Mike Crawshaw, Mark Franks and Jay James of the Platinum-selling singing group The Overtones talk about their forthcoming Christmas tour, recollections of singing for the Queen, and plans for an modern new album.
It’s thrilling that you simply’re again with one other festive present – what can individuals count on out of your Good Times Christmas Tour?
Mike: We’ve been touring for nicely over a decade now and we’ve actually honed our abilities in that
time. We know what the viewers like, we all know what will get them dancing and singing, and we’re
all the time pushing it additional. It’s simply going to be an enormous festive knees up for the entire household, and
we’re certain that everybody will go away the theatre with smiles on their faces.
Mark: We have such an enormous again catalogue to select from, and there’s an enormous array of traditional
songs from the 50s all the best way as much as the current day. The problem for us is to decide on which
ones to incorporate!
Jay: I believe The Overtones have turn out to be synonymous with escapism – individuals can come and have
time it doesn’t matter what’s occurring of their lives. Last 12 months’s tour was testomony to that. We’ve
additionally acquired Tom Ball coming again once more as a particular visitor, as a result of individuals beloved him a lot final
time. So, because the title suggests, it’s going to be the last word feel-good present.
The band has been going for practically 15 years. What are your stand out recollections?
Mike: The early days have been superb. We met one another on the open mic circuit in London, and
spent a couple of years attempting out completely different singing kinds and genres, however discovered it was laborious to sync our
diaries round work. So we had the thought to start out a portray and adorning firm – that means,
we might rehearse whereas we labored. One day we have been portray an workplace block on Oxford Street,
and as we have been singing Billy Joel’s ‘The Longest Time’, a lady got here as much as us and stated she
labored as a expertise scout for Warner Brothers Records, and requested us to come back and sing for the
executives. That acquired our foot within the door, and this insane, magical journey started.
Mark: A particular second that stands out for me was taking part in on the Queen’s Jubilee in 2012. It was
such an honour. I’ll always remember singing in entrance of half 1,000,000 individuals on the Mall, an absolute
‘pinch me’ second. After the efficiency we acquired invited to a reception on the palace, and acquired to
meet all these individuals we’d grown up idolising like Elton John and Stevie Wonder. I additionally acquired instructed
by Prince William that the Queen had taken her ear buds out specifically for our efficiency!
Jay: A current one for me was after we have been requested to carry out on the World Cup in 2022, throughout
half time of the England vs Senegal sport. FIFA then requested us to sing on the quarter remaining matches
as nicely, which was simply unbelievable, particularly as I’m an enormous soccer fan.
How a lot observe does it take to nail these harmonies?
Mike: We satisfaction ourselves on our shut concord singing, but it surely doesn’t come in a single day. It takes a
lot of labor. We usually say we’re very fortunate boys, we’ve had lots of fortune in our profession, from
being getting a document deal to touring the world, however we’ve additionally put in an enormous quantity of graft. It all
pays off after we stand on stage and see the response.
Mark: As nicely because the harmonies we’re additionally recognized for our snappy dance strikes, and we’re again in
the studio with our choreographer engaged on new routines. Plus we’re engaged on some new
music, which we will’t wait to get on the market. It’s an thrilling problem, as a result of we’re all the time
attempting to make issues larger and higher.
Jay: We assume a lot about each side of the tour, and we do this from a spot of figuring out
what our audiences like. We’ve all been within the business a very long time, and one factor we all know for
certain is that nothing comes with out laborious work.
How did you every get began as singers?
Mark: From a really younger age I used to be into dancing, and went to the Royal Ballet School on the age
of 11. From there I went to LIPA performing arts school, after which labored as knowledgeable
dancer for round ten years. I used to be all the time singing throughout that point, but it surely was solely after I met the
boys that I began to assume it may very well be a profession possibility. That was an actual turning level for me.
Mike: I used to be very sporty rising up, centered on soccer and athletics. So my mother and father couldn’t
imagine it after I selected to review theatre in school after I was 17. But I by no means thought I used to be a
singer. Then after about six months my girlfriend requested if I’d participate in a manufacturing of Jesus
Christ Superstar. I went alongside to the auditions, and far to my shock I ended up getting a task.
That acquired me eager about musical theatre, although I all the time had huge imposter syndrome. The
first time I actually felt at residence was after we created the group.
Jay: Similar to Mike I used to be extra eager about sport than music after I was rising up. My mum
was within the Sea Cadets, so I adopted her instance and went into the Navy after I was 16. I joined
HMS Nottingham, and I bear in mind there was a lad on board who had a guitar. I all the time beloved what
he was taking part in, and wished I might do the identical, till a couple of years later I lastly took the plunge
and purchased one myself. I acquired injured a couple of months later, and in order that guitar turned an actual saving
grace, as a result of I learnt to play and began singing. That was actually the place all of it started, and I fell
laborious into music from then on.
What does the right Christmas appear like for you?
Jay: Lots of people inform us that seeing the present seems like the beginning of Christmas, and it actually does!
Then after the tour it’s all the time good to have the ability to calm down and spend time with household, that’s all the time
actually particular. I believe sooner or later all of us turn out to be reincarnations of our mother and father – final 12 months I
bear in mind having this unbelievable urge to placed on Only Fools and Horses.
Mark: My household all the time have a really conventional Christmas. We love spending three or 4 days
collectively in Manchester, with previous turkey roast and the King’s speech.
Mike: We’ve acquired a 4 year-old boy, Max, and he’s actually revamped Christmas for us as a result of he’s
now starting to know what it’s all about. So he’s our focus, attempting to make it as magical as
attainable. And it’s all the time additional particular to be with him having been on the street for seven weeks
beforehand.
What’s your favorite quantity within the present?
Jay: For me it’s ‘Christmas Every Day’. It was our Christmas single final 12 months and helped increase tons
of cash and consciousness for the charity JDRF and My Diabetes Story, which I’ve been supporting
since my son was identified with kind 1 diabetes. It’s a stupendous music and all the time will get us going.
Mark: I’d most likely say ‘Gambling Man’, as a result of it was the primary observe we ever launched, again in
2010. At one level throughout the music we put the mic out to the viewers, they usually all the time know
each phrase, which is all the time such a thrill.
Mike: Talking about unique tracks, we’ve acquired a brand new music within the present and it’s already turn out to be my
favorite. But I can’t say any greater than that – you’ll simply have to come back and see us to seek out out what
it’s!
Looking forward, what’s developing for you in 2025?
Mike: We’re within the studio engaged on new materials for subsequent 12 months, and we can not wait to see the
response of individuals to those model new songs. On a private stage, I’ve determined to essentially form up.
I began shedding pounds on our tour final 12 months, and consuming extra healthily. It’s been an actual change of
mindset, and it’s made such a distinction. It’s virtually turn out to be an habit now, however a wholesome one.
Mark: Next 12 months is absolutely thrilling, and I hope individuals get pleasure from our new album. We’ve been working
with a superb producer, Eliot Kennedy, and I believe it marks an actual gear change for The Overtones. I
can’t wait to see the way it goes down with our followers. So watch this area!
Tickets to The Overtones: Good Times Christmas Tour are on sale now.
The Overtones will probably be showing at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Sunday 17 November 2024
