Interview with Grifter “I think the description that suits us best is dirty, heavy rock and roll.”

[:ja]

January, 2014 Interviewer : Trip Thru Records

――Thank you for taking your time and welcome to Peckinpah mag! How’s going today?

Ollie
Hello there. Thank you for taking the time to interview us. Things are very good thank you, we’re all just getting over our Christmas holidays and getting back to normal life now.

――Could you introduce us the member of Grifter?

Ollie
We’re had the same line-up for 10 years now:
Foz – drums and backing vocals
Phil ? bass just bass nothing else
Ollie – guitar and lead vocals

――Could you describe Grifter’s sound to our readers who haven’t heard you yet?


Ollie

We often seemed to get described as stoner or blues rock but I think the description that suits us best is dirty, heavy rock and roll. People are very keen to use genres and titles to describe bands but to us it all draws from rock and roll and the blues, we just play it heavier and nastier.

――Congrats on your first album(※1), Are you satisfied with the responses so far?


Ollie

Thank you. The first album actually came out in 2011 and the response back then was amazing. We were mentioned in a lot of lists at the end of that year for one of the best albums of the year which was a great thing to see. The album also helped us move to getting bigger and better gigs such as a tour with Orange Goblin, the Freak Valley festival in Germany, Bloodstock and Hard Rock Hell. So far all responses to the first album have been very positive. We have a new album recorded and almost ready to release once we have the artwork. It’s called The Return Of The Bearded Brethren (※2) and will, once again be released on Ripple Music. The new album is a huge improvement in song writing, production, artwork etc. The first album was very much a case of us recording the songs we had available at the time that had been written over a number of years but for the new album we wrote it to be a great album with a good variety of songs and moods.

 

(※1) Grifter 2011
(※2) The Return Of The Bearded Brethren 2014

――Where was the album recorded and how was the recording process?

Ollie

Both of our albums were recorded by a friend of ours called Rich Robinson who is a very good engineer and deserves a lot of credit. Rich has a recording set up that is mobile so he is able to move it to wherever the band wants to record. For the first album we recorded everything at the place we rehearse, a place called Big Red, as they have a very big live room with a great sound. For the new album we recorded all the guitars, bass and drums at Big Red again and recorded the vocals at Rich’s home as he has a small studio room there. Both times the recording went very quickly and easily. We have all the songs written, rehearsed and mostly played live before we record so once we go in the studio we are able to play everything very quickly. The recording for both albums was done in about 3 days then Rich takes the recordings away to mix. He send us mixes to listen to, we send back suggestions and work like that until everyone is happy with everything. It does take longer to mix this way but it is such an important part of the recording process that it can’t be rushed. We’re still very happy with the sound of the first album but the new album sounds so much better in every way.

――The album is released from Ripple Music, How did it come? And how was it?

Ollie

At the time in 2010 Ripple was a website reviewing bands and were only just starting to become a label. I sent them a copy of our 2nd EP, The Simplicity Of The Riff Is Key” released on Catacomb Records, to review and they loved it. They asked us if we’d be interested in being on a split vinyl release called Heavy Ripples with Stone Axe, Sun Gods In Exile and Mighty High so we, of course, said yes. As we had to record songs for the release we decided to record all the songs we had that hadn’t yet been properly recorded with a view to putting them out as an album but didn’t really know how we would release it. While we were recording Ripple also offered to release the album and we have been with them ever since. Ripple are a great label run by two guys called Todd and John who are some of the nicest guys you could meet and absolutely passionate about the label, the bands on their label and music in general. We joined the label very early on and since then the label has gone from strength to strength with better distribution and promotion as well as getting a very strong reputation. Now I think Ripple is getting a reputation as good as labels such as Small Stone which is great for us and should work well for the new album. Ripple certainly has a great roster of bands such as Stone Axe, Mothership, Devil To pay, Poobah, Stubb, Ape Machine, Earthen Grave (featuring Ron Holzner from Trouble) and, of course, released the last Mos Generator album which was amazing.

――What is the songwriting process in the band?

Ollie
Song writing is very much a group process. As the guitarist and vocalist I bring in a lot of riffs and partially formed song ideas which we then pull apart as a group and put together in the best format. Phil, our bass player, also comes up with a lot of amazing riff ideas which we work on, he’s also very good at hearing where a song should go half way through and the overall structure. Our drummer Foz is also very musical, he can sing and play guitar and bass and has a natural idea of how beats can affect the mood of a song. Once he finds the right beat for a song it can influence how the rest of the song will develop. It’s very rare that someone will bring in a fully complete song, and even if they do it usually gets ripped apart and changed beyond all recognition until everyone is happy with it.

――I saw the photo that you wearing Sir Lord Baltimore T-shirt, Do you like them? Are you big fan of 70s Hard Rock?

Ollie
We all love 70s rock though out of everyone in the band I’m probably the biggest fan. I値l look for obscure bands to listen to as well as being a huge fan of bands such as Mountain, Cactus, Sir Lord Baltimore, Budgie, Leaf Hound (who we are now label mates with), Captain Beyond etc. 70s rock had a real vibe to it and was heavily rooted in the blues which I love. It seems the bands back then were less interested in falling into small genres and had an open mind and experimental attitude to their music. I have a collection of compilations that I found on the internet as downloads called Heavy 70s, that are great. There are 8 volumes of around 20 tracks each that feature bigger names such as Status Quo, The Groundhogs, Hawkwind・tc but have also introduced me to some really obscure stuff like Granicus who I love.

――Which bands and artists influenced you?

Ollie
Between the three of us we have a huge range of musical tastes that cover metal, punk, thrash, ska, reggae, hip hop, blues, folk, funk, soul, grunge etc and small bits of these may influence us and creep in, maybe as a drum beat or a riff. As a group though we do have bands that influence us such as Black Sabbath, early ZZ Top, AC/DC, Motorhead, Clutch, Dead Kennedys. Led Zeppelin etc. Personally I’m a huge fan of Mountain, Lynyrd Skynyrd (who our drummer really dislikes!), The Who, The Rolling Stones etc that influence the way I approach playing guitar and writing riffs even if it may not be obvious.

