Saturn Saturn saturn

To begin with,  Saturn Saturn Saturn  is the brain child of  singer/songwriter Ben Capper, formerly of  Liverpool  psyche/punk/hardcore band  The Mighty Saguarot,  the name a possible nod to The Mighty Wah also from Liverpool 

The name of the Ben’s current outfit  however  SATURN SATURN SATURN  came via his 5 year old son Fox ( It has to be said here  that 5 year olds are particularly good at providing  titles for films, songs and band names, just ask one )  he also contributes some atmospheric synths to the song.  Ben does the writing and performing, add to that some guitars and some friends… plus Fox’s looming influence and you have a band.

D St:  Hi Ben, what can you tell us  about the new single ?

Ben: Our latest single on Quickfix Recordings is The State We’re In. It’s a 3-minute power-pop tune with many loud guitars and swirling synths. It’s about the weaponisation of nostalgia for nefarious political ends. It’s also about the never-ending culture war, and how the Western World has got to this strange, anxious, confused and angry point in its history. You can also dance to it…

D St: How would you start a DJ set?

Ben: Let’s Dance – David Bowie … I’m one of those annoying “wouldn’t call myself a massive Bowie-fan, but I love a handful of songs” people. This is one of those songs. As a way of getting the party started, it can’t be topped.

D St First song u remember liking?

 Ben: Sheep – The Housemartins … I might remember other songs before this one, but The Housemartins are the first band I loved. Jangly, guitar pop with pithy social commentary. Something about that has clearly stayed with me all these years later. I think they still really stand up even now.

D St Favourite non single/deep cut that no one gives enough credit

 Ben: Sometimes – My Bloody Valentine … I’ve been listening to MBV non-stop since their stuff went to streaming earlier this year. I’m not sure this is under-the-radar as such, but it’s maybe not super representative of their whole canon. But it’s my favourite on the album Loveless. Really beautiful melody backed by an absolute avalanche of sound. 

D St:  A song that is not your usual thing but u love, weirdly

 Ben: Alright – Kendrick Lamar … My relationship with hip-hop is that I appreciate and respect it, rather than love it necessarily. But I think this is probably the most important song in contemporary music of the past 25 years. It’s musically incredible, and lyrically brilliant. It’s pretty much perfect.

D St: One favourite song you adopted from your parents tastes

 Ben: She Loves You – The Beatles … My parents music taste is… well they like what they like and all power to them.

That said they were big Beatles fans and my dad was a regular cavern goer in the early 1960s. We had a “best of…” cassette that we played a lot and the ones they liked were from the pre-1965 period. Of them, I still think She Loves You is the best. The vocal harmonies are incredible if you listen and Ringo’s drumming is great too. 

D St: A song u love that other people seem to hate

 Ben: Come on Eileen – Dexys Midnight Runners … This is also one of the first songs I ever remember. The video of them in dungarees playing the song outside the corner shop with the Silk Cut advert on – that is very much what early 1980s Britain looked like and I remember it a lot from when I was a small kid.  

 It’s a very unfairly maligned song.  People think of it as a cheesy wedding song but it’s so much more than that. Dexys are one of my all time favourite bands and, believe it or not, were a big influence on The Mighty Saguaro (the band I was in in the early 2000s). They were true punk pioneers who passionately meant every word they sang. I actually made a point of having it on the playlist at my wedding for no other reason than it’s an amazing song that deserves its recognition as such. 

“It all boils down to not hanging around – to keep moving in front of gravity”. 

D St: The best tune to close the night at a party/club/event

Ben: The Concept – Teenage Fanclub … Another indie club classic from another of my all time favourite bands. It’s another sweet melody over sludgy guitars. The status quo stomp in the middle gets the floor dancing and the long outro feels right for the lights slowly coming back on in the club.

D St: Favourite tune for the morning after?

 Ben: We’ll sweep out the ashes in the morning – Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris. It’s got everything you need. Beautiful harmonies, gentle guitars and strings, and a sense of regret and longing.