release – is that fair to say? I think you’re absolutely correct! Yeah, I think a lot of people thought we were gonna finish after the Best Of, but it was more to do with the record label – they were on Atlantic, I think – they wanted to just squeeze a bit more cash out of the band and stuff. It wasn’t something the band particularly wanted to do, but yeah, we’ve definitely got a lot more enthusiasm now.
After the 2009 chapter in the sand, it looked like the band were on to a stable line-up, but then Gareth left and you joined Rich. Can you tell us, from your point of view, what do you think has been at the core of the band, despite the varying line-ups? What’s at the core of the band? I think just a passion for writing good music. Tat’s what we want to do; we all love music, we all love travelling. Just a passion for writing music, I think that’s it. None of us have ever set out to be megastars, we’ve just been happy playing music and if people love that and want to pay for records and shows, then so be it like, you know. It’s never been about doing anything else than doing what we love.
With Pat joining more recently, it means obviously that you’re not the new boy any more! I know! Or the youngest – bastard! [LAUGHS]
Was there any kind of initiation? Do you boys do that? Do you have to pass tests – I don’t know – eat anything strange or run round naked somewhere, like a fraternity initiation? No, no strange initiation but he gets a lot of grief; we just mug him off all day! It’s a bit like school really, you know, with the new guy – he gets beat on all day! [LAUGHS]
I think it’s fair to say that since ‘Your History is Mine’, you’ve reclaimed your hardcore origins. You’re certainly not mellowing in your older age, are you?! You write and play with as much verve and energy as you did all those years ago. What’s keeping it fresh? Do you think you newer members are keeping the other boys on their toes? I think it’s definitely played its part in it and the difference now is, with past
members as well as us, is that as we’ve aged, and spent a lot of time in the industry, you kind of mature and don’t get caught up in all the bullshit, you do what you’re comfortable doing, and with the art you make. Tat in turn, we want to make heavy music – it’s what we grew up listening to and what we still listen to, so it comes with being older and comfortable and saying “fuck it – this is what we want to do. Tough shit; if people like it, they like it.”
Being a Welsh girl myself, I know how insular Wales can be, but there’s been a brilliant history of – quite broadly speaking – Welsh hard rock bands come out of Wales. What do you think is in the water there? Erm… boredom? I think it’s that – with the exclusion of Cardiff, although a lot of good bands come out of Cardiff as well – in Wales there’s that small town mentality really; people are born there, they die there and they don’t do anything with their lives, really. But there’s a lot of youth there that are stuck and the join bands either just to do something, or to break from the norm; boredom and that kind of mentality spurs on great music. It’s like an outlet for people. I don’t know, maybe us Welsh people are just good at making music!
THERE’S BEEN SOME CRAZY THINGS AT OUR SHOWS AND THAT’S WHAT KEEPS IT FRESH FOR US, I MEAN, WE’VE HAD HUMAN JENGA!
back “Well at least yours is there to keep her company”. You’ve also had karaoke on stage in Norwich with one of the fans. Is there no such thing as an ‘average’ gig for you guys? We’re definitely one of those bands who goes in to each show thinking of it as an individual show; we rehearse a set, obviously, and songs, but there’s no particular point where Matt speaks, or the things he says, we just go and feed off the crowd and see what happens, like, you know? Tere’s been some crazy things at our shows and that’s what keeps it fresh for us, I mean, we’ve had human jenga! Tat was a good laugh!
How do you do that? Is it three people on three people? Yep, you just
keep going until you reach the ceiling?
Who pulls someone out by the feet though?! Nah, we just leave them to their own devices!
Now, as we said, you keep every gig lively, but what makes the perfect audience for you? Craziness. If you want to dance, dance around; if you want to sing, sing! If you want to get up on stage, get up on stage! It’s a free for all; we just want you guys to have as much fun as you want. Just go for it!
You guys have always brought a really lively show to Norwich – when someone shouted “Your mother sucks cocks in hell”, Matt shouted
Emma Garwood
Funeral for a Friend come to Te Waterfront on February 9th. For tickets, go to
www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk. Read the uncut version online at
Outlineonline.co.uk
outlineonline.co.uk / February 2013/ 17
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48