Planet Notion - Gallows Interview

17/10/2007

Tackling social issues with all the ferocity of a rampant Rhino, Gallows are a band unafraid to raise the often controversial questions affecting today’s youth. From date rape to street violence, they deliver the answers through spilt claret, venomous spit, and an unflinching attitude not seen on the mainstream circuit since punk’s heyday in the seventies. The toast of South-by-Southwest, a storming show at Reading Festival, and a critically acclaimed debut album behind them; bass player Stuart caught up with Notion to lay bare head collisions with monitors, collaborations with Lethal Bizzle, and their growing reputation as the UK’s most exciting and interactive live band.

· What influences beyond punk/hardcore are prominent in Gallows music and attitude?

WE LISTEN TO ALL KINDS OF MUSIC AS LONG AS IT’S DEEMED GOOD BY US, FROM PHIL COLLINS TO DEADGUY. EVERYTHING INFLUENCES US. EVERYTHING, TO SOME EXTENT. ALL THE SHIT MUSIC AND ROCKSTAR CUNTS JUST INFLUENCE US TO PLAY HARDER AND WITH MORE PASSION.

· In three words, what does your debut album bring to the current music scene?

WAKE UP CALL.

· In a world where Johnny Burrell can have a number one album, what state do you think the UK music scene is in?

IT’S IN A SHITTY STATE AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS. I DON’T LISTEN TO JOHNNY BURRELL’S MUSIC, SO CANT COMMENT ON THAT ONE, BUT THE UK MUSIC SCENE IS TOO SAFE. BANDS ARE HAPPY TO JUST BE CARBON COPIES OF ONE BAND THAT DOES WELL, OR TRIES TO SOUND LIKE SOME AMERICAN, WATERED DOWN VERSION OF A SUCCESSFUL BAND. NO ONE IS TAKING MANY RISKS THESE DAYS.

· Though worlds apart, both draw on the depravity of a town - was Come Friendly Bombs directly inspired by the John Betjeman poem Slough?

IN SOME WAYS YES. OBVIOUSLY WE LIFTED THE TITLE FROM THE POEM AND THE SONG IS ABOUT FRANKS EXPERIENCES OF SLOUGH. IT’S A FUCKING HELL HOLE, WHICH I THINK WAS BETJEMAN’S POINT TOO.

· Your popularity continues to grow, having had a busy few months on the festival circuit. How are you responding to the mounting attention cast upon the band?

WE JUST IGNORE IT AND GET ON WITH TOURING. THAT’S HOW WE RESPOND, BY NOT REALLY PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO WHAT GOES ON OUTSIDE OUR CIRCLE. IT’S NICE PEOPLE ARE LISTENING AND PAYING ATTENTION TO OUR RECORD AND SHOWS, THAT’S ABOUT IT.

· You were the toast of South by Southwest – how important is it to you to break America?

FAIRLY. WE WANT AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO SEE OUR BAND AND THEN BE DISSATISFIED WITH THE MANY BANDS THAT APPROACH THINGS HALF HEARTEDLY.

· After recording and playing live with Lethal Bizzle, do you have plans for any other collaborations? Are you interested in working with other artists, or does the collab simply stem from Frank’s passion for Grime?

NOTHING PLANNED AS YET, BUT WE ARE OPEN MINDED ABOUT FUTURE COLLABORATIONS. IT WAS GREAT TO WORK AND TOUR WITH LETHAL BIZZLE, A REWARDING EXPERIENCE ENTIRELY.

· You’ve been compared to the Sex Pistols and The Clash, because you’re songs confront social issues in a similar way. How important is it to tackle social issues such as date rape and violence through your music?

