Names and who does what? The Sea Neil: I'm neil, I play the trumpet Jim: I'm Jim and I play the drums Bars: I'm Bars, I play bass Ben: I'm ben and I play the saxophone. Me: tenor? Ben: yep *Mark plays trumpet, Chaz sings and Nelb plays guitar.* Background on Lightyear: Bars: Started about 4 years ago? something like that.. Jim: There was me, bars, uhh, nelb was the guitarist and chaz was the singer who like, 1st started it off as a four piece. Then after quite a few gigs we got a brass section together and then it had gone on from there. The Sea Neil: We have another trumpet player who isn't here tonight. Mark, He got beaten up on Saturday night. Me: aww why? The Sea Neil: No particular reason really, there were just some idiots there and.. *Chaz appears* The Sea Neil: And they beat him up. Knocked his teeth out and stuff so he can't play the trumpet. Me: ouch What's your local scene like? Chaz: ummmm The Sea Neil: In Derby? Me: yeah The Sea Neil: I think it's getting loads better Bars: Not as good as most places. Jim: well the bands are getting better Bars: yeah, the quality of bands is getting better, that's the main thing. The Sea Neil: Derbys definately got some good bands and uhhh, like.. yeah, that's it! Chaz: So come to Derby and see some of the bands there. The Sea Neil: Fallout 40, King of the road.. uhhh Bars: Little Explorer.. Chaz: The best band in Derby is actually called the Swans Of Death. I didn't want to mention them, I was asuming you would have heard of them already. =Laughter= Must be an underground band then.. all swans... all dead.. They're a great band!! A load of dead swans on stage. =laughter= Chaz: sorry..   How long has the current lightyear been going for? The Sea Neil: Well I was the last to join wasn't I? I've been in the band for about 3 and a half years. =Still laughing= The Sea Neil: this line up's been together for about 3 and a half years. What's the weirdest thing that has happened on tour? Chaz: I think.. either, shitting in your mouth (directed at the sea Neil) and making you eat a bit of my shit or uhh .. What's this for by the way? =Laughter= Me: e-zine Jim: That sample on the song Positive Out Look, we were acting out the parts in the studio with a video camera.. Chaz: no no, with nerf herder though! Me: ohh the butter! Chaz: (very shocked) Yeah! how do you know about that?! Me: already interviewed them. Chaz: Honestly? What did they say about us? Jim: what did you do? Chaz: we rubbed butter all over ourselves and ... (I don't think the rest is relevent - Dave obviously missed this bit out) Chaz: all just for a "laff" though!! Jim: hah and they told you about all this? =Laughter= Neil: Jim once got a uhh.. Jim: chop stick! Neil: Jim once got a chop stick stuck up his ass.. Chaz: well he stuck it up his ass.. Jim: and then someone kicked it. Chaz: and he ended up pissing blood at 4 o-clock in the morning. Ben: he had to go to hospital The Sea Neil: so we had to phone the NHS help line and pick him up the next day. Ben: we were late for the gig the next day too! Me: so did the hospital have to pull it out your ass with tweezers? Jim: no, It came out again - but I was pissing blood, so I needed to go to the hospital. Chaz: haha, this doesn't sound true does it? =Laughter= What's the high light of your tour? Neil: Reading and Leeds Chaz: Especially Reading cos we had always gone to Reading & last year everyone was going "yeah, you're going to be playing here next year!" and we were like, "nah, we won't.." It's really wicked that capdown are playing. Neil: You sort of want to believe it Chaz: But it's quite un-realistic, and now we've played there! Neil: we were totally over the moon with the people there. Chaz: =Burps= Neil: and also, we went on tour to Europe for three weeks this year.. Germany, Switzerland, Austria etc..That was amazing. Jim: yeh, very good. Me: what are the crowd reactions in Europe like? Bars: Fairly different really The Sea Neil: It varies, but the general feeling was.. *Nelb Appears* Neil: That's nelb by the way Me: Nelb and Neil? Neil: yeh, he's a neil as well, it's a nickname Me: oh right! Neil: I thought the crowds were totally into it, even though there were really small crowds