――A stupid question, Do you like hotpocket? (Alabama Hotpocket has great riff!)

Ollie

Do you mean those horrible looking snacks that you put in a toaster that come out with a red hot filling? I can honestly say I’ve never tried one as they really don’t look that nice! That was a hard song to write as I heard the title but when I found out what it meant (it’s a very disgusting sexual act), I realised I had to make the lyrics very vague so they don’t actually say too much. It was too good a title not to use though and no I’ve never tried the sexual act!

――How would you describe the local music scene there?

Ollie
Is there any local scene in your town and if so please name a few artists you like
This is a hard question to answer as we all live in different towns now all spread out about an hour apart. When we started out we all lived in the same town, Plymouth on the south coast of England. There were a few good bands round here then that we used to play with and some good venues but over times things have changed. A lot of the bands have split up and a lot of the venues have closed down. There are a few but we don’t play Plymouth very often anymore as we get to travel around the country a lot now. I think all three of us are a bit out of touch with what is happening musically in Plymouth and the towns where we live. The UK does have a lot of great bands though such as our label mates Stubb plus Suns Of Thunder, Widows, Lifer, Line Of Fire, Trippy Wicked, Enos, Desert Storm, Gonga, Alunah, Tricorn, Goat Leaf, Asomvel, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Slabdragger, Druganaut and a whole lot that I’ve probably forgotten to mention but are worthy of checking out.

――I’m sure about that you love to drink lot of beer. Where is the best place for Japanese traveler to get drunk in your home town?

Ollie
We’re been known to drink a few pints of beer in our time for certain. The new album actually has a song called Black Gold which is a tribute to one of our favourite drinks Guinness. In Plymouth we used to have a great venue called The Phoenix which was very friendly but a bit scruffy. Unfortunately it’s closed down now. I don’t go out in Plymouth much but our drummer still lives there and goes to a pub called The Nowhere which a lot of the alternative and metallers in Plymouth go to. There’s also The Junction which attracts a lot of bikers and has bands on. I live in a very small town called Chudleigh that has 5 pubs, the one I go to is called The Bishop Lacey and it’s a great place. They always have beers from small breweries, they do good food, you will always meet interesting and sometimes weird people to talk to and they don’t mind when I put Slayer on the jukebox!

――You played on Hard Rock Hell Fest 2013, How was it?

Ollie
Hard Rock Hell was a lot of fun for us as we spent the whole weekend there just drinking and watching bands. Our set went very well, we had a really good sized crowd to play to who seemed very into what we were doing which was a real buzz. Overall it is a funny festival. They have 2 stages, one for the bigger bands and a much smaller one for the up and coming bands. It seemed that most people preferred to go and watch the bands on the bigger stage than check out the less known bands so some of the crowds for the smaller bands were pretty small which is a shame as some of those bands were better than the bigger bands. We had a great time though and got to meet and hang out with a lot of very cool people as well as a lot of friends who were also playing that we had not seen in a while. We also played the Bloodstock festival which was headlined by Slayer on the day we played and featured Anthrax, Exodus, Devildriver etc. We had a huge crowd for that and got an amazing response. That was a really big thrill.

――Do you do a lot of touring? Do you enjoy touring?

Ollie
We all have jobs, families and bills to pay so we have to work gigs and touring around our home lives but we do as much as we can. We’re been lucky as we got offered the chance to tour with Orange Goblin as they’re old friends which was an amazing experience and we’ve been over to Europe to play in Belgium and Holland. We tend to do weekend tours more if we do any touring, maybe a Thursday to Saturday as people here are more likely to go to gigs on those days than earlier in the week. We all love touring. The three of us get on incredibly well and are pretty much best friends so we have a lot of laughs, we love playing live and we get to travel around seeing some very cool things that we wouldn’t see just sitting doing our jobs every day and we get to meet amazing people along the way who have become really good friends.

――Do you have any funny or interesting stories from live performances or tours?

Ollie
I’m sure there are some. There was the time when we played a venue in London that had a very small stage, Phil was rocking out so hard that he fell off the stage into a projector that was set up in front of the stage to show films on a backdrop behind the bands. I think he managed to carry on playing though. Some of the funniest things are the conversations we have in the van as we’re travelling round sometimes we’re laughing until we’re almost crying.

――You keep playing Rock & Roll almost 10 years, Was it passed like the blink of an eye or slow as doom?

Ollie

Yes we’re just reached our 10th anniversary as a band. When I think back to some of the things we’re done in the last 10 years some of it does seem like such a long time ago. So much has happened for the band and also personally that our lives have changed drastically but the band has remained constant throughout and we still get as much excitement and fun from doing it as we ever did more in some way as things have become easier for us in terms of having a label behind us and getting gigs…etc. Our approach to doing the band has definitely changed over the years as we’re got older, had other commitments..etc but in some ways it’s intensified our focus on the band when we are doing stuff.

――If you could give advice to someone want to start a band. What advice would you give them?

Ollie
Firstly have fun, don’t do it because you have ideas of becoming famous or getting a record deal. Just enjoy what you do and make sure you get on with the people you’re in a band with and are good friends with them. If it takes off you will be spending a lot of time with those people in a van and sleeping in the same room. You also need to know when to give people space and let them do their own thing. We’re survived by knowing when one of us needs a break so they can come back refreshed. Secondly don’t follow trends, don’t try to sound like this band or that band, just play what feels natural and enjoyable. People will pick up on things that have more honesty to them than something that is forced because a band thinks that’s what people want to hear. Thirdly, even if you’re not getting paid act professionally. Be on time, treat the people you meet with respect whether they’re fans, bands, promoters, journalists, label people etc. A good reputation is essential as people do talk to each other and a bad reputation will get around and you won’t get any more work. Fourth, don’t play live or record until you’re ready, there is no rush to do anything. If you play live before you’re ready and sound rubbish people will remember and won’t bother coming back to watch you again even if you’re improved. The same goes for getting your social media such as Facebook on the go People won’t be interested until they can listen to good recordings of you so work towards small local shows first and a decent quality demo. No band should ever be making t-shirts before a demo It does happen!!! Lastly make sure you have decent quality gear. You need to sound good for starters and poor quality gear just doesn’t sound good and won’t sound good even through a decent PA system. Secondly a good way to get known is to do gig swaps with bands from other areas and this often involves lending gear when they come to your town make sure you have good gear to offer.

