Having reformed in Melbourne late 2006 with a brand new line-up, here is what Doug had to say about the new incarnation of Bulldog Spirit and where the band is headed.

Seeing as though Doug is the only 1 original member, would it be safe to say you are more a 'Bulldog Spirit cover band'?
Sometimes a thing is greater than the sum of its parts. Bulldog Spirit is just such a thing. Go through your records and see how many bands have been around for more than five years with the same line up. Look at Toe To Toe, they’ve always been Toe To Toe even when Scotty Mac has been the only original member. Al is the only original member of Marching Orders. I think Gunk is the only original member of Condemned 84 etc etc. And as for being a cover band, we don’t even play all the old songs and play a bunch of new ones. Plus this line up is uglier and older than the other one. Except for Ben.

Do you seem to cop the cover band thing a lot, or is it just from me?
Nah just from you.

Why the decision to reform the band as opposed to creating a whole new one?
Well originally I moved from Canberra to Melbourne and was sniffing around trying to start a band. I jammed with my ex and a mate Josh for a while, but that didn’t happen, then I played guitar in an ill fated GGF reformation and that didn’t happen. I couldn’t actually get anything to happen until I mentioned the idea of restarting Bulldog Spirit, then everything just snowballed from there.

Have you been happy with the way punters have responded to the new BDS?
Yeah people seem to like Bulldog Spirit same as before. It’s like time stood still and no one noticed the line up change hahaha. I mean it’s been five years between drinks and three different members and it’s like nothings skipped a beat. The Melbourne punks and skins have been very loyal to us and the Canberra crew have been as staunch and crazy as always and last time we played in Sydney we made a whole bunch of new friends too.

Marching Orders and Bulldog Spirit both share 3 of the same members, do you find it hard to remember which band you are at rehersals/gigs etc?
Nah. Two totally different styles of music and two different instruments for me.

So whats the plan for BDS? Album releases? Major touring? Feature films?
Well we demo recorded 5 songs for an EP. I think we’ve just gotta tinker with a few things there then actually go into a proper studio and record some stuff. The hardest part is finding the right label to release stuff on. It’s hard to find the right balance of getting distro in Australia and getting distro overseas. The album seemed to go alright in Europe and stuff but we cant get any copies of it to sell here which is just nuts.

I don’t know how many times people ask me where they can get the CD and I have to say “try eBay” and stuff. Then they look at me with disbelief like I’ve got a secret stash of CD’s that I just don’t want to sell. I don’t even know if I’ve got a copy of the CD. I know I had a copy but it was in a car that I had that caught fire.

I am on a massive Japanese Oi! binge at the moment and would dearly love to go over and play with bands like Empi, Anger Flares, Hien, and Gauru, but it’s really hard cos not many people over there speak English and the scene is pretty small. But I’m not discounting it. As soon as I get out of debt hahaha.

Before the original line up dissolved I was trying to organize a European tour starting in Italy and then going up through Germany and Belgium and ending in the UK. That would be cool too. First things first though, a new release would be nice.

We have yet to be approached to start in a feature film.

Is there a marked difference between the older BDS material to the new stuff?
I wouldn’t say a marked difference. The guys in the band now have pretty much the same influences as the guys in the first line up, so nothing major is going to change. What I notice is more the difference in style that the way the guys play. Joel is heavier on the double kick and Phil is lighter on the solo side of things and more a rhythmical player.

Where do you draw your inspiration from to write new material?
Inspiration is all around. I was an angry young man, now I’m an angry not so young man. Some things happen in the world around you that affect you enough to make you want to express it I guess.

Any new bands, local or otherwise which you recommend people should check out?
To be honest, outside of the Jap stuff that I mentioned before, not much new stuff has grabbed me these days. That Loyalty band from England was the last thing I got that made me stand up and take notice I think.

Is there any messages you would like to give to potential and/or current BDS fans?
Hopefully we will have some new stuff out soon! If you want merch, keep an eye on www.deadsetmusic.com for stuff like t-shirts, patches, pins etc.

Final words, or anything I have missed which shouldn't have been?
Doug: Pride, Strength, Honour, it’s not just an intro song, it’s a way of life.

Last but not least for something different lets have some favourites:
Band: Agnostic Front
Website: www.myspace.com/pridestrengthhonour
Fanzine: I like that Fast Loud Rules one.
Shoes: Adidas 1966 British World Cup Team Replicas
Pastime (other than music): Scooters
Local Band: Marching Orders… I liked them so much, I joined the band

And some Least favourites:
Band: urgh, so many. AFI for turning kids into fags.
Website: kiddy fiddler ones I guess.
Fanzine: There’s one called Death Before Dishonour which has fuck all content but lots of pics of pretty metalcore kids with fagmo haircuts and scene tattoos and lots of ads. That one sucks.
Shoes: unpolished ones
Pastime (other than music): Paying bills
Local Band: Any band that sings with an American accent.

Discography

Bulldog Spirit (Brutus records 2003)
Good luck finding it, try Ebay

www.myspace.com/pridestrengthhonour

Disclaimer: Bulldog Spirit are NOT a cover band. It was a joke as there are 3 new members who until recently were playing material from when Bulldog Spirit was composed of different people based in another state. No offence is meant to anyone who may get upset by this interviews content.