in some of the places - they seemed to really enjoy it! Chaz: There was a mixture of different types of music on the bill Neil: In England like, you get people who come to shows who like emo, hardcore and are also into all that pop punk and ska. There was this show with uhhh red lights flash.. Chaz: and that fucking.. USA's a monster, who are like, the most divert, crazy act ever. Neil: but everyone seemed to enjoy it Chaz: everyone hugged at the end. Me: awww Neil: yep, it was amazing Chaz: They sat in a circle, cross legged singing, uhhh Nursery Hymns. =Laughter= Going back to the butter incodent @ the victoria Inn - explain in your own words what happened that night. Me: you were outside a pub... Neil: a pub?? Me: yeh? you got thrown out, weren't allowed in or something - so you went back to the hotel to drink beer.. Chaz: ohh that was a club!! Me: oops Chaz: yeh, we weren't allowed to go in a club, so dave from nerf herder took us back to the hotel to drink beer. Neil: (points at Chaz) and he... well, I was in this trolly in the corridor of the hotel and obviously people were trying to sleep and he (chaz) was pushing me down the corridor, then I jumped out and he pushed the trolly down the stairs and it made a fucking racket! It really was loud!! Chaz: I don't actually remember pushing it down the stairs. I remember running down the corridor with it going wooooooooo and knocking on all the doors. It's weird how your brain suddenly cuts off, one minute you're like, woooooooo, whipp! then you wake up. Neil: That was a good night wasn't it? Chaz: yes.. it was. Ah yeh, and we went down to the foyer and there were like, 8 or 9 of us, and there was this guy on the counter. we were like, "Alright!!" and he goes "Hello!" (can't write down the accent, but it seemed very funny.) Jim: nice bloke Chaz: yes, he was very nice! he had this dispose of alcohol, like a little bar. So we just payed the bar and went.. "Alright, see ya later!" and he goes "good bye!" we were like, Woo hoo!! So we just emptied this dispensor and it was so obvious what was going to happen. And he ended up coming into our room which smelt of poppers to see these three naked guys covered in butter. =Laughter= Me: so who exactly was it that used the butter? I know it was you! (points at neil) Neil: yeh, it was me and him (points at chaz) Chaz: and uhhh john. Me: John? he's the one who's not here tonight? neil: no, that's mark. Chaz: he's called DJ cool dude! Neil: (talks into dictaphone) DJ cool dude!! Chaz: Check him out man! Did you notice the hundred reasons guy wearing your t-shirt on mtv? Neil: uhh no. But I've been told he wears a lot of bands t-shirts. Chaz: MTV was it? Me: uhh, I don't actually know, I think so. Neil: he wears ummm Me: t-shirts Chaz: Adequate 7 t-shirts.. Neil: Douglas, Lucky 13 t-shirts.. etc. Me: so you didn't make him wear it to get publicity? Neil, Jim, Chaz: no Jim: we saw him at a gig last night actually. Neil: he loves us that much! Me: awww Neil: although, I had to take a trip to the mens toilet with him - you've got to give a little, y'know? =Laughter= Using 5 words, describe a member of lightyear. Chaz: five words each? me: yeh, pick your partner, sing "nursery hymns" with him! Nelb: ohh Bars is the easiest! Ben: can't we all do Bars? Me: go on then. Chaz: Baffoon Jim: Fool Neil: Goofy Chaz: should have been drowned at birth Nelb: Devils Child Chaz: Damian Ben: Donkey Chaz: haha Damian Donkey Boy. I know he's not here right now, but we do actually say these things to his face, I'm not sure if that makes it better or worse.. Me: yeh, I'm not quite sure what to think right now. =Laughter= Chaz: Anthrax! =Laughter= Chaz: H.I.. no no, V.H virus, the plague! Neil: do you think that's enough? Me: I guess so... poor Bars! Chaz: we love him really! Jim: Saviour < put that at the end. Chaz: God! =Laughter= What do you think you're most well known for? Chaz: I don't want to say getting naked - cos I don't think we are. But a lot of people do seem to remember us for getting naked. Also, If anything goes wrong.. Me: you're to blame! Chaz: yeh, definately! I don't think we've ever caused any trouble.. Me: puh! =laughter= Chaz: well, we've done things we