Road Torn (MMM) #003

the intruder returns

the nuts and bolts of mutt

We build vintage-styled, custom-inspired motorcycles in Birmingham, England which are accessible and affordable to anyone and everyone. We are innovators and industry disruptors. To put it simply, we’re Black Metal from Birmingham.

For over 15 years, we’ve been grinding away in the lab delivering custom bikes far and wide. From rugged, humble beginnings, Mutt has developed into a global brand with curious motorheads worldwide getting a taste for life in the saddle.

But once you look beyond the leather jacket, you’ll find there’s much more to the Mutt DNA than what first meets the eye. We love music (only the good stuff), exploring and collaborating with creatives, as well as getting closer to the people who we think are awesome. This is exactly why you are reading this magazine.

So, yes, a motorcycle brand has made a mag. Not quite what you were expecting, was it? But where’s the fun in being predictable?

In this issue, you can dig into the chaos of the legendary actor Geoff Bell, be an intruder with Gary Numan, go heavy with Eagles of Death Metal and head into the Soho with Ben Bailey Smith, or as he’s maybe better known, Doc Brown.

And it doesn’t end there. We’ve also got interviews with shit hot artists GIRLI, Drugs Church, Hotel Lux, Pigs x7, Wych Elm, Ditz, Puppy, Nova Twins as well as a round-up of our visit to the mega 2000 Trees Festival.

So tuck in, we know you’ll find something to really sink your teeth into.

in this issue 003

doc brown

ROADS? WHERE WE’RE GOING, WE DON’T NEED ROADS. DOC BROWN AKA BEN BAILEY SMITH TAKES US AROUND HIS FAV SOHO HAUNTS.

We love riding the mean streets of London, twisting and turning past the iconic skylines (and traffic) and what better way to do it than with Doc Brown aka Ben Bailey Smith. Today the multi-talented actor, comedian, rapper and writer is taking us on a journey around his favourite Soho venues with the fitting company of the Mutt All Black Akita.

So, when you read the name Doc Brown, what are your first thoughts? For us, it’s Back To The Future and Equality Street with Ricky Gervais. So, as we park up in Soho Square we tackle these two trains of thought with the man himself.

“So yeah Doc Brown came about at some stage in school because I was a nerd, a bit of a know-it-all. I’m a big Back to the Future fan but I can’t remember exactly how it started, but when I started rapping it just seemed natural to use Doc because that was the nickname”

As we then take a stroll towards the Union Club we ask Ben about his now-infamous sketch for Comic Relief.

“Equality Street is one of those moments where everything just went as like synergy, it was just so perfect, I knew exactly what I was doing, and I knew exactly how funny it was

because, you know, I remember writing that verse and showing it to Ricky (Gervais) and he was just in tears, so you know, it was just perfect. I knew Richard Curtis paid for that video right, because he’s like one of the main guys behind Comic Relief, that’s what we did it for originally, and Richard Curtis said, This is hilarious. I don’t know if you ever watch Comic Relief, it’s a bit of a slog. They often have comedians doing sketches, and they’re never that funny, because no one’s getting paid I guess. But me and Ricky were like no, it’s going to be fucking funny. For once Comic Relief is going to have a genuinely funny sketch. And we went for it, and I would say unashamedly it’s a career highlight because Ricky plucked me from nowhere, I was killing it on the circuit definitely, I was posting stuff up on YouTube and he’d seen me, and then got my number from a promoter and he phoned me.”

Imagine getting that call?! But anyway, let’s get back to the tour of Soho. Up next, we have an absolutely iconic venue.

“Ronnie Scott’s is really special, it’s a bit like getting in a time machine, it feels like old London, in the best possible way, you know? And live jazz there’s nothing quite like it.

Jazz and rap are distant cousins,

What I love about motorbikes is that feeling of freedom

“ “

they’rerelated, and you can trace the links between them. So there are a few jazz bands that I know, that I’ve worked with before, made records with, so every now and again I get invited to come and perform here”. While we’re on the topic of Rap, we may as well mention a certain Just Eat advert. You know the one featuring Snoop Dogg? Of course you do, none of us could avoid it. Well, Ben wrote that banger. But how did it come about?

“I heard about it as I know people in advertising and people who write funny scripts for adverts. I also know quite a few musicians who get their music synced into adverts. So with Just Eat as soon as I heard they had Snoop I was like, I don’t give a fuck who else is pitching, I’m getting this. You’ve got to understand Snoop Dogg came out in 1993 when I was a kid, right, just getting into rap, and he was like, I don’t know what the equivalent is now, like Drake, like he was that big, he was massive! So I feel like I’ve grown up with him, from hearing him the first time at like 13, to now. I know exactly how Snoop raps! Yeah, so the thing I wrote, I recorded it like I was doing an impression of him, and they loved it, and he loved it, and it was just as simple as that!”

The tour continued and with us rocking up to The Coach & Horses, The Union, Comedy

Store and the 100 club all of which are integral to Ben’s love for Soho, and places YOU should visit when you’re next in the big smoke (as well as our store in Bethnal Green, of course).

As we prepare to say our goodbyes we are keen to know more about Ben’s passion for two wheels.

“What I love about riding motorcycles is that feeling of freedom, that feeling of moving at your own pace, you know, motorcyclists tend to be people who are quite open-minded and like progressive in their thinking, and they can be individualists.”

