We speak to Hatty, one half of Vienna Ditto about what's it's like to be a woman in the music industry, touring plans and much more.
Vienna Ditto
For those who may be new to your music, how best would you describe your sound?
Voodoo sci-fi blues. The new EP, 'Ticks', is like the musical equivalent of the 1927 silent film, Metropolis, spun out with no gender specificity.
What challenges have you faced in the music industry so far?
The majority of people working in the industry are men. This wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't occasionally presumed that I am a wife/girlfriend/hanger on of the band and should not be made direct eye contact with. Fortunately the majority of men in the industry are cool but it's still not a level playing ground and young women should be encouraged to start bands and get out there and play.
How difficult would you say this career path is in terms of making a name for yourself?
There are so many more bands that don't make a name for themselves than those that do but you've just got to stop worrying about that and make work and if one person comes to see you then you play for that one person like you would a thousand.
How important is it for you to have creative control over the work you produce?
Very important. Fortunately there's no-one else offering to control it, so it has yet to be a problem!
Where do you draw influence and inspiration from for your work?
People around us. The things going on in the universe. Nigel reads a lot of strange books that fill his head with wonderful imaginings and curlicues too.
If you could collaborate with anybody going forward, who would you choose and why?
It'd be really cool to form a superband with Louis Lingg and the Bombs who are a Parisian punk band because they are fearless. And we would create an amalgamation of music and primal scream therapy.
Tell us a random, funny fact about you that not many people know.
Hatty has mad origami skills. Nigel likes to sleep wearing tights.
Do you have definitive aims or goals for your career?
We'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony. I'd settle with being able to give up the day job though.
Where do you hope to be this time next year?
Playing as many festivals around the world starting from about now until the end of the summer!
What should we expect from you in the coming weeks and months?
We will be releasing our new 7-track 'Ticks' EP on Friday May 13 on viennaditto.bandcamp.com, together with a very special video, which has been conceived and created by the multi-talented Bobby Bloomfield. It might contain some furry friends and Nigel embracing his inner woman. Then we're leaping into Phil's small car and dashing up and down to promote it.
See Vienna Ditto live:
- Friday 01 April 2016 - The Wheatsheaf, Oxford
- Thursday 14 April 2016 - Brewdog Live, Leicester
- Saturday 16 April 2016 - Boileroom, Guildford
- Friday 22nd April 2016 - The Bird's Nest, Deptford TBC
- Saturday 30 April 2016 - The Art House Cafe, Southampton
- Sunday 1st May 2016 - Swindon
- Friday 06 May 2016 - St James Wine Vaults, Bath
- Thursday 12 May 2016 - The Bullingdon, Oxford
- Friday 13 May 2016 - Rising Sun Arts Centre, Reading
- Saturday 14 May 2016 - The Moon Club, Cardiff
- Saturday 28 May 2016 - Peripheral Festival, Norwich
- Friday 03 June- Brew at the Bog Festival, Inverness
- Friday 05 August - Sunday 07 August - Sunflowerfest,Tubby's Farm, Hillsborough, Northern Ireland