Pest were formed with a simple aim: to give music "a good kick up the backside". Forming in South London in the late 1990s, the bandmates' diverse backgrounds and musical sensibilities combine to make music like little you've heard before.

Pest are: progressive techno head Ben Mallott on keyboards, jazzman Matt Chandler on guitar, Bollywood funkster Tom Marriott on trombone, classical groovemeister Wayne Urquhart on cello, master beatbuster Vesa Haapanen on drums. Together they deliver an unabashed mix of big bass, bold beats, sweet guitar, playful harmony and funky cheeky riffs, all combining into unnervingly jolly grooves which may simultaneously disturb your innards and slap a smile on your face.

Ahead of their gig at The Finsbury, 336 Green Lanes, on September 29 from 9pm, we sit down with the funk-crazed collective to talk chocolate, big yachts and making a filthy racket...

What’s the story behind the name and why did you choose it?

Tom: From the beginning, for better or worse, we've been a bit of a thorn in the paw of the categorisation lion! A spiked punch, a rhythmic mugging - some people find it irritating that they can't pigeonhole our music, the name Pest just follows, doesn't it?


Who are your influences?

Ben: Chicago acid house and techno, Jaco Pastorious, Shostakovich, James Brown, SOAD, Hermeto Pascoal.

How did you meet?

Tom: I met Matt in GCSE dual science when we were 16.  He copied my homework dutifully for two years until that became too much effort and he just put "see Thomas's book".

I met Wayne in the late 90s at City University doing a music degree and during that hedonistic period there was only one dude I was ever going to be in a band with.  Then we met Ben outside EC1 club for Andy Weatherall's 'Sabresonic' night.  We got together over tea and biscuits and started what we're still doing today - making a filthy racket.

Vesa got involved a bit later when we signed to Ninjatune and realised we needed a badass at the back.

Tell me about your fans, what are they like?

Ben: Our fans don't seem to have a demographic, but generally over the age of 20 and often well into their music - they can be pretty focused in their appreciation.

Is there a musician who inspired you to become a musician?

Vesa: When I's 5 or 6, I remember someone putting on "Detroit Rock City" by Kiss which really made the hair on my neck stand up.  I didn't understand what they were singing about, but I understood the energy, the mood, the expression - they really meant it!  Later on I got into Phil Rudd (AC/DC) and John Bonham (Led Zep) - drummers who don't just smash it but really lay down a groove and are really expressive - people still try to emulate those guys.

What inspires your music?

Wayne: The need to create panic and calm in a way I haven't heard before, to take myself to another place.
Tom: Chocolate.

How do you write your songs? What's the writing process for you?

Ben:  We each put down ideas all the time that one of us might take up and make into something.  I don't have one rule or approach to writing, but rules can be good - eg. limitations or a set of self-imposed parameters can produce interesting results.
Wayne:  Yeah, we each have different strengths, so Ben and I might bring more to the production side, or Vesa might add in a loop that changes the feel of a riff that Matt or Tom has put down - every tune can come together in a different way - there's no set process - creativity doesn't work like that.

What do you think about the state of music at the moment?

Wayne: All is well.  Even the rubbish stuff has its moments, and there's always, always loads of great stuff out there.

What have you learnt most about being a musician?

Vesa: It's ongoing.  You learn more every day about playing your instrument and the industry is always evolving too.  I guess for me, one thing I've learned is patience and perseverance - when you're learning to play an instrument, and if you're going to get your teeth into this kind of career, you have to stick with it if you want to make it work.

When you were starting out what kind of job did you have to do to make ends meet in realising your dream?

Tom: I used to run a cafe in Deptford which was a hub for the band in the early days.  We sold our first album 'Necessary Measures' over the counter, and played Ornette Coleman at customers.  There's a strong music scene in Deptford and those few years were great for the development of the band, not least because half the band members worked there at some point, scraping an existence with a jazz backdrop.  It's a bookie's now like most places in the High Street.

What’s your hometown like that you grew up in?  Is there any connection between this place and your sound?

Wayne: I grew up in Harrow...I'm not sure that Pest sounds like Harrow.
Vesa: I's born in Helsinki and grew up in the nearby city of Espoo.  There's always been a big rock scene in Finland and I played in a few rock bands there, and got into progressive rock too.  My tastes have broadened a lot since then, but I've kept that energy.

What did you learn at school outside the classroom?

Ben: At lunchtimes I learned how to make beats using Cubase on an Atari ST, a Roland S550 sampler and a Roland D10 keyboard - I was 15 and rubbish at football.

What music did your parents listen to when you were growing up and has this affected your style or inspired your music?

Matt: My parents listened to all sorts from Rachmaninov and Elgar to James Taylor, John Denver through to progressive rock like Rush.  In a way this has influenced my music - much classical music and progressive stuff is quite sectional and develops themes, which is kind of how a lot of Pest's music works.

What was the first album and single you ever bought?

Tom: When I's 10 I bought some pirate cassettes in Thailand with the help of my dad.  He picked out Frank Zappa's "Ship Arriving Too Late To Save A Drowning Witch" and a John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers album.  My first single was from Woolworths - the 12" of Prince's "Sign 'O' The Times".
Matt: "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jet & The Blackhearts.
Wayne: I'm not saying!
Vesa: "Love Gun" by Kiss.
Ben: "Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer - I still listen to the B-side "Shoot Out".

What’s on your rider at gigs?

Tom: Beer in a fridge please.

What’s your favourite drink?

Tom: Cold beer.
Ben: Mojito.
Wayne: A decent ale (unlike my homebrew).
Vesa: Coffee.
Matt: Meths.  With milk.

What is the most rock and roll thing you’d like to buy or do?

Matt: I'd love to buy a big yacht with a studio in it and party round the world, discovering and making new music (a bit like Damon Albarn's train Africa Express, but not on a train!).

What's next for you?

Matt: We'll continue to develop our sound - like with the addition of sax player Ed on the new album we're currently working on.  And we hope to tour again across the UK and Europe - we've played some fantastic festival gigs, especially in France, and being on the road is always a giggle.

Pest play The Finsbury, 336 Green Lanes, on September 29 from 9pm. Details: 0208 809 1142, www.pestmusic.com