Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls.
Where did you both first meet?
Miles: We met at a charity gig The Wonder Stuff were doing in Bromsgrove, in aid of the Tsunami victims. Amusingly, the students at the school where the event was held were putting on a play of Grease, so the stage was dressed to look like Rydell High, pink Cadillac and all. We’d invited Erica to the gig to see if she’d be interested in playing with us. God knows what she thought…
How did bringing Erica into The Wonder Stuff change the dynamic of the band?
Miles: Having Erica in the band, allowed us to revisit some of the songs that had been missing from the set since we’d been a four piece again. But once she’d played on her first tour with us in 2005 it became obvious that we should involve her in the new material we were recording for the Suspended By Stars album. There was never any difficulty in Erica becoming part of the gang, she fitted in from the get go.
Erica, what were you up to before you joined The Wonder Stuff?
Erica: I was in my second year at the Birmingham Conservatoire when the producer at the time spotted me busking. I was playing electric violin and singing with my prog metal band Fireswitch and was contacted through a mutual friend at the studios where we rehearsed. I was sent a couple of TWS tunes and went for the audition. The rest is history.
What was it like writing and recording the theme for Underground Ernie?
Miles: It was a pretty natural process really. When I’m writing material for either solo ventures or The Wonder Stuff I purposely try to avoid areas that I’ve covered before. It was quite the opposite with the Ernie songs. I wanted the songs to have the energy of tracks like Don’t Let Me Down, Gently and maybe even The Size of a Cow. Sid Rainey, the shows creator, was very specific about wanting songs of a sing-along nature. It was great fun writing the songs with Sid and it happened very easily. In fact I think both of the songs in the first series were written in the pub.
How is Malc Treece?
Miles: Malc is very well. He became a father for the first time this year and is loving every minute of it. He never asked, but I figured we should put the band on hold this year so he can enjoy his new family, which is why Erica and I have been touring together acoustically, instead of with the band.
Have you seen Vic Reeves recently? What’s he up to?
Miles: I speak to him often enough, but we haven’t got together since last December, when he got up on stage with us in London to perform Dizzy. I believe his television career is alive and well.
Erica: Miles first introduced me to Mr. Reeves at the Hotel Du Vin, Bristol, in the summer of 2006. We drank many glasses of Chablis and numerous Mohitos. We ate Kalamata olives and played Scrabble until the sun rose, having numerous light-hearted tiffs about the correct spelling of words like onus. I recall the bar tab being the steepest I’ve ever known.
What can we expect from your gig at the Rescue Rooms?
Miles: Our acoustic shows are a mix of songs old and new, Wonder Stuff and solo. I attempt to string the whole thing together with a few stories, sometimes connected to the songs. It really depends on how good the wine is that been provided on the rider.
Erica: Good stuff. Roaaawh!
Miles Hunt and Erica Nockalls play with Vinnie Peculiar at the Rescue Rooms on Sunday 14 October.
More Miles on LeftLion
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