Jade's Music Blog

The Cribs - twins Gary and Ryan Jarman and their younger brother Ross – have released three albums since they were picked up in 2003, but only now are they beginning to get the recognition they deserve.
“We’re not into having a big marketing campaign or anything,� says Ross, the band’s drummer.
“I don’t want to open the pages of a magazine and see an advert for us between something about Big Brother and a new celebrity diet.�
Although the band did hit the headlines last month when news broke that Ryan was dating indie popstrel Kate Nash. Speculation had been rife after the pair were spotted together at the Reading Festival in August, but it was confirmed after Ryan threw his pint at a man who shouted ‘get your m*** out’ at Kate during a gig at Barfly in Camden.
“I think the Star called him ‘the gallant boyfriend’,� laughs Ross. “I think he was spot on. I’d do the same if someone said that to my girlfriend.�
So, has Ms Nash been up to Wakefield for tea with the parents yet?
“No, not yet,� says Ross. “He’s in London with her at the moment.
“It’s nice. I’m happy for them.
“It’s hard for them being in the spotlight I think. He just says he doesn’t kiss and tell. But he’s had a smile on his face.�
The trio of brothers have been making music together since Ryan and Gary were nine years old and a burglar stole all their computer games
“People say ‘what’s it like being in a band with your brothers?’ and I say ‘I don’t know, what’s it like being in a band that’s not your brothers?’,� says Ross. “I’ve never known any different.
“I think it’s much easier for us. You can be playing something and say ‘that’s rubbish that’ and no-one gets offended. You can argue and then be mates straight away.�
Before being signed the three brothers worked in their dad's napkin factory.
“We knew we wanted to be in a band, so we needed day jobs, but no-one would take us on. There’s not much work going in our village. Ryan tried for a job in McDonald’s but they wouldn’t have him, so dad gave us all jobs in the factory.
“He makes toilet paper and kitchen roll, and we were on the napkin machine.
“It was boring work, just the same thing over and over, so it made us look forward to gigs all the more. It makes me appreciate what I’ve got now.�
As a result of their jobs the lads say they can tell the quality and whereabouts of manufacture of any napkin by tasting it.
“We’ve ruined some good meals in restaurants going on about the napkins,� laughs Ross. “You can get a good idea where it’s from by looking at it and tasting it. I find myself staring at the embossing on them and thinking about how it’s done. You can tell a lot from a napkin.�
Aside from their napkin expertise, the lads have proven themselves consummate rock stars. At last year’s NME Awards, Ryan was seriously injured when he jumped across their table in his haste to accept an award, breaking several glasses and stabbing himself in the back. After being stitched up in A&E he returned to the party, where he went missing, only to be found by Zane Lowe bleeding heavily from the membrane around his kidney. If he hadn't been discovered, doctors say he would have died in the night.
He’s since made a full recovery, and the lads say they can’t wait to come to Liverpool.
“We played the Academy on our last tour and that was a great night, but my favouroite was when we were just starting and we played there with the Ordinary Boys,� grins Ross.
“I love coming to Liverpool. I grew up listening to The Beatles. I thought their songs were nursery rhymes when I was a kid. Mum used to sing them to us, and it wasn’t until I was about 12 that I realised they were real songs. Then I got really into The Beatles. I listened to them all the time. I still do.�
The Cribs play Barfly on Friday October 19 as part of the MTV TWO Gonzo 5th Birthday tour. Highlights will roll out on MTV TWO from November 16.