Marshall Amps, Northampton Saints’ official audio partner, supply the squad with market-leading headphones and amps to help them prepare for matches both within the gym and the changing room.
We sat down with fly-half James Grayson to find out what music gets him rugby ready…
1. What track is the last thing you listen to before a match and why?
‘Scar Tissue’ by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, just because it’s a song the brings on a lot of good feelings for me. It reminds me a lot of growing up and going on holidays and things like that – it helps me relax before I go into the heat of a game.
2. Does your playlist change between training and match preparation – and what is different about them?
To be fair in the week Lewis Ludlam is usually on tunes so whatever he picks is generally pretty good. There’s the occasional bit of garbage but that’s just Lewis! We miss him on music when he’s off with England. But then it’s very different on a matchday and I’ll just have my headphones on while I’m in the gym, and those will come off as soon as I’m in the changing room.
3. If you were to start a band with some of your team-mates – which ones would you pick and what kind of music would you play?
Lewis Ludlam would be on the decks DJing with some sort of techno-style music, then Samson Ma’asi has some really good pipes on him so he’d be lead singer. Then I’d get through some basic chords on the guitar as well. We’d be playing a hybrid of techno, country and hip-hop music.
4. What’s the last gig you went to?
I took my girlfriend, Jess, to see JAWS live in Coventry for her birthday. It was the smallest venue I’d ever seen, which I wasn’t expecting, and I got absolutely shafted on the tickets. I found ours online but then she saw some a few days later for a quarter of the price and thought that was all I had spent, so I got in a bit of trouble.
5. If you could learn to play an instrument, which would you pick?
I don’t know if this counts but I’d love to be able to sing well. It’s a cool skill to have, and if you get called up to the front of the bus it would be good to be able to surprise a few of the lads with a decent song.
6. If you had to pick a song that represented your life – which one?
‘We Are Young’ by Fun ft Janelle Monáe.
7. Who’s got the worst taste in music in the squad and why is it so bad?
I don’t know to be honest, but Paul Hill has comfortably the worst fashion sense so I’ll back him to have the worst music as well.
8. What’s your go to karaoke song?
‘I’m yours’ by Jason Mraz.
Marshall Amplification has a vibrant and dynamic history within the music industry; and with the brand renowned for their manufacturing excellence, Marshall’s equipment is relied upon and celebrated by some of the greatest music artists in the world. For more information visit www.marshall.com.
