Michael Alexander speaks to Jan Burnett, frontman of Dundee band Spare Snare, about becoming a six-piece, performing a new album live and working again with Steve Albini.
For a band whose members all have day jobs, it’s been a productive year for Dundee-based lo fi outfit Spare Snare.
From demoing, writing and rehearsing, the addition of Michael Lambert to their ranks means they are now a six-piece, freeing up Jan Burnett from guitar to become an ever more prominent front man.
But whether the band’s new found sense of purpose stems from the restrictions of the last few years or, whisper it, the forthcoming 30th anniversary of their first single release, there’s plenty reason for them to fine tune their sound in the weeks ahead.
That’s because on September 16 and 19 respectively, Spare Snare are doing a show in Dundee (Hunter S Thompson) and Glasgow (Hug and Pint) where they will be trialling an album of new songs live.
A couple of weeks later they’ll record it in Edinburgh with legendary American producer Steve Albini (Nirvana, the Pixies, PJ Harvey and The Stooges), who recorded their 2018 album Sounds.
They’ll be joined at the five-day recording session by Terry Edwards and Gary Barnacle – a couple of Jan’s musician heroes who, between them, have played with artists ranging from PJ Harvey and Nico to Soft Cell and Tindersticks.
Ironing out new tracks
Speaking to The Courier, Glasgow-based Jan said this promised to be their “strongest collection of songs” yet.
And what better way to iron out any issues than to play a whole album live under pressure in front of an audience who don’t know any of the new tracks!
“We’re really excited about the album because it’s the first time we’ve recorded like that and rehearsed like that since the first album,” he says.
“When you do a first album you have all the songs from the first couple of years of putting the band together. You know the songs off by heart.
“But since then, we normally record a bit backwards.
“We record tunes and put melodies around those on the recordings, whereas this time we are doing it all from scratch.
“We need to get all the new songs totally pinned down because we are working with Albini again in October.
“We need to be super rehearsed – partly because he likes that and partly because we only have five days with him so we can’t waste time.”
Chuffed at return of Albini
The new recording will be Spare Snare’s 12th “proper” album and their second one with Albini.
Recording will take place in Leith at the studio owned by Rod Jones from Idlewild.
Rod will be the second engineer – something that Jan is excited about as it brings together a “nice east coast thing” and recognises Dundee’s links with the band.
“It’s quite nice just to do it with people we know,” says Jan.
“We’re also quite chuffed that Albini said yes, because he didn’t have to!
“He enjoyed it so much the last time, he said ‘why not?’ He’s coming over again.
“We’re the only Scottish band he’s ever recorded in Scotland which is weird.
“The only other time he’s ever recorded is The Breeders in Edinburgh.
“Maybe it’s because we are of a similar humour and age!”
30th anniversary
With the 30th anniversary of Spare Snare’s first single coming towards the end of the year, Jan says it would be “quite nice to do something special around that as well”.
Last year they released The Complete BBC Radio Sessions 1995 – 2018. This comprised 42 Spare Snare tracks covering three Peel Sessions, two Marc Riley Sessions, a track they recorded for Aled Jones and a whole disc of BBC Radio Scotland sessions, all remastered.
When it comes to writing, Jan says there’s quite a “democratic process” within the band. By sharing, they demonstrate “commitment”.
There still has to be a “leader”, however, and with everyone busy with day jobs, he uses his self-confessed “stubbornness” to keep things going. Besides, what else would he want to be doing in his ‘spare’ time?
“Looking back a wee bit, we try not to repeat stuff,” he explains when asked about the passage of time and its influence on writing and styles over the years.
“When you delve into the old albums there’s quite a lot of experimental stuff in there.
“Over the Covid period I did a listening party with each album every week for 12/13 weeks.
“We’d play them – exactly the same as what Tim Burgess was doing with other peoples’ records, I was doing with ours and then Tweeting about it, then talking about it.
“A lot I hadn’t heard for a while, and some of them were bonkers. Some crazy s***! And others I’d think ‘that was a great tune, why did we not pursue that tune more’?”
Becoming a six-piece
Spare Snare comprises Jan (vocals, guitar, electronics, melodica); Alan Cormack (bass, guitar, drums, synths); Barry Gibson (drums, bass, guitar); Graeme Ogston (guitar, bass, ukulele) and Adam Lockhart (guitar, synths, bass, voice) and now Michael Lambert (bass, synths – and health & safety!).
Jan explains that Michael, who’s also a fan, first got involved with Spare Snare at their last gig three years ago when he stood in for Graeme Ogston.
“He brings our average age down by about 10 years!” laughs Jan.
But it also frees Jan up to be “more of a front person”.
That’s something he was pushed to do more of during the last Albini album recording session and it’s something he’s “grown into a wee bit”.
Jan says it’ll be a “bit weird” playing Hunter S Thompson in Dundee because, back in the day when it was McGonagalls, that’s where they played some of their first shows.
It’ll be a good run through for the studio recording, however, and they have early plans, fitted around the day jobs of course, to get back on the road for festivals and possibly a UK/European tour in 2023.
How to get tickets
Tickets for the Dundee show at Hunter S Thompson on September 16 are on sale via wegottickets.com
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