Interview: we speak to Kitty, Daisy & Lewis ahead of their Dublin gig later this month

Kitty, Daisy & Lewis Durham are the siblings who took the music world by storm almost a decade ago, with their quirky take on classic rock 'n' roll.

They've played some mammoth gigs - including a US tour supporting Coldplay - and gathered some famous fans, but now a little older and wiser, the Londoners recently release their third album 'The Third'.

They'll play at The Green Room @ The Academy on May 22nd, but before that, we caught up with Kitty and Lewis from the band for a quick chat.

It's been 15 years since you first started playing together and a lot of people commented on your young age when you first started out. Looking back, was that a help or a hindrance in terms of getting noticed?

Kitty: We never decided to form a band - we started doing on stage what we'd do at home and people just asked us to come play here and there. Before you knew it, we were playing every weekend (I was still at school). I never thought about my age being significant, but yeah - people must've noticed! And I guess they picked up on the fact that we're a family. But mostly I think people liked the music, which is great!

How would you describe your sound these days – has it change majorly since you first started playing together?

Kitty: I grew up listening to a lot of blues and it definitely is a big influence on our music – but if you listen to our music, it's not rockabilly at all; it's a mish mash of everything, really. People find it hard describing music, so they'll pigeon hole you into any old genre these days.

When did you first realise you wanted a career in music?

Lewis: Like Kitty said, we never wanted or decided to pursue music - it was just something we all grew up with. We just played for fun and really enjoyed it; a bit like sitting down and watching TV, we would just grab an instrument and start playing. What we do on stage is just an extension of that really. Now it is our living, so it's obviously a bit different - but the passion is still there keeping it going.

Describe your perfect day off.

Kitty: Either at home drinking beers on Hampstead Heath in the sunshine, or on tour drinking beers on a beach somewhere.

You can only have three albums on your phone/in your house at any one time - what three would you pick for today?

Lewis: 'The Super Super Blues Band' - Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley. (Checker Records); Norman Granz's 'JATP (Jazz at the Philharmonic)' Volumes 1 through 13 (Clef/Mercury/Norgran); Jimmy McGriff – 'One of Mine' (Sue Records).

What’s the music that you listened to growing up - and that you still listen to today?

Kitty: Lots, really. T.Rex have always been one of my favourite bands. Growing up in London, we were exposed to a lot of West Indian music, too - so I love ska and rocksteady. And obviously the blues greats like Howlin' Wolf and Leadbelly.

Name one piece of music memorabilia that you wish you owned.

Lewis: Leadbelly's 12-string Stella guitar.

You’re ordering take-away - what do you get?

Kitty: Obviously depends what it is - if it's Indian, then usually a prawn curry.

Name one record, one book and one film that everyone should hear/read/see.

Lewis: 'What a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong; 'Frankenstein' by Mary Shelley; 'The Third Man', directed by Carol Reed.

You’ve been given €100,000 to spend, but only 1 hour to spend it. What do you buy?

Lewis: If I could spend it on anything, I'd try and find a little garage somewhere for sale and build a little man cave with a workshop, tools.... all that kind of stuff - although saying that, I'm not sure even £100,000 would go that far in London these days!

In three words, describe the minute before you walk on stage.

Kitty: Whiskey, cigarette, go!