Jade's Music Blog

An elusive mob of Liverpool musicians, they play in other bands, but occasionally meet up to jam, and even more rarely, to do a gig.

I meet up with them at the Motor Museum studio off Lark Lane where they are recording a download track for the Number One Project.

“We’re having a grand old time,� grins Oisin Leech, a gangly Irishman who doubles as singer and guitarist with The 747s. “It’s great to be doing Weirdo stuff again.�
Weirdo stuff?

“We just kind of get together and make music,� explains Mark McCausland, who aside from his Weirdos duties, is guitarist with The Basement. “It’s not formal, like a proper band, it’s just a few of us who like the same types of music jamming together. “The line-up is very fluid. Most of our mates are Weirdos; they come and go in the band. Mostly it’s Oisin, Massimo and me, but there have been loads of others. We’re very inclusive. We all bring something to the table.�

Their line-up has included members of The Kooks, The View and The Coral, and their London show featured Luke Pritchard and Hugh Harris from The Kooks joining them to play Rain Kiss and Heavy.

“There are loads of honorary Weirdos too,� giggles Massimo Signorelli drummer with the 747s. “People who haven’t played with us yet, but we’d include in the band. Phil Spector – he’s an honorary Weirdo. And the Everley Brothers.�

“And Joe Meek, who produced Johnny Remember Me, he’s a posthumous Weirdo. Del Shannon, he’s another one,� laughs Oisin. “In fact, there are probably more posthumous Weirdos than there are living ones. There could be hundreds.�
What do your bandmates think of you being Weirdos?

“Most of them are Weirdos too,� laughs Massimo.

“All our bands are fine with us doing it,� adds Mark. “It’s something completely different from our bands.�

Despite Oisin and Mark originally hailing from Navan in Ireland, and Massimo being from Naples, the band has its roots firmly planted in Liverpool.

“We used to live together in Liverpool and jammed a lot,� says Oisin. “We love Liverpool. So when they asked us to do the gig at the arena we were really keen. It’s great to be part of it.

“We went into HMV Liverpool and listened to all the tracks we could get our hands on, and this was our favourite. It’s a beautiful record.

“The track is produced by Mike [Crossey, legendary Liverpool-based producer, who has also worked with Arctic Monkeys, The Zutons and The Dead 60s]. It’s really good to work with him – he add a bit of magic to everything he touches.�

Oisin and Massimo’s journey to Liverpool began in Naples, where a shared love of busking led to friendship. With Ned Crowther and Freddie Stitz they formed the 747s, and headed off to Dublin, passing through Liverpool on their way.

They snuck on the bill of a local rave, getting the organisers to switch off the sound systems so they could debut to The Clash's Magnificent Seven. Someone in the crowd gave them a painted stone. "We took it down to the port and threw it in the water," smiles Oisin. “It was a wonderful moment. We all agreed, this was somewhere we wanted to move, to live.

“I think Liverpool definitely shaped our sound. When we first got here we used to go out every night, walking down Seel Street, going into all the little pubs. One of them put our songs on the jukebox we were in that often.

“This is the best place for bands to get together. Every corner you walk round, there’s music. It feels like anything can happen here.�

The Weirdos play The Number One Project at the Echo Arena Liverpool on January 19. For more information, see www.myspace.com/theweirdspace.