Artist: Million Dead Interivew With: Julia, Ben, Frank and Tom
Posted By: Jon at 20:04 on 2004
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"Basically there are a number of bands that are shit. Who I think don?t deserve any coverage. The libertines are one of them!"
- Classic Words From Drummer Ben
Marvin ? When roughly did you start playing together?
[Ben] About, 3 years ago. As a band, about 3 years ago. Other than that, Frank and I have been playing since about 11 and Tom and I, and Frank and I have been playing in the last 4 years in various bands
[Frank] ?5 years.
[Ben] But as Million Dead, we started about 3 years ago.
[Frank] But Tom has been with us for about a month!
John ? What influenced you all to be in a band, together?
[Frank] Other bands, err? the first band I ever heard which I really got into, and I think I shadows for me, was Iron Maiden. And I heard Iron maiden?
[laughs] Yeah, yeah maiden and the thing about it is just? I don?t know. I think for a lot people, when you hear something like that, the first time you really get into it, the first thing that spreads into your head is ?well? I can have a go at that?. So umm? I got into Maiden, I got my first guitar soon after. And it started from there. So? yeah, I just felt the music and the fact that I love music and I listen to it every day. So it was like ?Yeah, Fuck it, lets start a band?
[Ben] Yeah for me, the way that Frank and I kinda started, you know, when we were 11. I just happened to be taking drum lessons and he played guitar, and we just started playing together. So from then you just kind of Do it, there?s no other reason, you know, same with Tom and Sam. Our friend Sam, who plays drums as well. He just started jamming in a bedroom and eventually other people would come into it and you?ll have a bands and you?ll keep on doing it. It just becomes the way you live and its better than anything else.
Oli ? What bands do you like at the moment?
[Julia] What? Like new bands?
Oli ? Yeah!
[Julia] New bands. Err? I really love Jarcrew and, like,
Yourcodenameis:milo, they?re very good and Biffy.
[Every body agrees to Biffy!]
Marvin ? We all had biffy tattoos done!
[We all show them our amazing Biffy Clyro, Henna tattoos!]
[Julia] Oh right!
[Million Dead Laugh]
Marvin ? We all got them!
[Julia] Yeah, we love biffy! Yeah, but as far as new bands go, there really isn?t a whole load of them that are amazing, but there are a few others. Because we listen to a lot of old bands, because I just can?t?
[Frank] ?Because they?re better! [Laughs had by everybody]
[Julia] Yeah! ?Cus they better! I just can?t go past those CD which I?ve had for about 10 years, I keep going back to them really regularly, because, you know, they?re just amazing and that?s one of the, like, going back to your previous question, I mean, you know, It is bands like that, you know, they?re the reason why I wanted to start a band, and I find that the thing that influenced you to be in a band you will listen to for the rest of your life? I think. But the new stuff, I mean there?s a lot of? oh Drive like you stole it!!! They they?re very, very good as well. Actually they?re probably the best, I think.
[Ben] Let?s not have this argument here!
[Julia] So yeah, new bands I think that?s a good bunch here!
Marvin ? Are there any bands out there who you think should get a lot more publicity that they do?
[Tom] Us.
[Julia] Yes US!
[Frank] Well, to be honest, I think that there?s a general rule in life. Most of the bands in the spotlight don?t really deserve or need to be there. And there are a lot of, you know, for every column inch that?s wasted on the darkness, or something like that, you could write about the bands that are actually any good, like Jarcrew or something like that, I mean I think that probably most of the bands that I?ve just mentioned, could probably do with being mentioned.
[Ben] Yeah. I mean the thing is, at the end of the day, press is still press, when it comes down to it. Just figure out yourself more records and its not really something you can dwell on. If life was fair, yeah, bands who actually played amazingly, you know, who really put their heart and soul into it should get a lot of press.
But its just not they way it works and its not something you can just say ? Oh I really like this band they should be getting a lot more recognition that other bands? because unfortunately that?s just not how it is. I mean we?ve always got quite a lot of press actually, which we?re quite surprised at. I mean compared to other bands who are at the same level, its really weird ?cus we?ve never had any major backing or anything, but you know, whatever it is, its not about press its about if you?re in a good enough band and hopefully you?ll get people down to your shows and stuff. And sometimes band aren?t cool enough for the to kind of *click* to get past the initial ?i don?t wanna listen to this? barrier which is a real shame.
