click on link below to take you to interview

21.09.2000,Carry No Banners

June 1999,Punk & Oi in the UK

He's the greatest Dancer

CARRY NO BANNERS

http://www.carry-no-banners.surf3.net/frame.htm
21/09/00

1
CNB: Bradford's a bit of a hotbed of Crusty Punk/Anarcho Bands, how come LOWLIFE decided to break the mould and play Street Punk instead?

LOWLIFE: Well, there's the 1 in 12 club, which is where all the anarcho bands and PC bands play. It's a bit of a close knit thing there, leave 'em to it. When we started we sounded like a fast version of discharge believe it or not, then we learnt to play and it evolved into what it has today. The lyrics have always been the same, but the music has changed, and, I dare say it will again. I could never be in a crusty band as I like a shower every so often, and I can handle my ale!!!

2
CNB: As an Oi! Band do you get much opposition in your own town?

LOWLIFE: If we were a straight forward oi! band we probably would get grief, but we do punk songs, hardcore songs even metal songs, anything to annoy the piss out of people who want you to sound just one way. Everything we do is tongue in cheek anyway, and hopefully that comes across.

3
CNB: How about Gigs, do you get to play locally much?

LOWLIFE: We don't play locally much anymore, 'cos when you start a band you play your home town every fucking week, and it's all you can do to get away from it. Now we get gigs all over the shop, and it beats staying in Bradford believe me

4
CNB: You kicked off the proceedings at HITS 2000, how was that?

LOWLIFE: Empty!!!!!!!! It was good 'cos the doors opened while we played our first song, and by the end of the set it was reasonably full. I think we were a good opening band, lets put it this way, if you see us you can't ignore us, you might not like us, but you can't ignore us!.

5
CNB: I suppose it would have been a bit weird, but someone had to be first on I suppose?

LOWLIFE: Yeah, should have been the Subhumans! Nah, only kidding, it suited me fine, get on play, then 3 days of sun, beer and sex....well sun and beer anyway.

6
CNB: Did it win you some friends?

LOWLIFE: Yeah quite a few, but after 3 days of been an annoying pissed up arsehole, I think we lost them again.

7
CNB: I've noticed you've been canceling your Gigs for the next couple of Months - What's going on?

LOWLIFE: Yeah, Stoney our guitarist and part time George Michael lookalike is buggering off, the shandy drinking ponce.

8
CNB: Stoney's Left? wasn't he one of the surviving original members?

LOWLIFE: Yeah, there was me and him, now i have all the power, let them kneel before me and beg for mercy

9
CNB:So wha'ppen, how come he left? Couldn't he put up with your drunken rambling?

LOWLIFE: As the Dropkick Murphys say " there comes a time in every mans life, that decisions have to be made". It was the beard or the band, and the beard Won!

10
CNB: Found a replacement yet?

LOWLIFE: Indeed we have, but can't practice 'cos there's no bloody fuel to get us there, thanks to that grinning fucking buffoon Blair and his merry band of twats.

11
CNB: Use this chance to advertise for one then?

LOWLIFE: Well the lad we've got in is a Leeds fan, so we can soon get shut. Dave our drummer would like a nice little skater boy of about 18, so he's got something to look at.

12
CNB: I did hear that (prior to this little hiccup) you were planning a 3rd Album, that's on hold now or had you managed to get stuff recorded?

LOWLIFE: Nah, we've enough songs, although some are shite even by our standards. We'll sort out the new guitarist, write 3 or 4 more songs, then go in and do it! It'll be the best punk record out of England this millennium!

13
CNB: What else has had to be put on hold?

LOWLIFE: Just canceling gigs and what have yer! I don't like canceling gigs, in fact I think this is the first time we have. Also my growing harem of women around the country will have to get some batteries!

14
CNB: Weren't you on the bill for 'Holidays in the Smog' this November?

LOWLIFE: No ones told me! If we are we'll still do it, this new guitarist is having 4 practices and then we're off.

15
CNB: Hope it ain't to long before LOWLIFE are up and running again cos you're one of the few Yorkshire Bands who dare to be a bit different?

LOWLIFE: Beginning of November, the all new lowlife road show will be back with a bang, terrorizing small animals in a field near you.

16
CNB: Give your merch', website, whatever a 'plug' now?

LOWLIFE: Our web site is getting revamped in our own time join the mailing list for up to the minute news on gigs and general slander and lies. e-mail me at lowlifeuk@aol.com for cd's , t shirts etc, etc. Anyone wants to put us on , e-mail us at the previous address.

17
CNB: Anything else you wanna say?

LOWLIFE: Cheers for the interview Benny, it's about time you lazy taff bastard. Stay drunk and stay happy! Buy our stuff and make me rich!!!!!
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LOWLIFE PUNK AND OI IN THE UK

http://www.rip1.demon.co.uk/

Please give a brief history of the band, including current line up.

Formed about 5 years ago as a piss around really, and to get us out of the house. The original line up was me, Beaker on vocals, Stoney on guitar, Cat on bass and big Mick T on the drums. Big Mick left after several gigs to serve a few years in the nick, so we got in Metal Ing. Then about a year and a half ago. Cat got bored and left, so we got in ex Anti System bassist Mick Knowles. Then Metal Ing decided he would rather stay at home with his pipe and slippers, so in came Belsen Dave. This has been the line up for the past year.

Discography.

