FUNGALPUNK INTERVIEWS

Conor of

Northern Guns

 

1. Tell us about the Northern Guns, where it all started, the members and what are your ambitions?

It probably started back in 2002, when Me 'n' Rich (guitarist) were so sick of there been nothing to do in Guiseley. We were in an English lesson and were just sat there and we had both started playing the drums 'n' Guitar.
So we just decided to get together and have a jam in our freezing garage. We haven't really come along way from those days but at least we got a heater in there now so it's a bit better.

When we started out we were a 3 piece with Me, Rich (Guitar) and a mate from school called Liam who was on bass. We had a couple of rhythm guitarists along the way but that never really stuck, then we got singer Kat Smith in - she was singer for about 8 months but again it wasn't working out so the band split.

Now the final line-up is Rich Trus- Guitar and Vox, Jonny W- Bass and Conor Dawson (me)- Drums and Vox.
Our main ambition in NG is to make a living out of what we are doing so we can all give up our jobs at the local chippy...

2. What are your gripes and pleasures about today's music scene and do you think enough is done for music at street level?

There are some great bands out there Rebel Yell, The Nimrods etc. not getting the chance to get out there because the scene is quite a hard one to break intom and very few bands make a living out of it, thats the only problem, the evil people at record companys need to do more for music at street level too.

3. Hector Lux manufacturer of sexual soap bars was recently jailed for releasing clitoris shaped bath bombs with the words 'I hate greek pelicans' on them. The authorities claimed that these were the most sinister and foul bathroom items they had ever come across since Arther Duckscrewer tried to patent his rectal valve cleanser. If your musical career goes tits up are there any deviant bathroom items you may wish to invent?

That scenes dead now, its all about naked extreme sports, sky diving and water skiing, its the way forward, I'm gonna make millions from it, there is a definite gap in the market.
Then when the business gets off its feet, we can move into like naked skiing, skateboarding and bmx-ing...

4. What are the NG's highs and lows so far?

Our highest moments has gotta be the moments we realised we were that shit, we have never had much luck with shit like that? We've been a band for so long, everyone we went to school with always thought we were a bit shit coz they didn't get it, but we then started playing real gigs and the folks are digging it so its all good. We went back just before Christmas and played another gig for the people we used to go to school with and they were all looking a bit confused so I presumed that gig wasn't our best.

5. Tell us your influences and heroes and zeroes in music and life?

We draw our influences from all over the place, there's the obivous in there like The Clash of course.
We we all listen to such a big mix like MUSE, Dropkick Murphys, Copper Temple Clause and we try and draw influences from everyday things as well. A lot of our songs have been wrote about very personal stuff to us, so when you come down to the gig just take a listen to the lyircs as they mean a lot to us them songs, they're like our babys.

6. Describe your fellow band members in no more than 4 words each.

Rich- Spanish Waitor Called Raul
Jonny- One Hell of a Bassist.

7. If you were given £20,000 for your band what would you spend it on and why?

Its a tough one, coz we don't really need anything, money can't buy you fans or fame can it? We would probably start by getting a reet good P.A system and some decent Merch...
then the rest would go on building our growning record collection.

8. Sausage meat breast implants or dead squirrel buttock enhancers - which one would suit you best if you were stranded on a desert island? oh and what 3 records would you take?

Dead Squirrel Buttock Enhancers, its the future, gotta be comfy when ya sat on them hard rocks plus I hear Squirrel tastes quite nice.

Records I would take are 1. The Clash-The Clash 2. Dropkick Murphys-Sing Loud Sing Proud and Northern Guns- Radio Riot E.P (I'm bloody proud of that record).

9. If you could organise a gig what 5 bands would be on it and why?

1. Ramones 2. The Clash 3. Dropkick Murphys 4. The Pogues 5. Stiff Little Fingers

10. You have 5 sentences to promote and push The Northern Guns - go for it and convince us to check you lot out?

We play real music that matters to us. We try and include the fans who come to our gigs, they've paid money for it, if they wanna skank, dance get drunk, get onstage with us they can.
We try and entertain the crowd and we aim to please, at the end of the day we are entertainers.
We try our best to please everyone but thats never gonna happen so if you dig us check us out if not don't.

11. Bobby Crush was banned from television for snorting the ash of burnt piano keys. He had an affair with a table leg and killed his father with an overdose of Bisto gravy. Is the pressure of creating music this bad and what pressures do you feel on this punk carousel.

Ha Ha , first of all thats gotta the best question I've ever heard in an interview but back to the answer.
There's always the nerves before you go on stage, and I used to get them really bad, they seem to have died down about now but I think its the fact that you really want the crowd to like your songs and it stresses you out, but as soon as you get on stage and you look out and you see people really liking what your doing it gives you such a high - its amazing.

12. Finally - give us a message from all at the NG's that all music lovers should abide by?

Don't let the Bastards Grind you down, thats the only message I live by everyday and so should you...