can get arrested for, but never actually got caught! Me: such as..? Chaz: Harmless things.. like, at the weekend when we were running about naked in essex, there were like, 5 of us and.. Neil: I don't know if I should actually say this.. when we were in bristol at Ed's house and we.. Chaz: stop! Whisper it to me.. .. "something something something Bristol something something something Water Fountain something something something " =laughter= Chaz: yeh yeh, do that one! Neil: There was me, him (points at chaz) ummm Chaz: Me, Neil, Sean from Five Knuckle and Rich from captain everything.. just to get him in trouble as well, haha *Sorry Rich!* Chaz: We went for a naked run one night in Bristol - and found a rugby pitch with a water fountain that shoots a load of water out and we followed the pipe from it for about 200 meters or something and got to this little hut. We couldn't get inside to turn the tap on though, BUT there was a tap next to it outside, so we ran all the way back to Ed's house to get a saw.. Sawed off this pipe, dragged it to the tap.. Still naked by the way!! The Sea Neil: on a rugby pitch.. at night... Chaz: Attached the pipe to the tap outside the hut, ran back to the fountain and danced round it naked at 2 o clock in the morning.. then ran back. So I reckon the care-taker / groundsman or whatever is gonna think "how the hell did this happen?!" =Laughter= Chaz: haha, what if it was on CTV?!?! they'd be like.. What the fuck? Neil: That was a laff. Chaz: No it wasn't, cos Rich made us do it. Favourite song you've recorded? Chaz: What's your favourite Neil? Neil: Do you mean how it turned out once we recorded it, or just favourite song we've done? Me: That you've done. Neil: we didn't really like the recording at all. But, I like.. Chaz: I like pack of dogs Neil: yeah Chaz: The latest song we've done is "life jacket water wings" Neil: we only wrote that this week, pretty much. Chaz: haven't recorded it yet. We played it tonight though, seemed to have gone down pretty well.. Jim: Did you see bars' face? =Laughter= Chaz: yeah!! I saw that! I was like, "oh my god, I'm singing this so wrong." And he looked at me like.. *Throws goofy expression* "You Are!" Jim: Such a twat =Laughter= Chaz: he's so funny. So yeh, I like that new one - I think at the moment it's my favourite lightyear song. But as we haven't recorded it yet, I guess.. Three basics. Neil: I like three basics. Jim: yeah, I like three basics as well, best one we've recorded is... Chaz: I don't like 24 04, no one else really likes that. Me: I like it. Jim: I don't know... Chaz: =Burps= What was that you were saying Jim? Jim: neh, I was just mumbling... Chaz: Rock Like Bitch, By the swans of death! =Laughter= Me: umm, Swans of death isn't really a band is it? Chaz: Yes!! Neil: Yes it is Chaz: Don't question me on that. It IS a band, and you will find out soon!! Me: I'm so sorry.. Chaz: Don't worry. You'll feel stupid later on.. when you have a swans of death tattoo.. on your forehead. =Laughter= Me: I know Adam went home.. Chaz: oh yeah? Me: Yeah, whats your connection with them? Chaz: we've played with them a couple of times Neil: Friends of ours over in Swansea Chaz: Met them a couple days before we stayed at their house Neil: they were just really nice people Chaz: cooked us breakfast, Dead sound. Where as some people... we've met like, ex-war-veterans and shit. We stayed at their houses, totally mad people. Neil: we really have stayed at an ex-war-veterans house! Chaz: and we bashed into his BMW on the way out.... By accident. Jim: oh yeahh! =Laughter= Any plans for extending the members in Lightyear? Chaz: Probably shouldn't have said that actually.. =laughter= Neil: nah, I don't think we're going to extend the line up are we? Jiim: no Neil: Quite happy how we are Chaz: The idea at the start was to have as many people as possible because we... I just did a really smelly fart by the way Ben: I know! =laughter= Chaz: So yeah, we were just trying to get loads of people really. So whatever happened - happened. Some dropped out, some stayed in. Nelb: we had like, 10 / 12 people at one point didn't we? Chaz: We have ex-members with Lightyear tattoos. Jim: That guy came