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Grit – Ghost Estate Interview
Redstar73 Blog: Please can you introduce your band.
Grit: GRIT is Byrneos, Clodagh, Eric, John and Seán.
Redstar73 Blog: When was it started?
Grit: Grit started in 2014 with Eric and John jamming for fun with Byrneos in his shed. They decided to make the project a real band so Seán was approached to play guitar early in 2016. I approached the lads about doing vocals at this time as I heard about the band and that they didn’t have a singer yet. We played our first concert in July 2016.
Redstar73 Blog: What about your name?
C:It’s a nice, snappy word in the english language that means “courage”.
Redstar73 Blog: You have released your debut single. Tell us more about it!
C: We recorded a demo in July 2016 and put it online for free streaming and download at gritdublin.bandcamp.com. Alex from Distro-y Records heard it and offered to release the songs on 7” format. The other labels on board are Visions of Warning Records, Contraszt and Ultra Peace. This release has four of the six songs originally on the demo. The (beautiful) design and layout of the 7” is by TwoHeadedDog.
Redstar73 Blog: What are your plans for the future?
C: Concert-wise, the immediate future involves playing at Dancing With The Fallen Festival in Belfast at the end of May, then we will spend ten days in Europe in June (dates can be viewed at https://www.facebook.com/GRITDUBLINOIPUNK/) and might see you at the Barcelona show on the 7th of June ; )
Releases: a second 7” later in Summer 2017.
Redstar73 Blog: How is the scene in your area?
E:The scene in Dublin is really healthy but has suffered some direct hits on its DIY spaces in the last year with the evictions of two really large squats and the Tenterhooks punk space. That said, there are still spaces for punk including Jigsaw DIY venue, The Karate Klub punk space and our local football club Bohemians where we can put on shows and have freezing Irish barbeques! There are a ton of bands here and our scene is quite united between different styles. Some of my favorite Dublin bands include DISGUISE, SISSY, THE BLOW INS, SURGE, GAZE, POZOGA, ZONA ZLA, R.A.Z.O.R, STRONG BOYS and SO MANY more!
Redstar73 Blog: I saw you guys are going to play at the COMMON GROUND FESTIVAL. How important is for you the DIY idea and politics?
B: I would say very important, we’ve been involved in the DIY scene and with left-wing politics for a long time now and I would say that influences every aspect/decision of the band, for example: who we play gigs with, who we talk to (interviews), labels we’ll work with etc,.
Redstar73 Blog: Give us your Top5 Punk & Oi! Songs.
It’s too hard to pick just five songs,so if it’s ok with you instead we have picked a song each from a band that has influenced Grit either in our sound, lyrics or attitude.
B:Runnin’ Riot – Ode to the working man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7T8_hEi4x4
C:Hard Skin – Council Estate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md0lG-4nTFc&spfreload=10
E: Al Kapott- Bretagne 44 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRbfRe_Yxfg
J: No Hope For The Kids – Meningsløs Vold https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gseqip5gpBc
S:Camera Silens – Suicide https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RYxXzuqMoE
Redstar73 Blog: You see yourself as an Oi band?
B: At the heart of it we are a diy punk band but Grit was formed because of many drunken chats and oi sing-alongs! I think with our sound and lyrics we sit happily in that box.. People will hear different influences themselves. We have been compared to 77 punk, 82 no future bands, post-punk and GIRLSCHOOL to just name a few and that’s all great too.
Redstar73 Blog: What do you think about the current scene?
B:The current Oi! scene varies so much from country to country it’s hard to talk about it as one scene. There are some really great bands knocking about at this time. Unfortunately in some parts of “the scene” it still attracts idiots and right wing fuckers whom some people are happy to ignore as long as they “leave their politics at the door” but that shit doesn’t work for us. I’d prefer to “leave their politics all over the door” if you know what I mean.
In Ireland the Oi! bands are part of the larger punk scene, not a different grouping and have decent politics. Some Irish bands in the Oi! style worth a listen are THE JOLLARS, TAKERS AND USERS, UNITED BOTTLES, R.A.Z.O.R
Redstar73 Blog: What are your influences?
