19 March 2013

Interview with Crowns


A couple of weeks ago I met the lovely lads of a pretty sick band called Crowns. Although I hadn't listened to much of their music prior to meeting them, I could instantly tell from the tracks I heard that they're incredibly passionate about it and I really do recommend listening to them if you want to listen to a particularly uplifting yet powerful band that plays music oozing with raw emotion. Anyway, have a read of the interview but if you'd prefer the shorter version, click here.

1. So firstly, why did you call yourselves Crowns? Does it mean something more personal to you or is it to do with the imagery behind the word?

Bill: Yeah, you've pretty much answered your own question really! It's a bit of both really; obviously the imagery behind the word.

Jack: It's quite a good word. Also, it's a self empowering thing as well, like you said, a personal thing. Because we're not like royalists.

Bill: It's almost the opposite! It's like we're crowns.

Jack: I suppose a shortened version of "These Kids Wear Crowns". We didn't do it deliberately and I reckon it's the same message but we managed to get it in one word.

2. Your genre, which you dubbed as "Fish Punk", is pretty unique due to it being a mix of punk and folk music. As you all were previously in just punk bands, did you know that your music would be as it is today or was it at first more of an experiment?

Bill: It was more of an epiphany I think. A moment of playing in punk bands and then playing traditional Cornish music in pubs and then going " Hang on a minute, it would sound pretty good through amps and played a bit quicker and louder." Fish punk was a bit of a joke that got out of hand because we consider ourselves more to be pubstep or clam rock.

Jack: Clam rock, yeah. I'd just like to say I made these all up. I'm the most puntastic.

Jake: He's got a lot of free time.

Jack: Yeah, I've got loads of free time.

3.What would you say is the band motto or philosophy?

Bill: I think the music is primarily good fun music so without sounding too cheesy, it's about having good fun. There are too many bands out there that are whining about being in pain and this and that. You know, we're just having fun.

Interviewer: Saving the world from cutting and what not.

Bill: You could do it bit by bit. I think by making people happy, that would be the best way to start saving the world rather than shouting about, rioting.

Jake: Start with a few beers and some pizza.

Bill: The world is your oyster.

4.What's been the most memorable experience you've had as a band?

Bill: Some of the festivals like the Red festival, that was good.

Jack: We played a show with Blink-182 at the Eden Sessions. That was pretty crazy.

Jake: That was like childhood dream. Tick. I think that was probably one of the most memorable ones just because the gig was on such a scale that we've never seen before.

Jack: And it hit us during our amazing summer last year when we were playing shitloads of festivals and we felt really good.

Bill: It's that but it's also like that was memorable because it was, like Jake said, a childhood dream but some of the best things have been pub gigs as well. Like St Agnes was nothing but a taphouse when we were first starting. We did our first UK tour and went down to St Agnes in Cornwall and had really memorable times there as well.

Jake: Sambuca fight.

Bill: Yeah. Beer fights. Sambuca fights.

Jack: Seeing the manager of that pub come down, basically looking like he'd been in an oil slick with black sambuca. I don't think I'll forget that image or the image of his dog sneezing into Jake's face. That was pretty good.

Jake: Or the image of you throwing up because you did three Jagerbombs in your mouth. Because they had Redbull on tap..

Jack: When we start going into this, it's just like one up in the chip, isn't it? This is where we're going to end.

Bill: To answer your question, there are lots of memorable things but definitely the big ones like Blink-182 and the other good ones have been crazy nights.

5. At the end of last year, you played alongside Big Issue vendors up and down the country, supporting them and making people more aware of the homeless. How has this experience affected you and do you think you'll do something like this in the future?

Bill: One of them complained about us; we were on his patch.

Jack: The first one we met.

Bill: He just didn't like it. You can kind of understand it in a way.

Jack: It's obviously a great cause but on the vendors' side of it, I think that it's almost disempowering for them if you're making them into a charity case. I would definitely be up for doing it again but I think we'd have to tweak the format a bit just because it's hard going straight onto the streets with no promo or anything like that and essentially, you're no higher than any regular busker.

Bill: I think for us, even if it just gets out to people who like our band to buy the Big Issue, that's all we could really hope to do but if we have more of a profile one day and could do something for the Big Issue again, then definitely. It was just a case of getting people who liked Crowns on Facebook to think about the Big Issue and probably some people did.

Jake: One of the best things about that is for us, we realised about how passionate the people who are behind the Big Issue and the people who work for it are, especially the people from Glasgow who were amazing.

Bill: Glasgow's amazing.

Jack: It was good to meet the people behind it, definitely. I think they've definitely got their heads and hearts in the right place.

