP album next
year.”
The band has been
signed by Rock People
Management and will
be at The Forum in
Tunbridge Wells on Friday
September 22. Following
a tradition, Tarot Rats will
be at The George, Stone
Street, Cranbrook, for a
Halloween night gig on
October 28.
Sign up to the Ratpacks’ website
www.tarotrats.com/signup and try
your luck at winning two tickets for
their gig at The Forum, Tunbridge
Wells, on Friday September 22 plus a
copy of their brand new EP.
Parish Cake • Autumn 2017 21