on stage didn't he? Chaz: uhh, I think he came on.. for one song only. Neil: One night only Chaz: one song, one night only. Neil: one song Me: I see Chaz: one song only Jim: one night Me: Next question? Neil: One song! Chaz: One song, One night only! Jim: One Song! Nelb: One song! Me: I understand.. Chaz: One song only. hah, yeh go on.. Me: one song, one night only Chaz: right. Next question Best CD/Record in your collection? Chaz: fucking hell... Neil: oh god.. Chaz: Quite a good question actually Neil: yeah. Me: quite a boring one too Neil: no, one to ponder.. I'd say, off the top of my head.. Something to write home about by.. no no, something to remember me by, by Ben Lee. Chaz: I'd probably say either, the same as neil or Propaghandi - how to clean everything. OR one of the weaker than Albums - and I have none of them. Ben: Get Up Kids - something to remember me by Jim: I'd say, Jaw Breaker - etc. Cos it's a rare release B side thing. So amazing. Got songs from 1989 and stuff on.. Chaz: OK JIM! =laughter= Nelb? Nelb: Propaghandi - Hot water division Chaz: Ben? Ben: did mine, it was the get up kids Chaz: oh yeah, sorry Me: and your worst? Chaz: haha, the worst is Ed out of five knuckle's "Gay Cousins Boy Friends" song.. and uhh, It goes - "God PLAYS his games" =laughter= "God PLAYS his games" Me: I really wanna hear that! Chaz: yeah! it's like meatloaf... but bigger! oh, and I found a sexual healing CD by uhh.. I don't know who it's by. But I found that in my collection. Nelb: sometimes the worst CD's can be the best. Chaz: WOW! Jim: Now that's something for you kids to think about! Chaz: Something to write home about =laughter= Chaz: .... Nursery Hymns.... May I ask for your opinion on under-age drinking and smoking? Chaz: I'm personally not into smoking at all really.. Ben: Under-age drinking is good.. Chaz: Under-age drinking.... Ben: I didn't mean good, like - go do it! Chaz: I think that the alcohol is actually really damaging - I'm not one to talk. But I do think that a lot of kids have started to drink way too early. I know that I started too early. I'm quite against smoking in public places too, Because of the fact that people do passive smoke, and so you're not giving these people an option really to passive smoke or not.. Cos y'know, when I went to California, people would go and leave the bars if they wanted to smoke & they'd be totally accepted and they'd all be outside having a chat or whatever. So, I don't really see why it shouldn't be like that over here. Ben: I think that in moderation its ok. Chaz: there are no adverts on TV about drinking, but there are a lot about smoking. The Sea Neil: yeah, weed and stuff like that, it's considered as something that's really bad. A lot of people are really clueless about it, they see it as a drug - I don't smoke weed, so I'm not just saying this as whoever. But y'know, they see it as a drug and that's what it is - so to them, this means that it's bad, where as alcohols perfectly harmless, so that makes it all ok. I'm not just talking about under 18's - I'm talking in general now. Chaz: Well obviously, everyone knows that weed should be legal. Even my grans for it - puts it in the sunday lunch. =laughter=   Name somewhere you really want to go on holiday to.. Chaz: ummmm Ben: Rome Neil: I'd like to go to New Zealand Chaz: I'd like to go to Thailand, Japan and stuff.. Jim: I'd like to go to America, but that's the last place you'd want to go (Directed at Chaz) Chaz: yeah, the last place I'd like to go to in the world, would be America. Neil: cos he's been loads of times. Chaz: also, I'm half American *fact* so I guess that has something to do with it and yeah, I've been loads of times and it just doesn't appeal to me anymore really. I prefer the Europian attitude a lot more, although, I'd like to go to Australia. Jim: All over the world Chaz: The Moon! =laughter= Chaz: I have actually booked us a gig on the moon. Neil: Chaz was wasted one night and uhhh, we were in York, talking about going to.. Jim: The best bit of the conversation.. Neil: went onto chaz saying he could get us a gig on the moon. and he was so serious =laughter= Neil: we havent played there yet, but look out for