This is heavy! But Ben nailed it. And if you don’t agree - we guess you guys aren’t ready for that yet. But your kids are gonna love it. LIKE THE BIKE? CHECK OUT THE HEFTY ALL BLACK AKITA

pink metal

A DAY TO REMEMBER IN LONDON AS GIRLI LIT UP BETHNAL GREEN

Picture the scene. It’s the end of April 2022, we’re sitting in Mutt’s London store in Bethnal Green and the sky is that classic dull grey colour which makes a Mutt Matt Black Sabbath look cheerful.

Suddenly - like a superhero making a dramatic entrance - a flash of pink transcends around the store. Milly Toomey, better known as GIRLI, and her trademark pink mullet have entered the building. Dressed in biker trousers and a leather jacket, it’s fair to say Milly not only understood the brief… She smashed it.

For those who don’t know, Milly is a singer/ songwriter from London who has been making music since the age of 17. Now 25, Milly has a full length studio album to her name titled ‘odd one out’, as well as a shit load of singles and a reputation for stunning the pop punk scene. As hinted at by our description of her entrance into the Mutt store, much like Milly’s music her style also demands attention. “The inspiration has changed a lot over the years. When I first started making music as Girli I was very much influenced by Japanese style. I was also a big fan of PC Music at that time, so a lot of my style reflected that.”

It’s easy to forget just how long Milly has been making music for. Throw a global pandemic in the mix as well and it’s to be expected she’s

changed a bit since 2015. We can’t all still be sat in our parents’ basement listening to Blink-182… “I think as my music and just me as a person has changed, the style has gone through a lot of changes. I kind of describe my releases as like eras, because I feel like the style changes with it too.” The one thing, however, that Milly insists will always be the same is the pink mullet.

But as someone who has been surrounded by the music industry for such a large part of her life, we couldn’t help but ask for the inside scoop.

I kind of describe my releases as eras.

“ “

If Milly could change one thing about it, what would it be and why? “I think I would change its nepotism, I think that’s the thing that bothers me the most. You can work your arse off, but then someone knows someone whose dad is someone’s best friend, and then they get the opportunities”. Milly is keen to point out how grateful she is for the opportunities she’s had, but she does make a good point. “There’s a lot of people who know they have a lot of power and can really help to elevate a lot of people’s careers, but through personal bias they choose not to.”

Anyway, let’s discuss bikes. “I always had this dream of getting some kind of licence so I could get out and have some kind of freedom. So I got my CBT when I was 17.” But, for one reason or another, Milly never got her hands on the real thing. More recently both her dad and girlfriend have got bikes and it’s renewed her interest. “I’m so jealous of it, and I think it’s really inspiring me to get my own bike, I think it might be finally time to renew my CBT.”

That sense of freedom and independence is clearly something Milly craves. She goes on to tell us about a Ford Transit she converted into a campervan and has taken all around the UK to go surfing and skating, stopping off

wherever she can to sleep and cook in the van along the way: “It’s awesome and has always been a big dream of mine. The van has given me the freedom to just go wherever I want.”

Whilst it might seem obvious to say about someone who has been professionally releasing music since the age of 17, Milly is clearly not one to sit around and wait for things to happen. She does what she wants, and does it in her own unique way. Only Milly knows what is next in store for GIRLI, but one thing’s for sure, it won’t be boring.

I think it might be finally time to renew my CBT.

SERPA

WE TALK CRAFTSMANSHIP, AUTHENTICITY AND THE MONGREL WITH THIS SUPER COOL HUMAN.

Serpa has honed her skills in a variety of crafts over the years and more recently turned her hand to the handmade leather trade . We got to know how her Mongrel 125cc fits into her busy lifestyle, especially getting around the big smoke with ease and style.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING?

November marks two years, it’s been such a cool journey. I’m just on my CBT at the moment but working to get my full licence by the end of the year. Dying to ditch the L plate.

WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO MUTT/THE MONGREL?

I’ve always gravitated towards brands that feel authentic and steeped in tradition while being able to have this classic timeless edge, Mutt to me really embodies this.

WHAT ARE THE PROS OF COMMUTING IN LONDON ON YOUR BIKE?

Being able to move through London easily on my Mutt is life changing, gives me so much more freedom.

HOW WAS THE MONSTER RIDE TO OUR HQ IN BIRMINGHAM?

It was a total blast. It was my very first long ride and I had no idea what to expect or how my bike (or body) would handle it. Nothing really lives up to taking the bike out on such a long ride through beautiful landscapes, it’s very freeing.

IS THERE A DESTINATION YOU WOULD LIKE TO GO ON YOUR MUTT, AN ADVENTURE YOU ARE YET TO TAKE?

Euro trip is definitely on the books, should probably upgrade the engine though haha, but for now - lots of little scenic trips in the UK.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE FOR SOMEONE CONSIDERING A LOW CC BIKE/ SOMEONE GETTING INTO RIDING?

Respect the ride.

CHECK OUT THE MONGREL. THOUGH WE CAN’T PROMISE YOU’LL BE THIS COOL

SCAN TO READ THE FULL, DOUBLE SHOT INTERVIEW

caffiene dealer

How did you get into the bike scene?

I used to ride mopeds in London, but I learned to ride motorbikes in Bangladesh. My family’s from there. I went over there about eight years ago and it’s just absolutely madness there. You can’t get anywhere in a car so everyone rides these little motorbikes, like 150cc.

What about your coffee journey?

The story of Artisan, basically Artisan Coffee first opened in Bangladesh, I was there and there were NO coffee shops at all. I was sick and tired of not having coffee and complaining to my wife all the time. She said “you’ve got to stay here, so just open your own”. I ended up thinking, yeah, that’s a really good idea. Found an espresso machine and a spot and it’s open. It sort of just went crazy… People were waiting for that kind of coffee and it was just really good.

