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Goldie Looking Chain - who, what and why?
Lots of tracksuits. Cos we're bored of spending every night in some
pub.
I'm going deaf in one ear at the moment. Describe your live experience
to a totally deaf alien?
It's like 4 sheets of coloured paper and a lot of soft drugs; you wave
the paper around while taking the drugs. That's what it's like! Kool
and the Gang!
How much of what you do is serious and how much is a pisstake?
It's neither, it's just a laugh. We can't believe we got this far just
having a laugh.
Who is your favourite character on Eastenders?
I like the bloke called Ricky, is the actor called Sid something? I
also like Den even though he's a bit of a bastard. I believe he died
this week, buried under the plumbing.
Umm.. can't think what to ask next...
Why don't you ask 'Have you ever killed a man?'
Have you ever killed a man?
Uh, no.
What was it like doing the Tsunami benefit?
It was fucking good, it was Kool and the Gang. After spending ages doing
boring press for Smash Hits, it was safe to get to play in front of
lots of screaming kids, and with some really big names, but none of
them had any ego or anything. And Billy got to stand next to Eric Clapton
in the final song!
What's best, squirrels or badgers?
Well actually I've got a thing about badgers, whenever we go abroard
we confuse the locals by talking about them, they never know what badgers
are -'Do you mean a skunk?'. Squirrels are good but badgers are black
and white, and more elusive, you hardly ever get to see one. But Billy
stood next to a stuffed one in a photo shoot (probably more lively than
Eric Clapton - Ed).
I'm known as 'Badger' or 'Mr Badger' at school...
Safe!
Are you surprised about the extent of your success, especially for
a band that's slightly out of the ordinary?
Yes, we begun doing it just for a laugh and never expected to get anywhere.
If you went into your local karaoke and shouted 'your mother's got a
penis' you'd probably get your head kicked in.
Do you worry that the NME will turn on you?
No, it doesn't matter cos we've had such a laugh already! It's been
Kool and the Gang.
Is your success more unusual cos of all the swearing in the songs?
The censorship of words you can hear every day in the playground and
on the street only happens in Britain, when we play abroad on TV and
radio there's no problems. Here swear words are censored, but you can
sing much more disgusting violent lyrics and get away with it; I'd be
able to sing 'Let's Kill Tony Blair' if I wanted to but not say words
that everyone knows and uses.
Are you really going to record 'Walk This Way' with The Darkness?
No, although I bet a record company exec would think it a good idea!
We do know them, they're on the same label and came to one of our early
gigs so we ended up touring together. It was Kool and the Gang.
How much doobie do you reckon you've toked since your fame?
Umm, too much to say! There's lots of hanging around and not much else
to do but get stoned! Adam's the worst, he's just got bronchitis and
he's still toking! Billy and Zane are also pretty hardcore.
Do you know The Dirty Sanchez boys cos we saw them with you at Leeds?
Yes, I know Dainton through his skate shop, Kill City. I can't believe
how much they hurt themselves.
When R*E*P*E*A*T began, the scene in Newport was just kicking off
with TJs and The 60 Foot Dolls and that. Is it still going?
Yes. Newport's always been a punk city, ever since Joe Strummer studied
there in the 70s. There's still a big guitar scene and TJs is still
going strong. But I can't play guitar!
Is it true that Maggot really cut up his penis and sold it as ham?!
It's a metaphor for how tight he is. For instance he'll charge you £2.50
for a slice of toast; he'll call it an all day breakfast but it will
end up as just a slice of toast!
How's the tour been going, you've been playing huge venues?
It's been Kool and the Gang. Yes we played to 4000 in London the other
day. It's all good, like a pantomime on soft drugs! But getting us all
on a tour bus is a mission, the bus we're on was last used by Dizzy
Rascal, it's ok for a 4 piece band but getting 12 plus of us on there...
The question for the competition to win the Cds you've been signing
was which team do you sponsor. Can you tell us a bit about your link
with Newport County?
Well I know nothing about football but Mike Balls is a big fan and we
did get our name on the shirts for the cup run and that was cool. But
then they got knocked out!
You obviously take a lot of care with your lyrics, who writes them?
Whoever's going to perform them writes them.
What are you listening to on the tour bus?
Rap and Hip hop mostly. We like Mad Lip and anything on Welsh hip hop
label SFDP.
What's best, chips or cream buns?
It's got to be chips!
Thanks very much
Kool and the Gang!
Also many thanks to Ian Cheek for setting things
up and tour manager Alan Sullivan. You're both Kool and The Gang...
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