1.  Tell us about your personal musical career so far and how you came to be in A War Against Sound?

Ah, well in school I was always in little bands it was just somethin I wanted to do, the first band I ever tried to get gigs for was Action Bomb Squad (I think they still have a myspace up y'know!). It was a 7 sometimes 8 piece terrible ska band and we did about 2 gigs but the brass section was just posh kids with parents telling them what they would and wouldn't do and it fell apart... well I say fell apart but it never really got started. Then I bothered around with a band called The Hanaphans which was basically the same band but with a different bassist and 2 of the brass players gone, but we practiced in my garage and got shit loads of letters and fine threats off the council for noise pollution when the real pollution was them writing on paper bothering my ma and pa with ridiculous time wasting gibberish. All the members eventually became unbearable so it just fizzled out, we played 1 gig where the bassist was just so wasted and everyone kept forgetting their parts. Typical first gig! But then I got onto an access to music course so just didn't play in bands for a couple of weeks before a college year started, there I met Will the guitarist who had moved from Huddersfield to Blackburn just to be in a band, except he listened to loads of cheesy metal, and I listened to loads of ska and punk. I eventually converted him to a point with a healthy dose of Big D and the Kids Table, where as he converted me more out of the genres by showing me he absolutely kicked my ass on guitar, something I professed to be half decent at. We were lookin around for new members and on a train home on the 1st or 2nd day of college I bumped into Alex who I used to skate with when we were younger n got talkin. I told him what I was doing and seeing as he played Bass he just said fuck you to A levels and joined the course. Since our first drummer we have been through 3 different drummers till we got Andy in about 3-4 months ago, with his reputation amongst the local scene I think this change over has been a controversial issue effecting the many. It's just all gone from there really, we had a good long run with the last drummer Degy and we wrote our promo CD tracks that are on myspace with him and a couple more but he had too much on at home in Huddersfield and the rest of us wanted to do a lot more than we were be able to.

2.  The fact that the band is so technically spot on can be deemed both as a hindrance (to lovers of the straight ahead punk) or a joy (to lovers of the more complicated stuff).  Hows the response so far and is this the way forward for the band or are you planning on covering a vast array of noises!

Well even the old timer old school punkers have kind words for us at gigs, I guess they get our integrity (I hope). But your right, its not so 'punk' to other people who would rather keep it simple. But what I don't get is how being involved in the 'punk' music scene limits you, is it even 'punk' anymore when your playing what everyone else is playing. Its not a fucking pantomime, the real punks aren't these who dress up to go gigs, I'm sure anyone would agree that punk implies change and if you have a fear of change then this music scene is most definitely not for you. Our intentions with our music are only getting more and more wild, to some it could sound like 3 different songs in the space of 2 and a half minutes, but the lyrical content I'd like to think isn't just bullshit. There are messages for everyone, and if we could afford to get in the studio those messages could be put to much more use. 

3.  Interesting band name - a rebellious streak there - elaborate!

Haha, it is what it is really, a war on sound. It's just 4 pissed off characters writing every musical thing we can to the best of our efforts and it won't sound like any mainstream or predictable, typical, standardized tripe. Our success in this statement however is another story. Judge for yourself! Aims and outcomes are 2 very different things.

4.  Describe your fellow band members in 4 degrading words apiece!

First of all id like to thank you for this opportunity. I have just spent the past 9 days with these chaps on our tour, and have my fair share of words for the guys.

Will - Lazy grumpy old man

Alex - Away with the fairies

Andy - (bear in mind, 4 words just isnt enough) unbearable, mistake making fool 

5.  Last week Tim 'Punk4Life' Davies' cat was raped by a gang of scrabble pieces.  This is the fourth gameboard attack in the last seven weeks.  Two gays were attacked outside a pub by a rampaging monopoly board, an old lady was mugged by a runaway Kerplunk marble and 3 chess pieces leathered an innocent seller of 'Black Fatsos' outside the local laundrette.  Is the world of board game brutality out of control, can the hiring of nude subbuteo figures save the day and would you insert 436 dice up you jacksie to help out in the raising of funds for Oldhams centre home for tangerine addicts!

Quite frankly it's the attitude of those dwelling in the sewers with not much more to their lives than the 7 pieces of string they must fight for ownership. If it wasn't for the brave and kind some might live some might die, but when you become over run by those who confuse and bewilder you its time to really update your software. 

6.  Ambitions for yourself and the band please!

My own ambitions aren't too clear yet as I'm far too indecisive to try and predict life, or even guess what someone like me would fit in doing. However the band would like to find the wallet of one Master J. Kingsley the third and spend his worth on getting a CD done. Then we would spend what we had left over on tour after tour after tour, but until this magical wallet of unlimited currency is found we are stuck with a cramped Citreon Berlingo and a 3 track demo CD that we can't even afford to hand make anymore, that doesn't even have the actual drummer on. Bad times.

