Matthew Warneford of Iamwarface – Interview
27th January 2021 
Matthew from dark and moody Brighton band Iamwarface kindly caught up with us during lockdown 3.0 for a chat about his moggies.
So I have 4 cats. 3 of them (boys) are black and the girl is a tabby. The boys are called (in order of age)
Oshka -19
Kyoto -12
Miss Murphy – 10
Spider -2
Oshka’s name just kinda came from out of nowhere, no idea where it came from.
Kyoto was originally gonna be called Jet but he told us his proper name is Kyoto so we went with that. Same for Miss Murphy and Spider. Lol. It’s almost like they psychically tell us their names.
What is the weirdest thing your pet has done?
My old cat Jet (Kyoto’s brother who has since died sadly) had Tourette’s. He used to make sounds like a cockerel.
What is the best trick your pet can do?
Spider has learned how to open the pantry door to get to the food. He also taught himself to wee in the bath as well, which I suppose is better then peeing on the floor and is a lot easier to clean.
This past year has been, let’s be honest, shit. So you’ve no-doubt, like the rest of us, spent a lot of time at home. How have you cats helped you cope?
Our babies do have a tendency to run us ragged but to be honest, they’re awesome company. Constant cuddles, funny moments and loads of attention. I wouldn’t be without them.
Have you always been an animal lover?
Yes I’ve always loved animals. I used to have a pet lizard.
Do they like it when you practise at home or has your pet had any influence on your music? Do they seem to prefer any particular genre of music more than another?
My cats love my music. I’ve even written many songs about them but probably wouldn’t ever release them because they’re very very silly.
Who looks after your pet whilst you’re away on tour/holiday?
I have a few friends and neighbours who cat sit for me whilst I’m away, when I’m on tour, my wife stays at home so she looks after them.
Speaking of practising, any new music in the pipeline?
Yes absolutely. I’m currently working on the follow up to my debut album “Year Of The Dragon” which was released in 2019.
Iamwarface has always been about solid grooves and dark electronic vibes crossed with a gnarly grunge guitar sound so I’m kind of progressing on that sound a bit more, possibly sounding more along the lines of The Cure or Massive Attack, but keeping the rock edge.
It’s definitely gonna be a darker record.
Have you anything you’d like to say to your fans/followers?
Only thing I’d like to say is a huge thank you for all the support over the past few years. And to keep eyes and ears open for the new record when it’s ready, hopefully later this year.
Thank you for your time. It’s been a pleasure. Stay safe and have loads of kitty cuddles
The pleasure is all mine. Thank you.