Bill: If it feels right in the future again then yeah. We're not going to push it, because it can come across as a bit disingenuous with bands that sometimes do things really in your face with charities. I think it's got to be well done and have spirit and real meaning to it.

6.Now, your single "Four Walls" off your debut album "Stitches in the Flag" is being released on the 11th of March. How would you sum it up in under 10 words?

Bill: Four. Walls. 

Jake: Shanty.

Bill: Ballsy.

Jack: Rollicking.

Jake: Bollocking.

Bill: Melodic.

Jack: Jubilant.

Jake: Triumphant.

Bill: Fun.

7. Your music videos seem very genuine as you seem very close in the videos , focusing more on the content than any visual theatrics. Would you say this is an accurate reflection of your songs and your attitude as a band on how you make your music?

Jack: I think it's a more accurate representation of our bank balance but it does help and it works for our music.

Jake: The thing with the video is that it was a very low concept; the song's called Four Walls and we were in a tiny room which reflects the claustrophobia of that because we all do live in each other's pockets.

Bill: That's the deeper look at it. It was a big metaphor for our relationship.

Jake: We edited out the kiss at the end as well you see.

Bill: Yeah, the four way kiss! If it works, then you don't need to spend loads of money on the video. I think it's got a good power to it and it represents the song; " All we need is all we got" kind of thing. Us.

8. A couple of days ago you guys announced you're playing at Download. That must feel pretty awesome!

(All say yes and agree in unison) 

Bill: But there's still a sore point as we're not playing on the same day as Rammenstein. That's the only band I would like to see out of all of them.

Jack: Or Slipknot instead. I can't remember who else there was. You see, the best thing about Sunday is that you've got Rammenstein and Limp Bizkit.

Jake: I think it's going to be really really fun. I think we're one of those bands that's just on the border of between like indie pop or punkier stuff so whatever festival we play, it's like we're generally the out band but this one is going to be really fun because everyone else playing at that festival will use at least one distorted guitar.

Jack: I think we're the band they book, you know like Daphne And Celeste at Reading one year, just to throw piss at.

Bill: Gogol Bordello are playing the same day as us.

Jack: Yeah, and they had bands like Flogging Molly on the main stage last year. I think there is a good crossover point and I've heard it's a friendly festival.

9. Lastly, a message to your fans! You can say anything you want.

Jake: Wow, that's a lot of pressure... FUCK YEAH! LET'S PARTY!

Jack: Thank you so much for your continued support. I think that sounded quite political, didn't it?

Bill: This is a political broadcast by Jack Speckleton.

Jack: Under my bed, or near and around my bed there are a couple of hundred t-shirts; someone buy one so I don't have to sleep on the band's merch anymore.

Jake: No, that's terrible! If you do one thing this week, watch the video for "Four Walls" because it's awesome.

Jack: And pretend you're in the video.


Extra Questions

Nandos; yay or nay?

Jack and Bill: Nay.

Jake: We were talking about this just today actually. I've never been to Nandos. 

Bill: I've been once and I'll never go again. You know, you go and serve yourself and you think you're going to have a chicken or something and it comes out and it's like a pigeon dipped in peanut butter. You get all these sauces that taste the same and it all costs a lot; it costs too much.

Jake: I'm still open minded.

Bill: Jake, you would hate it.

Jack: You didn't like paying five quid for the chicken donner the other night, let alone you paying sixteen quid for this.

Bill: Chicken donner?

Jack: Yeah, we had a chicken donner kebab.

Bill: Is there a thing as chicken donner?

Jack: Whatever it's called.

Bill: Lamb doner.

Jack: Chicken...

Bill: Shish?

Jack: It just wasn't really chicken...

Jake: I think that's an overwhelming Nandos nightmare actually.

If you had a superhero power, what would it be?

Jake: I don't think Jack should be allowed a superhero power; he'd take it too responsibly.

Jack: Yeah, I would be a super bad person.

Bill: I don't know.

Jack: I'd like the power to turn the lights off. Just so I can really annoy people.

Bill: I'd have Bernard's watch.

Jake: The power to unlock any car would be quite fun.

Bill: Just get a breadknife, slide it down.

Jack: You've got to pick a better one than that.

Jake: I could have the power to click my fingers and Jack would be naked wherever he is. Walking down Oxford street. *click*

Bill: That would probably be Jack's superpower as well!


What's your favourite word?

Bill: Ooh. Is that a word?

(Cue emphatic oohs)

Jack: I like plinth. I remember my English teacher told me it was his favourite word; he was a doctor.

Jake: So you just decided to copy him!

Bill: That is a nice word. Mine is probably kaput.

Jake: Like something onomatopoeic?

Bill: Maybe kaput is something onomatopoeic.

Jake: Mine's pizza. It's a good word. I like how the two "z"s make a "tsz" sound. 



















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