Table Scraps – Going Through The Emotions

Table Scraps are a bunch of dangerous dirtballs from Birmingham whose brand of razor-sharp rock only runs on full power. In the midst of this blizzard, this rock and roll thunder, they have kindly taken time to speak to us.

Hello Table Scraps, what are you working on at the moment?
Hi – we’re just about to release an album in February called Autonomy. We made it all by ourselves and can’t wait to get it out there. Currently, playing shows all over and working on the next LP.

What are you listening to, reading and watching at the moment?
Spoilt for choice at the moment. The most recent: Pissed Jeans, IDLES, Black Lips, Slowcoaches, PINS and Swedish Death Candy records have all been on repeat in the van.

What has been your biggest life challenge so far and what did you do to overcome it?
Not long after our first LP came out, Scott had to have pretty gnarly surgery on his battered skeleton. On top of his long recovery period, which put Table Scraps on pause, we also had to contend with all three of us suddenly finding ourselves out of traditional employment and scrambling to survive. It was testing, but it ultimately forced us to start working for ourselves and, in turn, dedicate more time towards the band and taking better care of ourselves.

What would constitute a ‘perfect’ day for you?
Waking up to find that our bassist, TJ, has already filled the coffee machine and is making breakfast. Going for a long walk, then stumbling upon some crates of records and bric-à-brac to dig through. This fantasy also takes place in the Mediterranean (or Brighton, which is close enough compared to Birmingham) so the sun is out, we’re all wearing denim vests and there is always a working fridge.

For what in your life do you feel most grateful?
From the perspective of the band, being able to do what we want and having people around us who encourage and support us doing things our way. All three of us, when we were much younger, experienced the highs and lows of big labels and all the discomfort and obligation that comes with it. To have people appreciate what you’re doing, especially when everything we do comes directly from us, means the world.

Complete this sentence: “Ace mental health for me means…”
…being able to get the most out of everything you do.

What do you eat to stay healthy?
While it might sound pretty un-rock’n’roll, the three of us are massive foodies. We try not to have rules, avoid restriction or rules about what’s “good” or “bad” and just enjoy balance, variety and what makes us feel good.

Do you have a daily routine of exercise or do you make it up as you go along?
Similarly, with food, we try and maintain active habits and make being healthy more incidental rather than forcing it. Walking everywhere, buying heavy vintage equipment that needs moving all the time, jumping around on stage, it’s all good!

Here at The Mind Map, we remember playing football and ‘tag’ – running around the playground every day and loving it – can you share a similar memory?
Despite its reputation, Birmingham does have a surprising amount of green space, so a massive amount of childhood exploring, running around parks, arts centers, the sort of woods that inspired the Lord of the Rings did happen. A fair amount of it has certainly inspired the hints of goth that run deeply through Table Scraps.

What three songs lift your spirits?
Biz Markie – Just A Friend
The B-52s – Private Idaho
Nirvana – Negative Creep

What is your favourite self-help book, or motivational quote?
Poppy has been enjoying some Marie Kondo as of late. Lots of our self-help wisdom is cribbed from recipe books, random articles and, most importantly, from those we are close to.

What advice do you offer to friends when they are feeling overwhelmed?
Channel the feeling in a way that’s productive or cathartic: throw it into something creative, a half-hour walk, or just chop some onions with intense hatred. It will most likely do the world of good. If, for whatever reason, that’s not possible, then make yourself comfortable, cut yourself some slack and do something nice for yourself. You probably deserve it!

@TableScrapsBand