Fat Digester are veterans of the Nottingham music scene. A dynamic live act, they've been gigging around the city for five years and have built up quite a reputation for themselves.
The band have released two singles. Funky Situation and Adios, their latest release which earned the band televisision appearance on ITV. They write and produce all their own material.
At the end of this month we'll be getting them in for a session at LeftLion Presents... 'Get The Funk Out'. As an experienced head on the Nottingham gigging scene, we thought we'd get drummer Ben in for a chat too...
For the uninitiated, please tell us a bit about Fat Digester...
We make good time funk, played by people who have way too much energy. We've been around for a while and there's a really strong spirit in the band. It's a bit of a collective really so we'll never play the same gig twice.
What's the full line-up of the band?
Paul Ned Needham Vocals & arms
Shona Sweet voice & hips
Baron D Dirty vox & rhymes
Skanks The low end & the hair
Ben Beats (pictured right)
Dave Cheeseman Keys and sounds
Dom 6 strings
Tim Bug-out Percussion & cool
Paul Quadros Brass
Mogs Brass
Carl Brass
What's the best gig you've ever done?
Loads. Literally... A police car impound lot in Germany kinda sticks out. A huge wire fence separated us from the audience and, unusually, loads of them were stood there making chalk drawings of us... random. All of the gigs we've done at the Nottingham festival have been crazy. We usually play last thing at the Symbiosis tent and people just go nuts! We've had people climbing up the tent itself. Every year the council cuts us off, middle of last song, without fail. We love it!
All the shows we do at the Maze tend to be pretty 'energetic'. It's actually a tough question, but it's generally the weird and the wonderful that stands out. Years ago we played a drum n bass night at the Ballroom and as special guests we had a belly dancer and a transvestite fire eater. You try getting a fire eater & burning materials past the Garvey security! We ended up going on about 3 and just messed with peoples heads.
I'm hoping that the forthcoming show at the Malt Cross will stand out in it's own right; I'm really looking forward to it. I checked out the venue the other day and it really is a bit special.
Where can we buy your records from?
We used to have copies of Adios in HMV, Virgin and Selecta but I thiiiiiink they've all sold. So, at the moment, this and the Tricky Situation single are available on-line: fatdigester.com and from gigs. We're currently working on an E.P. which should be finished in the next month. This'll be back in the shops shortly after. Oh, and look out for the launch party...
What song sums up Fat Digester?
If I was being cheeky, I'd say the new McDonalds theme...'I'm lovin' it'. If I wasn't, and the song was one of ours it'd have to be 'Hot Sex' a) because the title had nothing to do with the song itself and b) because there was a weird bit in the middle that went from rock to reggae to dancehall and back and c) the songs called 'Hot Sex', dammit! Do you any more reason?
What other bands do you rate in Nottingham?
Man, we've loads of friends.... Erstaz, Trickster, Skinny Sumo of course. Ok, it's not a band thing, but I love both the Get Out albums by Cappo and Zero Theory. If I was a little bit cooler, I'd say 'That shit's ill'. But I'm not, so I think it's 'very good'. The Hellset Orchestra probably get a gold star in the 'up and coming' category. That's just some of the obvious ones, but there's a lot of talent in this town.
What are your thoughts on the city of Robin Hood?
This city's been pretty good to us and it's home, you know? I've always thought it's had a bit of a bad rep culturally, musically in particular. But I know it's there and so do you guys. There's the whole hip hop thing and if you go to Notts Rocks you'll find a load of alternative and rock bands. It's definitely time that the 'Nottingham's only famous for Paper Lace' attitude got well and truly kicked in the ass.
If you could get anyone in for a session who would you bring in?
A decent bloody drummer maybe! Mind you, Stevie Wonder wouldn't be a bad start.. Ooh, Prince perhaps. Sly Stone, back in the day. Or George Clinton (just for the parties...).
Who are your musical influences personally and of the band?
So many... As I said, we're an 11 piece, so you can just imagine the melting pot of music that bring together... a couple of guys grew up with Rawk, Ned is a punk from way back when, Tim was in an avant garde jazz outfit in the '80's, Deriq cut his teeth in sound systems around Brixton... I could go on but probably best I don't. We're a complete melting pot, basically.
Fat Digester Website
Fat Digester Live Dates
27th Aug - LeftLion Presents at the Malt Cross
3rd Sept - The Maze,
4th Sept - Off the Tracks, near Donington
16th Sept - Cabaret
18th Sept - Urban Music Festival in Ruddington
8th Oct. - Frog and Onion, Forest Fields.
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