Latest Diner News:

Diner were featured in NME this week and described as " A blend of 60's garage pop, Idlewild songcraft and Pixies guitars, which ends up sounding ike REM " Reckoning " era" - Robert Collins, NME. The band were also praised for their No 2 USA airplay hit. To see it click here. 

News flash: 

Hot new Matchbox band DINER have charted on the official sideload charts in the USA. The sideloads chart compiled by the world's largest Internet Radio network Live 365 is based on Radio stations sideloading tracks into their playlist for broadcast. "A history of looking out for me " charts above U2, Blondie, Yo La Tengo and The Pretenders. Nice one for a song that has only been in the music library for a few days. Go Diner.       

DINER 

Diner are a Bucks/N.London based 3 piece with a strong clutch of guitar driven songs, powerful melodies and sweet vocal harmonies. They deliver a raw but epic garage guitar sound, somewhat reminiscent of early REM combined with vocal harmonies that bring to mind some of the finer bands of the 60’s.

 This is mixed with a modern, flowery , alternative, lo-fi guitar pop sound that is reminiscent of classy guitar bands like The Icicyle Works, The Lotus eaters, R.E.M, Idlewild, The Smiths and James. 

Their fantastic, moody and melodic debut album " Eight Pound Guitar" is out soon via Matchbox Recordings. 

Spotlight On had the pleasure of dining with frontman Cliff Adams. The results can be seen below. 

THE OFFICIAL INTERVIEW 

1. What made you decide to form a band, tell us a bit about the DINER history?


When I was 16 I and living in Birmingham, my sister was well on her way with classical guitar lessons and with a dismissive air I challenged her to show me some basic chords believing my interest could not be sustained for one minute. Coincidentally, at the same time, I found the time to remove myself from my beloved football and start listening to evening radio for no apparent reason. Armed with 3 major chords and a plethora of wonderful bands on the radio I had entered into a world of discovery that, thus far, I have been unable to grow out of.

The natural progression was to form a band to exercise those 3 chords and although a while was spent just jamming in a friend’s garage I soon became disillusioned with the whole song writing process and felt I either had to give it up and go back to my football or take it a step further. So I took it a step further and advertised for musicians – any musicians to join me. I went through a few drummers, bass players and guitarists before arriving on the Birmingham live circuit with the trio THE LOST FOREST. Ashley Dreher was the bass player in that band and despite a brief hiatus where we parted company for a while, we have remained musically entwined ever since.

I have always believed TLF were ahead of their time and yet, in hindsight, we also outstayed our welcome with 4 and half years perhaps being 3 and half years too long. Once Ashley and I had moved to London for differing reasons and our drummer decided not to follow, TLF were wound up. 

Ashley and I set about writing some new stuff to reflect our interest in the sudden emergence of stunning American guitar bands and DINER mark one was born. Via an advert we were joined by the talented yet volatile Chris on drums who remained with us for a year as we got onto Radio One and warmed the big leather sofa in the offices of Polydor Records. It was there that we were almost offered the opportunity of recording for them – almost. Things conspired against us to the point where I was driven, in a fit of pique, to put my guitars up for sale. They didn’t sell and after a couple of half hearted attempts to get the show back on the road, a couple of years later I put them into a long hibernation.

Fate plays funny tricks. With my elaborate array of guitars gathering dust I was back into a regular day job and met Dan who had a set of drums that were also gathering dust. It was a tentative meeting that day we got out the cloths and polish and dug out our gear. Dan’s enthusiasm somehow inspired me to construct something remotely resembling songs out of the many ideas I’d had kicking around in my head during the preceding barren times and we set about jamming. That was it. We were hooked again. I had been reined back in. A CD was stuck in the post to Ashley and so was he.

All that messing around and all it took was one talented drummer. If only we’d known……..


2. Who or what are your influences?

My vinyl/CD collection is probably about as eclectic as one can get. There is an undeniable theme of the guitar running through most of it for obvious reasons and yet if I am forced to select splashes of real genius in my collection I would probably plump for Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley et al from the 50’s, The Beatles, The Stones, The Byrds et al from the 60’s, A variety of punk and SKA from the 70’s, REM, Big Country, The Icicle Works, The Smiths et al from the 80’s, The Pixies, Sugar, Nirvana et al from the 90’s and a host of artists from the new millennium.

3. What modern artists do you rate?

Of all the bands currently plying their trade bands such as Idlewild, The Strokes and Kings Of Leon stand out but there are many more. Idlewild in particular appeal to me as I have a great fondness for the sound that REM captured earlier on in their career.


4. If you could choose to record a song with any other artist/band alive or dead who would it be and why?

To have recorded anything with The Beatles or Elvis couldn’t be topped simply for what they gave to music.

Currently, I’d love to record a song with Roddy from Idlewild as I respect him a great deal as a songwriter.


5. What inspires you to write your music?

Sometimes it can be nothing more than a certain mood or a thought. Often it will be a situation. Love and life will continue to provide an infinite stream of references.

6. Name your all time fave track by another artist?

I can’t as I don’t have one. I know several that have all earned that lofty accolade at certain points in time. Again it depends on my mood. 

7. What instruments do you use?

My workhorses are a 330 Rickenbacker and a Japanese Fender Telecaster. My main amp is a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and my other amp is an old Sessionette. I also own a Phantom Teardrop 12 string, Norman Acoustic, a couple of cheap basses and a variety of weird and wonderful things from Mandolas to squeezeboxes!! Oh, and an eight pound guitar.
Ash plays an old Fender Precision through an even older Hiwatt. Dan plays a Pearl Export kit with Yamaha Custom Oak Snare, Zildjian K cymbals, and a sparkling tambourine.

8. What are your ambitions for your music? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Combining the germination of an idea, watching it grow into a song, rehearsing the song and then finally recording the song to hear it at its fullest potential is the most rewarding aspect for me. I want to make music that people want to listen to and that will stand the test of time. When I’m old, I want to be able to stick my songs on and proclaim how proud I am that I was part of it – and mean it.


9. How would you describe your music and what genre do you think it fits into?

I would describe our music as mixing some of the best aspects of the 60s/70s/80s/90s into a modern sound which is all our own. It could be pop, rock, alternative or indie. As long as people like it as much as us I don’t care if it’s filed under Jazz.


10. Where was your new album recorded and who produced it?

It was recorded throughout January 2005 at The Music Lounge, Westbourne Studios, London and was engineered and produced by Jason Emberton. It was mastered by Duncan Morrison at the Cutting Suite, London.

11. Who are DINER and what does each member play?

We are guitar based 3 piece offering a clutch of strong songs to anyone who’ll listen. We are spread across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Inner London. We are:

Cliff Adams (Voice, Guitars)

Ashley Dreher (Bass Guitar)

Dan Saunders (Drums, Voice)

Check out the official site at www.dinerhq.com