1.   FTR - a brief biog please, discography etc?

We started after this series of events, Grant tried to kill himself by jumping off the factory roof while I was having my non-smoking, smoking break.  As luck would have it his suicide attempt was foiled because he landed on me! After the shock of a falling cockney had passed, I decided to help him on his merry way to the pearly gates. But as I was laying the boot in, he suddenly screamed “Not the fingers, I play guitar!”  This is when we decided to start the band!Getting stinking drunk in my local boozer and some “chap” rudely sits his arse at my table then fucks off to lose all his money on the bandit, Ha! As he sits back down, his bag falls over and out drop a pair of sticks! Would you adam & eve it, F.T.R. now have a drummer and his name is Kev!We then had numerous line up changes but found Tom, who’s number we pulled from the toilet wall at the rehearsal rooms! So then Kev picked up the bass, Tom hit the skins. This is F.T.R. Somewhere along the line we recorded some songs and have a demo available, contact us at www.myspace.com/firsttimeriot or first_time_riot@yahoo.co.uk for a copy.

2. Describe your fellow band members in 4 degrading words apiece and if they were an item of chip shop food what would they be?

The band would be chips because they’re a good staple food that everyone loves and can’t live without! Individually – Grant: jellied eel. Kev: anything battered as he’s so old. Tom: Kebab (just nasty). Me (Matt): Pukka Pie

3. Best FTR gig to date and the worst?  Give us all the lurid details?

The worst gig - maybe our first. We played more or less at the last minute all the nerves were shredded, tempers were fraying. But we played alright and the crowd seemed to enjoy the show!  Best gig: The last one we played. We were feeling more confident, the sound and crowd was great. A good night all round.

4. Heinrich Kellog can rectally propel buttered sugar puffs a distance of 21 feet.  Totally and utterly useless but if ever the Cereal Olympics for the Deviant were introduced into this country he would be on a winner. What breakfast-time antics can you perform and is Special K a secret plan to ruin the bowels of the British government?

Tom plays with “Lucky Charms” on his snare, apart from this we are all seriously cereally challenged!   As for Special K, that crap will ruin anyone’s bowels!

5. The influences in your life please both negative and positive?

Everything that has happened to us individually has influenced F.T.R. in some way. But the real influences are the usual music, money & porn.

6. Tell us about your local scene - its highs and lows, its characters and venues and the best bands?

The immediate scene is full of floppy haired, scarf wearing, bed wetting mad for its! But if you travel to Leicester there are loads of good bands and great venues to play (The Shed & The Firefly, to name a couple). In Nuneaton Tom has organised a once monthly Punk night with D.J & Live music, so we can now gig swap! For more info contact us via our myspace page.

7. What is your personal claim to fame and would you eat the rear door of a Fiat for monopoly money?

Claims to fame – Tom recorded the last ever Peel session! Grant experienced some backstage antics with Chas n Dave. Kev appeared on the News At Ten, some anti something or other march. I played HITS 2001.As for the Panda door me or Tom will eat anything if it stands still long enough!

8. What are your ambitions both personally and as a band member?

Not much personally. But as a band we’d settle with some recognition and a degree of success. (World Domination coming a close second)!

9. Best FTR song - where did it come from, what makes it so special and who should be congratulated on this minor classic?

Falling Down, One of Five, Fight Town Rebels, Liar, This Country, First Time Riot; Damn, There all good stand out tracks! Come and see us for yourself and decide. I write the lyrics and Grant does the music, we then finish the song with Kev & Tom at rehearsal.

10. Gerbil cricket is a new invention by Franklin Clit the renowned Sports Knucklehead?  It is just like normal cricket but the wicket keeper must play without clothes and the two batsmen should have their todgers hanging out throughout the innings.  The ball is replace by a sellotaped gerbil and the umpire must be a homosexual?  I can't get me head round it, but would you have a go - if so why?

Not really into field sports, but if you substituted the gerbil for a dolphin and the cricket bat for a brick of cheese, the game might be worthwhile.

11. What would be the ideal gig for FTR to play on - who, where and why?

Playing with a great band like Peter & The Test Tubes! Hold on a minute, we have that show! So come and see us open up for the Test Tubes @The Shed, Leicester on 26th October.

12. Finally push FTR for all they are worth - persuade us that life isn't full without a trip to see FTR?

Read the Fungal ones review, only four tracks on the demo but they’re blinding! We got a great set full of pure punk/street rock energy. No mess, No gimmicks, No bullshit! Just good music. If F.T.R. can give Grant a reason to live, there is hope for the rest of you.

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