THE PATTY WINTERS
SHOW ARE:
Tom Argent - Vocals/Guitar
Kirsty Fife - Bass/Vocals
Ben Puttnam - Drums
REVIEWS
Demo
Live - Relief @ London
Metro
DOWNLOADS
Pro-Family
Anti-Drug
Delusions
of Grandeur
Cul-De-Sac
LINKS
Official Site
Perched rigidly on a small stool with his pint held close to his chest - like a scholar holding his favourite volume of Keats – Tom Argent of The Patty Winters Show explains his theory for the thriving second hand stores of Eastbourne. Apparently Eastbourne is stuffed with old people who inevitably pass on leaving their clothes freshly folded the indie masses. He is wearing a short-sleeved khaki shirt, a revealing pair of khaki shorts, some knee high socks and bright blue leather shoes. Sitting frigidly and cradling his pint in a devious pub on Bethnal Green Road, one could easily mistake Tom for a truant cub scout, though his Hitlereque haircut deems up an even more repugnant youth group.
The Patty Winters Show have not been with us for very long, though anyone who has been fortunate enough to stumble upon them will inform you that they’re hard to shake off. Like a bequiffed Morrissey waving a bunch of gladiolas; Tom stands out in the myriad jumble of indie Hodge podge and his catchy guitar chords don’t hurt neither. Spawned in Plymouth and raised in Eastbourne, Tom has spent most of his days on the south coast but decided to make for the big city in order to forge a band. He is a pensive subdued character, reluctant to speak about anything other than Marks and Spensers, perhaps he is shy or perhaps he is just wondering why on earth anyone would be bothering to interview his wee clique. The two other members of group are less foreboding, Kirsty Fife, the bass player and yodeller is a well spoken Surrey-ian and drummer Ben Puttnam was born and raised at a Spar food store.
Their first gig was last December at the Bethnal Green Pleasure Unit, the very venue they are playing tonight. “We’ve come along way” mocks Kirsty though she neglects to mention that the band have since recorded a demo and are the headliners for tonight. She may not see it or she may just want to hide it but the fact is that The Patty Winters Show are on the up and up. Nothing can stop the shockwaves that propel from this stew of talent and bad drag, nothing except
perhaps a hideously tragic car accident. So when asked on the future of Patty Winters Show this is exactly Kirsty's prediction. Ben feigns surprise at the idea and then asks for a holiday, Tom remains schtum. There is a distinct stain of pessimism throughout the bands answers, one soon realises why they would be surprised at an
interview - this band would be surprised at a ticket sale. When I ask Tom about putting the demo out himself he shrugs his shoulders and says he doesn’t know. He is equally apathetic about label interest. With a mentality such as this one would expert Tom to lie in bed for days on end eating cold beans on toast. But I get the feeling that, though he does probably does lie in bed for days on end eating beans on toast, he’s not as pessimistic as he appears. I get the feeling that they are all just messing about. I assure myself that they are fully aware of their talents and are jesting for modesty; well I hope that’s the case anyway.
Tom in his own words is “utterly nihilistic”, the philosophy of the band as he sees it is “eat meat”. His least favioute album title
therefore is fittingly 'Meat Is Murder'. He doesn’t have many favourites, only least favourites, probably a wise disposition when talking about music. In fact altogether the band have a pretty eclectic taste in what they hate: Kirsty hates“The Red Hot Chilli Peppers” Tom hates "The Scissor Sisters, Razorlight and The Libertines". Ben
quite likes "dwarfs and ice cream" (they’re not a band).
Finally we get on to Marks and Spensers. Tom’s prophecy for the future is quite simply - Marks and Spensers “that’s where all the kids will be going” he claims. Well if they want to dress like cub scouts, then it is possible. A conversation ensues about the “evil forces” of Dorothy Perkins and Burtons, Ben references The Clash song “White Man In Hammersmith Palais” which fore saw the commercialisation of punk - in clothing, and with that the interview was over.
Later that night the threesome hit the stage, Tom hit it quite a few times actually. “We’re playing a lot of new songs” he humbly announces, “not as if that means anything to anyone” perhaps it doesn’t now but it certainly will one day.
Interview by Kolley Kibber