Fists are a band that have been getting attention in and around Notts for a while now, and they've just started getting picked up by the likes of XFM and Artrocker too. That's because they've finally dragged their guitars, megaphone, chord organ, washboard and beat-up casios into the studio to record their debut single ('Cockatoo'/'Skit') which has been released on local label Hello Thor Records. We caught up with singer James to find out about their future plans, his funk metal past and to pick up a few cooking tips while we're at it...
Where did you start out in music?
I started out in a classic heavy metal band called Morphene (spelling mistake deliberate). It became obvious that we would probably never get out of the garage so I defected to a funk metal band called Nervebomb. I was about 14 or 15. The music was obviously disgusting but girls liked it so I didn’t care. I got a girlfriend who wore stripy tights and did sex. I later found out she was also into Satanism and whole bottles of Thunderbird and weird body tolerance experiments with coffee that would fuck up her menstrual cycle and leave me terrified about being a teenage father. It didn’t last and neither did Nervebomb. Once I’d started listening to the Pixies and Nirvana I lost the heart for it. It suddenly became embarrassing.
Who plays what in the band?
Everybody swaps instruments and takes turns singing. The swapping stops us from getting stiflingly proficient at one instrument. Tez is the only constant on drums which is needed to keep us together.
What's your favourite of your own tracks?
At the moment it’s a new one Angi’s written called Ace is the Way. The main vocal hook reminds me of a kind of freaky Charles Manson commune song. It’s a bit of a mantra. Every time we play it I imagine loads of damaged hippies chanting it whilst trapped in a terrifying acid cycle. I’m hoping we’ll get the chance to re-create that feel in the studio but I’m not entirely sure if everyone else feels the same way about it yet. It’s still pretty new so we’ll just have to see.
What's your favourite track of all time?
Witchita Lineman.
What are your favourite cities and venues to play?
Nottingham and Leeds are good. We played the Holy Trinity Church in Leeds recently which was really weird but interesting. I also like The Chameleon in Nottingham because the sound there is really good at the moment. We haven’t actually played there ourselves yet so I guess that doesn’t actually count.
If you could get anyone in to play with you, who would you choose?
Kim Deal, because we’re looking for a bassist and she’s king.
Who are the best up and coming artists we should check out?
I’m into local band The Cusp at the minute.
What can people expect from the show on 25th April?
Lots of jubilation and heart, probably another outing for the Donkey head, some super-sharp, weirdo clothes courtesy of Kathleen & Lily’s who are sorting some stuff out for us to wear, maybe some new material and most likely a few mistakes as well as we haven’t played live for so long. There’s also 3 other acts on as well; Rory McCarthy, Mexican Kids at Home, and Harry Merry plus DJ’s and visuals and it’s totally free.
What do you listen to on the stereo at home?
Mostly Grime. I’ve got really into it lately. Grime and an early Queen record called Sheer Heart Attack from when they were a glam band. It’s just mind boggling. I put it on for someone recently and they puked. That’s the sort of shit we’re dealing with on that record.
What was the last album that you bought?
'Nouns' by No Age.
What was the last book you read?
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Saffran Foer
What was the last thing that made you laugh?
The "something’s broke in my ass" scene in the Coen Bros film Burn After Reading.
What was the last thing that made you cry?
Band of Brothers. I’m currently working through the box set.
What is coming up for Fists over the next year?
We quite like the idea of being a singles band that releases loads of collectible 7’s, so more singles. Oh and live shows to sell them at. We also want to do a bit more with Ox & Lamb (the Fists side project) too. We recently did some Ox & Lamb rehearsals with a friend of ours called Leon who’s joined us as a fourth member and it turned out really well. It’s very different from the Fists stuff. It’s more of a trippy country thing with loads of reverb and synthesizer. We’re thinking of giving it a bit of a dreamy electronica spin in the studio with glockenspiel, chimes, delay pedal and country singing. We’re pretty excited about it.
Do you have any advice (good or otherwise) that you'd like to share?
Sure. When chopping onions don’t chop the root off until last because that’s where the stuff that makes you cry secretes from. Don’t put tomatoes in the fridge because the cold dulls the flavour. Use an electric hand whisk for mashing potatoes, it makes them fluffy and creamy and delicious with a fraction of the effort that’s required for hand mashing and much better results.
Fists and Swimming play LeftLion at Brownes on Friday 19 June 2009.
Fists website
Hello Thor Records MySpace
Hello Thor Records website
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