This Thursday night see’s the return of Music Like A Vitamin to the capital. The HMV Picturehouse plays host to four brilliant bands in the shape of Withered Hand, Fatherson, Sparrow & The Workshop and The Birthday Suit all for the tiny, miniscule, little, paltry sum of £5.00 of your Scottish pounds. That is the ridiculously reasonable price of £1.25 per band annnnnnd as if that wasn’t good enough we’ve found out you’ll also get a couple of songs by Rod’s Fruit Tree Foundation co-founder Emma Pollock thrown in for free. Absolute bargain.
So please make your way down on Thursday if you can, its a great cause and will definitely be a great night of live music, check out the ticket links below and there will also still be tickets available on the door on the night if you are reading this on Thursday.
Rod Jones is a man who I’m sure needs no introduction but fuck it i’ll give him one anyway, he is the head honcho and lead singer of The Birthday Suit, co-founder of The Fruit Tree Foundation and when not on hiatus lead guitarist in Idlewild. Rod was kind enough to answer some questions for us today about the event, keep reading to see what he’s got to say…..
Music Like A Vitamin Preview – Rod Jones Q&A
U.L.A.N.A – Music Like A Vitamin comes to the HMV Picturehouse in Edinburgh this Thursday. First of all Rod can you tell us a little bit about the genesis of the project and how it’s developed over the past few years?
Rod Jones – “I guess it all started 5 years ago when I was asked to curate a gig for the mental health festival. We put on a night of bands to try and promote the cause. We did this for a couple of years with great success but I felt it was very centred around one night and wanted to do something that had a longer shelf life. This gave birth to the collaborative fruit tree album which started the fruit tree as an organisation.”
U.L.A.N.A – There is an amazing array of Scottish talent on show on Thursday for an absolute snip at only £5.00 a ticket, how did the line-up for the gig come together?
Rod Jones – “It was all about trying to get some new blood into the night and also celebrate some of the work we had already done. The bands I chose allowed us to have some new faces and also be able to perform some of the fruit tree projects.”
U.L.A.N.A – I hear the running order for the gig is to be decided on the night? Somehow I can’t imagine Dan Willson or Jill O’Sullivan throwing diva strops to headline, so how are you going to figure it out? Rock, paper, scissors? Thumb wars maybe?
Rod Jones – “It will really be based on how the night best runs in terms of logistics and content. We won’t know this until we soundcheck and run through it all. If all else fails I’ll get a tombola.”
U.L.A.N.A – The Fruit Tree Foundation was set up by yourself and Emma Pollock after participating in previous years of Music Like A Vitamin. After the success of the first album are there any plans for a second Fruit Tree Foundation album? If so will it be the same artists or is it much more a very fluid rotating cast of like minded people?
Rod Jones – “I’d like to do another record at some point. Just depends on funding and time really. It’s a huge undertaking. We will I think look to keep some people on for continuity but also introduce some new members maybe on a UK wide spectrum.”
U.L.A.N.A – I read on Twitter that Emma is also going to be performing a couple of songs on the night. Are there any other surprise guests lined up?
Rod Jones – “No more surprises just now but never say never. Emma will perform some of the fruit tree songs with myself and Jill.”
U.L.A.N.A – Moving onto a personal note, The Birthday Suit had new album “A Conversation Well Rehearsed” was released last week, are you happy with how it’s been received so far?
Rod Jones – “Really happy, It’s early days and the release so far was a fan only pre order with general release set for my birthday accidentally on dec 3rd. Early reviews have been very positive and kind though”
U.L.A.N.A – What are the main influences on the new record?
Rod Jones – “Really it was all about trying to define a sound that became our own this time but influences of sorts trickled through from people like toy, the national and various others.”
U.L.A.N.A – How does it feel now being a couple of years into being the frontman of The Birthday Suit, compared with your role as lead guitarist for Idlewild? Is there a real different dynamic internally between the two bands?
Rod Jones – “Very much so, I think the main difference being the added responsibility of having to engage people. I’m getting steadily more confident with that though and starting to really enjoy it.”
U.L.A.N.A – I know your focus is very much on The Birthday Suit at present but a lot of people obviously still have a lot of love for Idlewild. Are there any plans for Idlewild to record any new material in the future?
Rod Jones – “I’m not sure honestly. In sure there will be something from a show to a record at some point but no idea when.”
Many thanks again to Rod for taking the time to do a little Q&A session with us today
Music Like a Vitamin is on Thursday 25 October at the HMV Picturehouse, 31 Lothian Road, Edinburgh. Book tickets via the Box Office: 0844 847 1740 (24 hr) or through Ticketweb, SEE Tickets, HMV Tickets, Ticket Scotland Edinburgh, and Ripping Records Edinburgh 6.30pm (doors), 7pm (start)
Ripping Records
Tickets Scotland
HMV Venue Box Office (12-4pm Mon-Sat)
'The visions are clear now. I see possible futures, all at once. Our enemies are all around us, and in so many futures they prevail.’ Dune: Part Two (2024) 
Great preview!
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