For all the tightly-focused noise that erupts on stage when Ann Arbor play live, you’d be forgiven for thinking there’s ten of them, not just the two. Guitar, bass and drum machine in perfect disharmony, Ann Arbor owe as much to proto-industrial pioneers like Godflesh and Fudgetunnel as they do to the difficult math-rock shapes thrown by the likes of Slint and Shellac. The resulting combination takes in, Jekyll and Hyde-like, ambient blips and skwerks and electronic rhythms on the one hand and filling-loosening, seismic guitar noise on the other. Yeah!

Members: Tim Waterfield – Guitar/programmimg, Matthew Jones – Bass
Location:Nottingham/Leicester
Formed:2000

What do you think you sound like, and how different is that from what other people have said or written about you?

We’ve just had a load of reviews written for the 16 Bit CD, and there’s been a few interesting ones. Kerrang! mentioned Slint and Raw Nerve talked about Jesus Lizard and The Verve, but we’re just a mixing pot of whatever we like. But then most people would say we sound like Big Black or Shellac…

Tip us off – what great new bands are there in your locality, or that you’ve played with, that you’d urge the curious music fan to check out?

Little Girl With Cherries, Wolves of Greece, Brown Owl

Do you feel much affiliation with any community with regards to the music that you create/release?

It’s been hard, but I think people are starting to get what we do. It might be more that we are now playing shows and mixing with people more suited to us. When we started with the drum machine, we played a lot of shows with hardcore type bands and we had a lot of comments about needing a singer and a drummer. I can’t remember the amount of times I’ve had to explain to people that we didn’t want a singer or drummer!

Where did you get your band name from? Do you like it?

A name is a name – once you decide on it, you stick with it! We do have a problem that people think because of the name that we’re an emo band. We played in Rugby and the promoter had not heard us and was a bit surprised with what he got. The name came from a documentary on Iggy Pop. It was the Stooges’ hometown and I liked the sound of it.

Which is your favourite of your own tracks?

Bored. It’s just a great fun song to play live.

What would you be willing to give up/sacrifice for success in your band?

You don’t want to know – it’s too depressing!

What does your family think of your music?

The last time we played Nottingham, my Mum and Dad turned up to see me play for the first time ever. My mum loved it and I think my dad enjoyed being in the pub.

You’ve been asked to contribute to a charity covers album. Which song(s) would you most likely cover?

‘Paranoid’ by Black Sabbath, because we already have it recorded. It was for a charity comp that never happened. So if anyone wants to hear it, let me know and I’ll send you a CD-R. It’s one of the few Ann Arbor recordings with vocals and a great keyboard solo.

What’s your favourite bit of band kit? If diskant could buy one thing for your band for Christmas, what would it be?

My SR-16, and a machine drum by Elektron would be very nice.

What are the last couple of albums you bought and are they any good?

I can’t remember what I bought last, but it was something with blips and beeps in it. I’m going through a phase of mainly buying DVDs. I’ve just bought Trilogy of the Dead. It’s awesome – it’s the box set with Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead by George A. Romero.

Choose between:

(a) Indie label or major label deal?
Indie.

(b) CD or vinyl?
CD.

(c) Records or live music?
Live.

Sing us a song.

‘I think I lost my smile
I think you lost yours too
We have lost the power to make each other laugh
Let’s just leave this place
And go to summerland
Just a name on the map
Sounds like heaven to me’.

Website: www.ann-arbor.org.uk and www.field-records.co.uk

Records we can buy:
16 Bit album (Field Records)
Little Pieces Of Sky compilation
These Things Hap pen Vol I compilation (Millipede Records)