E:The band started from a serious love of Oi! and the more catchy styles of punk that we had listened to since teenagers but never played..BLITZ, CAMERA SILENS, SCREAMING SNEAKERS, NABAT, WARRIOR KIDS, VIOLATORS, ESKORBUTO, KLAXON..and on and on we could go!
C: Lyrically, I have been influenced by PERKELE, BISHOPS GREEN and RUDE PRIDE (to name a few) who all sing in english, I like their style of being tough but with a big heart and a social conscience. Obviously, I filter these inspirations through my own lived experience as an Irish woman. I spent a weekend with RUDE PRIDE when they toured in Ireland and had some good conversations. They told me how they write lyrics collectively, which was a new idea to me and it is something that we have done in GRIT.
Redstar73 Blog: Do you guys are involved in other projects?
C: John plays fiddle in an electronic outfit called “DOWTH”, he also plays drums and Eric sings in raw d-beat punk band “RATS BLOOD”.
Redstar73 Blog: Last words.
‘They’ll never be able to shoot us from that far away..’
https://www.facebook.com/GRITDUBLINOIPUNK
https://gritdublin.bandcamp.com/
Almighty Uprisers – Systematically Screwed Interview
Redstar73 Blog: Please can you introduce your band. When was it started? What about your name?
Almighty Uprisers: Started in 2015, the name sounded the best from a list of half a dozen most bands create before settling on a name. There’s the political notions and the drive to “rise up” that we all posses but few do anything about, unfortunately.
Redstar73 Blog: What are your plans for the future?
Almighty Uprisers: Write new material, Record and tour/play live
Redstar73 Blog: How is the scene in your area?
Almighty Uprisers: It’s survives and it’s thrives. Like most scenes it fluctuates as bands form and bands move on or disband. There’s a distinct lack of ska/reggae bands but definitely the scene and interest to support it. Like most scenes everyone looks out for each other, despite what type of genre you play. it’s like a family.
Redstar73 Blog: How important is for you the DIY idea and politics?
Almighty Uprisers: DIY is a tremendously important to us and is the backbone of what drives the band. There’s very little help from outside sources and unless you’re incredibly lucky, it’s what you do that determines your success, nothing is handed to you on a plate. Politics influence everyone and everything around us whether you like it or not. Everyone has a voice, why not use it.
Redstar73 Blog: Give us your Top5 Punk, Reggae & Ska songs.
Almighty Uprisers: I think it would be sweet to end up with a list of not run of the mill/well known tracks here as opposed to anarchy in U.K. – sex pistols etc so it makes for an interesting read. Obviously it’s impossible (or at least we find) to have an ultimate favourite song in any genre so a cool list of tracks people may not have heard will be better for the reader. Here’s three from me as a starter:
Sparra/Vocals/Rhythm Guitar
Ska: Dry Acid – The Upsetters
Reggae: Jah Jah Give Us Life To Live – Wailing Souls
Punk: Tube Disasters – flux of pink indians.
Scott/Lead Guitar/Backing vocals
Ska: Hooligans – Wailers.
Reggae: Come into my parlour – Bleachers.
Punk: Big a little a – Crass
Andy/Drums
Ska: soon you’ll be gone – blues busters
Reggae: talking blues – bob Marley and the wailers
Punk: cheat – the clash
Nathan/Keys
Ska – toots and the maytals, 54-46 whats my number.
Reggae – Bob Marley – iron lion zion
Punk – iggy pop – The passenger
Bill/Bass
Ska: Skatalites “Sakaravan”.
Reggae: Culture “Natty Never Get Weary”
Punk: Subhumans “Animal”
Redstar73 Blog: Last words!
Almighty Uprisers: Plug the facebook/social.
Look out for us.
Destroy Fascism and Unite.
https://www.facebook.com/almightyuprisers
Prins Carl – Bow To No One! Interview
Redstar73 Blog: Please can you introduce your band. When was it started? What about your name?
Prins Carl: Well we started about 14 years ago. We had no actual planes for the band, we just wanted to have something to do so we drank and had fun.
