California dreaming is rooted in reality

CHILL winds and blustery showers may be ushering in the British winter, but James Robinson and fellow members of alternative funky soul popsters Two Spot Gobi have their memories of a glorious Californian summer to keep them warm.

The band spent from June to September writing and recording an album's worth of new tracks with renowned producer Nico Bolas at the home studio of their staunch supporter Jason Mraz, surrounded by avocado groves in the hills between San Diego and Los Angeles.

The recording offer is the latest display of a generosity they still find astonishing.

"We were staying at Jason's house, which is in the middle of nowhere," says James. "Because he is now hugely successful, he has built himself this fantastic studio, and we had two months free time there. It was amazing."

The American superstar singer songwriter, whose latest album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things has been a worldwide hit, discovered the six-piece playing a set at a Plymouth venue when he was in the city for a performance at the Pavilions.

Over the past couple of years he has offered Plymouth born-and-bred James and company some extraordinary opportunities, including opening slots at massive sell-out stadium shows in San Francisco and Portugal, and major UK supports at Hammersmith Apollo and Birmingham and Manchester Academies earlier this year.

The Brighton-based gang arrived in California armed with six or seven songs ready to work on and another couple in the pipeline, but without a producer in place to help them establish a sound and put the tracks down.

"We were worried that we didn't have a producer we all liked and felt ready to work with," explains James.

"Then this guy from a management company we were in contact with suggested Nico Bolas. Our management in the UK had actually worked with him before with The Waterboys, and he has been involved with some major acts including Neil Young, Sting and Keith Richards.

"When our CD landed on his desk he decided we were worth taking on; working with him was an absolute dream."

Nico would spend a couple of days in the studio with the band – James on vocals and acoustic guitar, cellist Rob Lewis, guitarist Dino Randhawa, percussion maestro Ben Matthews, Matt Ellis on trumpet and bassist Matt Harris – then leave them to their own devices for a few days. "Some days we would go into the studio and rehearse for hours and others we would go to the beach or laze around eating avocados, but that was all part of the creative process," says James.

"Nico got the very best out of us; he was 100 per cent professional, but also enjoyed having a laugh with us. It was incredible to work with someone who had done so many amazing things and worked with so many big artists. And he was so complimentary about us."

James describes the resulting tracks as "the way we always should have sounded".

"It was just the right producer, the right time and the right place. California is just perfect for us."

Helped by Jason's management, the band played several shows while they were out there – Los Angeles, San Diego and Santa Cruz.

"Audiences out there just loved it. It's only a matter of time before we head out there again for a full-on tour."

Now back in the UK and gearing up for a couple of Westcountry gigs, the guys are also in talks with several labels in the States and hope to release the new album – follow-up to this year's debut Somewhere You Should Have Been – early in 2010. In the meantime they will be offering sneak previews of some of the new California-spawned numbers at their live shows.

Two Spot Gobi play Mama Stone's, Exeter (01392 848485) on Friday, November 13 and the Live Lounge on Plymouth's Barbican on Saturday, November 14.