Matt Whitby (Disbandables.com)

 

Matt_Whitby

Matt Whitby

The site tracks down some of my favorite power pop bands who have disbanded, then finds the lead musician(s) involved and has them answer a exit questionnaire. I love the idea that these defunct bands can be re-introduced to “new” power pop fans who never heard of them when they made an impact.

What made you want to start “The Disbandables”?
MW: I’d been on a quest to get a full set of International Pop Overthrow compilation CDs are they’re always a great source of finding good music that’s new to me.  Working my way through them in order I was flagging up stuff I was really liking and more often than not the bands involved had split up.  A natural curiosity made me wonder why.  I figured I couldn’t be the only one wondering the same thing.

Is it difficult finding and getting in touch with bands that disbanded long ago?
MW: With social media it’s much easier than it would have been ten years ago. There have been some artists off the grid so it’s a case of finding people who can contact them in an old school way.  That said these are early days for the site and the easier to contact bands will slowly dry up so the longer I go (and I hope to do this for years to come) the more effort I suspect it to take.

Have you met any artists wanting to reunite their band?
MW: I’ve certainly been in contact with bands who left things in an amicable state and would certainly be up for it.  Equally there are bands are adamant that the break up was very much an end to it.

Who’s at the top of the wish list for you to interview?
MW: So many bands.  I’d say at the top of the list would be – and this may be the most obvious one of all – Jellyfish.  Whilst I think we all know every piece of minutiae about the band i’d still like to get an interview with every musician involved with the band.  On the ‘unlikely to happen list’ would be My Chemical Romance.  I’d be just as happy to interview a band that only me and three other people remembered.

How often will the site get new interviews?
MW: The site is updated at the beginning of every month and it’s my hope there’ll be at least ten new interviews a month.

Thanks Matt. I’ll be looking forward to reading those new interviews.

 

2 thoughts to “Matt Whitby (Disbandables.com)”

  1. Pingback: The Disbandables | Pop Underground

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