――Do you know any Japanese band?

Ollie

Obviously everyone knows Church Of Misery. I’m a huge fan of that band and we got to play with them on one date of the Orange Goblin tour a couple of years ago. They seemed like good guys and really seemed to enjoy our set which was great. I also like an old 70s band called Flied Egg who I think released a couple of albums. Other than that I’m sorry to say I don’t really know any Japanese bands that are around today. I’ve heard of a few but never really heard any. I did used to listen to a lot of hardcore many years ago and did get into bands such as Lipcream, Rose Rose, Gauze, Outo etc. Japan had a great hardcore scene in the 80s. If you have any Japanese bands to recommend I’d love to check them out. I have a real interest in Japanese culture and it’s the country I most interested in visiting in fact we would love to come a play in Japan if anyone knows any good promoters!

――If you could play a show with any band, who would that band be?

Ollie
Obviously there are bigger bands that we would love to play with such as Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Clutch, ZZ Top, Iron Maiden etc but these are mostly just dreams that will probably never happen. There are some UK bands that I’m quite keen to play with such as Goat Leaf, Asomvel, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell etc. In fact we are playing with the last two in Leeds at a small festival later in the year which will be amazing.

――Finally, would you like to send a message to Japanese fans & drinkers?

Ollie
Thank you to everyone in Japan who takes the time out to check out the band and get hold of our stuff・ realise it isn’t easy as I don’t think our label has distribution over there as yet if anyone can help out please let Ripple Music know (http://www.ripple-music.com this is also the place to check out other Ripple bands and buy stuff). Keep enjoying the rock and roll, look out for our new album coming soon・opefully one day we’ll be able to come over there and play for you and drink with you.

In the meantime please keep up with the band on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/grifterrock) or our website (http://www.grifterrock.co.uk) and say hello as we love to hear from people and have conversations. Also please feel free to download our older music, EPs and demo from our Bandcamp page for free (http://grifterrock.bandcamp.com http://grifterrock.bandcamp.com) and spread the word.
Big thanks to Trip Thru Records for the interview and to you guys out there for reading it. Stay happy and peaceful!

 

この記事を日本語で読む。 Read this article in Japanese.[:en]

January, 2014 Interviewer : Trip Thru Records

――Thank you for taking your time and welcome to Peckinpah mag! How’s going today?

Ollie
Hello there. Thank you for taking the time to interview us. Things are very good thank you, we’re all just getting over our Christmas holidays and getting back to normal life now.

――Could you introduce us the member of Grifter?

Ollie
We’re had the same line-up for 10 years now:
Foz – drums and backing vocals
Phil ? bass just bass nothing else
Ollie – guitar and lead vocals

――Could you describe Grifter’s sound to our readers who haven’t heard you yet?


Ollie

We often seemed to get described as stoner or blues rock but I think the description that suits us best is dirty, heavy rock and roll. People are very keen to use genres and titles to describe bands but to us it all draws from rock and roll and the blues, we just play it heavier and nastier.

――Congrats on your first album(※1), Are you satisfied with the responses so far?


Ollie

Thank you. The first album actually came out in 2011 and the response back then was amazing. We were mentioned in a lot of lists at the end of that year for one of the best albums of the year which was a great thing to see. The album also helped us move to getting bigger and better gigs such as a tour with Orange Goblin, the Freak Valley festival in Germany, Bloodstock and Hard Rock Hell. So far all responses to the first album have been very positive. We have a new album recorded and almost ready to release once we have the artwork. It’s called The Return Of The Bearded Brethren (※2) and will, once again be released on Ripple Music. The new album is a huge improvement in song writing, production, artwork etc. The first album was very much a case of us recording the songs we had available at the time that had been written over a number of years but for the new album we wrote it to be a great album with a good variety of songs and moods.

 

(※1) Grifter 2011
(※2) The Return Of The Bearded Brethren 2014

――Where was the album recorded and how was the recording process?

Ollie

Both of our albums were recorded by a friend of ours called Rich Robinson who is a very good engineer and deserves a lot of credit. Rich has a recording set up that is mobile so he is able to move it to wherever the band wants to record. For the first album we recorded everything at the place we rehearse, a place called Big Red, as they have a very big live room with a great sound. For the new album we recorded all the guitars, bass and drums at Big Red again and recorded the vocals at Rich’s home as he has a small studio room there. Both times the recording went very quickly and easily. We have all the songs written, rehearsed and mostly played live before we record so once we go in the studio we are able to play everything very quickly. The recording for both albums was done in about 3 days then Rich takes the recordings away to mix. He send us mixes to listen to, we send back suggestions and work like that until everyone is happy with everything. It does take longer to mix this way but it is such an important part of the recording process that it can’t be rushed. We’re still very happy with the sound of the first album but the new album sounds so much better in every way.

――The album is released from Ripple Music, How did it come? And how was it?