"All fired up" demo 1997
"Born on your knees" C.D. 1998
Various tracks on various compilations all over the place, I can't list them 'cos I'm not exactly sure what's been released where!

Describe your sound.

A bit of punk, a bit of Oi, and a bit of hardcore all thrown together! Definitely no ska though, as it takes a bit of talent to play that.

What are the main themes in your lyrics?

Beer, women trouble, beer, fighting, more beer and the destruction of the Rain forest in Ecuador!

Have you toured abroad, if so, what was the reaction like and how did the audience differ to UK audiences?

We've just come back from the U.S. supporting Murphys Law, and it was fucking great! We got free beer, free food and a hotel room every night. We didn't have to kip on peoples floors, we actually got beds. Differences in audiences there to here, well there was a lot of young kids over there 10 to 16 year olds, but really not much of a difference. Oh they had better suntans.

What do you think of the current crop of US bands such as Offspring, doing well in the British charts?

I think its good. It's better than most of the whining indie shite that's been clogging up the charts the past couple of years. And if it gets younger kids into punk, then it can't be that bad, can it?

What is the favourite song (and what band is it by) of each member of the band?

Beaker--"Ace of spades" by Motorhead
Stoney--"Attitude" by the Misfits (or any Misfits song)
Mick--"Religious Wars" by the Subhumans
Dave--"Y.M.C.A." by the Village People

Best night out in Bradford?

Any you can't remember!

Plans, gigs and releases planned for 99.

Plans?, well we've a couple of new tracks on a compilation which should be out now! We've enough new tracks to record a new c.d., but not the money to finance it. We're touring England with Murphys Law in June, hopefully a couple of dates with Poison Idea in September, and anywhere else that will put us on. The 4 of us getting the time off work together is a pain in the arse.

Any final comments?

Yeah, the 10 track c.d. is available for £5 p&p from

Beaker
866 Thornton Road
Bradford
West Yorkshire
England
BD8 OJN

Anyone wants to put us on, put us out or just wants to give us shit get in touch with the address above or e-mail us at LowlifeUK@aol.com

Thanks to Rebecca for the interview, and fuck all the people who don't like us 'cos we'll be around to annoy you for a good while yet!

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He's The Greatest Dancer!

The Lowlife of Yorkshire. ".....Blondie, Madness and Adam and the Ants......that's what we had in the charts when I was a kid. Now you've got Robbie Williams and Westlife........unlucky!" (Beaker)

1. Can you give us some band history, including any previous members and what they're doing now?

Started in late 1995 as a bit of a joke and to play one or two boozers round about as they gave you free beer. After two years of not doing much, we started to get out of town gigs, so we began to take it a little more seriously. Previous members include, Big Mick (drums) who is doing several years at Her Majesty's pleasure, metal ing (DRUMS) who is married and doing grown up things and finally Cat (bass) who has been in umpteen bands since and leaves them all within a fortnight.

2. What is the current line up?

Current line up is myself, Beaker, on vocals, Stoney on guitar, Old Man Mick on bass and Dave the drummer.

3. How did you come up with the name Lowlife?

It was a suitably cheesy name for a punk band. Its also a song by the 4 Skins (or cryptic slaughter).

4. What other bands influence the music you play?

Just your usual run of the mill bands. I think we're more influenced by older bands, 'cos that's what we grew up listening to. Bands with an attitude like Fear, Angry Samoans, Macc lads there's to many to mention.

5. What is your favorite song / album of all time?

Personally, at this moment my favorite song would be Ace of Spades by Motorhead, fave album? Maybe it's Alive by The Ramones cos it was the first punk album I bought. Ask me this question next week and it'll have changed.

6. What is your favorite song from your own set list and why?

Lowlife, cos its 4 seconds long and I never get bored of playing it.

7. Apart from punk / ska, what other music do you secretly like?

I listen to any crap, none of it secretly. I don't think there's any form of music I don't like. Maybe Jazz or pop punk !!!!!!!! only kidding!

8. What music did you grow up listening to?

First bands I got into were Blondie, Madness and Adam and the Ants when I was about ten. That's what we had in the charts when I was a kid. Now you've got Robbie Williams and Westlife...........unlucky! I then saw Motorhead on Top of the Pops, so got into metal, then at school, someone lent me an Exploited tape, and before you know it 16 years have gone by and I'm here.

9. What's the most memorable gig you have ever played?

Either the wedding reception we played last week, or our first gig in America, in New York with Agnostic Front and Murphys Law. Not bad for a bunch of pissheads like ourselves really.

10. Do you regard music as a vein through which to project your views, political or otherwise, or is it an issue of money and given the chance you would "sellout" like The offspring and Green day have?

Each to there own. Personally I wouldn't bore people with my views. I don't know enough(or want to know)about politics. Over the years of being involved with punk, I've seen too much aggro and shit all in the name of politics. If you want to change the world, become a politician. Or join a boy band! People listen to any shit they say.

11. What advice would you give to any up and coming bands?

Don't trust everyone you come across, and enjoy yourself whether you're playing to 2 people or 2000 people. If you don't enjoy it, don't do it and stop whining!

12. Any final comments?

Thankyou for giving a shit. If anyone wants a cd, shirt or anything, e-mail me at:-
Lowlifeuk@aol.com
Lock up your daughters; we're coming to a town near you!
LOWLIFE HOMEPAGE
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