Coming back to the UK…

I grew up around Brick Lane. I was born around here and then my family moved out here. This is sort of the first time back to Brick Lane, coming back to the community, opening the shop, now it all just fits in really well.

So where did you hear about Mutt?

When I came back, I’m doing a bit of research for the shop. I went around different coffee shops to try out the coffee and just look at the scene. And I saw the Bike Shed on YouTube and it was just around the corner from the shop. I visited there, looked at all the bikes and I was like, yeah, this is really cool.

As soon as I saw the Akita, I was like, this is the one. It’s got that really cool look. I was going to get a Mongrel at first, but then I saw the Akita.

How does your Mutt fit into your lifestyle?

I ride my Akita every day to work, run errands, you’ll see it parked up outside the shop every day. It fits

in so well with my London lifestyle. I really do go everywhere on it. Even though it’s a 125cc you’re faster than most. It’s my little bit of freedom.

What is your perfect day on a Mutt?

I’d love to just go out of London somewhere, maybe ride up to Mutt HQ, take a long ride up.

What is next for Artisan Coffee?

A second branch in London. Maybe Central London or even Camden. Then maybe after second or third here we want to take it international, maybe Dubai. That’s like the sort of dream.

So what would be some advice that you’d give to someone considering getting into riding?

I’ve had a lot of customers who aren’t riders, they’re always asking about my bike in particular. The look sells it and then everything else is a bonus. Everyone thinks it’s a much bigger bike because of the chunky tires and just the look of it. As soon as you tell them it’s a 125cc they’re like, oh wow! Suddenly riding is at their fingertips. My advice will always be to take it easy and just enjoy it.

a welcome intruder

It’s not every day you get the opportunity to meet a bona-fide music legend. So when we got the chance to meet up with electro-rock god Gary Numan, we didn’t need asking twice. Sure they say never meet your heroes, but whoever coined that phrase was either chatting absolute rubbish, or just hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting Gary yet.

Gary Numan was playing at the O2 Academy in Leicester the day of the interview, touring his latest album Intruder. We arrived at the venue at midday whilst the crew were setting up for his gig later that evening, giving us plenty of time to grab him for a chat and a few photos. But as we approached the gates, it was clear that we weren’t the only ones desperate for a slice of the Numan pie. A number of Numanoids were already waiting at the entrance dressed in their finest Numan themed outfits waiting for a glimpse of the main man.

But we had an advantage, we had brought a big shiny gift along with us to help us part the sea of fans waiting at the gates. Presented to him with

a big bow on top was a 250cc Sabbath, which included three red intruder stripes on the tank to give it that extra personal touch and the well known petrol head couldn’t resist. ‘I love the bike’ said Numan ‘it’s such a menacing cool dark looking thing. It looks like your tough brother doesn’t it? Like it would go anywhere and go through anything and just bring you out the other side’. It’s an amazing looking bike, and the three stripes, that was such a cool touch as well’. And just like that, Gary was hooked. Let the rest of the interview commence.

First up on the agenda, Intruder. With some describing it as “one of the finest albums of his career”, as well as NME calling it “fresh and ambitious” and “thrillingly relevant”, we couldn’t wait to hear all about it from the horse’s mouth.

‘It started out as a poem my youngest daughter wrote called Earth. It was the earth speaking to the other planets in the solar system, talking about how horrible people were and all the terrible things that we were doing. It was very cute, I think she was 12 when she did it, so it was very young and I was so proud of her for being

aware and sensitive to all that. But the idea of that being a theme for the record came to me a little bit later’.

Gary explains how he was keen for Intruder to have a climate change connection because his previous album ‘Savage (Songs from a Broken World)’ did, but he wasn’t sure how best to go about it. ‘The poem was the answer to that. I just took that idea and made a dozen or so songs with what I thought the earth would say if it could speak. How it would feel about what we’re doing to it. That sense of betrayal from when we first dragged ourselves out of the ocean and started to walk upright. The earth gives you everything you need, and nurtures you through

all that time, and then you become so greedy that you just start to take more. That sense of betrayal must be enormous’.

This wasn’t just the theme of the music, but also of Numans onstage persona. He tells us how even his outfit was meant to represent the ‘human equivalent of a disease’. The amount of effort and thought that goes into every detail of Numans performance became evident and the queues of people spending their day waiting outside the O2 Academy started to make sense. In fact just two weeks prior to this interview, even more people were restlessly waiting to see Numan in the flesh at his two sold out shows at Wembley. But to Numan

Wembley represented so much more than just another show.

‘I did Wembley before in 1981. I announced that I was going to retire, and did these three shows as this big goodbye. I’d become successful in ’79 and within a year or so of that I realised that it wasn’t for me, and I didn’t take well to it, I didn’t like the whole fame thing’. ‘So I tried to get away from it, I just backed out of the whole thing’. But as Gary goes on to say, by the end of the third show he realised he’d made a mistake.

Whilst he admits it was sensible to step out of the game for a bit, it was the big announcement Numan regrets. ‘I shouldn’t have made a big song and dance about it. I should have just done it and quietly stepped back, taken the breather that I needed and then come back at my own pace. Rather than just being part of this chaotic fucking world that I’d found myself dropped into which I wasn’t enjoying at all.

The earth gives you everything you need, and then you become so greedy that you take more.