IT’S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US. IF YOU AREN’T SAYING ANYTHING YOU MAY AS WELL SHUT THE FUCK UP. WE’LL LEAVE IT TO OTHER BANDS TO SING ABOUT BEAUTIFUL GIRLS AND GETTING HIGH. DON’T GET ME WRONG, WE ALSO HAVE SONGS ABOUT PARTYING AND GENERALLY BEING DICKHEADS AT TIMES, MAKING BAD DECISIONS, BUT SOCIAL ISSUES, ESPECIALLY DATE RAPE ARE THEMES OFTEN IGNORED BY THE MAINSTREAM BANDS AS IT’S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW. BANDS FROM THE SCENE WE CAME FROM IN HARDCORE, TACKLE THESE ISSUES IN THEIR SONGWRITING FAR MORE OFTEN. IT’S AN UGLY AND UNCOMFORTABLE SUBJECT, BUT SO IS PUNK ROCK. THAT’S WHY IT’S A BEAUTIFUL THING.

· You could be said to have a confrontational attitude to your audiences - how important are the audience to your live experience?

WE LEARNT VERY EARLY ON THAT A LOT OF AUDIENCES CAN BE APATHETIC TO THE BANDS IN FRONT OF THEM THAT THEY’VE PAID TO SEE. OUR CONFRONTATIONAL STANCE IS SO WE CAN’T BE IGNORED, AND LIKE US OR HATE US, PEOPLE HAVE TO LISTEN TO US. WE THROW A HUNDRED-AND-TEN PERCENT OF OUR BODIES AND ENERGY INTO OUR SHOWS, AND PEOPLE CAN AT LEAST SEE WE MEAN WHAT WE’RE DOING. I ENJOY SHOWS A LOT MORE IF THE AUDIENCE ARE RECEPTIVE AND FEED OFF OUR ENERGY AND LOSE THEIR SHIT, BUT WE STARTED PLAYING TO CROWDS OF KIDS WHO DIDN’T GIVE A FUCK ABOUT GALLOWS AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO IN SOME PLACES I IMAGINE.

· Your performance at the Reading Festival was described by many as your best to date. How was it to play at such an esteemed event, and what made it so special?

IT WAS GREAT TO PLAY THERE, IT WAS A MILESTONE FOR US AND WAS GREAT TO COME BACK TO A RECEPTION LIKE THAT AFTER BEING ON TOUR IN THE STATES FOR SO LONG. IT WAS MADE SO SPECIAL BY THE FACT A LOT OF OUR FRIENDS FROM OTHER BANDS WERE PLAYING THE SAME STAGE AND WE HAD OUR FAMILIES AROUND US ON HOME TURF.

· What’s the story behind Frank’s head wound during the Stoke gig recently?

KID GETS ON STAGE, SINGS ALONG WITH FRANK, FRANK LOSES FOOTING, FRANKS HEAD COLLIDES WITH CORNER OF MONITOR, FRANKS HEAD EXPLODES IN A CLOUD OF CLARET, FRANK GOES TO HOSPITAL AND GETS GLUED BACK TOGETHER. TOUR CARRIES ON AFTER A COUPLA DAYS.

· Frank described the band as a hobby, and that being a tattoo artist was his ‘life and job.’ How do you think Gallows will be remembered when the band eventually call it a day?

A BAND THAT PLAYED SOME COOL SHOWS, GOT SOME ATTENTION FOCUSED BACK ON UK BANDS AND MADE AT LEAST ONE GREAT RECORD. OH AND SOLD OUT BY SIGNING TO A MAJOR.

· What can we expect from Gallows in the future, and are their plans for a second album?

WE WILL HOPEFULLY STAY TOGETHER LONG ENOUGH TO RECORD A SECOND RECORD AT LEAST AND TOUR SOME MORE AND MAYBE, AS RIDICULOUS AS THIS SOUNDS, HAVE SOME TIME AT HOME FROM TOURING. BUT SO FAR, I’M ENJOYING IT, WE ARE A BAND OF BROTHERS AND THERE’S NOTHING BEEN THROWN AT US YET THAT WE HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE OR SHRUG OFF. TOUCH WOOD.

The Gallows debut album, Orchestra of Wolves is available on Epitaph Records. The lads Taste of Chaos tour hits UK waters on November the nineteenth, kicking off at Guildhall, Portsmouth, and closing at Brixton Academy on the 28^th.

Words: Dave Dryden