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3 Music Going back to recording basics


ANDYHOWELLS chats with


KrisCoombs-Roberts of Funeral ForA Friend about the bands newalbum Chapter and Verse


FOURTEEN years after their formation in Bridgend, Welsh rockers Funeral for a Friend release their latest album Chapter and Verse on January 19. Known for pack- ing punch and purpose into their recordings, the theme promises to continue with their latest release but on a new level. “It’s sonically different to a


lot of records you hear at the moment,” reveals guitarist Kris Coombs-Roberts. “ We wanted to go for a very live production and something that feels human and real as opposed to something that is been constructed in a labora- tory by a computer.” The band finished touring


with their last album, Con- duit, in October 2013; it was then a process of looking towards their next project. “ We all play guitar every- day and we’d all collected ideas over a year,” says Kris. “ When we finished touring we all sat down and tried to work out what we wanted to do with them. We put them into a Dropbox as we had 20 odd ideas. We chose what we thought were the best out of them then spent two weeks hammering them out into songs and went down to Southampton in January and recorded them in two weeks with Lewis Johns.” Melding gruff attitude with melodic choruses, Kris says the band wanted a live feel for their new album, “Pretty much what you’re hearing is a live performance. No guitar overdubs or click tracks, we wanted to get the feel and the


ALBUM: Funeral For A Friend (C)Richard Davies


emotion of the songs as op- posed to sonically perfect. I’m bored of hearing records that are flawless they don’t sound like they are been played by human beings. “Back in the day when eve- rything was going on tape it was about performing and playing well and getting the feel for the songs right and


that’s something we definite- ly wanted to capture.” Kris is also keen that Chap-


ter and Verse is recognised as an album in the true sense of the word, “It works as a body of songs, a complete piece of work, there’s some styles on there we haven’t done for a while. Slow burners I guess, not balladesque songs but


Take A Trip To The 70s At Newport Riverfront


CALLING all retro music fans. If you like 70s music, you’ll love this! Reviving the golden age of


pop, the stage show features a multi-talented cast per- forming glam-rock greats, disco hits, power ballads and party anthems from Sweet, T Rex, Queen, Elton John, 10cc, David Essex, Suzi Quatro, David Cassidy, ELO, The Car- penters, Osmonds, Bay City Rollers, ABBA and more. Backed by a band whose members have performed with Mike Oldfield, Asia and Ultravox, the production boasts a superb musical pedi- gree.


“Take a step back to a time,”


says show producer Michael Taylor. “Back to when 7.30pm on a Thursday night could mean only one thing – TVs tuned into BBC1 and families gathered together to watch Top of the Pops.” Michael, whose other hit touring shows include the Magic of Motown and Thank You for the Music, says that Solid Gold 70s is the most fun production on his company’s 20-showroster. “If, like me,” he says, “you


have fond memories of Pan’s People and Eurovision, Luke Skywalker and Satur- day Night Fever, Danny and


Sandy. . . Dastardly and Mut- tley, this is the showfor you.” “With the cast bursting into


the spotlight like an explo- sion in a paintshop, we guar- antee theatregoers the most colourful,


GLOBE: Nazareth top-of-the-pops


time of their lives.” Audiences are invited to dress the part - platforms, flares, cat suits, tank tops and boob tubes. Air guitars are welcome and there is plenty of room for Choppers and Space Hoppers in the car park!


Catch the Solid Gold 70s


Show at Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre on January 24 at 7.30pm. Tickets: £20


RETRO SOUNDS: Solid Gold 70s


JANUARY 2015 sees Nazareth returning for their first UK tour since Dan McCafferty’s retirement from “live” work with the band. It features new singer Linton Osbourne along- side founder member Pete Ag- new (bass) and long-time band members Lee Agnew (drums) and guitarist Jimmy Murrison. Nazareth play Cardiff Globe


on January 25. Visit nazarethd irect.co.uk for more details on the bands current tour and news of their live DVD.


slightly slower and longer and more expansive, it’s something that I feel quite happy to have back in our sound. “With Conduit we were all


in a different place and want- ed to make a very aggressive fast record. We wanted some- thing a little bit more experi- mental and tangible.”


Prior to Chapter and Verse’s release the band will begin a spring tour with a date at Bristol’s Fleece on January 15, Kris emphasises that the bands relationship with their fans at gigs is important to them. “Its important to go everywhere and play,” says Kris. “ As a musician the thing you enjoy more than


anything else is writing music, but then its going out and play- ing to people who appreciate your music and then you show- ing your appreciation to them for buying your records.” For more details about Fu- neral for a Friend’s New album and tour, visit their website at funeralforafriend.com.


Band set for a comeback


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