Evening Strumpets,
Following on from the Leddie and Smoggy FB interview, as promised a million years ago, here`s a Facebook interview with another of Middlesbrough`s finest bands. Andy Granville is lead singer and guitarist with Fallen Phoenix. I`ve had the priviledge to support these lads on a number of occasions, and on one special night, join with them onstage for a powerful Tolkienesque rendition of "Let it Be". Trust me, if there`s any justice in the world, you will be hearing a lot more of this band in the future. If you`re like me, you`ll press play on this YT clip, and read the interview.
GNS: So away we go, I`ve witnessed your band playing in several formats,
even occasionally joining in, but who or what is Fallen Phoenix?
FP: We`re a rock and roll band, we often get put on with indie bands and then other times we`re put on with really heavy bands, all of which is fine with us, but whenever we`re asked what we do we just say rock n roll, all depends what you want out of it in the end, we`re just 4 close friends who like to make a racket together.
GNS: What`s inspired the "racket" incidentally, I absolutely agree, you sound pure rock n roll to me.
FP: Just a love of music really, when we first started it was to make the music that we wanted to hear as we didn`t think anyone was making it, i personally felt a bit detatched from the music scene in England, still do as a matter of fact, all my influences come from 60's to the 90's so hopefully were a slice of that.
GNS: Couldn`t agree more about the English music scene, An occasional match flame in a universe of dross doesn`t mean diddly. Tell me about your first gig.
FP: Our first gig was at Libertys In Town a few years back, it was on a Wednesday night as i remember because we were all going to Leeds festival the next day. We were a 5 piece back then as we had a synth player, i just remember spending a lot of time making sure our synth player was okay as it was his first ever gig. We went on before a band called The Outlaw, we went down well as i remember. We still play about half of the set we played that night so i guess we had a pretty strong start.
GNS: You never foret it do you? synth would make an interesting dimension to your sound. Any venues you go down better in than others?
FP: We always tend to go down well in our spiritual home the Princess Alice. I like to think where ever we play in Middlesbrough we tend to go down well. We had quite a memorable gig in Coventry a few years back that we still talk about, went down a storm that night. We once had a gig in Newcastle with some glam rock band who's name escapes me but they spent the entire night slagging off the crowd, by the time we went on they were ready to linch someone, we couldnt wait to get off stage that night.
Spiral Feedback! that was their name! bunch of tools!
GNS: Probably helped that you were from Boro! Spiral feedback? My heads hurting just thinking about that. So what`s next?
FP: To be honest people from Newcastle are pretty cool about Middlesbrough bands in my experience. I`d hate to be a Mackem (someone from Sunderland "mack`em and tack`em) in Newcastle, i`m sure that'd be a different story.
We`re getting our name around as much as possible, we recorded a single earlier in the year which is free from our website, so the plan next to record the rest of our songs and take it from there. Organising it is the challenge really, cos a lot of bands stop playing live whilst they record which we really dont want to do, we want the lot.
GNS: I`ve found Middlesbrough to be quite liked in the various places, usually as an affectionate pisstake, but not hated. So what`s the Website?
FP: www.fallenphoenix.co.uk yeah you get the obligatory smoggie comment, but its all in jest, people are cool about Middlesbrough.
GNS: Nice one. Final question, in two parts, firstly, Boro this season, what prediction? Secondly sum up in five words fallen Phoenix.
FP: I think the rest of this season is damage control. I`d like to be an optomist and say if we get the right man in we'll nick our way into the play off's but i cant see that happening, for as much as Strachan tried i think his vision was way off what type of team we are, different mentality and strengths, so if we fix his mistakes for the rest of this season we'd be in a better position for next season (sadly thats what i said last season about Southgate) but i live in hope.
GNS: Unfortunately DITTO.
FP: Loud, hairy, catchy, real and anthemic, there would be another hairy in there if our bass player wasn`t fighting a losing battle with his. ;)
GNS: Brilliant! He`s a big lad though. Where can the strumpets find out more about you chaps besidesthe website?
FP: We`re on the usual places, facebook, twitter and myspace, all of which can be gotten to through the website, or in the Alice on a friday night is usually a good place to find us too.
GNS: Cheers Andy any gig`s coming up?
FP: 28 Oct 2010 Seven - Sunderland
04 Nov 2010 Billingham Symphonia Club - Billingham
17 Nov 2010 Plugged In - Sunderland
03 Dec 2010 The Princess Alice - Middlesbrough
15 Dec 2010 Bad Medicine Rock Club - Middlesbrough
thats the rest of our year at the minute, but there will be more in there soon enough.
and there you have it. Fallen Phoenix. Personally, I think they`re what picking up an instrument and getting yourself out there is what it`s all about.
Till the next one, learn something new.
Mark.
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