[Frank] I think Jarcrew have a lot of problems ?cus they?re a fucking bunch of weirdoes! And it really does make a difference because I think a lot of people come down and you?re first impression is?
[Frank gets hit with a beanbag by a 3-year-old kid!]
[Everyone laughs?]
[Frank] Anyway, your first impression is kinda like ?What the hell is this?? and I think a lot of people just leave it at that. That why a lot of people don?t listen to Jarcrew?
OW!
[Julia] HA! You can?t sing now, right!?
[Frank] Yeah? That was my singing neck! I?m going home! Yeah I mean like you said it?s the one that you have to stick with if you?.
[Tom] We?re gong to have to cancel the gig, ?cus he got hit in the head with a beanbag by a child!
[Every one cracks up]
[Ben] You gotta do it man! You gotta go home and not play! Why isn?t he playing, Why?d he go home, He got hit in the face by a beanbag by a 3 year old!?
[Tom] You wanna walk out on stage. Sorry guys Frank can?t make it tonight?
[Ben, In American Voice] Unfortunately Frank got hit, by a stray beanbag.
There was an incident with a beanbag on stage, we?re really sorry you guys, we?re going to play you the show in a couple of months.
[Tom] Thank You Montreal? I mean Plymouth!
[Frank] Err? Anyway, what were we talking about
[Ben] Press!
[Julia] Press, yeah!
[Ben] Yeah well I mean he got hit in the head by a beanbag
[Frank] Yeah, Well, you can wish that your favourite bands are going to get lot of press. Maybe it will happen or maybe it won?t!
[Strange Sorcerer/Hobo from lord of the rings walks past? All of us laugh and also think ?What the
f*ck!??]
[Tom] I didn?t know your dad was coming down today!
[Frank] It?s a fucking sorcerer!
[Tom] He?s going to smash that kid?s face in!
[Frank] Alright next question.
[Julia] That tent, what tent is that!?
[Ben] It?s the worship tent! It?s the workshop tent, but I really thought it was the worship tent!
[Julia] The worship tent?
[Tom] A worship!
[Ben] That?s really what I thought originality. I thought shall we go to the worship tent!?
[Julia] Shall we go in there
[Frank] For some metal bands that want to do some worshiping
[We all go into the ?Worship? Tent!]
John ? Where have the best crowd been and where have you had the biggest response?
[Frank] Oh? Norwich! Yeah
[Ben] Apart from the first time we played in Exeter, we?ve always the greatest in Exeter, at the cavern.
[Frank] I don?t Know if any of you guys saw us play there last time we played there of the time before.
Marvin ? Well, we tried but it was over 18 or something!
[Frank] Oh yeah. Well the first time we played there, we played, well we played to 2 and a half people, there seemed to be two people who kept switching around! But ever since then its been great!
[Julia] Yeah Exeter?s been great! On our last tour, Leicester was fucking amazing, like, the crowd was, like, psychotic for us and it was really good. And lately, I mean again, another funny area was Nottingham because in the beginning no one gave a fuck about us and they were actually quite hostile. But over time, like now, when we play Nottingham, again, the crowd just gets into it and so that been good for us as well! But also Plymouth as this kind of area?s been fucking great for us.
Jon ? Have any of you been arrested?
[Frank] I?ve never been arrested
[Ben] I?ve been detained in Oxford circus for 8 hours needing a dump at one of the camper?s demonstrations back when I cared about shit! Erm?
[Everyone laughs?]
[Tom] Back when we had principles!
[Frank] Yeah err? we?ve never actually been arrested for anything. We?re all very good.
[Ben] Yeah, we firmly believe in the police state!
Oli ? Who mainly writes all the lyrics in the band?
[Tom] Err? ME!
[Ben] Yeah Tom! [LOL]
[Frank] Err? me, but everyone else has power over it, because the words that get sung are seen as representative of the band. So if I was singing something that someone else disagreed with then they could tell me not to. Not that that any of the words are representative of the band, but I mean if you were singing something about the genocide of the Jews or something like that?
[Marvin?s phone interferes with recording so there?s a bit missing!]
[Ben] Ok where were we?
[Julia] Lyrics. Yeah, He writes them [Points at Frank? Obviously]
[Frank] Yeah.. Its my fault!
Oli ? Are there any bands that you really detest at the moment, that you don?t think should have their publicity?
[Frank] There are quite a few out.
[Ben] Basically there are a number of bands that are shit. Who I think don?t deserve any coverage. The libertines are one of them.
