Interview with Control
September 19, 2009 by urbn
Filed under Interviews, Punk bands, Street Punk
CONTROL is a street punk band from Britain that has just released what I believe is the one of the greatest debut albums in their genre. It was my pleasure to catch up with singer/songwriter Iain….
I was lucky enough to hear the demos for this record over a year ago, in which time you have taken the songs to a whole new level. At what point did you realize you were onto something amazing?
Iain – Mighty praise indeed, thanks for your kind words. To be honest with you, we are just pleased that the album seems to be striking the right chords with people in the scene. We are all pretty happy with how it came out, but there are bits we would already change on it and that has to be healthy as it means we can use these ideas on the follow up.
The lyrics are quite obviously an attack on the British government and general national apathy. What made you feel so angry?
Iain – I am only writing about the things that are affecting our daily lives. I wouldn’t write so many songs about the current rabble in power, if they were not making such a mess of the country I live in. They are without doubt, the worst in living history and continue to dumbfound us with the endless conveyor belt of absolute nonsensical rules and decisions that they bring out. The real problem is these politicians do not live in the real world. They live in their country estates, behind barbed wire fences at the weekend and during the week they live in penthouse flats and never mix with the real people on the street. If they did, they may start realizing just what a mess they are making and perhaps then try do something about it.
You obviously have an axe to grind with ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair. Has Gordon Brown won you over?
Iain – Tony B Liar is a two faced, self-serving pig who had absolutely no interest in the people of the country he was in charge of. He is a career politician who signed the Human Rights Act, without discussing it with his cabinet or putting it to the public, to ensure that his wife, who was a leading Human Right Lawyer, became a multi millionaire. The Human Rights Acts, which should not really be allowed to be called that, is one of the most corrupt pieces of legislation in history. It was not written to help the poor or helpless, otherwise I would back it unequivocally, it was written to ensure fat cat lawyers made mountains of money by being able to manipulate the legal system. Gordon Brown is just as bad, he is officially the worst Chancellor in the UK’s history and is now the un-elected Prime Minister, as Tony B Liar left mid term as he realized he did not have a hope in hell of being re-elected and left everyone else to sort his mess out.
Will the songs translate well to an American audience?
Iain – The songs are full of passion, power, melody and hooks, and I am sure the Americans can translate the feelings in the songs to former rulers of your great country.
What has the reaction been to “Hooligan Rock ‘n’ Roll”?
Iain – It is only early days but in general the reviews have been awesome. I am told by several different internet punk stores that is has regularly topped their sales charts, which is amazing for a new band who has not had any advertising placed in any major publications. We played the famous Rebellion Festival this weekend, for the first time, and we completely sold out of all the CDs and merchandise we took with us. The response to the band was amazing; we were told by so many people that we were the highlight of the weekend. I do not think we were the best act, not by a mile as there were some legendary acts on the bill, including Agnostic Front, The Adicts, Exploited, Flogging Molly, H20 and many more, but it shows the impression that we made. It was better than we could ever have expected and to be honest, it makes us feel weird as those bands are light years better than us, so to be mentioned in the same breath as them is amazing.
It brings to mind bands like THE BUSINESS, COCKNEY REJECTS, THE BLITZ etc. How does it feel to be in such illustrious company?
Iain – It is an honor to be told we sound like any of these bands and one interesting thing is that the Business approached us asking if they could record one of our old songs, and it has now come out as a split single, with Control and The Business on People Like You Records!
Are you planning to come to the USA to promote the record?
Iain – Absolutely, we fully intend to come to the states and tour, the sooner the better, so hopefully if there is a decent interest in the band and the CD starts to sell we can start to approach some agents in the states. I love the USA, I really do, it is an amazing country, and can’t wait to come back over.
What label is it on over here? How can people get hold of it?
Iain – It is on Step1 Records and people in the States can get hold of it through Interpunk or Amazon as well as other smaller outlets. You can also get it from our site at www.controlrocknroll.com or through Step1 at www.step1records.com, but as we are in the UK, Interpunk or Amazon would probably be easiest. In November it is coming out on vinyl on Longshot Records, SF, too.
If you had to sum up your message in what statement, what would it be?
Iain – Be true to yourself and never be afraid to stand up for what you think is right.