But I was young and I wanted to make a big fucking statement, and I realised that I shouldn’t have done that’.

The consequence of which Gary feels he paid the price for and has spent the rest of his career trying to get back to that point. ‘I Shot my career in both feet, totally fucked everything up and then spent the next 41 years trying to get back to the place that I’d just walked away from. This is what Wembley was all about’. ‘That was the symbol of getting back to what I’d walked away from. It had massive significance for me to finally be there and get back to that level. It meant the world to me, you know, the lion’s share of my life has been trying to recover from that mistake, because I was 23 then and I’m 64 now. So almost my entire adult life has been regretting that and trying to make up for it and get back to where I was when I threw it all away. So to be back at Wembley was a culmination of almost a lifetime’s dreaming and desires and work and disappointments and all that, to fucking get back there’.

It’s impossible to not feel delighted for Gary as his long journey to rightfully reclaim his crown as the king of electro-rock is complete. As he rides away into the distance on his personalised Sabbath, one thing is clear, Gary Fucking Numan is back and he’s better than ever.

“ “

mushman

Harvey Mushman is back. If you’ve been following Mutt from the beginning you may remember our original Mushman. Well, now it’s back but with a completely new attitude.

The Mushman sits on our classic twin shock frame and oh, what a beauty it is.

This little pup has all the upgrades; starting at the front we have our classic 18” wheel with deep tread knobbly tyres, topped off with a stainless fork brace and a high-rise mudguard mounted on an aluminium headlight and fender combined mount.

You may have noticed a few additions not on any of our other bikes; not only does it come with matt black engine bars, but also a beautifully crafted leather and steel tank rack. Both are totally exclusive to the Mushman and at no extra cost - both come as standard.

The utilitarian vibe of the Mushman is one that not only captures attention, it demands it.

AVAILABLE IN 125CC AND 250CC, IN MATT GREEN OR TITANIUM GREY

2000 trees

Last summer we jumped on our Sabbath and swapped Birmingham for the Cotswolds, the home of 2000 Trees Festival. The three-day rock, metal, and indie music festival started back in 2007 and has since gained a passionate and loyal fan base. Just a short hour and a half ride away, we had to go see what the fuss was about.

2022’s lineup was just as mouth watering as usual and saw the likes of IDLES, Jimmy Eat World, Thrice and Turnstile all sit at the top of the festival tour poster in big bold writing.

Sometimes you go to a festival for the headliners and the headliners only but this definitely wasn’t one of those occasions.

PIGS x7, Puppy and Nova Twins were all on our radar and, better yet, we managed to sit down with them and have a chat with all of them backstage.

So come with us as we spend three days in the height of summer talking to some of our favourite bands about music and bikes.

Because when you boil it down, what else is there to talk about really?

pigs pigs pigs pigs pigs pigs pigs

If you’ve ever popped into our Birmingham home there’s a bloody good chance you’ve heard this first rabble of 2000 Trees interviewees blasting through the speakers at some point. A certain cover of the classic Donna Summer tune ‘Hot Stuff’ in particular was played an ungodly amount of times. Pigs x7 kick off our series of festival interviews and to say the Mutt camp are excited for a chat would be an understatement

Pigs are in the midst of a festival tour - When they’re done with us in Cheltenham they’re jumping back in the van for a four hour drive, before a 6am flight to Slovakia to play Pohoda Festival. Thankfully we managed to wrangle two of the Pigs, singer Matthew and lead guitarist Adam, long enough for a chinwag.

“We’re just doing festivals this year which has all been very pleasant,” says Adam. Following on from Pigs’ previous tour which came at the tailend (no pun intended) of 2021 when Covid was still rife, the lads seem to be enjoying the more laidback nature of their more recent shows.

“Doing the tour towards the end of last year, there was obviously a lot of covid flying around and we were very aware of the implications of what would happen if covid started ripping through the touring party,” explains lead singer Matthew.

It’s taken three years to play in our hometown, so that was a really special atmosphere.

“For a tour that had been rescheduled two years over, it was quite stressful in many ways. Also part of touring that we like doing is meeting up and speaking with interesting people, but we couldn’t do any of that. We had to keep our distance from people, we couldn’t even converse with the support acts. Whereas the festivals which we’ve been doing so far we’ve got all of that back so it’s been good.”

Pigs have clearly loved being back on the road in more normal circumstances and admit to being spoiled in terms of venues they get to play at. When we asked them to list their highlights, Matthew couldn’t help but give a special shout out to their hometown. “We played at the Cluny in Newcastle last Saturday, that’s a really good venue. It was the first time we had played in Newcastle for probably about three years. Every attempt to do a show since the pandemic has just been cancelled or postponed. It’s taken three years to play in our hometown so that was a really special atmosphere.”

Speaking of ‘hometowns’, what about Birmingham? Matthew’s eyes lit up: “There’s a really good festival in Birmingham called Supersonic which is kind of more left field music, more experimental stuff with idiots like us thrown in there as well. When I started playing in bands that was a festival I really liked. Every year the line up is incredible and I just thought it was such a bold programme of artists and musicians. And then after so many years of Pigs existing we finally got to play there so it was kind of a dream come true. A few years later we got asked again for their 15th anniversary. We headlined one of the stages

and that for me was like completion of a really strange and surreal journey we’d been on, it felt very special.”

Not that we needed confirmation, but Birmingham really is the best and we’ve not even touched on motorbikes yet. Pigs already know all about the city’s booming music history, but what about their own history with bikes?