[Tom] There?s only one
[Julia] Yeah, yeah, go Ben, go!
[Ben] Look, ok, honestly this is a waste of space
[Julia] Just go! Go now!
[Ben] This is waste of time! The libertines are totally shit! Personally I seriously dislike the darkness. I think jet are a pile of shit. Its most of the shit that gets covered by the little, sort of, cleek, that runs around the fucking NME and Xfm, who sort of push all these god awful bands like Franz Ferdinand and its so irritating because there are good bands out there a lot of them but they don?t get covered because these trendy, bastards who don?t know a thing about music who are going to harp on about their mates band for 20 minutes and its really stupid. So basically, umm... yeah we?ve got a particular issue with the libertines because they are just a talentless bunch of fucks. At least the darkness they can play their instruments and play one good song. But yeah their totally shit, but yes there?s a lot of crap around basically. I?m not sure if his is much a secret, if you know what I mean? Because there are a lot of bands which get hyped up, like black rebel motorcycle club got hyped up to shit by NME and they got dropped because no one brought their record because no one likes them! But on the other hand you?ve got someone like cooper temple clause, who don?t get covered by NME because they had a bitch fall out, and yet they sold more records than most bands in the U.K. So, umm? Its all misrepresentative anyway!
Oli ? Do you believe in communism or democracy or anything like that?
[Frank] Err? No!
[Ben] We all believe in living our lives, Do what you do. Its not like we believe, Its not like I believe that I?m going to have some fucking protest that I?m going to change the fucking system, I live in fucking England, There?s a system that we all work under and I will go and vote and I went and I voted the other day!
[Tom] What!?
[Ben] No, No but?
[Julia] Yeah we?
[Ben] But yeah, I went to some fucking protests when I was younger, and it was an enormous waste fucking of time! And I missed a Saturday?s worth of TV! And I missed a day?s work as well so I didn?t get paid for that! Erm... fuck it, you know.
[Frank] I personally think that the sensible thing to say on this would be that I?m 22 Years old and err?
Marvin ? Really!?
[Frank] I don?t completely agree, by any means with anything that Karl Marx said. He was a very intelligent man and very perceptive about the world, and it took him until he was about 65 to figure out what he thought about the world. So for me to be telling people what they think they should do with their lives, I?m going to tell you?
(Sorry, Can?t hear anything else because of stupid screaming beanbag-throwing kids in the background!!!)
Marvin - Yeah but I think communism, in theory, It?s the best thing, but it?s never ever going to work.
[Julia] Yeah it doesn?t work in practice
[Ben] I think that?s the whole debate.
Oli ? We?ve got some quick-fire Questions now!
[Julia] Some what!?
Oli ? Some quick-fire Questions
[Julia] Okay
[Ben] YELLOW!
Oli ? Emo, metal, or post-hardcore?
[Frank] Sorry?
Oli ? Emo, metal or post-hardcore?
[Julia] Err?.
[Frank] Anything that?s good, who cares? Everything?s a different genre?
[Julia] Erm?
[Ben] There?s a lot of metal bands which are shit, there are all those which are rubbish.
[Frank] Yeah well to be honest, if you mean post hardcore as kind of late 80?s, DC, underground rock music, then I?d probably say post hardcore but? It?s rubbish.
[Ben] Metal!
[Frank] Just take bands for as they are. If they?re good bands or bad bands.
[Ben] Yeah, it doesn?t fucking make any difference what genre they are. If they?re good, they?re good, if they?re shit then they?re shit!
Oli ? Wine or beer?
[Frank] Sorry?
[Ben] Beer!
[Tom] Beer
[Julia] Wine!
[Frank] Wine!
[Ben] Well beer, because that?s what we get given
[Frank] Beer, Unless its Buckfast
[Julia] Red wine? yeah
[Ben] Yeah? we drink Buckfast wine? But generally speaking?
[Frank] I like a glass of wine?. By the fire?
Oli ? Err? wheeto?s or co-co pops?
[Julia] Co-co pops!
[Ben] Wheeto?s!
[Frank] Wheeto?s
[Tom] I like co-co pops
[Julia] You brought Co-co pops the other day
[Ben] No sugar puffs!
[Julia] Ok that?s 3 for co-co pops one for?
[Ben] But? Weetabix? that beats them all? Simple!
[Tom] Oh your so utterly wrong
[Frank] Ok, Weetabix is bollocks, it?s official? Next question
Oli ? McDonalds or KFC?