Ollie

At the time in 2010 Ripple was a website reviewing bands and were only just starting to become a label. I sent them a copy of our 2nd EP, The Simplicity Of The Riff Is Key” released on Catacomb Records, to review and they loved it. They asked us if we’d be interested in being on a split vinyl release called Heavy Ripples with Stone Axe, Sun Gods In Exile and Mighty High so we, of course, said yes. As we had to record songs for the release we decided to record all the songs we had that hadn’t yet been properly recorded with a view to putting them out as an album but didn’t really know how we would release it. While we were recording Ripple also offered to release the album and we have been with them ever since. Ripple are a great label run by two guys called Todd and John who are some of the nicest guys you could meet and absolutely passionate about the label, the bands on their label and music in general. We joined the label very early on and since then the label has gone from strength to strength with better distribution and promotion as well as getting a very strong reputation. Now I think Ripple is getting a reputation as good as labels such as Small Stone which is great for us and should work well for the new album. Ripple certainly has a great roster of bands such as Stone Axe, Mothership, Devil To pay, Poobah, Stubb, Ape Machine, Earthen Grave (featuring Ron Holzner from Trouble) and, of course, released the last Mos Generator album which was amazing.

――What is the songwriting process in the band?

Ollie
Song writing is very much a group process. As the guitarist and vocalist I bring in a lot of riffs and partially formed song ideas which we then pull apart as a group and put together in the best format. Phil, our bass player, also comes up with a lot of amazing riff ideas which we work on, he’s also very good at hearing where a song should go half way through and the overall structure. Our drummer Foz is also very musical, he can sing and play guitar and bass and has a natural idea of how beats can affect the mood of a song. Once he finds the right beat for a song it can influence how the rest of the song will develop. It’s very rare that someone will bring in a fully complete song, and even if they do it usually gets ripped apart and changed beyond all recognition until everyone is happy with it.

――I saw the photo that you wearing Sir Lord Baltimore T-shirt, Do you like them? Are you big fan of 70s Hard Rock?

Ollie
We all love 70s rock though out of everyone in the band I’m probably the biggest fan. I値l look for obscure bands to listen to as well as being a huge fan of bands such as Mountain, Cactus, Sir Lord Baltimore, Budgie, Leaf Hound (who we are now label mates with), Captain Beyond etc. 70s rock had a real vibe to it and was heavily rooted in the blues which I love. It seems the bands back then were less interested in falling into small genres and had an open mind and experimental attitude to their music. I have a collection of compilations that I found on the internet as downloads called Heavy 70s, that are great. There are 8 volumes of around 20 tracks each that feature bigger names such as Status Quo, The Groundhogs, Hawkwind・tc but have also introduced me to some really obscure stuff like Granicus who I love.

――Which bands and artists influenced you?

Ollie
Between the three of us we have a huge range of musical tastes that cover metal, punk, thrash, ska, reggae, hip hop, blues, folk, funk, soul, grunge etc and small bits of these may influence us and creep in, maybe as a drum beat or a riff. As a group though we do have bands that influence us such as Black Sabbath, early ZZ Top, AC/DC, Motorhead, Clutch, Dead Kennedys. Led Zeppelin etc. Personally I’m a huge fan of Mountain, Lynyrd Skynyrd (who our drummer really dislikes!), The Who, The Rolling Stones etc that influence the way I approach playing guitar and writing riffs even if it may not be obvious.

――A stupid question, Do you like hotpocket? (Alabama Hotpocket has great riff!)

Ollie

Do you mean those horrible looking snacks that you put in a toaster that come out with a red hot filling? I can honestly say I’ve never tried one as they really don’t look that nice! That was a hard song to write as I heard the title but when I found out what it meant (it’s a very disgusting sexual act), I realised I had to make the lyrics very vague so they don’t actually say too much. It was too good a title not to use though and no I’ve never tried the sexual act!

――How would you describe the local music scene there?

Ollie
Is there any local scene in your town and if so please name a few artists you like
This is a hard question to answer as we all live in different towns now all spread out about an hour apart. When we started out we all lived in the same town, Plymouth on the south coast of England. There were a few good bands round here then that we used to play with and some good venues but over times things have changed. A lot of the bands have split up and a lot of the venues have closed down. There are a few but we don’t play Plymouth very often anymore as we get to travel around the country a lot now. I think all three of us are a bit out of touch with what is happening musically in Plymouth and the towns where we live. The UK does have a lot of great bands though such as our label mates Stubb plus Suns Of Thunder, Widows, Lifer, Line Of Fire, Trippy Wicked, Enos, Desert Storm, Gonga, Alunah, Tricorn, Goat Leaf, Asomvel, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Slabdragger, Druganaut and a whole lot that I’ve probably forgotten to mention but are worthy of checking out.

――I’m sure about that you love to drink lot of beer. Where is the best place for Japanese traveler to get drunk in your home town?

Ollie
We’re been known to drink a few pints of beer in our time for certain. The new album actually has a song called Black Gold which is a tribute to one of our favourite drinks Guinness. In Plymouth we used to have a great venue called The Phoenix which was very friendly but a bit scruffy. Unfortunately it’s closed down now. I don’t go out in Plymouth much but our drummer still lives there and goes to a pub called The Nowhere which a lot of the alternative and metallers in Plymouth go to. There’s also The Junction which attracts a lot of bikers and has bands on. I live in a very small town called Chudleigh that has 5 pubs, the one I go to is called The Bishop Lacey and it’s a great place. They always have beers from small breweries, they do good food, you will always meet interesting and sometimes weird people to talk to and they don’t mind when I put Slayer on the jukebox!

――You played on Hard Rock Hell Fest 2013, How was it?

Ollie
Hard Rock Hell was a lot of fun for us as we spent the whole weekend there just drinking and watching bands. Our set went very well, we had a really good sized crowd to play to who seemed very into what we were doing which was a real buzz. Overall it is a funny festival. They have 2 stages, one for the bigger bands and a much smaller one for the up and coming bands. It seemed that most people preferred to go and watch the bands on the bigger stage than check out the less known bands so some of the crowds for the smaller bands were pretty small which is a shame as some of those bands were better than the bigger bands. We had a great time though and got to meet and hang out with a lot of very cool people as well as a lot of friends who were also playing that we had not seen in a while. We also played the Bloodstock festival which was headlined by Slayer on the day we played and featured Anthrax, Exodus, Devildriver etc. We had a huge crowd for that and got an amazing response. That was a really big thrill.