Interview Funeral For A Friend
May 25, 2009 by Steve_Tauschke
Filed under Emo Bands, Interviews
Last year saw some changes in the Funeral For A Friend camp. Having found a global audience early in its career, the now seven-year old Welsh quintet spent the middle part of this decade building an empire, successfully tackling the lucrative US and European markets, working with super-producers Gil Norton and Terry Date among others as well as playing all the right festivals – not to mention sharing a stage with their metal heroes Iron Maiden in 2005.
| Interview by Steve Tauschke January 2009 And while their stratospheric trajectory shows few sings of tailing off, the Bridgend metal-core masters recently found themselves adapting to various developments both within and outside their control. This time last year Funeral For A Friend parted ways with their major label Atlantic whose contractual slice of the band’s hard-earned touring and merchandising revenue prompted the split and led to the formation their own imprint, Join Us. “We really depend on those streams of income to be able to let us tour so that deal was something that didn’t really work for us,” says drummer Ryan Richards. Join Us now oversees FFAF’s releases in the UK while Victory Records handles their output in the US and Canada and Roadrunner in all other territories. “It just got to the point where the industry had changed so much,” adds Richards. “What the major labels expect you to give them outweighs what they’re prepared to give you.” The move coincided with the amicable departure of long-time bassist Gareth Davies, who is now involved in artist management. “The touring game is not for everyone,” says Richards. “People see it as the ultimate dream to be in a touring band and while it is great and I wouldn’t wish to do anything else there are a lot of difficulties that come with it especially if you’re married and have children.” According to Richards, Davies eventually fell victim to the tyranny of distance having based himself and his wife in the America in recent years while the band remained rooted in Wales. “He just never got to be home with his family and it’s something that really started to take its toll,” he says. “I think it prevented him from enjoying the great aspects of being in a band. It was always very bitter-sweet for him so he had to make that decision which I know was very hard.” Davies’ replacement is bassist Gavin Burrough, who shared previous groups with Richards. “It’s been pretty seamless really – he’s jumped right on in there.” The addition of Burrough came just after last October’s release of the band’s fourth album Memory And Humanity, a direct channelling of their hardcore roots into consumable widescreen rock epics. And unlike much of the band’s back catalogue, written mostly on the run, Richards says the record was tracked at a leisurely pace in his Bridgend home overlooking a picturesque Welsh valley outside Cardiff. “It was great to spend a couple of weeks in my front room where you could look out the window over the valley or go outside and crack open a beer anytime you wanted to chill out,” he says. “It was good for the creativity and really helped things move along at a nice pace. We didn’t lock ourselves away and drive each other crazy all night.” Originally slated as an EP, Memory And Humanity was borne out of a surprisingly fruitful song writing session that extended the four-tracker to a full-blown album – and provided a quick follow up to 2007’s Tales Don’t Tell Themselves. “We’d just left our label at Atlantic and wanted to get some songs out there quickly so people could hear what we were up to,” explains Richards. “The plan was to start writing in January and record four songs in February but by then we had eight or nine songs that we felt really strongly about and wanted to use. “So we thought we may as well keep on writing. It was great really because the previous record took a long time to write and record. But with this we were our own masters being on our own label and it was a lot easier – and there was a lot less pressure.” | LinksFuneral For A Friend on Myspace lyrics |
“THE BUSINESS / CONTROL” – DON`T GIVE A FUCK PIC 7″
May 9, 2009 by urbn
Filed under Album Releases, Punk
THE BUSINESS are going to release one new Song on a strictly limited Picture 7” Vinyl! After 30 years in service it´s clear, what fans can expect from Micky Fitz and his boys – the previously unreleased Song “Don´t Give A Fuck” is straight Oi! from South London!
THE BUSINESS will share the other side of the Single with CONTROL. These newcomers from England play a mixture of Punk, Oi and Rock´n Roll and coll their sound therefore “Hooligan Rock´n Roll”.
Don´t wait too long! Once again, you will find this English street dog only in our People Like You Mailorder, and not in your store around the corner. This 7” will be limited to 525 hand numbered copies, so Get It Now Or You Will Be Punished By Eba y!
TRACKLIST:
THE BUSINESS:
- Don`t Give A Fuck (previously unreleased)
CONTROL:
- Hooligan Rock`n`Roll
You can order this 7 inch from the People like you website
Here is a direct link to their Shop (Expect to pay overseas charges).
