Manchester five-piece Marouli have released their new single, Don't Wanna Dance, ahead of their upcoming second album Tall Tales from a Distant Uncle Volume 2. We asked Graham McCusker of the band the BIG questions . . .
We need your consent to load this Spotify contentWe use Spotify to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Irish British pianist and backing vocalist Graham is also a member of Band Of Skulls and he has composed music for television shows such as His Dark Materials (BBC/HBO), The Essex Serpent (Apple TV), The Strays (Netflix), and Bodies (Netflix) and worked with Hans Zimmer, Boy George, and Clean Bandit.
Speaking about Marouli’s new single, he says, "In short, it’s about someone who is too drained to enjoy nightlife and wants solitude instead of forced fun. A common feeling many have in today's society!
"It’s also about exhaustion, socially and physically which is something I have had experience of recently when going through chemo and radiotherapy."
McCusker wrote much of Tall Tales from a Distant Uncle Volume 2 after overcoming cancer for the second time.
Formed in 2018, Marouli’s line-up is Graham McCusker (vocals/keys), Alex Hill (keys), Josh Poole (saxophone), Adam Bidgood (trumpet), Alex Dineen (guitar), Jamie Brewster (bass), and Matt Brown (drums).
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
From Paisley, Scotland.
Lover of Golden Retrievers (and other dogs).
Enjoys a whisky from Islay.
How would you describe your music?
An eclectic mix of genres, alt. Indie, rock, jazz - basically, hopefully a chorus you can sing along to. If David Bowie, Paul Simon and Gregory Porter walked into a bar and decided to write music…maybe Marouli would come out. A big claim there to be fair though!! Haha.
Who are your musical inspirations?
A wide range from, John Martyn, Stravinsky, Steely Dan, Randy Newman.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
As an audience member, emmmm, that I remember, probably Biffy Clyro or The Proclaimers. Not sure. Clearly they made such a big impact…haha!
What was the first record you ever bought?
Sum 41 - Fat Lip.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Hall and Oates - She’s Gone. Don’t ask why. My fiancée went travelling recently, she’s back now I should say, and I guess it was a little tongue and cheek between the two of us.
Favourite lyric of all time?
"Love is a lesson to learn in our time" - so many different ways to think of such a simple sentence
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Long Distance Love - Little Feat.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Our Instagram is probably the most constantly updated - however, all the usual streaming platforms, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, Bandcamp etc…
Alan Corr