――Do you do a lot of touring? Do you enjoy touring?

Ollie
We all have jobs, families and bills to pay so we have to work gigs and touring around our home lives but we do as much as we can. We’re been lucky as we got offered the chance to tour with Orange Goblin as they’re old friends which was an amazing experience and we’ve been over to Europe to play in Belgium and Holland. We tend to do weekend tours more if we do any touring, maybe a Thursday to Saturday as people here are more likely to go to gigs on those days than earlier in the week. We all love touring. The three of us get on incredibly well and are pretty much best friends so we have a lot of laughs, we love playing live and we get to travel around seeing some very cool things that we wouldn’t see just sitting doing our jobs every day and we get to meet amazing people along the way who have become really good friends.

――Do you have any funny or interesting stories from live performances or tours?

Ollie
I’m sure there are some. There was the time when we played a venue in London that had a very small stage, Phil was rocking out so hard that he fell off the stage into a projector that was set up in front of the stage to show films on a backdrop behind the bands. I think he managed to carry on playing though. Some of the funniest things are the conversations we have in the van as we’re travelling round sometimes we’re laughing until we’re almost crying.

――You keep playing Rock & Roll almost 10 years, Was it passed like the blink of an eye or slow as doom?

Ollie

Yes we’re just reached our 10th anniversary as a band. When I think back to some of the things we’re done in the last 10 years some of it does seem like such a long time ago. So much has happened for the band and also personally that our lives have changed drastically but the band has remained constant throughout and we still get as much excitement and fun from doing it as we ever did more in some way as things have become easier for us in terms of having a label behind us and getting gigs…etc. Our approach to doing the band has definitely changed over the years as we’re got older, had other commitments..etc but in some ways it’s intensified our focus on the band when we are doing stuff.

――If you could give advice to someone want to start a band. What advice would you give them?

Ollie
Firstly have fun, don’t do it because you have ideas of becoming famous or getting a record deal. Just enjoy what you do and make sure you get on with the people you’re in a band with and are good friends with them. If it takes off you will be spending a lot of time with those people in a van and sleeping in the same room. You also need to know when to give people space and let them do their own thing. We’re survived by knowing when one of us needs a break so they can come back refreshed. Secondly don’t follow trends, don’t try to sound like this band or that band, just play what feels natural and enjoyable. People will pick up on things that have more honesty to them than something that is forced because a band thinks that’s what people want to hear. Thirdly, even if you’re not getting paid act professionally. Be on time, treat the people you meet with respect whether they’re fans, bands, promoters, journalists, label people etc. A good reputation is essential as people do talk to each other and a bad reputation will get around and you won’t get any more work. Fourth, don’t play live or record until you’re ready, there is no rush to do anything. If you play live before you’re ready and sound rubbish people will remember and won’t bother coming back to watch you again even if you’re improved. The same goes for getting your social media such as Facebook on the go People won’t be interested until they can listen to good recordings of you so work towards small local shows first and a decent quality demo. No band should ever be making t-shirts before a demo It does happen!!! Lastly make sure you have decent quality gear. You need to sound good for starters and poor quality gear just doesn’t sound good and won’t sound good even through a decent PA system. Secondly a good way to get known is to do gig swaps with bands from other areas and this often involves lending gear when they come to your town make sure you have good gear to offer.

――Do you know any Japanese band?

Ollie

Obviously everyone knows Church Of Misery. I’m a huge fan of that band and we got to play with them on one date of the Orange Goblin tour a couple of years ago. They seemed like good guys and really seemed to enjoy our set which was great. I also like an old 70s band called Flied Egg who I think released a couple of albums. Other than that I’m sorry to say I don’t really know any Japanese bands that are around today. I’ve heard of a few but never really heard any. I did used to listen to a lot of hardcore many years ago and did get into bands such as Lipcream, Rose Rose, Gauze, Outo etc. Japan had a great hardcore scene in the 80s. If you have any Japanese bands to recommend I’d love to check them out. I have a real interest in Japanese culture and it’s the country I most interested in visiting in fact we would love to come a play in Japan if anyone knows any good promoters!

――If you could play a show with any band, who would that band be?

Ollie
Obviously there are bigger bands that we would love to play with such as Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Clutch, ZZ Top, Iron Maiden etc but these are mostly just dreams that will probably never happen. There are some UK bands that I’m quite keen to play with such as Goat Leaf, Asomvel, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell etc. In fact we are playing with the last two in Leeds at a small festival later in the year which will be amazing.

――Finally, would you like to send a message to Japanese fans & drinkers?

Ollie
Thank you to everyone in Japan who takes the time out to check out the band and get hold of our stuff・ realise it isn’t easy as I don’t think our label has distribution over there as yet if anyone can help out please let Ripple Music know (http://www.ripple-music.com this is also the place to check out other Ripple bands and buy stuff). Keep enjoying the rock and roll, look out for our new album coming soon・opefully one day we’ll be able to come over there and play for you and drink with you.

In the meantime please keep up with the band on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/grifterrock) or our website (http://www.grifterrock.co.uk) and say hello as we love to hear from people and have conversations. Also please feel free to download our older music, EPs and demo from our Bandcamp page for free (http://grifterrock.bandcamp.com http://grifterrock.bandcamp.com) and spread the word.
Big thanks to Trip Thru Records for the interview and to you guys out there for reading it. Stay happy and peaceful!