Frontman Matthew tells us about his teenage experience of sitting on a mate’s bike for the first time: “I sat on that in his garden and he revved it up and I just went full throttle on the accelerator. The back wheel shot up, but I carried on holding on to the bike because it was going towards a greenhouse. I let go at the last minute and luckily it spun off and just missed the greenhouse…” Not the best start, but everyone’s gotta start somewhere.

The lads have to shoot, they’ve got shows to play and flights to catch (Cold shoulder? Not a chance). But before we let them go we have to ask how that ‘Hot Stuff’ cover came about?

“I was driving to work and I had Smooth FM playing when that song came on” Matthew starts telling us. “We’d been discussing doing a cover for ages and we’d been throwing really stupid suggestions around. But that song came on the radio and I thought some of the melodies would make for killer riffs. It transposed itself really really well without us having to do anything. All we did was play it on guitars and it sounds surprisingly alright!”

They’ve promised us a live rendition next time they’re in Birmingham, but until then enjoy the rest of the tour guys.

hotel lux

HOTEL LUX LEFT THEIR SOUTH LONDON ABODE AND MADE THE TRIP TO CHELTENHAM FOR 2000 TREES FESTIVAL AND A CHAT WITH THEIR MOTORHEAD FRIENDS.

Next on the 2000 Trees rota is Hotel Lux, the group NME referred to as South London’s next great band. The indie boys are part of a booming music scene south of the Thames which includes other Mutt favourites such as Goat Girl, Shame, and Fat White Family. We couldn’t help but think next time we make the trip to the big smoke, it might be worth popping on our bike and checking out what the South might have to offer. So who better to ask for recommendations than the very guys sat in front of us. “The Olde Apple Tree, is the place we always go. It’s always dead there, just two rambling old Irish men in the corner and the pool table is always free. It’s the only nice building surrounded by these horrible new builds, I don’t know how it’s still standing to be honest”. Maybe not the most glamorous suggestion, but then what did you expect from the band named after a hotel in Moscow which housed exiled Communists escaping from the Nazi regime.

There was also a special mention for local football side Dulwich Hamlets after the band played a gig at their Champion Hill ground back in April. “It was only the second gig they’ve put on there, but it was a real good laugh”. “Obviously we went on the pitch and got a couple of stock football photos which had to

be done”. In fact there seems to be a bit of a football theme running through the band. Their latest single, ‘National Team’, was conceived whilst watching England play on tv and is about the bizarre feeling of witnessing people their age achieve so much, so young. It’s an absolute banger and well worth checking out if you haven’t already.

This brings us nicely to what’s coming up next for Hotel Lux. “We have booked a big tour around the album release in January/February so we’re getting ready for that. We’re basically just gearing up for the album release”. That’s what we like to hear! With a new album coming out at the beginning of 2023 which will no doubt be packed with more hits, we can’t wait to see what South London’s next big band has in store for us.

puppy

Sat in the blazing heat during the peak of summer 2022, vocalist Jock and drummer Billy from London rock band Puppy are on top of our Sabbath 125cc creating some of the most creative poses we have seen to date on a Mutt.

As they look lovingly into each other’s eyes, their infectious personality rubs off on everyone else around. It’s impossible not to like these guys.

There’s time for a few more shots on the bike before they jump off the Sabbath and join us for a chat where we begin to discuss their latest album, ‘Pure Evil’. However, classically for these two, any attempt at a serious conversion is quickly diverted (and thank god for that, this is far more fun). When Billy begins to tell us all about the new album, he mentions it was released on May the 4th, Star Wars day. What followed was a five minute conversation in which the movie franchise is discussed in intricate and granular detail. Turns out they’re not massive fans of new films. It also turns out the album came out on the May the 6th, but good - if not jedi-free - insight nonetheless.

But when they’re not making music or watching Star Wars, what else do Puppy get up to? “I work in a bar and also as a technician in an art school. I also try to make artwork for other bands and do music videos, so I’m probably doing depressing combinations of those things,” says Jock. He goes on to divulge Billy’s passion for clowning, which Billy himself admits is the real life goal as “music is a stop gap to full-time clowning” for him. Unfortunately for Billy, he hasn’t been able to give it all up to pursue a career in the circus. Yet.

music is a stop gap to full-time clowning.

“ “

So if there was one song that they wished they’d written to set them free from the shackles of music, what would it be? There’s one bizarrely ‘obvious’ choice according to Jock:

“Gangnam Style!” Billy appears confused, asking: “I thought you had a credit on that one?” But is swiftly informed by Jock, perhaps falsely, “We choreographed the dance but we didn’t get any money from the royalties.”

The longer we sit down with the two of them, the more strings to their bow become apparent and the more our sanity is questioned.

It’s fair to say they have both been destined for stardom from early doors. When Jock and Billy were thirteen they were in a band called The Hounds, who by their own admission “were basically a Guns N Roses rip off band”.

“We were singing about sex and motorbikes when we’d never done either of them before. We played two gigs, the second of which we wore matching white jeans because we thought it was cool”. Billy, however, will not have a bad word said about the white jeans: “That was cool man! I think if we stuck with the white jeans we would arguably have more followers than we have now.”

Much like their taste in fashion, their music preferences have also evolved. The likes of Motley Crue and Cinderella Poison were at the heart of their early music inspirations and for Jock the future career path was clear. “I genuinely remember when I was 15 thinking I’m going to move to LA and join a sleaze rock band. Then I remember literally waking up in the middle of the night, realising it wasn’t the

‘80s any more and suddenly thinking I’d fucked my entire life plans.” Two Puppy albums later, if only Jock could go back and tell the 15 year old him to relax, it will all work out in the end.

