It's A Trap have been familiar faces on the Suffolk music circuit since they formed in 2007.

Today, as they prepare to up sticks for the bright lights of London, they chat to JAMES MARSTON about their music and hopes for the future.

It's one of the more unusual – though admittedly picturesque – rehearsal venues – a houseboat on the River Orwell.

But it doesn’t stop the boys of It’s A Trap from performing their particular brand of indie rock.

Formed in December 2007 the guys – Ben, Andrew and Simon – have talked about little else which isn’t related to the band or music.

Simon Wilson, 19, of Holbrook, is the band’s bassist.

He said: “We all went to the same school and we had been in different bands. We’re all moving to London in September where we want to build up our profile and get into the London music scene. We have gigs already booked in Hoxton and Shoreditch.”

The band have been gigging for some time with recent performances at Notting Hill carnival, Camden Barfly and Norwich Waterfront up their sleeves.

Ben Ward, the band’s 18-year-old drummer, said: “Our music is melodramatic indie rock. It is energetic, we’re influenced by a lot of 80s bands like The Cure and Joy Division. Music is a way of expressing yourself, it is a creative outlet.”

Simon added: “Every conversation we have is about music. It is our passion.”

Andrew Major, 18, of Chelmondiston, is the band’s guitarist and vocalist.

He said: “We started off doing the Ipswich and Colchester music scene and we won a competition which gave us the opening slot for Party in the Park in Colchester in July 2008 where we played in front of 1,000 people.”

The band have also played a number of gigs outside of the area.

Ben, of Stutton, said: “There isn’t a lot of our genre of music in Ipswich. London has the biggest indie scene and that is where most of our music happens.”

The band have released a number of singles, EPs and demos in their bid to appeal to a wider audience.

Their songs include:

• Don’t Panic
• We Don’t Know
• These Seasons

Their inspiration comes from a variety of sources and covers eclectic subject matter.

Ben added: “Don’t Panic is about the Titanic, we have written a song about a female jewel thief.

“Our music tends to tell a story.

“These Seasons is more personal about making sure we don’t fall in love with someone before we have to leave.”

The band write music together with each contributing to the writing process.

Simon added: “Ever since we have been old enough to know what we like we have had music on our lips.”

Have you heard It’s A Trap? What do you think of the band? Leave us you comments below.

Musical Influences

Simon:

• Interpol
• Blur
• The Smiths

Andrew:

• Biffy Clyro
• Kings of Leon
• The Smiths

Ben

• Travis Baker
• Dillinger Four
• The Dandy Warhols

More photos - click here

Modern-day music festivals owe their existence to Woodstock

IT was an event that changed the course of the history of music.

For the first time thousands gathered to celebrate in the open air their love of music.

Woodstock was held 40 years ago this weekend (august 15 – 18)

JAMES MARSTON assesses its impact.

Glastonbury, Latitude, Isle of Wight, V Festival, even Ipswich Music Day – the list of British music festivals is today a long one. But Woodstock was the trailblazer.

Woodstock was the first time a weekend in a field was the place to be.

Held from August 15 to 17 – and running over until the 18 – half a million people turned up to a 600-acre dairy farm in Bethel in New YorkState for a weekend of music, drug taking, protest, free love and idealism.

It was a moment that went on to define a generation and it has been argued that many left with a totally different outlook on life.

And Woodstock took place during the context of the Vietnam War – the festival helped galvanise anti-war protest.

Back in 1969 Suffolk-based music promoter John Hessenthaler was a 17-year-old just getting into his music.

He said: “Global communications were very different back then.  I remember hearing about it but we didn’t hear much about Woodstock until later.

“Being an old rocker I recently saw Crosby, Stills, Nash and Santana performing.

“The Woodstock spirit still goes on today. If you analyse what happened Woodstock was the first open air music festival and it paved the way for all the others.”

The 57-year-old said Woodstock was in some ways an amateur event.

He said: “If you watch the footage of Woodstock what they had is very, very basic. It started as a commercial event but turned into a free event because it was overwhelmed with people. The bands backstage were still expect-ing to be paid though.

“There was no lighting rig and just two follow spots but it did pave the way for all the others.”

Evening Star music columnist and BBC Radio Suffolk broadcaster Stephen Foster has interviewed a number of stars who played at Woodstock including Joe Cocker, Canned Heat, and Richie Havens.

He said: “Woodstock was a ground breaking event that created the music festival as we know them today. It was the first time it happened over one weekend.

“Woodstock was also one of the last big events of the 60s and marked the end of a decade in which so much happened in the world of music.

“Thousands of people get together in the open air to enjoy music and that hadn’t happened like that before Wood-stock.”

The idea of crowds enjoying music together in harmony is part of Woodstock’s continuing cultural impact, Stephen added.

He said: “Ipswich Music Day isn’t in the same league or the same size but it is in the same vein as Woodstock, it is about people coming together and their love of music with no other motive.

“It was a peaceful gathering of people.”

Were you at Woodstock? What do you think of the event’s ongoing impact? Do you enjoy festivals? Leave us your comments...

The Festival - In Profile

• The festival was conceived by four young partners – Michael Lang, owner of a small store in New York City; Artie Kornfeld, an executive at Capital Records; and two venture capitalists, John Roberts and Joel Rosenman.
• It was moved from Wallkill, NY to Bethel, NY just 31 days before it began.
• By the time Woodstock began, Bethel was one of the largest cities in New York State. 
• The Grateful Dead played in the rain. Several members of the band received shocks during their performance and Phil Lesh (bass player) heard a helicopter radio transmission through his bass while playing.
• Neil Young played with Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, but did not appear in any of the film footage released of the group playing at Woodstock.
• Richie Havens had to play so long that he ran out of material and improvised what became one of his biggest songs: “Freedom.”
• The Doors first agreed to consider playing because they thought the festival would be held in Central Park, but decided against it when they learned the event was in upstate NY. 
• Although scheduled to play on Sunday, by the time Jimi Hendrix played on Monday morning, only 35,000 people remained.

source www.bethelwoodscenter.org

Performers included

• Arlo Guthrie
• Blood, Sweat, & Tears
• Canned Heat
• Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
• Grateful Dead
• The Incredible String Band
• Janis Joplin
• Jefferson Airplane
• Jimi Hendrix
• Joan Baez
• Joe Cocker
• John Sebastian
• Ravi Shankar
• Richie Havens
• Santana
• Sly and the Family Stone
• Ten Years After
• The Band
• The Who
• Tim Hardin

BBC Radio 2 Saturday August 15 10pm

American singer-songwriter John Sebastian marks the 40th anniversary of one of the most legendary events of the hippie movement. Featuring contributions from some of the musicians who were there the documentary sheds light on the celebrated festival.

Presenter - John Sebastian, Producer - Des Shaw.