 

この記事を日本語で読む。 Read this article in Japanese.[:]

「俺たちはロック、ブルースをよりヘヴィに、より汚くプレイしているだけだよ」英国のDirty, Heavy Rock and RollバンドGrifterインタビュー

2014年1月 聞き手:梵天レコード

今回は活動歴10年を誇る英国の“Dirty, Heavy Rock and Roll”バンドGrifterのインタビュー。
ストーナー・ロック・フリークでも「誰?」となってしまうかも知れないが、彼らは今年ニュー・アルバムのリリースも控えている注目バンドである。2ndEPの“The Simplicity Of The Riff Is Key”というタイトルは、彼らのサウンドを見事に表している。70sRock~Bluesを根っこに持つグルーヴィなヘヴィ・ロックだ。

――時間をとってくれてありがとうございます。そして、「ペキンパー」にようこそ!調子はいかがですか?

Ollie
やあ、インタビューしてくれてありがとう。調子はいいよ。クリスマス休暇を終えて、日常に戻ったところさ。

――Grifterのメンバーを紹介してください。

Ollie
おれたちは10年間同じメンバーなんだ。
Foz – drums and backing vocals
Phil – bass(ベースのみ。ベースだけ)
Ollie – guitar and lead vocals

――Grifterを聴いた事のない読者のために、どんなサウンドか説明して頂けますか?

Ollie
よくストーナー、ブルース・ロックって言われるけど、ベストな表現はdirty, heavy rock and rollだな。みんなバンドを表現するのにジャンルやタイトルを使う事に熱心だけど、俺たちはロック、ブルースをよりヘヴィに、より汚くプレイしているだけだよ。

――ファースト・アルバム(『Grifter』)(※1)のリリースおめでとうございます。反応には満足していますか?

Ollie
ありがとう。本当は2011年にリリースしたものなんだ。反応は素晴らしかったよ。多くの年間ベストのリストに挙げてもらえたんだ。素晴らしい事に、アルバムのおかげで、より大きなGIGにも出演できるようになった。Orange Goblinのツアーや、ドイツのFreak Valley festival、BloodstockやHard Rock Hell festなんかにね。反応はとてもポジティヴだったよ。

俺たちは新しいアルバムをレコーディングしたんだ。アートワークが用意できたら、Ripple Musicからリリースするよ。“The Return Of The Bearded Brethren”(※2)っていうタイトルなんだ。新しいアルバムは作曲、プロダクション、アートワーク、あらゆる面で良くなっている。ファーストは何年もかけて書いた曲をレコーディングしたけど、今回は曲やムードのバラエティに富んだ、グレイトなアルバムにしたかったんだ。

 

(※1) Grifter 2011年リリース。
(※2) The Return Of The Bearded Brethren 2014年リリース。

――アルバムはどこでレコーディングしたのですか? どんな工程で?

Ollie
2枚とも、Rich Robinsonという友人のエンジニアとレコーディングしたんだ。彼は素晴らしいよ。もっと多くのクレジットに価するね。彼は携帯できるレコーディング・セット・アップを持っているから、どこでもレコーディングできるんだ。

ファーストは俺たちがリハーサルに使っているBig Redっていう素晴らしい音響のライヴ・ルームでレコーディングした。新しいアルバムはギター、ベース、ドラムをBig Redで、ヴォーカルは小さなスタジオがあるRichの家でレコーディングした。2枚とも、とても早くて簡単だった。俺たちはすべての曲を書いてからリハーサルして、ライブをやって、それからレコーディングしたから、すべてが迅速だったよ。2枚とも3日ぐらいで終わったな。それからRichがミックスしたのを俺たちが聴いて、いくつかの提案をして、みんなが納得いくまで作業した。

ミックスには時間がかかったけど、重要な作業だから急ぐことはできなかった。今でもファーストのサウンドには満足しているけど、新しいアルバムは、すべてにおいて良くなっているよ。

――『Grifter』はRipple Musicからリリースされました。どのような経緯があるのですか? やってみてどうでした?

Ollie
2010年、彼らがレーベルをスタートした時、バンドのレビューをしていたんだ。Catacomb Recordsからリリースした2nd EP “ The Simplicity Of The Riff Is Key”をレビューしてもらうためにコピーを送ったら、彼らが気に入ってくれて、Heavy RippleからリリースするStone Axe, Sun Gods In Exile, Mighty Highとのスプリットに誘ってくれたんだ。
俺たちは(スプリットの)曲をレコーディングする時に、持っている曲も全部レコーディングしたんだ。アルバムを作る事は視野に入れてなかったし、どうリリースすればいいかもわからなかった。レコーディングしている時にRippleがアルバムを出さないかって言ってくれて、彼らとはそれ以来の付き合いだよ。

RippleはToddとJohnっていう俺が今まで出会った中で最高のナイスガイ二人がやっているんだ。バンドやレーベルで扱っているジャンルにとても情熱を持っているよ。俺たちがごく初期に参加して以来、流通やプロモーションはどんどん強力になっているし、非常に高い評価も受けている。俺が思うに、RippleはSmall Stoneのような評価を受けているんじゃないかな。彼らは俺たちの新しいアルバムのために良い働きをしてくれるはずだよ。
Rippleには素晴らしいバンドがたくさんいる。Stone Axe, Mothership, Devil To pay, Poobah, Stubb, Ape Machine, Earthen Grave (featuring Ron Holzner from Trouble)、それと、Mos Generatorの新作は素晴らしかったね。

――作曲プロセスについて教えてください。

Ollie
作曲は非常にグループ的なプロセスだ。俺はGuitarist & Vocalistとして多くのリフや部分的なアイディアを出して、バンドでそれをベストな形にするんだ。Bassのフィルも素晴らしいリフのアイディアを出してくれるし、それに、曲の展開や全体的な構造において、彼はすごくいい耳を持っている。ドラムのFozはとても音楽的な人物で、歌えるし、ギターもベースも弾ける。彼はビートが曲のムードに与える影響についてナチュラルなアイディアを持っている。彼が曲に的確なビートを見つけると、それが曲の残りのパートを発展させていくんだ。

誰かが完成させた形で曲を持ち込むのは滅多にないな。もしあっても、大抵はみんなが満足するまでバラバラにするから、原型を留めてないね。

――あなたがSir Lord BaltimoreのTシャツを着ている写真を見たのですが、彼らの事は好きですか? あなたは70s Hard Rockのファンなのでしょうか?

