Interview with Iain
*Give us the details of the new album (who, what, why, where)
It is called 'Against The Flow' and is released on Beer City Records of
America a well known label who are more well known in skate and
hardcore circles with bands such as MDC, DOA, DRI and others. It is out
on 7th September and is available on cd and 12" picture disc, catalogue
number BCCD121.
The reason why we opted for Beer City was they are very enthusiastic
and really get behind the bands as well as having great distribution
and have a big advertising campaign planned to promote the release too.
*For those poor souls who have never heard you, can you describe the Beerzone sound?
A cross between Rose Tattoo and Abba ha ha!! I don't know what we sound
like, I think we have our own sound these days but in the past we have
been likened to, rightly or wrongly, Cockney Rejects, UK Subs,
Test-Tubes, Clash, Macc Lads, Exploited, Blitz and a load of others but
you just have to listen and make up your own mind as I think it's all
bull.
*Who's the main songwriter behind the band, and are they mentally stable?
I have written every song since Beerzone started including music, even
down to drum ideas and guitar lead riffs( not lead bits, notey bits),
the guitarists have taken those ideas and sometimes alter them a bit
but that is about it regarding others input, ah!!! that's why we are so
shit!!! Mentally stable? Is that a home for local horses with attitude?
*The mostly humorous, often disturbed lyrics are a well-known Beerzone
trait. was this a conscience decision or just how it happened?
I like to write a few topical songs about life today and to put my own
warped edge onto it as it is good to mix the in yer face punk with a
twist to make you smile as too many things in life are far too serious.
Think yourself lucky you have never heard 'While You Were Sleeping'
which is a song I wrote about a guy who took in a lodger to help
make the rent and the lodger used to drug him and bugger him and he
knew nothing about it until he had to go to the docs with a real sore
bottom!!!
*What bands are your biggest influences and inspirations?
Sham 69 - Kids from the streets who had been there and lived it
Exploited - Scottish and showed you can do it with minimum music and the right ' fuck the world' attitude', legends.
Test-Tubes - The kings of musical warped punk rock - my all time favourite band
Dropkick Murphys - Showed that a streetpunk/Oi band can still get
through all the anti skinhead thing and get their message across.
Clash - What can you say, absolutely superb
Early SLF - Kids from the streets with superb anthems.
*You guys have a huge following in the states, is there a USA
connection, or did you make a point of becoming a favourite with the
yanks?
The one guy in the states who likes us is not huge but he is about 6'6.
No just joking, we ain't huge anywhere except in the beer gut but we do
seem to be building a decent following over in the US. We did not
intend to but we were lucky enough to be asked to tour their with the
Dropkick Murphys and we were amazed by the size they were over there
playing every night to thousands of people and that was 4 years ago and
they are much bigger now. We have since done another 7 tours there with
more to follow. The reason we went back was the Dropkicks management
said they had never seen an unknown band make such a huge impact and we
sold the amount of merchandise the Dropkicks gave us for the tour in 2
days!!
*What's one of the worst things which has happened while touring in the states?
Having to sit by the guitarist when he takes his DM's off in the van
when he aint showered for days, that is way worse than being
tear-gassed at the show with the Business and the shootings at two
other gigs on that tour.
*Whats the best touring experience you've had?
The guitarist having a shower and putting his boots back on, that was
better than Lemmy turning up to see us in Hollywood and better than
people driving 10-15 hours to see you. To be honest the best feeling in
the world is playing a show to 200 kids who all know your songs and you
are somewhere in the middle of the mountains in the middle of
nowhere.....nothing beats it and hopefully we can do it in Oz, sooner
rather than later...hint hint....
*How's the beer in the states compared to the English beer? At least they serve it cold yeah?
English Ale is shit apart from Newcastle Brown, Scottish beer is
alright but German and Belgian beer rules the world. In the USA the
beer is very cold but not very strong but this is a pretty good thing
as every night on tour the kids want to have a party as they see you
like once a year and if it were strong the shows would not even go on
as apart from endless beers they line up shots left right and centre
and in some of the places they are f'ing huge and they just keep
coming....
*Whats on the cards for Beerzone this year, aside from the new album?
US tour, European dates, couple of big festivals in Europe, new tv
documentary on UK's biggest channel( ITV), hopefully Oz, Wasted and a
load of UK dates to keep the ball rolling.
*Rumours are that you are planning to get to Australia. Is this just something else to get us going, or do you mean it?
If anyone is interested in helping us I have already said I am willing
to put money aside from gigs over here to help pay the fares to make it
easier for any would be promoter to arrange things for us, the idea is
if this new record does as well as people are tipping it will make it
that bit easier to come over and party with you guys, it is my number
one ambition. Don't get me wrong I don't expect huge turnouts and loads
of money, I am not about that, I just want to play to a few people in
little sweaty bars and go mad and then sink a few with you all.
*Anything else you want to comment on or plug?
Keep up the great work and if you of anyone who has the bottle to try
and arrange a few nights for us in Oz ask them to get in touch.
All the best,
Iain - Beerzone
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