SPRING 2014
What’s the process when you
guys write together?
Page 6
Joe C: We basically discuss the kinda tunes we wanna
write, Greenberg writes the bulk of the music, demos
it and then we work out if we wanna take it to the next
step and flesh it out live. Nothing massively interesting
happens, we don’t roll any dice or pray to satan or
anything.
Matt: Essentially, I sit in my bedroom and open up Logic
Pro, play some guitar riffs and add a drum machine to
it, then layer the bass underneath and structure it all
until it sounds vaguely like a song. Then I bounce it
down to mp3 and send it to everyone to learn and Nick
will improve the drums so they sound more fluid and
generally more imaginative. Joe writes lyrics and vocal
parts and in practice we’ll iron out any extra bits and
changes till it’s sounding almost like a real song.
What are your views on the state of DIY?
More specifically, does it bother you that
the value of it is diminished with the
volume of supposed ‘DIY’ bands who do
it because it’s a convenient necessity?
Joe C: Well we’re pretty into it I’d say! We run the
venue JT SOAR in Nottingham and that involves… deep
breath... putting on shows of all kinds of DIY music, not
just punk/hc, running a record mart/distribution thing,
recording bands (Phil), putting bands up, cooking vegan
food, showing films, eating pizza, drinking beer… loads
more. All four of us put on shows, individually and in
teams, we don’t even think about it, it’s totally fluid to us.
Matt: The last thing I’d call DIY is convenient; if anything
it provides convenience to those it caters to be it people
coming to the shows or the bands playing, etc. I’ve
certainly been left tearing my hair out at points stressing
about shows, wondering about where to put up bands
and if I’m gonna be able to pay them. It always turns out
fine though, which is what makes it all worth it.
I do think on some level though that DIY has been
cheapened by some, it’s very easy for a band to promote
itself on its DIY aesthetic and principles, and use it as
a selling point rather than a pushing of any particular
message or principle. I have a lot of strong views on how
music can be cheapened through the media and the
way it is projected upon us by force. This is is why I find it
difficult to promote my own music, because the very idea
that we are able to play on a stage in front of people and
for them to buy our music with their hard earned money
seems so strange to me.