Ollie
俺たちはみんな70s Rockのファンだよ。メンバーの中なら俺が一番のファンかな。俺はMountain, Cactus, Sir Lord Baltimore, Budgie, Leaf Hound (今は俺たちのレーベル・メイトだ), Captain Beyondとかと同じぐらい無名のバンドを聴くんだ。70s Rockには俺の大好きなブルース由来の、本物のヴァイブがあるね。当時のバンドは小さなジャンルに収まる事に拘らず、自分達の音楽に対してオープン・マインドでエクスペリメンタルな姿勢を持っていたように思える。

俺はインターネットで見つけた、20曲入りでVol.8まである“70s Heavy”というコンピのコレクションを持っているんだ。どれにもStatus Quo, The Groundhogs, Hawkwindといったビッグネームが収録されているんだけど、無名のバンドを教えてくれるんだ。俺の大好きなGranicusとかね。

――どんなバンド/アーティストに影響を受けていますか?

Ollie
俺たちの音楽の趣味は幅広いんだ。metal, punk, thrash, ska, reggae, hip hop, blues, folk, funk, soul, grunge…etc。これらが少しずつ影響を与えているよ。バンドとしてはBlack Sabbath, 初期ZZ Top, AC/DC, Motorhead, Clutch, Dead Kennedys. Led Zeppelinとか。
俺個人はMountain, Lynyrd Skynyrd (ウチのドラマーは大嫌いだけど!), The Who, The Rolling Stonesの大ファンなんだ。明らかじゃないかもしれないけど、俺のギター・プレイやリフ作りに影響を与えているよ。

――馬鹿な質問をひとつ。ホットポケット(※3)は好きですか?(“Alabama Hotpocket”のリフは素晴らしいですね!)

Ollie
君が言っているのは、辛いソースの入った、トースターで作って食べる、あのおぞましい見た目のスナックのことかい? 実を言うと、食べた事無いんだ。見た目が酷いからね!
書くのがすごく難しい曲だったよ。タイトルの本当の意味を知った時はね(とっても性的な行為のことだ)。色々言われないようにするために、歌詞を曖昧にしなければならないと気付いたんだ。すごくいいタイトルだよね。性的な行為の方はやったことないよ!

 

(※3) ホットポケット - Hot Pockets – Irresistibly Hot (外部サイトへジャンプします)
ホットポケットとは、トースターでチンして食べるホットサンドのインスタント食品のことなのだが、その見た目から女性の大事な部分の喩えに使われたりする。
Alabama Hotpocketは、ウチのような上品なサイトではとても載せられないような行為を意味している。どんな行為か知りたい方は、各自、検索していただきたい(アメリカの地名+Hotpocketで検索すると、もう何がなんだか……)。

 

――あなたの地元のシーンについて教えて頂けますか? もし好きなバンドがいたら名前を挙げてください。

Ollie
難しい質問だな。俺たち三人とも1時間ぐらい離れた別々の町で暮らしているからね。結成した頃はみんな、イギリス南西部のプリマスという所に住んでいたんだ。当時は良いバンドがいて、良い会場もあったけど、今は変わってしまった。多くのバンドは解散して、会場も閉鎖された。今は国中を回っているけど、プリマスではそんなにプレイしなかったな。俺たち三人とも、プリマスや今住んでいる所の音楽シーンにはうといと思う。

イギリスには素晴らしいバンドがたくさんいるよ。レーベル・メイトのStubb plus Suns Of Thunder, Widows, Lifer, Line Of Fire, Trippy Wicked, Enos, Desert Storm, Gonga, Alunah, Tricorn, Goat Leaf, Asomvel, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell, Slabdragger, Druganaut。
言い忘れているバンドもいると思うけど、チェックする価値はあるよ。

――あなたたちがビール好きなのは間違いないと思うんですけど、あなたの地元で日本人旅行者が酔っぱらうのにいい場所はありますか?

Ollie
確かに。俺たちは出番の時、数パイントのビールを飲むことで知られているんだ。新しいアルバムには“Black Gold”という俺たちの大好きなギネスについての歌があるよ。

プリマスにはThe Phoenixという、フレンドリーで、少しみずぼらしい店があったんだけど、残念なことに閉店してしまった。俺はあまり行かないけど、ウチのドラマーは今もプリマスに住んでいて、The Nowhereってパブによく行っている。プリマスのオルタナ、メタル好きが集まるパブだよ。あと、The Junctionってバイカーの集まるパブもね。俺が住んでいるチャドレイって小さな町にはパブが5軒ある。俺がよく行くのはThe Bishop Laceyって店。いい店だよ。小さな醸造所のビールがあってね。食い物もうまい。君も行けば、興味深い、時には奇妙な人たちと話せるよ。
それに、彼らは俺がジュークボックスでSlayerの曲を掛けても気にしない!

――あなたたちはHard Rock Hell fest 2013でプレイしましたね。どうでしたか?

Ollie
Hard Rock Hellは最高だったよ。酒を飲んで、バンドを観て週末を過ごしたんだ。
俺たちのセットはとても良かったよ。俺たちは大勢の客の前でプレイして、みんな気に入ってくれたようだった。全体的に面白いフェスだったよ。ビッグなバンドがプレイする大きなステージと若手のバンドがプレイする小さなステージがあって、多くの観客は若手のバンドを観るよりビッグなバンドを観に行っていたけど、いくつかの若手バンドはビッグなバンドよりよかったね。

俺たちはクールな人々や、しばらく会ってなかった友人たちと素晴らしい時間を過ごした。
俺たちはBloodstock festでもプレイしたんだ。Slayerがトリの日で、Anthrax, Exodus, Devildriverといったバンドと一緒に、とても大勢の客の前で。反応は素晴らしかったよ。とてもスリリングだった。

――あなたたちはツアーをよくしますか? ツアーを楽しんでいますか?

