hiapop Blog gave
the latest Damn Vandals album a well-derserved 9/10 earlier this year. Now, with a new single Too Lazy To Die Too
Stoned To Live ready to drop from the Rocket Out Of London album, we catch up with vocalist Jack Kansas and throw a few questions his
way.
How’s the world of
Damn Vandals?
Tip top, thanks. We’re primed and ready to commit serious
noise abuse at any given moment. Can’t wait to get screaming.
hiapop Blog enjoyed Rocket Out Of London, how has general reaction been?
Can’t grumble. People who are fluent in the language of rock
get it pretty fast. People who like
pretty girls in corn fields singing songs about how much they miss their
boyfriends don’t get it at all. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
Your sound has been
compared to Thin Lizzy and Crazyhead – honoured?
Bassist Adam is a big Lizzy fan, so hell yeah … there’s been
a fair few comparisons flying about, as there has to be if you’re going to talk
about music – luckily they’ve all been within a flying header of our influences
and likes.
The album is full of
short, sharp, powerful tracks. Was this
the objective before you started?
Nail hit on head. That was pretty much our only objective.
Which artists excite
you nowadays? Anyone we should look out
for?
Yes. There’s a young band called the West Midlands who are
playing their second gig in London
sometime soon. I’m pretty sure they’re going to blow up rock’n’roll.
Twitter or Facebook?
Neither. I live in a cave and Frank the guitarist takes care
of all that.
Will Rock ‘n’ Roll
ever die?
Wow! That’s a powerful question. The pessimist in me
believes that the spirit of rock’n’roll hardwired in the DNA of the masses is
no longer being harnessed by the music industry to create proper music. Its
presence in the mainstream is becoming so diluted that one day there will only
be one true rock fan left. He’ll stand every day in Oxford Street hurling abuse at the
shoppers through a megaphone until they get a court injunction out on him. A
rank of pedestrians all listening to the new Coldplay album in their headphones
will gaze on blankly as he’s wrestled to the ground by the Police kicking and
screaming. The optimist in me agrees
totally with Neil Young.
I’m coming for a
meal, what are you cooking?
Road-kill and chips. It’s the only guilt free way to eat
meat nowadays. Oops, forgot to ask if you’re veggie, how rude of me.
Why the bicycles?
I had 4 BMXs so I sprayed them gold and told the rhythm
section they could have one if we could get some press shots for the band. It
was all I could think of that week. Bass players and drummers are hard to get
in front of a camera.
You received huge
praise for your debut album, Done For Desire.
How big was the pressure to come up with the goods again?
We’re pretty much past caring about anything anymore. Just
want to rock.
Do Damn Vandals ‘do’
ballads?!
Hell no.
Why did you change
the title of the album from This Music Blows My Tiny Mind to Rocket out Of London
TMBMTM didn’t fit on the cover, so we came up with ROOL
which did.
How much of an
influence was producer Julian Simmons on recording?
He kept the whole thing together with that cool head of his.
Damn it, he’s the coolest guy on the planet.
Vinyl, cd or
download?
cd
Fancy a twerk?
Just had one on the street thanks.
What are your plans
for the remainder of the year?
Gigs, festivals and a single off the album real soon. After
that it’ll be the letter to Santa and a few drinks on New Year’s Eve. Then
BANG! 2015.
Links
Published on Louder Than War 21/07/14 - here
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