Before we part ways, we have just enough time to ask the guys for some music recommendations for the Mutt HQ playlist. “Zetra. They supported us at our London show a few months ago. They’re a two piece with a sort of Gothic Power Pop vibe. They sound a bit like Cradle Of Filth meets Gary Numan.” No, we can’t picture it either.

Could there possibly be a better way to end the interview than with the name of our cover star? Seems unlikely.

I remember when I was 15, thinking I’m going to move to LA and join a sleaze rock band.

twins spark

A Nova is a star which shows a sudden large increase in brightness before fading. But if the last 2 years are anything to go, the rock duo consisting of Georgia and Amy may have to look into renaming the band because they ain’t going anywhere.

Nova Twins won the Best U.K. Breakthrough Act at the 2020 Heavy Music Awards after the release of their debut album Who Are the Girls? And their second album Supernova was shortlisted for the 2022 Mercury Prize, signalling a meteoric rise.

Having also supported Wolf Alice, Little Simz, Dream Wife and Black Honey, it’s safe to say Nova Twins are hot property right now.

“We’ve been on tour for like five months which has been incredible” Georgia tells us during a rare moment of respite for the band. “We’ve never toured this hard before, it’s been phenomenal. We’ve been to Europe and we did our headline shows in America which were special. We loved LA, New York and especially Toronto. There was this really cool venue called Sneaky Dee’s there and you could just feel the history in it”.

Phenomenal yes, but bloody knackering surely? “You can miss the boring stuff when you’re on the road” confesses Amy. “When you’re back home, you just want to decompress. I was a gremlin for two days. I was like ‘No-one come near me’.”

Staying closer to home, conversation turns to bikes and Georgia has a problem. “My partner’s family has a motorcycle business, so they’re always going out on their bikes, but I can’t ride!” Whilst Georgia tells us how she’s been on the back a few times, we can all agree that’s not the same. So surely a bike is in the pipeline for Georgia? “Definitely, it’s like the coolest thing ever! Like in the action films where they jump on a bike and wreck it through the city, that’d be sick to do that”.

The people of Birmingham might not thank us, but we can’t wait to see it. Thanks for your time, you stratospheric legends!

BLACK METAL FROM BIRMINGHAM

We’re keeping it chill with our latest black metal beast. Liquid cooled is comin’ in hot.

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what the mutt is going on?

CHECK IN FOR A QUICK RECAP ON ANOTHER UNFORGETTABLE YEAR AT THE HOUSE OF MUTT

There’s been a hell of a lot going on at Mutt recently, so you’d be forgiven if one or two nuggets of information slipped through the cracks.

Let’s start with our bread and butter, the bikes. Last year we brought you the GT-SR, the perfect all-rounder with a low centre of gravity, a big capacity tank, and wide road tyres. All with that down-and-dirty Mutt DNA running right through its veins. To cook this one up, we took all the pretty candy from our other Mutts, added some technical upgrades, and applied a dash of new styling. This all comes together to make the GT-SR, one of the highest spec bikes in our range.

We also pushed the boat out a little and tried out some new colourways. Whilst we might bleed black at Mutt, variety is the spice of life… apparently. So we gave the Mastiff a new, rugged green lick of paint, as well as the Sabbath which now comes with a superslick titanium grey tank. But don’t worry if you prefer the classics, the all Black’s are still available and raring to go.

There’s been even more to shout about during the first half of 2023 as we’ve unshackled the Mushman and the Razorback Low from The

Mutt lab, but more on them to come later on in the mag...

Hopefully from reading MMM 003 you’ve realised by now there’s much more to us than what meets the eye. If you’ve ever been to one of our legendary parties you’ll know exactly what we mean. Last September we celebrated our one year anniversary in our new digs, The House of Mutt and with a bit of assistance from a few local Brummie legends, we threw what some might call the party of the year.

Our hosting for the year didn’t stop there though, as we welcomed Paddock Life Magazine for our first ever car and bike meetup, attracting motorheads from all over the country. At the beginning of summer we also had our buddies and coffee partners at Dark Arts Coffee over for a big old ride out which saw customs, classics and everything in between get involved. Oh, did we mention one of Mutt’s favourite band’s Drug Church, popped in to say hello? We told you there was a lot going on.

million miles of fun

DRUG CHURCH CAME TO SEE US DURING THEIR UK TOUR TO TALK ABOUT LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES: MOTORCYCLES AND MUSIC

Hailing from New York & LA, of course these rockers added the birthplace of metal to their tour list, making a stop by Mutt HQ before their show at the Castle And Falcon (a stone’s throw away from the legendary Balti Triangle).

Starting as a side project for singer Patrick, Drug Church has become front-and-centre. Winning over audiences with their own potent blend of hardcore punk with elements of alternative rock and grunge, they’ve forged their unique postpunk/post-hardcore sound.

Embracing a socially conscious approach, their lyrics take on a dark and satirical tone. Notably, the lyrics are not pre-written but crafted onthe-spot within the studio setting, creating an authentic and tailor-made experience.. This bespoke approach epitomises Drug Church’s commitment to delivering music that is truly their own.

Drug Church were at the beginning of their fourth studio album ‘Hygiene’ tour when they swung by Mutt HQ for some fresh coffee and a whole load of chaos. Naturally we rolled out the big guns; our glorious FSR in Gloss Grey and everyone’s favourite underdog the Razorback in Matt Black.