us. Me: Will do Neil: he was drunk though.. Chaz: And stoned =laughter= Chaz: not much of an audience really. Me: well the question was and still is going to be: If you were allowed on the moon or where ever & had to leave someone behind, who would it be? Jim: I immediately think of Bars, but I'd miss him so much. Chaz: I couldn't leave anyone behind. Me: you have to Neil, Jim and Ben: Chaz Chaz: Cheers lads! I was the one who booked it! =laughter= Me: it's all for the best Chaz Chaz: I know. Well, we're not doing the gig now.. and I fucking booked it!! =laughter= Chaz: fuck you How do you waste the time in-between travelling from town to town? Chaz: oh god. Most of the time it's just sitting, reading books, listening to CD's really. Jim: It used to be really hectic Chaz: But every now and then we all beat Bars up Jim: Neil putting a safety pin down the end of his penis Neil: Jim putting shit loads of gummy bears down his foreskin Jim: It was you aswell!! =laughter= Neil: you got more down there than me! Chaz: and uhhh, you got a gameboy advanced game down there as well Jim: oh yeah! =laughter= Chaz: we used to have a super soaker (water pistol) and I was dressed up in a sequin dress with a wig on, and I shot this busstop with the super soaker like this................................... and just on the right went this police riot van and they pulled us over. I was still in the sequin dress. and this copper was like, uhh.. =Coughs= "ya got any ID mate?" ... no =laughter= Chaz: we thought we were going to get in quite a bit of trouble but this other copper came in and he had like, really baggy troussers on and his hat was like this (moves hat into wonky possition) Jim: shirt out as well Chaz: yeh, and he came in and goes " Thassa bad idea boys - especially if ya been smoking a bitta' weed, ya know whatta mean?" =laughter= Jim: we didn't have anything though! Chaz: he came in and was like, There's a lot of ugly people in this van. =laughter= Jim: yeah, cheers mate Chaz: we got away with it though. Neil: things like that. Ben: It's always like, a three hour journey - 1st 2 and a half hours are really chilled, last half hour - everyone gets bored, picks on Bars and does weird stuff. Where do you see yourselves in five years time? Chaz: on mars! =laughter= Jim: never really thought about it Neil: haven't got a clue Me: where would you like to be? Chaz: I'd like to still be doing the music that we like to do and have actually progressed to do & living off it properly... as much hard work as we put in we get the rewards out. I think that for any musician - you don't get as much out of it as you put in. Obviously you do when you're on stage - the best times are on stage, but with all the travelling, loading, practicing stuff like that... Ben: a lot of people think like, we've got a lot of money, we're a rich band.. but Me: aren't you? Ben: no, Three or four of us on the money, arent there? Chaz: yeah, well me and him are just coming off as media musicians and we've got to start bringing in the money, cos we're not making enough and people don't believe you when you say that. Me: Well it is really weird the way, you're on like, one of the biggest UK hardcore/punk labels around and so, surely they must....... shit, no they can't! =laughter= Chaz: no, they can't Me: and you don't have day jobs or anything? Nelb: Gave them up. Ben: can't really have a day job as well as doing what we're doing at the moment - just doesn't work. Chaz: The last person to work was you, wasn't it? at that chicken factory.. what d'you call it? Onion Factory.. You worked in a factory didn't you? Jim: well yeh, loads of different ones. Chaz: right, you you were doing factory work basically. Jim: yeah Chaz: so he was the last of us to work Jim: (mutters) Chicken factory... Chaz: NEHHHHHHH!!! Ben: Mark managed to finish a degree off this year as well - which is really good! Here's where my splendid interview stops... as I forgot to turn the tape over to the other side, which I'm sure will happen many more times. THE END P-S, sorry if I've got the wrong person saying the right thing Buy: Call of the weasel Clan Visit: http://lightyear.tux.nu Look at: The tattoo on Chaz's right leg