I had the pleasure to interview Luke Griffiths from one of the most promising band in the U.K. "FALSE HEADS".
I first saw the band live in Nambucca last March and I thought "those guys are exactly what's needed in today's music world and they are what everybody has been waiting for". Iggy Pop thinks so too and so does Danny Fields, former manager of the Ramones.
Their ascension now seems unstoppable as they have already played some memorable shows including at The Roundhouse in Camden. They also did some impressive live sessions for BBC Introducing and Radio X. They supported The Libertines and they were signed to 25 Hour Convenience Store which is owned by Libertines drummer Gary Powell.
Everything is falling into place for them and it's only right. Their sound is like an electric riot and it will provide enough adrenaline to make you want to go to all their gigs and they also have something to say, so make sure you check them out as they are likely to become your new favorite band !
1 - You released your first EP in 2017 Gutter Press which is excellent. Could you tell me a bit more about what inspired the songs on this EP and do you have any plan for an album ?
Thank you very much! A lot of the songs are about personal things like depression, hatred, anger toward people we grew up with but a lot of it is this horrible social media age that we are all a part of. I'm a part of it too so I'm a hypocrite but politics and interaction in general has become horrific. This horrible demagoguery from both the left and right (and I say this as someone who is a true leftist) of black and white absolutism in a world that is extremely grey - both morally and politically. This horrible banning, censorship culture, both mainstream left and right politics want censorship and authoritarianism. It's fucking terrifying to me. There's no discourse, there's no discussion, it's an Orwellian nightmare, there's an actual rising of serious far right wingers and the left are attacking celebrities for wearing braids? I think there's only a few left like Maajid Nawaz who say anything that makes any sense in today's political world. And I think we miss people like Christopher Hitchens, free-thinkers who did not affiliate themselves with any political party and stood for what HE believed in, not for what someone else did. I didn't agree with everything the man said or believed in but I don't think I respect anyone more because he didn't give a fuck and stood for freedom of speech wherever he could. Individualism is dead. And we're all in the Gutter Press. I guess all those ideas and frustrated culminated in the idea of we're all apart of this horrible system now. I kinda wish I would havek kept it for the album title though.
We do have plans for both. We're writing a lot of songs at the minute. There will be an EP before the album however.
2 - I saw you live for the very first time at Nambucca in March this year and needless to say I was blown away. Luke, you seem to be a born performer and you reminded me of Craig Nicholls, Iggy Pop and Kurt Cobain all in one in term of stage presence . Could you tell me a bit more about your background in term of performer, is it something that you always were attracted to as a kid or did you develop your stage presence later on ?
Again, thank you very much. Iggy Pop and Kurt Cobain especially were two big influences on my stage performance, and the perfomances grew wilder and wilder as we became a better band, I lost myself in the music more but also a big influence on it was Johnny Knoxville, even though that guy is famous for being a stupid cunt, he was cool as fuck and me and my friends did a lot a of those stunts as a kid so I sort of melded that into it as well.
3 - I think it’s fair to say you are a buzz band and everyone who hasn’t seen you is excited to do so. Things seem to have gone so well so quickly for you which must be amazing . What I like about you guys is your down to earth attitude, no diva nonsense . Is it something that is important to you and do you think you’ll always stay true to the punk rock spirit ?
Ah well, it seems like but we've plugging away for about 3 years now and yeah we can feel that word of mouth buzz, which let me tell you (and Danny Fields told me this so you know it's true) no other press compares to word of mouth buzz and it doesn't, and finally it's happening. Well, we take our music very seriously but we don't take ourselves too seriously, we relentlessly rip the shit out of each other and have a very solid group of friends who keep us down to earth (but also very supportive) so I think that's done us a world of good. Yes, I think we will stay true to that, I mean listen, there's been lots of talk lately about punk bands and bands using their songs in adverts and brands etc but I think if you don't compromise your music and your attitude then all that shit is irrelevant. I mean there are degrees obviously, you won't be hearing Twentynothing in a Trump campaign but you get my point hahaha and I think it was some from Fat White Famiy who said 'the minute people stopped buying records was the minute people stopped having the right to complain about bands using their songs in adverts' and I agree wholeheartedly with that. But I don't think we will ever lose what is core to the band, no.
4 - There are quite a few things coming up for you guys this year. Could you tell me what you are the most looking forward to and why ?
Supporting Queens of the Stone Age at Inmusic at Croatia on the mainstage. Just because he is an absolute legend. It feels like a bit like it's destined to be after we supported Josh Homme at a Peaceful Noise and I just think it will be spectacular. And our tour, because tour is just where we feel we should be at all times.
5 - Your story is really fascinating, you were spotted by Danny Fields who was the Ramones manager. Are there any plans to go to America at some point ?
100 percent and we do have some serious support from over there. Sirius XM and KCRW, the legendary Rodney Bingenheimer and a lot of American fans and one of our managers if American too so there's been some talks and yeah, I think it will definitely happen at some point.
6 - How did you guys meet and could you tell me a bit more about the writing process of your songs ?
We all went to the same school, Jake and Barney were in a band. I went off to uni to try and make a band but it didn't happen so I came back and called up Barney drunk needing a drummer and we had a jam and it clicked straight away and it went from there. I'll write the lyrics which take anywhere from 3 minutes to a year haha and I'll normally write the base of the song and then we will all put our different ideas into it and put it through the False Heads blender until we are all happy. Barney has wrote the base of a few songs too. But we're very much a 'band' as much as I write the majority of what we build things around, it wouldn't be anything without the other two.
7 - What advice would you give to all the new bands out there ?
Be prepared to be told your shit, and if you can't be rejected and told your shit, you will not get anywhere. You have to be able to face rejection and pick yourself up because trust me it is fucking hard.
8 - What would you be if you weren’t in a band ?
I honestly don't know. I loved acting at school. Maybe an actor. I love films and TV nearly as much as music so yeah, maybe that.
9 - Are there any bands who aren’t known in the mainstream that you have come across and really liked ?
Calva Louise, Blinders, Strange Bones, Gang, I thought the Surrenders were banging too. Concrete Caverns.
10 - Have you ever met any of your heroes and which ones would you like to meet that you haven’t before ?
Josh Homme, Danny Fields and the Libertines are the ones I've met.
Ones I want to meet? Maajid Nawaz, Thom Yorke and the rest are dead so that ain't happening unfortunately.
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- 2 more interviews to come soon - check out the latest one with Nina Courson on my blog and don't hesitate to contact me if you want me to consider your band for an interview : wendymcguiree@gmail.com
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