Västerås (our hometown) got rewarded for beeing Swedens most boring town. There is no places to play and we have cops everywhere. so the only thing to do is to lock yourself in in a rehersal room.
I think the first bandname we had was Prome Queens but we wanted to change for some reason i can’t remember.
Prins Carl is the name of an old steamboat where a man killed allot of people and then got executed in our hometown Västerås.
We wanted a name that could relate to Västerås so we thought that would be perfect!
Redstar73 Blog: You have released a new album ‘Bow To No One! ‘. Tell us more about it!
Prins Carl: Yes. It’s recorded by ourselves in our tiny rehersal room. We always record the basics live, but the new rehersal room that we have is so small so it was pretty hard to mix it, but i love the result.
I think it’s the most honest album we’ve ever made and i absolutely adore every song on it. The lyrics are better, the melodies are better and everyhing is more personal, for me it is! If you listen, listen loud as hell!
The question is What do you think about the album?!
Redstar73 Blog: What are your plans for the future?
Prins Carl: The plan is to play as much as possible cos thats what life is all about!
We are also talking about making a split Ep. We have 2 songs that didnt come on ‘Bow To No One’ that we will release somehow, sometime.
But I guess we will keep recording stuff and make good music!
Redstar73 Blog: How is the scene in your area?
Prins Carl: Well, as I said earlier about beeing Swedens most boring place. We dont have much of a scene.
We have a few bands but we have no places to play!
Most of the bands to go Stockholm to play.
Redstar73 Blog: I saw you guys are going to play at the Rebel Days 08 festival. How important is for you the DIY idea and politics?
Prins Carl: Yes. That gig will be awsome!
I love the Diy idea cos im so interested in every part of making music, recording, mixing, mastering and so on, and not selling your soul to any money man.
Well the politics is what it is. We have to much shit in Sweden so we have to do something to get rid of the idiots.
But i think that it’s not politics, it’s just common sence!
Redstar73 Blog: Give us your Top5 Punk & Oi! songs.
Prins Carl: This is the hardest question so far. To only pick five is like death!
I like mostly old stuf so you will get that. And because i think you havnt heard so much old Swedish Punk im going to list that!
Hope you’ll enjoy it!
First of I have to say a band called Bristles and a song called “Sick”, recorded in 1983!
its angry and its wonderful!
Secound up is an old band called KSMB and a song called “Klockan 8” (8 O’clock) A song about beeing in prison and dreaming about freedom.
Third up is Asta Kask. A band that still plays and in my eyes is one of Swedens best bands! Everything they’ve done is great.
my song for you is “Dom får aldrig mig” (they’ll never get me). Pure Gold!
Forth place goes to the new Västerås band called Call Cat and the song “Bearded Burden”. Just listen to it!
Fifth place goes to Trubbel from Gothenburg and the song “snedstegsvalsen” (Wrongstep waltz, or something like that). a song about trying to dance.
6. The Baboon Show and the song “Me myself and I”. Good driving song!
7. This is a band that is realy close to my heart! Also from Gothenburg, i present The High Hats! Every song is fenomenal but if i have to pick one song it’ll be “Heartbeaten by the police”. For all you melodical heartakers out there!
8. WC a band from Eskilstuna (pretty close to Västerås). and the song “Polis polis” (police police). A song about violence by the police. It
has to be the 1982 single version! listen to the drums and the 4 beat!
Oh shit, i just realised i was only to list five.
Hope you enjoy these songs!
Redstar73 Blog: Last words!
Don’t try fit in! Go your own way!
https://www.facebook.com/prinscarlpunk/
Mango Wood – People Rocksteady Interview
Redstar73 Blog: Please can you introduce your band. When was it started? What about your name?
Mango Wood: Mango Wood is an early reggae & rocksteady band from Madrid. The band started by the late 2015 as an acoustic project but ended up as band when we added different members and realized we had to move to a full band. We became a band in 2016 when we added the keyboard and a second guitar.
