Mark Frith is the doppelganger we’ve all be waiting for. Whilst mysterious genius Lee Mavers is seen occasionally in recording studios or someone bumping into him by chance, the likelihood of any further The La’s live concerts seems to be a thing of the past.

Mark however is filling this void by forming The La’z. Taking on the Mavers mantle in no mean feat, but Mark’s persona of Mavers is something to applaud. It is with this in mind that Gigslutz contacted Frith to discuss all things regarding Mavers, The La’z and his background:

Can you go into abit of detail about your upbringing please?

Yeah, I’m from a Liverpool family out of Croxteth, Carr Lane East. My dad literally married the girl next door! Ha! They moved then to Runcorn, but settled in Ashton in Makefield, Wigan close to Haydock, I was raised there till my twenties, only me and my brother out the whole family born outside of Liverpool but I would later move back into my own flat near Sefton park as Liverpool always felt like home to me. I’m back up Wigan way now at the moment.

What was the first music you can remember hearing?

COUNTRY AND WESTERN!!! Haha and The Beatles. My Mum and Dad had a lot of vinyl which was kept in my brother’s room. I put The Beatles Help album on very young and remember the white sleeve artwork and the portrait pics of each Beatle on the back, but yeah it would of been country. My Dad loves country and western and played them constantly when I was young.

What was the first serious music you can remember hearing?

The thing that hit me ‘seriously’ was The Stone Roses. I turned 15 in 1997 and Oasis were massive. I picked a guitar up, got in a band, just a mess about one but a guitarist called Jonathan Molyneux joined who introduced me to The Stone Roses and as soon as I heard Waterfall I knew they were ‘my band’.

Who influenced you to start singing?

I was always the shoe gazing guitarist when I was young and only sang on my first demo when I was 18 years old! But it was John Lennon and Ian Brown that made me want to front a band.

What about playing the guitar, who influenced you to start playing?

It was the Oasis boom of the mid to late 90s everyone at school wanted to learn so I picked one up and I seemed to get really good on it very quickly, I just knew ‘right this is me now for the rest of my life’. So to answer your question Noel Gallagher.

Were you in bands before The Troubadours?

Yes, but nothing of any note, just friends coming of age trying to make a racket, it only got serious when I wrote a collection of songs and got The Troubadours together

How did The Troubadours form?

I’d written 15-20 songs and knew I Had to get a band together to perform them, so I rang Jonathan Molyneux (who introduced me to The Stone Roses) and started rehearsing with him as a duo doing the songs and getting the harmonies bang on, then we put ads out for a bass player, Tony Ferguson answered one, great player and amazing vocals so it instantly clicked, then Tony knew Elmo the drummer so he came down and that was that, away we went own our musical journey.

What bands have influenced the sound of the material of The Troubadours?

Lots. I’ve a very eclectic record collection, I Love Love and Arthur Lee, Velvet underground, The Who, Stone Roses and obviously I had The La’s album but if anyone knew me around that time they’d know I was Stone Roses mad!!

You’ve been compared to Lee Mavers of The La’s interms of how you perform, was this intention from yourself to perform like Lee or pure coincidence?

I just started writing songs on an acoustic and singing them and when the band got together I kind of just stayed on the acoustic guitar because it was what the song needed and straight away people were saying ‘you sound and look like Lee from The La’s’. I didn’t really take much notice at first but when The Troubadours took off a lot of journalists from Q magazine and the NME would always mention it but its just the way I look and the way I sing I was never ‘putting it on’

In terms of musicians, where do you think Lee Mavers should be in the chart of greatest singer/songwriters?

Lee’s up there isn’t he. Let’s be honest if you write There She Goes not many songwriters can stand next to you and say they’ve written a better song! It’s just pure pop genius. Timeless. Will outlive all of us and always be played forever and the rest of the album, well, its just brilliant isn’t it.

On the back of these Mavers comparisons, you are part of an exciting gig labelled as The La’z. Can you please go into detail about how this has come together?

It came about via The Classic Double band. They do a show in the Camp n Furnace in Liverpool where they play two classic albums back to back and they get in guest singers and performers they wanted to do The La’s and Love Forever Changes so they got in touch. I have always pushed The La’s thing and Lee Mavers to one side my whole career really as The La’s are nothing to do with me obviously but they asked and I thought why not?. Then the internet exploded after the videos of the performance came out it was supposed to be an off event but now I think we will be doing more shows and a tour maybe?

Do you remember when you first heard the music of The La’s and what you liked about it?

Always knew There She Goes it came out and charted when I was 8 or 9? But I always thought it was an old sixties tune until I got into music heavily round 14 years old. I bought the album around this time and just thought, like everyone, how amazing it was, didnt really get ‘into’ them till all the reissue stuff and rarities started coming out early 00’s then realised what a genius the man was.

Liam Gallager is a fan of yours isn’t he?

The Classic Double band who has amazing musicians by the way. Joel Goldberg, Adam Goldberg and Luke Heague have friends who are session players and one plays with Liam Gallagher so yes the videos of the one off gig have made their way to Liam! No other comment just now.

You’d so far announced a one off gig at the famed Citadel Theatre, St Helens. What can fans expect on the night?

The Album plus and the fans favourites like Fishing Net, I Am The Key, Clean Prophet etc, it will be a great night.

Will you be performing any further gigs under The La’z banner?

I sure we will. A tour has been mentioned but you never know Lee might put a stop to it haha.

What are your plans for the future, more La’z stuff or will you be going back to The Troubadours?

I’m very busy at the moment but yeah I want to do as much stuff as possible. I still write and record my own stuff, play gigs constantly and venture into other things along with my artwork and painting but yeah The La’z thing is very enjoyable and as long as people want it we’ll do it I’m sure x

Finally, whats on your turntable at present?

Looking over at it now its Nick Drake Bryter Layter

 

Tickets for The La’z gig can be purchased here. Mark Frith can be found here