Ollie
俺たちには仕事も、家族も、支払いもあるからね。でも、出来る限りはしているよ。古い友達でもあるOrange Goblinとツアー出来たのはラッキーだったね。素晴らしい経験だったよ。ベルギーやオランダを回ったんだ。

俺たちがもっとツアーをするとしたら、週末の予定になるだろうな。客は週の始めより、週末に集まるからね。
俺たちはツアーが大好きだよ。俺たちは親友同士で、よく笑うし、旅をして、普段の仕事をしていたら絶対見られないようなクールなものを見たり、素晴らしい人々と友達になったりするのは最高だ。

――ライブやツアーでの面白いエピソードはありますか?

Ollie
勿論。ロンドンの会場の小さなステージでプレイしていた時、Philが激しく動き過ぎて、バックドロップに映像を映しているプロジェクターに落ちたんだ。彼は演奏を続けようとしていたようだったよ。
一番面白いのはヴァンの中での会話だろうな。時々、笑いすぎて涙が出そうになるよ。

――あなたたちは10年近くロックをプレイしていますね。それはあっという間でしたか? それとも、“ドゥーム”のようにゆっくりでした?

Ollie
俺たちはちょうど10周年を迎えるんだ。振り返ると、とても長く感じる時もある。
バンドにも個人的にもあまりに多くの事が起きたからね。人生は大きく変わって行くけど、バンドは基本的には変わらない。レーベルの支えやギグをやることで、今までやって来た事が簡単になったけど、今でも楽しんでいるよ。年を取って、負う責任が増すにつれて、バンドに対するアプローチも大きく変わった。でも、どんな時でもバンドに力を注いできた。

――バンドを始めようとしている人がいたら、どんなアドバイスをしますか?

Ollie
一つめ。楽しめ。有名になりたいとか、レコード契約をしたいなんて理由でやるな。やるべきことを楽しんで、バンドの連中や友人たちとうまくやっていくことだ。そういう人たちと長い時間一緒にヴァンのなかで過ごしたり、同じ部屋で寝たりすることもある。それから、彼らが休みや個人的な事を行うべき時を必要としているか見極めなければならない。俺たちの一人にもそういう時があった。彼はリフレッシュして戻ってきたよ。

二つめ。流行を追うな。あのバンドやこのバンドみたいな音にしようとしては駄目だ。自分が楽しめるよう自然にプレイすること。人々は強制されたものより正直なものを聴きたがっている。

三つめ。たとえプロフェッショナルな対応をされなくても、時間を守れ。ファン、バンド、プロモーター、ジャーナリスト、レーベルの連中、誰であろうと敬意を持って接しろ。良い評判は不可欠だ。悪い評判がついて回れば、仕事は得られないだろう。

四つめ。準備が整うまで、ライブやレコーディングをするな。準備もせずにゴミみたいな音を出せば、客はその事を忘れず、二度と観に来てくれないだろう。改善しても、クォリティの高いデモを出すまで、FacebookのようなSNSの人々は君に興味を持たないだろう。だから、最初は地元の小さなショウから始めて、それからクォリティの高いデモを出すこと。デモの前にTシャツを作るのは絶対駄目だ。あり得ない!!!

最後に。良い品質の機材を使うこと。PAシステムがまともでも、機材が駄目だと良い音は出ない。Gig Swapをするのも機材を知る良い方法だ。他の地域のバンドが君の地元に来る時は、君も良い機材が揃えられているか確認すること。

――日本のバンドを知っていますか?

Ollie
Church of Miseryはみんな知っているよな。俺は彼らの大ファンなんだ。2年前、Orange Goblinのツアーで彼らと一晩だけ一緒にプレイしたんだ。いいやつらで、俺たちのセットを気に入ってくれていたみたいだったよ。それからFlied Eggも大好きだ。確か70年代にアルバムを2枚リリースしていたと思う。

最近のバンドは申し訳ないけど知らないな。俺は昔、ハードコアが好きで、Lip Cream、Rose Rose、GAUZE、Outoなんかをよく聴いていたよ。80年代の日本には素晴らしいハードコア・シーンがあったね。おススメがあったら教えて欲しい。俺は日本という国や文化にとても興味があるんだ。いいプロモーターがいれば是非とも日本に行きたいと思っているよ!

――一緒にプレイしてみたいバンドは?

Ollie
俺たちの好きなビッグなバンド、Motorhead, Black Sabbath, Clutch, ZZ Top, Iron Maiden…etc。だけど、これは叶わぬ夢だろうな。

UKで一緒にプレイするのが好きなのは、Goat Leaf, Asomvel, Admiral Sir Cloudesley Shovell…etc。実はAsomvelとAdmiral~とは今年後半にリーズの小さなフェスで一緒にプレイするんだ。きっと素晴らしいと思うよ。

――最後に、日本のファン、ドリンカーにメッセージを!

Ollie
バンドや音源をチェックしてくれてありがとう。Rippleは日本ではディストリビューションを行っていないから、見つけるは難しいと思う。ヘルプしたいと思ってくれたら、Rippleを知ってくれ(ここでは他のバンドをチェックしたり購入したりできる)。

http://www.ripple-music.com

これからもロックをエンジョイし続けてくれ。もうすぐ出る俺たちのアルバムもお楽しみに。いつの日か日本でプレイして、君たちと一緒に飲める日が来るといいな。

バンドのFacabookとHPもチェックして、声を掛けてくれ。俺たちはいろんな人たちと話をするのが大好きなんだ。
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/grifterrock
公式HP:
http://www.grifterrock.co.uk

バンドの過去のEPやデモはBandcampでフリーDLできるから気軽に楽しんで、周りに広めてくれ。
Bandcamp:
http://grifterrock.bandcamp.com

インタビューしてくれたTrip Thru Recordsと読んでくれた読者に感謝する。Stay happy and peaceful!

 

この記事を英語で読む。 Read this article in English.