| MENU | |||||||||
|
Serbian Magazine Interview 2003
1. Recently the FITD has gathered & started to work again. What made you move the band after so many years?
Gerard: A couple of things really - first, a chap called Lance Hahn who runs a record label called honey Bear Records got in touch about putting out a retro CD of all our 80s stuff - that gave me the original germ of an idea. Then the technological progress that means you don't have to rely on a full-band line-up to either play live or record. Finally I re-met up with Gavin shepherd thanks to the internet after losing touch for a few years, and it seemed a good idea to work with him.
2. In the first years of your work you had many problems with the line-up. Do you know how many members has passed thru the FITD and are you maybe still in touch with any of `em? Are any of `em still occupied with the music?
Gerard: How many members? No, I'm not sure - too many! Though realistically only a few made a significant contribution - I'm still in touch with Chas, Si Barry, Antje Klaehn and Dev, of all the important people. Of these, Antje played solo on the same bill as Flowers lately in Germany, and Dev makes music under the name While Angels Watch.
3. Once you`ve said that you define the FITD as a "Punk band" because it was something closest to what you used to play at that time. How would you describe the FITD in a few words today?
Anna: An evolving hubbub of playfulness.
Gerard: Anarchist disco music.
4. Something about the earliest history of the band: when exactly you were formed, the original line-up, first demos & gigs, the bands that you used to play with most often / had the best cooperation with…
Gerard: We formed in 1983 (I think!) and there was no original line-up in as much as it changed on a weekly basis until it settled with the line-up that recorded the debut Freaks Run Wild In The Disco ep on All The Madmen Records. We had the best co-operation with The Mob, who put our first record out for us, Gary from Dirt, who produced that record and pretty much no-one else.
5. As I know the Dirt, Riot/Clone, Icons Of Filth, Conflict… have never interrupted their work. The Apostles grew in the Academy 23, and then there are the FITD, Lost Cherrees…Is it possible to talk about some kind of the "revival" of the anarcho punk scene & is there any interest of the Punks in the UK for that sort of music?
Gerard: I've really no idea. In the UK at least, I found the 'anarcho punk' scene to be neither anarchist nor punk, so I don't really care. The Apostles I always liked though for their individuality and perversity. But I always preferred Dexy's Midnight Runners at the time and still do.
Gav
- We don't want FITD to be a nostalgia band, which is the territory of
the other bands you mentioned. I mean, Gerard and I went to see The Rezillos
recently which was great for a night of reliving memories of songs you
haven't heard for 20 years, but it's not new or relevant in any way. We
don't want to end up on some sort of punk-revival tour of English holiday
camps playing old songs to old punks, while even older ladies play bingo
next door, even if we were offered lots of sex and drugs. Or money. Ok,
if we were offered all three in large amounts we might re-think, but otherwise
not.
.
Anna:
I dont know, I still havent lived out my fantasy of being Pauline
Murray live. It occured to me yesterday that I havent seen a mohican haircut
for about two years either. Funny old world.
6. Something about the band`s name: who gave you the name, why FITD? Does it have any particular significance?
Gerard: It's a line from God Save The Queen by the Sex Pistols. I liked it because it was a neat turn of phrase but was also almost-hippy with the word 'flowers' in it. I love contradictions - they create the gaps within which ideas can be explored.
7. The FITD in the 80`s & the FITD in the beginning of the 21st century: are there any significant differences of the music, political opinions, views on the world at all?
ANNA:
My feelings are the same though as I have got older my anger has been
channelled differently, I balance out rage with doing good things for
a
living, and still think far too much.
Gerard: Obviously you change as you get older, as does the world around you. But my core views are pretty much the same. The music has got a lot more accomplished due to the technology that wasn't around before.
8. Present FITD`s line-up & age of the members? Are you employed, married, any kids…? Do you have any hobbies?
ANNA: Nurse, 33, with significant other
Gerard: 40, single singer songwriter with 2 dogs, run my own web design business, working from home
Gavin: 31, musician and writer, married with children, working in the film and TV dubbing world. FITD is my hobby!
9. Recently your new CD album appeared on sale… (Details about it
- how many trax, when the material was recorded & the period where
it had its origins, something about the label…)
Gav: Since I have a studio at home, I arranged and recorded the initial backing tracks there. Then we used various studios in London and Brighton to record Anna and Gerard's vocals. It was all then edited and mixed with Gerard back at my studio. The overriding ambition we shared with the new songs was to try and work quickly (not spending months fidlding with each track), ruthlessly (if a song isn't working, dump it and move on) and to have as much fun as possible in the process. We agreed that since we all have jobs, we don't want our hobby to be stressful or hard work! We also wanted to record material that has some historic significance for the first CD, eg. Abnormal is on ancient song of Gerard's from Anabolic Steroids days and I Will Hold You Forever is a song Gerard and I used to play together 10 years ago in a band called The First Of May. However, new material that we've written and are recording vocals for next week are all new songs and definitely have more of the Anarchist Disco feel we want to define our sound.
10. Would any of you like to add anything that I didn`t ask you? Any message to the readers in Serbia?
ANNA:
Has anyone in Serbia heard of Blackburn Rovers? Dont listen to what
the radio tells you...they're the BEST team in the UK
Gerard:
Has anyone in Serbia heard of Tranmere Rovers? Dont listen to what
the radio tells you...they're the BEST team in the UK
Gavin:
Has anyone in Serbia heard of Brighton? Dont listen to what
the radio tells you...they're the BEST team in the UK