We caught up with Hannah Miller from multi intrumentalist band Moulettes ahead of their headline show at Norwich Arts Centre on December 19.

Norwich Evening News: Moulettes tour poster. Photo: Courtesy of Sonic PRMoulettes tour poster. Photo: Courtesy of Sonic PR (Image: Courtesy of Sonic PR)

Moulettes is a very interesting band name. Where did it come from and why did you choose this?

Frank Zappa appeared to me in a dream and suggested it.

A lot of your core members met during your school years. What made you all want to form a band together and how did you discover that you all had a passion for music?

I started writing music and songs quite young. At school I mainly just hung around in the music block in the practice rooms, playing and finding a place of refuge there. I met Rob & Ruth Skipper & Ted Dwayne there, they were doing the same thing! We met Ollie through Rob a little later, and started gigging regularly in London in the 12 Bar club where we had a residency. We met loads of super musicians that way - the Mystery Jets were having their eel pie island gigs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMRC5QGlRIE

Your sound brings together such a wide range of genres and styles. Were you influenced by any bands in particular or did your sound develop more organically through experimentation?

The songs always start with me in a solitary cave - and then I bring them to the group to develop them. It's always good to find new angles into writing though - tinkering with a range of instruments, using drum samplers, apps, anything that makes noise can suggest a whole new idea. Its a mixture of trying to challenge ourselves with new planned ideas and things happening spontaneously.

Other than your core four members, how/why do you involve so many other musicians and what is this like?

Constellations was a collaboration record - we wanted to document all the fantastic musicians we have worked with over the years - Contemporaries like Emma Richardson (Band Of Skulls), Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets) and The Unthanks, and legends like Herbie Flowers (Lou Reed/David Bowie) & Arthur Brown. We assembled a chamber Orchestra of some of the best musicians from Brighton and were able to play with brass, big strings and woodwind. 'Preternatural' was about consolidating the band sound and working with what we had.

You have quite a few albums out now. Which has been your favourite so far?

There are 4 albums, 4 EPs and a Special Edition. I like them all for different reasons really. Constellations has great orchestration and lots of guests. It's an expansive, epic record. 'Preternatural' has Raevennan on it, and is a lot of fun - many different and new moods.

Can you tell us about how your sound has evolved throughout your career and over the course of your albums?

I think we have always approached making music in an eclectic way, pulling different ideas, textures and sounds. We used more acoustic instruments in the earlier records, and blended more electric & synthesised sounds in the later two, but all four use found sounds and soundscape noises for atmosphere. 'Preternatural' is probably the most obviously prog and rock of the lot, but there are prototype moments of this in the first record too. It all has a very Moul-y thread running through it.

How is the tour going so far and are you looking forward to playing in Norwich?

Norwich is the penultimate date, and we love playing the Arts Centre - such a great room. The tour has been going really well so far - very happy crowds. We're having a blast and we've had some great opening acts that we were able to choose this time.

After you've finished this tour, what's next for you all as a band?

Immediately after - cheese, comfy chairs, and a well deserved rest. We are taking a break from touring for a while and scheming various creative projects next year, collaborations and a chance to write and get back in to the headspace of creating. Keep out an eye for all of us in different incarnations.

Tickets to Moulettes show at Norwich Arts Centre are still available to buy from the Norwich Arts Centre website for £11.50 adv or £13.50 on the door.