While some of the band rode back in the day, their life on the road has had their hearts set on music instead, but the love of two wheels never really leaves you.

Sipping brews from our coffee bar, we showed the lads around Mutt HQ,

“These bikes are rad - when are you in the US?” Very soon! Watch this space.

Particularly enamoured by the skinny legend Razorback, drummer Chris Villeneuve is now firmly on the USA waiting list (sorry Chris, the first-place spot has already been nabbed by EODM’s Jesse Hughes - more on that later!)

While we have plenty of hang-out space at the doghouse, one thing led to another and as usual, the guys chose chaos. The entire band made their way up atop our black metal snake shipping container to effortlessly strike us a pose while telling us how pumped they are to be back in the UK.

We always wanna show the best of our city when anyone is passing through and they certainly got a good view from up there.. Without being able to leave with a bike in tow, we loaded the band up with plenty of second city merchandise to represent Birmingham during the rest of their tour far and wide.

The lads were en route to Outbreak festival, but not before rockin’ the socks off a load of Brummies at the Castle and Falcon.

We headed along to catch them in action, and certainly didn’t regret it.

Patrick is the perfect frontman,, gesticulating wildly and donning exaggerated facial expressions that flawlessly align with the music. He’s also an engaging storyteller between songs, even admitting to never having eaten a Balti before. This isn’t even the first time Drug Church has come along to Birmingham!

The crowd played their own part in making the night one to remember, throwing themselves all about the place. Drug Church sure can put on a good show.

And with that they’re done. They headed off the stage and ended the night in true Brummie fashion, heading straight to a local curry house to experience their very first ever balti.

the love of two wheels never really leaves you.

RAZORBACK OR FSR? THAT’S OKAY, DRUG CHURCH COULDN’T CHOOSE EITHER

“ “

coming soon

razorback low

We’re giving our traffic-beating, ultra-narrow Razorback a bit of TLC.

Don’t get us wrong, we have no intention of making the Razorback fat like our other bikes. This bike is narrow and always will be. What we did want to do is create a version that was slammed on the deck like you’d slam a low rider.

The Razorback Low is, as the name would suggest, low. With a seat height of 810mm, it sits nicely alongside the rest of our twin shock range, donning a brand new kick-up exhaust so you dont become the local concrete scraper.

BE THE FIRST TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE RAZORBACK LOW

someone give geoff a bell

WE CAUGHT UP WITH ONE OF LONDON’S MOST RECOGNISABLE ACTORS TO TALK ALL ABOUT HIS CAREER, INCLUDING HIS STARRING ROLE IN ONE OF THE GREATEST MOTORBIKE FILMS EVER.

Our next guest to take to the saddle in Mutt’s Bethnal Green store is actor and director Geoff Bell. The East End of London turns out to be a very fitting location to meet the man who has spent much of his acting career playing cockney gangsters. If you’ve seen him in films such as “Green Street” and “Mean Machine” you’ll know what I mean, this man is “The Business”.

Geoff didn’t disappoint, rocking up to the

shoot dressed in a flat cap and an old school Fila tracksuit top, looking like he’d just come off set with Guy Ritchie, we half expected Vinnie Jones to walk in next to him holding a shotgun. But as we quickly realised, there would be no shoot out today (much to store manager Saffron’s relief). In fact there would be nothing but admiration as we sat in silence for the next forty minutes listening to Geoff tell us all about the journey his career has taken.

So let’s take it from the top. ‘I’d always wanted to do acting, but circumstances meant I couldn’t do it when I was younger’ says Geoff, ‘But finally I had an opportunity, so I walked into Morley College when I was 29 and listened

to a man give a speech. There were about 300 people there doing the night course and I asked him what I had to do. He said, “Go to a bookshop, find a play”. So I found one called Bouncers, by John Godber, learnt a speech from that, went and did it and they said, “You’re a natural, where have you been?” that was it really’.

Whilst Geoff was obviously joking, it’s hard to argue with his career thus far. On top of the films mentioned earlier, Geoff has gone on to give notable performances in the likes of Kingsman: The Secret Service, Suffragette, War Horse, King Arthur and not to mention arguably the greatest motorbike film ever, Free Bird. ‘I always loved bikes, and then when I got the opportunity to be in a biker movie they sent me for my test because I had to have CBT to do it’. `We drove to Wales on the bikes, and filmed it in the Brecon Beacons in Hay-on-

Wye, a little book town. We were there for a month and I nearly became an alcoholic! I slept in my gear every night to be in character and we took so many drugs, it was like the best job ever!’ Maybe not quite the analysis we were expecting, but a good insight into the life of a Hollywood star nonetheless…

However, one thing about Geoff - he excels both in front of and behind the camera. If you have a little scroll through his Instagram you’ll notice that he is also an avid photographer. Geoff has managed to create a visual diary of his career, capturing some crazy moments along the way. ‘I’ve got photos of Pele from when I filmed Mike Bassett: England Manager. When I did the Girl with the Pearl Earring with Scarlett

Johansson and Cillian Murphy you know. Cillian was my son, he was 19, Scarlett was 18, that was their first jobs, I’ve got photos of them, I’ve got photos of Colin Firth, you know, I was like Jesus

I slept in my gear every night to be in character

I’ve taken photos for all my life’.