7.  What is the most shameful CD in your personal collection and the best too?

Let me see... I'd say the most shameful CD of the lot is a Christmas single some tutors from the music college tried to hit the charts with. Funny shit really tho! I honestly couldn't say a best, but my most listened to at the moment is the new album by The Flatliners. 'The Great Awake', a different angle of music especially following up their last album but I really enjoy it!
 
8.  Tell us about the best and worst gigs you have played upon and attended?

Just this past week my personal best and worst have been and gone! Lets start positive, the best gig was in Bolton for Cotty at The Dog and Partridge with Sense Of Urgency and The Hijacks, nice size crowd, good sound, playing to good bands, and even got a bit of pocket money for it. Honestly, good gig really really enjoyed it!

The worst however was The Castle in Clitheroe, originally this gig was gonna be put on by my 'mate' and I was getting the bands on for it, I got on Turn It Red, Fair Do's, Us and The Hijacks. But the day before we set off on this tour he told me he wasn't gonna be there so I had to pick up a PA. He told me he had promoted it but he just hadn't. Turn It Red and Fair Do's had to pull out, and it turned out us playing to The Hijacks, and The Hijacks playing to us. Totally showing us up, I even had to argue with the bird behind the bar to get the bands pay, we walked away with nothing as we had to provide The Hijacks with how much they needed. Was a huge spirit crusher after such a good week of gigging!

Best gig I've attended... that left me leave in a mind state of awe... Big D and the Kids Table. They came to Manchester, played to about 14 people but did it with ass kicking intent! Was an intense, intense gig, had a pit of about 5 people haha! But the lock up stage at leeds fest this year was top! Saw loads, H20, The Loved Ones, The Briggs, Cancer Bats, King Blues. All top bands!

The worst gig I've attended... Eesh... I saw Jack Penate that lad off the NME charts when I went to the Leeds Festival haha. He was pants!!! I mean you'd watch and expect it to be shite, I just ended up in the NME tent, and left laughing. The worst part of it was that the stage was full to the brim of people genuinely loving it. Was like walking into a primitive time or something! Where man could only reap the benefits of about 3 chords for the space of half an hour. Poor oblivious people!

9.  As I write this interview at work several ballpoint pens have been eyeing me up and I feel sexually threatened.  How can I get get out of this situation and have you ever had an affair with a pencil case.  I am worried and it see..............aaaggghhhhhh!

Well, our guitarist Will has a small ambition. That before he dies, he would like to 'Shag his way out of a difficult situation'. I think you should take this message and apply it to your work space. The next horny stationary delight should feel your full force. However in personal experience I have found useful office inventions require far too much loving for one man to provide, they are also the type to stop at your house, wait for you to drop off and read all your emails and send abusive texts to all the girls on your phone. Psychotic to say the least!

10.  The best War Against Sound song to date - a meaningful answer please with no refernces to boiled haddocks?

My personal best is the newest we have written 'Fight the Shite' you'd have to attend a gig for the audio experience as we aren't in a position to record. But I just love the vibe of it, the guitars do take over the song, its mine and Willis' song, no doubt but its such a genre twister, ska, dub, punk, rock, funk, alternative I wouldnt know what to call it! But the lyrics are all about finding peace within yourself and not finding it within societies empty promises, I can get dead emotional singing it but dead cocky playing it. 

11.  What would be the most ideal gig for you to play on - bands, venue, people there etc.

Ahh I'd love to play with... Streetlight Manifesto ha, ha, ha, sorry I'm such a cheesy bastard but its true, actually at the moment The Flatliners would be my ideal support slot. My favourite venue to play to date is The White Rabbit in Plymouth, ACE sound, ACE stage, ACE food and ACE people! I like playing to people who make the effort to pay attention, they nod their heads look around the stage watch what's going on. A room full of people doing that would be intense, wouldn't mind it if our crowds had a good dance tho! Been askin crowds to skank for Sakes sake for ages but it never seems to work. 

12.  Finally - the panties of life are filled with decadance and no one seems to inhale the fumes found therein - if you could scrawl one message on the crotch of these horrors of attire so as to attract attention to your band and the world of seaweed filth then what would it be!

Come out to gigs you miserable bastards! Support a real music scene and stop being told what to do! The X-Factor IS shit! On a saturday night there are LOADS of gigs on and watching the brain rot box is no excuse! Ironically those who would ever read this would most probably be involved in what goes on. But if I could send this to the masses then yeah! Check us out on myspace, check our dates we will probably be coming out near you! If not, find your local promoters and tell them what bands YOU want! They want suggestions of bands to check out, especially when they haven't heard them!

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