A quick recent interview with each of the lads ...
Pete:
What’s MGL like? It’s like the greatest friendships, the highest dreams and the toughest vocations. It’s part of me and I’m part of it.
What do you do? I play the bass, bring the funk, bridge the genres and meld the parts brought to our songs by the other lads into a coherent whole. And provide the eye-candy on stage.
How do you do it? With grace, flair, panache, a smile on my face and a lollipop in my mouth.
Hardest thing about MGL? I love everything about it, so the times when I can’t be doing it are the hardest thing.
Where are you from? I’d say I’m from Battersea, it’s where I live and I love it. My body’s from Surrey, my soul’s from South Africa, and my brain is from a faulty Commodore 64 hard drive.
Where’s your head at now? The future, as usual, caught up in the plans and the schemes and the dreams of making a live from music. I’m feeling good, and pleased by recent progress with our tracks and lining up gigs, but as ever we need more, and faster, I’m impatient and there’s nothing else I want to be doing.
And your body? Tied to more mundane things as a wage slave suit, working in the city. “Out of shape” would also be a precise answer.
And what’s next? Hopefully, lots and lots of gigs, I live for the stage and the buzz from a crowd and get itchy when it’s been too long.
Last words? Come see us. You won’t regret it.
A:
What’s MGL like? Pretty challenging and exciting – there are times when being involved in creative work (live or in the studio) with the chaps has made me feel invincible. These guys are my very best friends – they’re just incredible people and playing my part for and with them is about my favourite thing in this world. I love being in McGraw’s Law – it’s the best gang I could have chosen. I’m lucky they put up with me!
What do you do? I’m the singer, and I play a bit of acoustic guitar. I’m also a quarter of an amazing song-writing team and that’s really where my value lies.
How do you do it? Hopefully, and trying not to be too much of a tortured soul. Nobody likes them.
Hardest thing about MGL? It’s challenging to get what’s in our heads out into the ether. I want very badly for the love I’m talking about here now to be expressed effectively in the tunes we create. That’s never easy to do well.
Where are you from? I’m a Woking boy, born and bred. Battersea in South west London is my adopted home now. I love it very much.
Where’s your head at now? I’m feeling pretty peaceful right now. I’m still excited about the challenges ahead and the scale of what we can achieve, but I feel reconciled with who I am.
And your body? I broke my ankle last year playing football (Pete stitched me up with a hospital pass) and it’s taking it’s time to come back fully. I love my footy, so that’s been a tough lesson relatively speaking. I guess you can’t rush these things. It is actually a constant reminder to me that I’m not made of iron. That’s pretty valuable I think. Sometimes you just need to slow down and let go of your fears and your drive to make some sensible decisions. Thinking clearly rather than worrying is important to me now.
And what’s next? I’m loving the sound we’re making at the moment. Got a lot of love for team McGraw. Can’t wait to start our tour. Can’t wait to release some recordings in some way, shape or form, too.
Last words? Sam was telling me the other day that the Chinese often say ‘Seek truth from facts’. That’s really good, I think. I reckon that’s only half of it, though - you should seek peace from truth. Hmm. There’s me, improving on centuries of philosophical theory. You’re glad you asked now, I should think.
Sam:
What’s MGL like? It’s like being married to three other blokes. That, and a bit like being in The Magnificent Seven. And also a bit like painting with Rolf Harris – I’m always too close to see what it really is yet.
What do you do? I worry, panic, doubt and occasionally play some half-decent drums. I’m also fond of assuming and informing everyone that I know better than anyone else what makes a good pop record, and recommending ones that I consider qualify.
How do you do it? Drumming-wise, for me it’s always been about hip-hop, and the funk and soul grooves that gave birth to them. It’s also really important to tune into the vocal, like Ringo could. I like anyone who plays with real feel, like the guy from the Zutons, or does something original, like the players from Kasabian or Razorlight. I’m also jealous of anyone who can play and sing at the same time!
Hardest thing about MGL? A often smells extremely bad. That can be quite hard to cope with.
Where are you from? I lived in the same house in Woking until I was 18. Since then I’ve already managed to live in three different flats in Battersea, and I’m planning to make it four. I feel like it’s my neighbourhood now.
Where’s your head at now? Right now I’m…OK. I’m looking to write a lot. I also feel like I need to play lots of gigs and reconnect with the rock’n’roll side of making music. Signing management contracts and fitting out a rehearsal studio can only provide so much of a rush.
And your body? Erm, it’s better than my face? Got a bit of Achilles problem but otherwise it’s generally fit for purpose. The purpose being Rock.
And what’s next? Please God let me get in front of a crowd soon. The people need to know! People seriously need to know what we can do.
Last words? I won’t speculate on my very last words as I hope they’re a few years away. My last words today are that people need to listen to the Beatles a lot more. Properly, through headphones and that. Then they want to listen to some Curtis Mayfield, some Marvin Gaye and some Asian Dub Foundation. Devote an entire afternoon to Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland and then spend the evening getting cosy with Teenage Fanclub. Wake up with some Blackalicious spend the morning sauntering through The Charlatans. Lunch on Public Enemy and siesta with Aimee Mann. Organise an evening’s entertainment with the Chemical Brothers while taking in some of The Kinks. Splash on some Howlin’ Wolf, and rinse with Akala’s debut album, It’s Not A Rumour. Flirt with Nelly Furtado on your way to your Chemicals encounter and be sure to ready some Al Green for the after party. Then sleep, or don’t.
Chris:
What’s MGL like? It's like a four-headed, eight-legged, bad-ankled rock machine.
What do you do? I play guitar and generally try and provide as many hooks in our music as I can. I also try and contribute to our song writing as much as possible.
Other than that, I generally run around McGraw's Law being as impatient as possible, and spend gigs jumping up and down and gurning like a mental patient.
Hardest thing about MGL? Trying to be simultaneously bandmates, writing partners, entrepreneurs and business partners with your best friends. Especially you all approach every different situation in a different way.
Where are you from? London. That's what it says on birth certificate, and also where I feel most at home. It's my favourite city in the world and I love it very much.
Where’s your head at now? I'm a little frustrated because we haven't been incredibly productive in 2007, but I'm generally excited about the noises that we're making and the direction we're moving in.
And your body? I'm losing weight. It's cool.
And what’s next? Who knows? Not me. I can only hope that at some stage this year we get the opportunity to get out music heard by at least one person who'll be able to positively shape our music career. All I ask is for just one, and if we get it, we'll blow them away.
Last words? Stick with us. We've been incredibly difficult to live with for about 10 years but this is the year.