We still work and sometimes perform in acoustic set but the main focus is as a band. Now we even have a DJ set to keep on sharing music and partying till the sun rises.
The name of the band is a tribute to the mento and calypso groups that used lots of fruits and vegetables to sing about sexual related topics.
Redstar73 Blog: You guys released quite some singles and videos last year. What is the idea behind it?
Mango Wood: We love the Jamaican way of releasing singles instead of albums, the 7 inch is a format we believe in and enjoy. The idea behind videos is that whether we like it or not, we live in a world that its music is fueled by audiovisuals. So if you want to reach to a larger public, you have to include a video with the song.
Behind Mango Wood there are also people that collaborate with the audiovisuals like the Jürschik Sisters (Helvia & Julia), Mance Lopez and many more that help us develop and enhance the project
Redstar73 Blog: What are your plans for the future?
Mango Wood: We just published a 7″ with Respect Records and we are working on making a second one. We just published the B Side video and soon we will publish the A Side video of the Respect Records 7″.
We have also recorded several songs at our own studio “Imported Grooves” and they are due to mix & master. The idea is to try to find more record labels (inside and ouside of spain) that are interested in editing in a 7″ format. And we are working at the moment with the videos of those new songs so everything will be in schedule.
Summer is coming and spain has a lot of festivals that we intend to play and spread our music at.
Redstar73 Blog: How is the scene in Madrid?
Mango Wood: The scene in Madrid is complicated. There are lots of bands, sound systems and and parties, but sometimes it’s hard to reach the public. The economic crisis hit hard in spain and for some years the early reggae, ska & rocksteady shows were affected. This meant that bands from Madrid had to play for little money. Also bands from abroad stopped coming to Madrid as people didn’t have enough money to pay for the entrance, drinks and so on. But now we can see there is light at the tunnel and we are rising up from our ashes.
If we have to sumarized how the scene is, we have to say that it´s healthy in the musical aspect, lots of oldies bands like Upsttemians, Crepitans, Hypocondriacs, Steady Rockers… ska bands like Begoña Bang-Matu, Skalone, Majaicans, Hammond York, Fhin Brau, Sally Brown and many more. But it´s an underground movement, sometimes we feel we see the same faces at all the parties.
Redstar73 Blog: Give us your Top5 Reggae, Rocksteady & Ska songs.
Mango Wood:
Rudy Mills – Jon Jones
Kingstonians – Sufferer
Ethiopians – Mek you Go on So
Jack Sparrow – Ice Water
Toots & The Maytals – Funky Kingston
Redstar73 Blog: Last words!
Mango Wood: Stay tuned because Mango Wood never stops, more is coming in 2017!
Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/mangowoodmusic
https://mangowood.bandcamp.com
Top 5 Galore: Kevin / Do the Dog Music
1. The Specials – Do Nothing (one of the first 7″ singles I ever bought. I have always loved the tune & the lyrics are just as relevant today as they were back in the early 1980’s)
2. The Hotknives – Don’t Go Away (so, so catchy & a chorus that sticks in your head forever. I first discovered this band at the first London International Ska Festival at the Brixton Fridge in 1988 & have loved them ever since)
3. The Busters – Busterlor (my favourite ska band ever. Ever since I first heard their debut album on Unicorn Records I have been hooked on The Busters. So many great songs over a 30 year career, but this is my favourite. I love it’s simple catchy rhythm & storytelling vocal)
4. Fishbone – Ma & Pa (super, super catchy straight up ska brilliance. I like the way it matched up a uplifting upbeat rhythm with a sad lyric. The lyrics for this song actually inspired me to write The Bakesys’ song Anmated Violence)
5. The Interrupters – Phantom City (best new band to emerge from the USA in recent times. Punky edged 2 tone brilliance from California)
The Specials – Live in 1979 and 1980
Thanks to the youtube users FruitierThanThou, London’s Burning and Audio Ammunition for uploading the videos
The Specials – Live at the Moonlight Club May 1979
The Specials – Colchester 12 December 1979
The Specials – The Paris Theatre London 15 December 1979
The Specials – Tokyo 20 July 1980
