We would all agree to the fact inspiration comes in different forms, but when it comes to “The Sgt.,” who is the singer for Fat Bottomed Boys, you would be marveled to know his source of inspiration. In a recent interview with Mister Styx of Musicarenagh he disclosed where his inspiration comes from
“I find inspiration in everyday life. My dog, my son, my love stories, the people who annoy me.”
You might find this strange, but when you listen to the music of “Fat Bottomed Boys” you will understand this better, to make this easier, let me introduce you to their latest single which is titled “La La La”
In a way you can say “Fat Bottomed Boys” is the reincarnation of the band “Queens,” yet their sound is true and original. The duo creates retro music that carries you away and takes you on a musical journey of bliss, wonderful instrumentation, and breathtaking lyrics.
“La La La” channels the spirit of Queen, particularly the iconic songwriting of drummer Roger Taylor, while bringing a captivating modernity to their music.
In the interview, The Sgt. shed more light on his musical growth and some of the challenges he has faced on his musical journey, join us as we uncover who The Sgt. is outside of music.
Listen to La La La below
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What is your stage name?
People call me The Sgt.
Is there a story behind your stage name?
It’s simply my surname. Here’s the scoop: my real name is Thibaut Sergent.
Where do you find inspiration?
I find inspiration in everyday life. My dog, my son, my love stories, the people who annoy me. Anything can be a pretext for a song, you just have to find the right angle.
What was the role of music in the early years of your life?
Music has played a major role in my life. A whole new world opened up to me when I discovered Queen at the age of 9, and I immediately became a ‘fan’. Since then, there’s nothing that drives me more than trying to follow in the footsteps of my idols.
Are you from a musical or artistic family?
Not at all! And I didn’t have the chance to go to music school, learn music theory or play an instrument when I was young. I learnt the rudiments of the guitar when I was a teenager. In fact, I learned to play like a right-handed person, even though I’m left-handed, because the only guitar I had was a right-handed one. The same goes for singing and the ukulele: I’m self-taught.
Who inspired you to be a part of the music industry?
I think it’s impossible not to mention Queen, who remain my absolute role model. But I also have a lot of admiration for The Beatles, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Oasis, Jet…
How did you learn to sing/write/to play?
All by myself! I’ve been writing lyrics since I was a teenager. Initially, they weren’t songs. In fact, I’m very keen on writing short stories, and I’ve also started writing a novel. Writing songs is a bit different. The first difficulty is writing in English, which is not my mother tongue. But it allows me to find – I think – simple and effective phrases, which is perfect for rock music.
What was the first concert that you ever went to and who did you see perform?
My first concert was The Offspring, in March 2004. I skipped school to go with my best friend. I was in the front row, having never been to a concert before, I started off with a punk-rock concert, complete with pogos, slams and all that. Crazy atmosphere!
How could you describe your music?
Our music is a tribute to our favorite band, Queen, through original compositions. If you hate Queen, you’re unlikely to like the music of Fat Bottomed Boys. If you love Queen… Go and listen to our 4 albums!
Describe your creative process.
There isn’t really a predefined recipe. Everyone writes and composes, even if we all have our own pre-dispositions and personal preferences.
A song can be born from a guitar riff, a piano melody or pre-existing lyrics.
In the end, it’s Elash, our maestro, who takes care of the arrangements that make the songs sound like Queen.
What is your main inspiration?
Queen, of course!
What musician do you admire most and why?
At the risk of sounding like a mono-maniac, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon. They managed to create music for over 20 years, without ever repeating themselves. They mixed genres, they managed to make complex music popular, and took music to the next level. And then on stage, what a show!
Did your style evolve since the beginning of your career?
I’d say that with Fat Bottomed Boys, the more time passes, the more freedom we give ourselves. We’re not trying to imitate Queen, or reproduce this or that song. Sometimes a song doesn’t sound like Queen, and that’s fine. That was unthinkable at the very beginning of the project.
Who do you see as your main competitor?
We are fortunate to be the only group to explore this concept. Maybe because it’s a bad idea? I’m joking!
Queen fans can be very demanding and sometimes a bit narrow-minded, when it’s not the great Freddie Mercury himself. It’s impossible to compete with the absolute master and so… I think our biggest rivals are Queen!
What are your interests outside of music?
I love stories, which is why I like writing and watching movies. I also like to eat. I like to eat *too* much. That’s why I do sport: to avoid becoming a Fat Bottomed Boy.
And I love dogs.
If it wasn’t a music career, what would you be doing?
Music is not my main profession. I’m an industrial IT engineer. That’s why we have to become rock stars: I can’t do this job any more!
What is the biggest problem you have encountered in the journey of music?
Our biggest problem is expanding our audience. It’s very difficult these days to find a place among the plethora of music available on streaming platforms. Generally speaking, when people listen to our music, it doesn’t leave them indifferent… But we still have to reach the ears of our potential listeners.
If you could change one thing in the music industry, what would it be?
No longer to consider music as a commercial and consumable object. And to focus on quality.
Why did you choose this as the title of this project?
Fat Bottomed Boys is a direct reference to a Queen song: Fat Bottomed Girls. As we’re not girls, we had to change the name a little.
What are your plans for the coming months?
Our 4th album ‘Haters Gonna Hate’ will be released on 24 November 2023. We will be promoting this new album on the next months. Concerts are planned in Paris, Lille and London.
And we’ve already got tracks for our 5th album, which will almost certainly be the soundtrack to a novel by our friend Craig Mulhall, an Australian author.
Do you have any artistic collaboration plans
On our album ‘Haters Gonna Hate’, we recorded a duet with the band Secret Garden & The Dusty Man. They play bluegrass, and it wasn’t an obvious collaboration, since our styles aren’t very compatible at first sight. But that’s the magic of music: the track that came out of this collaboration is one of the highlights of the album.
What message would you like to give to your fans?
Where are you?
Fat Bottomed Boys will be in concert in London on November 26th at The Fighting Cocks.
More info on fatbottomedboys.fr