Whilst Geoff admits that photography is just a passion of his, life behind the camera sat in the directors chair is something he takes far more seriously. In 2020, Geoff won the award for First Time Director at Venice film festival for his short film, ‘Bacon’ which he wrote and produced. ‘I couldn’t believe it. I’d written this film, I suppose it took me six years. It’s a very personal subject about abuse, and it took me a long time to even ask the person if I could make this’. But once the wheels were in motion, nothing was slowing him. Geoff talks us through the process of making the film which was shot in just two days. ‘For just a small budget, we put this film together. By the 15th of November it was all finished. By December 16th, after the screening on the 15th I sent it off to America (for the festival), and by January the 1st we’d won best film, I couldn’t believe it! A Fucking process of three months’.

With results like that surely it won’t be long until we see Geoff holding the old school megaphone again whilst sitting in a fold up director’s chair? ‘I’m trying, I’m writing a film now, I’ve written a TV series, I do want to direct but first and foremost I’m an actor, you know. I’m going to direct because how can I win first time film director and not direct again, you know?’

We couldn’t agree more!

eagles knievel

ROCKING AND ROLLING WITH THE GRITTY CHARM OF LIFE ON THE ROAD AND THE FLAIR OF A KILLER WARDROBE, WE EMBARKED ON AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE WITH OUR LONG-TIME FRIENDS, EAGLES OF DEATH METAL.

After a well earned day off tearing around on a couple of Mutt Motorcycles, our long time friends Eagles of Death Metal invited us to join the band at Teddy Rocks festival. Of course we were more than happy to join the party, Mutts in tow.

Jorma soon caught us up on what they’d been up to the day before. ”We had a blast getting lost on backroads and eventually made it to the Sammy Miller Museum which was just mind blowing. Highly recommended for anyone with even the slightest interest in motorcycles.”

Hitting the road from last night’s digs on twin RS-13s to Charisworth farm. Lead singer Jessie Hughes and Drummer Jorma Vik were rockin’ the hairpin bends of the English countryside, the bright yellow rapeseed fields as the backdrop.

Jorma let us know about hittin’ the road post pandemic “Throwing myself back into it certainly took some adjusting to, physically and mentally. I was especially grateful for days off that I could

jump on a bike and enjoy some of the British and European countryside. That said, it was wonderful to see rooms and fields full of people with smiling faces. You could tell people were very excited to get out of the house and shake their butts.”

We land at the festival and Jesse exclaims “I LOVE THESE BIKES” with dust clouds following him as he whipped the RS-13 up the narrow dirt path that followed the front of the artists green rooms, it had us all itching to jump on and join him.

Jorma eagerly tells us about growing up riding dirt bikes before he got into music. “After discovering my love for the drums I decided to pursue that further and put away the motorcycles. Having turned music into a career and spending the majority of my time on the road I needed an activity to keep me out of trouble when I was between tours at home so I got back into motorcycling. The love came back instantly and turned into borderline obsession.”

Jesse pipes up “so when can I get my own one in the US?” As you all know we are working on it, we promise. But just to let ya know Jesse has claimed the first Mutt when we land stateside. We asked, what would you call it? “EAGLES KNIEVEL!” as he pulled out a replica Evel jumpsuit from his wardrobe. Gifted to him from the Knievel family. Where would your first ride be? “I’d go from my house toward Santa Monica. Stop, give Tuesday a kiss on the cheek and then I would head down the five to Highway 74 so I can take it over the mountains into Palm Springs. From there I’ll take it straight up the 10 freeway to the Highway 60 and go straight to Joshua tree”

What about you, Jorma?

“I’m particularly fond of a road called the 33. It starts at the coast in Ventura and winds its way up 8500 ft into the mountains over the course of 50 miles. It’s got a little bit of everything - ‘sweepers’, ‘twisties’ and probably even some other goofy words motorcyclists adhere to also! Watch out for those ‘cagers’ crossing the double yellows!”

While the 33 and Joshua Tree awaits, kitted out in Mutt Apparel Jesse and Jorma rode off for a pre-show burn out in the open fields surrounding the festival grounds. Jesse, living up to his nickname ‘Father Badass’ added a touch of Evel Knievel flair to the occasion by donning his iconic Evel Knievel jacket. In the midst of live bands performing in the background, the unmistakable sound of the roaring RS-13s filled the air. As Jesse and Jorma put these remarkable machines through their paces, a wave of adrenaline surged through our veins.

In true rock ‘n’ roll style, Jessie rode our RS-13 on stage, paying tribute to the rebel spirit. With the anthem “BORN TO BE...” blaring, the crowd went “WIIILLLDD.” The RS-13 backdrop marked EoDM’s first pyro show and bike entrance, leaving us eager for what’s next. A breathtaking performance that defined the essence of rock ‘n’ roll magic.

i got back into motorcycling. it turned into a borderline obsession.

“ “

A night of pure rock ‘n’ roll magic left us eagerly wondering what’s next for this audacious band and Mutt Motorcycles.

Jesse and Jorma didn’t willingly hand back the Mutts but while they were reassured they are stored safe and sound back at our HQ in Birmingham Jesse continues… “I believe in this bike, it’s so rad, GET IT TO THE US”.

IF YOU WANNA BE AMONGST THE FIRST TO KNOW WHEN WE ARE STATESIDE SIGN UP TO OUR MAILING LIST.

i believe in this bike, it’s so rad. “ “

mutt models

ALL MODELS AVAILABLE IN 125CC AND 25OCC

SEE THE FULL RANGE AT MUTTMOTORCYCLES.COM

find your mutt

Mutts are mean machines built for both fun and stylish commuting. Light enough to throw around the city and fast enough for hacking down the motorway or blasting down the A-roads.

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