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* Some one young and enthusiastic was meant to be doing this, but they
couldn't make it so you've got me instead, sorry …
- Not to worry, you'll have education and wisdom instead...
* Funeral For A Friend - who, what and why?
- Funeral For A Friend is myself, Matt Davies, vocals and the occasional
scream, Kris Roberts - guitar, Gareth Davies on bass and backing vocals,
Darran Smith on guitar and Ryan Richards on drums and aggresive vocals.
We've been together about 16 months, and as to the why, well I suggested
the name from a song…
* By Elton John?
- No, not by him, though lots of people make that mistake!
* With the name and the art work, are you deliberately trying to distance
yourselves from all those punk-pop bands, especially from America, who
all seem to sound rather similar? Are you trying to add a Gothic edge?
- Not really, it was just a name I thought sounded really cool. All
the art work is done by our designer called Barny Bewick at this company
called Indium Design he came up with the concept for all the singles
and album artwork, he's done a lot of great stuff for bands in the past.
* So what is it that separates you from this rash of punk bands like
Good Charlotte, who you said recently that you don't have a lot of time
for?
- We're a mixture of rock, pop, punk, a bit of hardcore. We never
had any intentions of being rock stars, we're just 5 honest working
class musicians who are into it for enjoyment first and foremost, whereas
they seem to be following a formula for success…
· Yet it's happened pretty quickly for you as you've only been
going 18th months and here you are, you've sold out The Junction, you're
going on tour with Iron Maiden.
- Yes it has been quick, and now we get to do what we've always wanted
like go to all these places and meet all these interesting people. We
got signed quickly due to the single we put out with the people at our
first recording studio, and Infectious have spent a lot of money on
us and put a lot of faith in us. Yet we don't feel we've changed as
5 individuals.
· * Who would you relegate to room punk rock 101?
- So many things, but it's hard cos I don't want to be nasty …
Someone like Sum 41.
* What do you value more, your Kerrang! Awards or your chart position?
- The fact that I'm still alive I suppose! And the fact that we stuck
with this for all the right reasons, not because we were focussing on
success or awards.
* What drove you to day time TV?
- Being ill, bunking off school, watching Kilroy and stuff like that,
it has a certain charm.
* In school holidays I watch Doctors and Crap in the Attic, what about
you?
- Quincey is an amazing programme, Murder She Wrote, Ironside, Kilroy,
stuff like that.
· * Tell us about your recording sessions in a haunted studio.
Yes, there was this studio we were in where strange things happened
like the volume kept being changed on the stereo and a can of Lilt in
the fridge turned to ice and other unusual stuff which shook us up a
bit, we hoped no one was watching us in the bathroom!
* What do you listen to when hovering?
- I don't hoover.
* Well in the shower then?
Myself singing badly! And then a bit of hardcore, or anything that
takes my fancy.
· * Are you looking forward to supporting Iron Maiden?
- I think it's going to be a challenge, our biggest challenge to
date. We have debated it, we have plenty of feedback from our fans,
some don't like it cos we're a pop band, but Iron Maiden have had far
more chart success than we've had, and it'll be an experience…
* It's nice to be asked too isn't it, especially by the band themselves
not through a record company stitch up.
- Yes, it's an honour to be chosen!
* Here's a local question - Swans or Bluebirds?
- Swansea or Cardiff? Neither as I don't like football.
* Very diplomatic. What about chips or cream buns?
- Depends on the day really, sometimes chips, sometimes cream buns!
· * Another diplomatic side step. Thanks very much.
- You're more than welcome sir.
Thanks also to Ian Cheek for fixing the interview
up.
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