[Ben] Neither
[Frank] Neither, because its absolutely disgusting food, err and yeah? fuck that.
Oli ? You could probably say that about this but, limp bizkit or linkin park?
[Julia] Err? um... actually? [Lol]
[Ben] Erm? I?ll actually say Limp bizkit
[Julia] I?d say linkin park
[Ben] What the fuck are you talking about? Linkin park are just a fucking band and they just sit around? Fred durst is a fucking? he?s got his fucking brain on, man. That guy is a fucking marketing genius, until about a year ago. But they?re just a fucking band and they write their music. And fucking linkin park put together? they?re last single was electric drums, a synthesizer and a guy singing over the top of it. If your going to do that, do it as a one man project
[Tom] Wes Borland was pretty good on guitar, better than they?re shit
[Ben] Well they?re all pretty good players. Fucking great musicians.
[Frank] Generally speaking?. Neither. But if you made us listen to limp bizkit?
Oli ? Red or black?
[Frank] Probably black
[Julia] Red!
[Ben] Black
[Tom] Black!
Marvin ? Both Together?
[Frank] Yeah? On my belt
[Frank shows us his belt? Every one agrees!]
John ? Gigs or Festivals?
[Frank] Gigs
[Julia] I like festivals!
[Tom] It?s a different thing?
[Frank] Festivals are fun because you kind of fuck around all day getting pissed up and there are loads of people around. But I think, at the end of the day, gigs are a better design for listening to music.
[Julia] Yeah, that?s true
[Frank] Yeah, its like, if you want to go see a band just to check them out and hear the music, you probably wanna go to a gig. But if you just want to have a fun day out with your mates, get pissed, see a lot of bands, then go to a festival. Personally I?ve always preferred going to gigs just to see bands so? gig.
Marvin ? That?s the thing with festivals, you end up going and? well at a gig, the headliner, you?re pretty much looking forward to and you basically just get there, but at a festival you?re too worn out to listen to the bands.
[Frank] Yeah
John ? Or too pissed!
[Frank] Yeah, well when we went to download and we played at download. To be honest I really didn?t watch many other bands because I was just with a lot of my friends having a really good time, and that was cool but?
Blue and Yellow Jester ? If you?d like to come outside and see the circus its about to start now? outside
Oli ? Woooooo!
[Frank] You could of said that we could go!
[Tom] Let?s Go!
[Frank] But anyway, you can go with your mates and get pissed anywhere but? yeah so? gigs? Any day!
[Julia] I want more of them!
[Frank] Favourite colour? ? Blue
Marvin ? Independent or major record labels?
[Frank] Doesn?t matter
[Ben] I think that they both have plus and minuses. I think that myth that independent labels are untouchably, wonderful perfect ground?
[Frank] A lot of independent labels fuck band over just as much major labels.
[Julia] Exactly? Except with major labels they make it quite obvious from the start that they?re going to fuck you up. That why, sometimes, some independent labels are just worse because they make out, in the beginning that ?They?re not about the money? but when it comes down to it if they get a sniff of the money. You?re fucked! You know, they?ll fuck you over just as much. Yeah, you just got to be really careful? and get a good lawyer.
[Frank] You?ve just got to do it case by case, you know what I mean, and? I see what you mean. Because I mean tool and Radiohead and
bands like that have a fucking great deal going and they?re on major labels. At the same time bands may just get
fu*ked in the ass!
Oli ? Camper vans or beetles?
[Frank] Huh!?
[Julia and Ben] Camper vans or beetles?
[Frank] The Beatles? Or the car?
Oli ? No, the car!
[Ben] I?ve always like camper vans because there?s a lot more room.
Marvin ? Also they?re class!!!
[Everyone agrees]
[Julia] Alright. Blonde or brunette?
[Ben] Brunette.
[Frank] It?s a case-by-case thing, but generally speaking? brunette!
[Julia] Brunette? How about you?
[Tom] Yeah, same.
[Julia] Me too actually, yeah!
[Julia puts arm around Marvin?s back in comfort? everyone laughs,
Frank puts arm around John]
[Ben] Who is asking the questions anyway?
Jon ? Umm? Him! [Points to a small boy]
[Frank] Which of those two kids?
[Laughs]
[Frank] Err? yeah? there we go! Let?s go see the circus!
Million Dead are:
Frank ? Vocals
Tom ? Guitar
Julia ? Bass
Ben ? Drums
Million Dead Interviewed By Jon, Marvin and Oli.

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