The Skinny Lattes
editA band formed in the summer of 2000 and originally consisted of two members, Michael "Riley" Riley and Chris "HitcH" Radley, which then expanded to include a further two members, Jamie "Funk" Testa and Chris "Cake" McCague. Together these musicians formed a coffee house fusion of funk and jazz, with interlocking polyrythms and ear-catching riffs, which they found their audience couldnt help but let out a gentle sway to.
In August 2002 they recorded their debut EP at Skyline Studios in Epsom. Although the producer was more interested in taking calls and mixing drum loops than anything else, they all managed to come out of it with a product which embodied the sould of their music. For this venture they also enlisted the help of session drummer Sam Dunthorne, who was quick to learn the vastly confusing compositions that the rest of the band had put together. Their EP was titled "Four seasons" - due to the seasoned changes presented in each of the four tracks on the album. Below you will find a track listing:
1: "Coffee in the Sun" - This timeless classic was the original Latte concoction. The tribal percussiveness and energetic riffery sets one up for a ride of the joys of youth and sunshine.
2: "Field of Feathers" - This melancholy number will have you stuck with one eternal line in your head for the rest of time, because "you make me feel!" is truly unforgettable.
3: "Fall of a Circus" - Dont mess with those mummified spacemen or those clowns! Originally one of Cake's songs, he gladly presented it to the rest of the gang who loved it, and then adapted it slightly to their style.
4: "Blind" - The bands "jazz epic", although slow starting, dont be fooled by this emotional ballad that is presented to you, it builds into a thunderous crescendo, followed by a breakdown that grabs your attention and is then finished by the "queen who loves fools", mr Cake himself with a fantastic ethnic guitar outro.
After this recording, unfortunately, the band had to part ways due to educational commitments, but however, three of the original members did reform the following year in the most unlikely location of Leicester. They played alternate versions of a few tracks, which were downtuned and overtuned to give the songs a Sitar like sound.
After this, mainly because of geographical factors, the remaining members of the band took an undisclosed hiatus to pursue their own individual paths. Riley went on and recorded his EP "Three Flights Up" and Cake formed "Scatterbrain" whos members consisted of...well...himself. He released "Walk and Talk" in 2004, and "Chalkface" in 2006. HitcH continues to guest star on some of their tracks, but yearns for the good old days. Funk was the missing member when the band reformed in Leicester, and prefers to spend his time deporting immigrants from his desk at the Home Office. He enjoys campaigning for fax paper, stealing office stationary, and one day he hopes to get his own stapler.