Tufthunter: Deep Hits

Peter Momtchiloff - Monty to his friends; Hot Licks Monch to readers of Guitar Hero magazine - has created 16 brilliant songs ranging from snappy girl group pop (The Wrong Girls) to saloon bar country (Goodbye) to urgent mod stylings (Lit Up).

This ensemble piece features singers including Jeffrey Underhill, Lois Maffeo, Bid and Pam Berry. Hot Licks Monch Monty kindly answers my burning questions about Tufthunter.

Is this your Wasps' Nests?
Yes. Except Claudia did Wasps' Nests as a ploy to alert the world to the genius of Stephin's songwriting, and I have no such aspirations.

You've shown Stuart Murdoch what God Help The Girl could have been. When's the film coming out?
I haven't kept close tabs on SM's activities in recent years. I suspect I might like some of the songs, but I find the artwork quite off-putting.

OK, when's the album coming out? It's unthinkable that the world's finest record labels haven't already opened their cheque books for a bidding war.
The album isn't going to be sold. Anyone can download it for me, and I will give a CD to anyone I know who wants one.

Your 30-year rock career has given you quite the contacts book. Anyone decline your overtures (or anyone you'd wish you could have got)?
No one said no. I thought of asking Debsey but didn't have the nerve. I might do some more if I can come up with suitable songs. I have talked to Calvin Johnson, Delia Sparrow, and David Feck about participating, and I can think of more people I'd like to ask. I have been acquainted with some other people who are moderately famous, but I don't want it to look as though I'm trying to revive old acquaintances just to benefit from the association. So I think I'll restrict it to friends who I keep up with.

We want a gig and we want one quite soon. Any plans?
I think it might be too much hassle to arrange, sorry!

"Four eyes, that's what they're calling me," Low Life opines. Is this autobiographical, four eyes?
That is the only song which I have done before with another band. We did a somewhat different version with the Speed of Sound (never recorded). All four of us sang, and Kev, James, and I were all bespectacled.

There's no fat on these lean, immediate, striking songs. Punk's not dead, right?
Thanks! I'm not really aware of songwriting influences, apart from the Beatles and the Kinks as always. Probably Jessica and Bid and other people I've worked with too.

I have tried to make sure the the words are good. The standard of lyric-writing in indie/alternative music is shockingly bad in my view. (I don't really know if it's any better in mainstream music.)

Sounds like Jessica Griffin is Louise d'Outremer. Did Francoise Hardy not return your calls? She doesn't return mine, if that makes you feel better.
I'm afraid I'm not allowed to say anything about Louise for legal reasons.