Introducing...Cut Out Shapes

YMC: Who's in the band, how long have you been playing together?

The live line up was completed in Nov 2009 so we've only been playing together for 3 and a bit months as a band. Me (Chris that plays Guitar) and Chris the singer have known each other since Feb 2008 and wrote quite a few songs together from that time which we will use on our first album.

YMC: Some of the band members have other projects too, can you tell me a little about those?

Our synth/guitar player Toni has his own solo project called Tsars where he does his electro dance stuff. Singer Chris has his own alt/dance/rock mash up thing going on called thaipar. All the links are on our top friends on myspace. I have a solo project called Permafrost, I did some gigs under the name in 2005. Its lying dormant at the moment and if i get more time I'll put more experimental synth pieces/cover songs up there as and when they are recorded.

YMC: Who writes the songs for Cut Out Shapes?

Usually I'll write/arrange a song at home and do demos in cubase and email them to the other guys before practice. We'll then bring the song into the band situation where the guys will add there own parts. Sometimes ill write the music and Chris the singer will have an ideas for lyrics. Executive Decision and Desert Song were done in this way. We have a new song where all the members are contributing and thats the direction we want to follow as four heads are better than one ideas wise.

YMC: Who are you main influences and what are you listening to at the moment?

I would say my main influences are mansun, manics, magazine, psychedelic dance music, I like everything though and try to be original as much as possible. I went through a phase of listening to bat for lashes' second album recently in the car, its brilliant and dark. Because its now getting warmer im getting into "chosen lords" by Aphex Twin, a compilation of his dance instrumentals.

YMC: Have you recorded any material?

We have six tracks on last fm in various stages of completion. Im doing an MA at the moment so that takes a large chunk of my time up. From September we hope to have the other half of our album recorded. It'll then take time to mix and produce. We record everything ourselves minus drums. We like to have total control over our own sound so it represents what we sound like in the rehearsal room.

YMC: Do you have any gigs coming up?

Yep we have two confirmed 20th March Carpe Diem 7.30pm and 9th April at Elbow Rooms both in Leeds. Were aiming to do some festivals if we can maybe in Greece or UK.