Mark Lamarr defines band's sound of 'Southern Boogie Rock'

Leader Live

4 days ago

With the Leader's Next Big Thing feature, we hope to showcase some of the talent in Wrexham and Flintshire.
If you are a group of musicians or solo singer that would love a boost towards your big break, the Leader wants to hear from you.
We are looking to put the Next Big Thing on music fans' radar, just remember us when you get to the top!
Read more: Crimson Katana slice into the Wrexham music scene
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In the spotlight this week is The Loving Cup, a rising country rock band, with members from Wrexham and Flintshire, "spilling soul, heartbreak, and big hooks across the UK - one hard goodbye at a time".
The line-up features: Jaz Livesey - lead vocals, rhythm guitar; Andrew Vickers - lead guitar, backing vocals; Giz Catterall - lead guitar, backing vocals; Andy Whitfield - bass; and Nick Lauro - drums.
North Wales country rock band The Loving Cup.
Is there a story behind the band name The Loving Cup?
It was a nod to The Rolling Stones - like they took their name from an old Muddy Waters song, we did the same to them. Loving Cup is a tune from the Stones' Exile on Main St. 1972 LP - a key influence for us when we first started out.
And the connotations are positive, we're all drinking from the same well, love and music all mixed together but it works on a few different levels metaphorically, it's all good.
Your musical influences?
Too many to single out, we have this shared love of classic 60s/70s melody and harmony, drawing influences from country, blues, rock, and soul which feeds into the way each of us write.
It's hard to pin it down to one style but we did a session for Mark Lamarr on BBC Radio 2 and he described our sound as "Southern Boogie Rock". We like that.
Who do you admire in the industry?
Kudos to any bands out there independently writing, performing, recording and promoting their own stuff. Fewer people than ever seem to want to go out and watch a band at a grass roots venue now, and yet they'd pay hundreds to go and watch a stadium gig or a tribute act.
It's really sad to be honest. There's something special and intimate about discovering a new band for yourself and getting to see them up close in a small venue - that's when you feel the energy and become part of it.
Read more: Wrexham band members grew up with parents' love of music
What do you enjoy about performing?
We've been playing so long together now that there's this kind of telepathic understanding, even when we've planned and rehearsed something a certain way, sometimes there might be a spontaneous shift in gear, maybe it's the way the guitars sound together or the reaction from the audience, whatever, you get carried away and it lifts the whole performance to another level - that's when the goosebumps hit.
There's also something very gratifying about seeing people in the crowd singing your words back at you, something you created that's now become theirs.
Is performing a full-time job?
No but it's a full-time obsession.
Where can people catch you live in the coming months?
Locally, at Dee Fest, Saturday August 23; The Swinging Arm (Birkenhead), September 14, and Stanley's Cask (Wallasey), September 26. We're taking a short break after that to focus on recording - we have a huge backlog of songs and we hope to release a new album in 2026.
Favourite song of yours?
Maybe Hard Goodbye from our second album. It's an emotionally charged heartbreak song with a bit of everything - hooky chorus, harmonies, soaring guitars, epic crescendo - but we are all really pleased with our recent release, It's About Time, which has this Byrds/Big Star shimmer with a kind of Stone Roses 1989 filter.
We're made up as well as we've just heard it's on the Wrexham AFC STōK Racecourse playlist, so it will be belting out there in the coming season!
Read more: Did you rock out at the Racecourse with Motorhead?
Thoughts on the Wrexham/North Wales music scene?
It's tougher than ever for bands. You have to be passionate about what you're doing for no other reason than you love it. Smaller venues are struggling to support independent writers and performers these days, and particularly bands.
If you love the sound and feel of a great rock and roll band, come and see us. And if you can't come and see us, follow us on social media.
Anything else we should know?
Our latest single, Don't Put It Off, is out now on all digital platforms - it's been described as a sort of hidden gem vibe from The Last Waltz, kinda like if Dylan or Johnny Cash had stepped up to the mic backed up by Little Feat or The James Gang.
We tried to keep it as authentic as possible with all the old vintage gear, and it has this narrative of a fleeting connection, seizing the moment, following your instincts and refusing to live with regrets.
It's been going down well at our recent shows.
• You can hear Don't Put It Off and more music from The Loving Cup on Spotify: tinyurl.com/2k3dseb7
For more information, follow the band on Facebook or Instagram.