Please remember: It's more than likely that I have the wrong person saying the right thing. Special 'Thank you' to the infamous pigeon killing 'Sam Shilling' for showing an interest and coming along to watch this with me (whilst breathing smoke in my face).   May I please have your names and who does what? Dan: I'm Dan, I'm the drummer. Tom plays guitar. Ade plays guitar Chris: I play Bass Dan: He's Chris Chris: I'm Chris, hello Me: Hello Ollie: My names Ollie, I sing. Hello! Me: Hello! Quick Background on Farse? Dan: We started in 96 at school. Me and Ollie and Chris it was originally, and another bloke called Tom Rhodes. no! not called Tom Rhodes... It was for a sixth form thing - concert for the 1st years, then it sort of carried on. Ollie: and I played guitar Dan: Ollie used to play guitar and then Tom Rhodes / Tom joined, then he got booted out. Then I joined, then another drummer joined - then he left and I came back. And it's been going like this for about three years Me: So this current line up has been together for three years? Dan: Yeah, But I mean, before, we were a little bit of this current line up as well. Me: Any plans for extending the memebers? Dan: no Me: no brass section? Dan: no brass. I think we're all happy like this Ollie: we used to have some scratching, decks and stuff Chris: we tried brass actually, we had this guy who was doing brass for a bit but it just didn't work. Ade: we want to be individual and try to be a bit different, y'know? Dan: say three years and we decided we didn't want to play ska anymore... what do you do? You're sort of stuck with a brass section. Ade: bands with a brass section are good mate - but it just wouldn't suit us what so ever. Dan: Yeah, I think the people in this band is enough. Everybody puts stuff into it. Ollie: I'm thinking of getting some external percussion. like a triange and a tambourine. And we need a flute and a bassoon - I've always wanted a bassoon even though I don't know what it is What's the scene in Birmingham like? Ollie: It's wicked Ade: we got bands like zero chance, spine, Harpies *also, 'codlocker' 'Trigboy', 'chumpstate' and '62pennies' (don't know any others)* Ade: it's rad. The only band that isnt - well, spine are signed but they're not like.. Me: This is spine - drummer from your demo ? Ade: yeah, he's a bad ass Ollie: You've been researching Me: I have! Made friends with Joe - very resourceful Ade: oh have ya? Ollie: Joe likes to make friends with young ladies. He's not a fiddler Dan: he's a diddler Ollie: he's a duddler Tom: he's a cod cobbler =laughter= Ade: sorry, we talk loads of shit Dan: we tend to go off on mad conversations Ollie: silly boys What do you think you're most well know for? Ade: What's that? Me: what do you think you're most well known for? Dan: I don't think we're that well known Me: well you're known.. Dan: yeah, we're know - but not really well known. For.. probably, we're most well known for.. our music, which is the only thing that we like to be known for really. Ade: dick heads maybe? =laughter= Tom: people like capdown / lightyear have toured loads and loads - we've only done a couple of tours really. Ollie: we're just getting started really - and see where it goes from there. Ade: Five dick heads - from Birmingham - Who play shit music =laughter= I need to make you roll your rrrrr's... please? Ollie: me? Me: yeah.. Ollie: =laughs= Dan: aww Ollie: roll my rr's into the thing..? what do you want me to say? Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrosie has a rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrribbon. rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Me: there's this particular bit at the beginning of one of your songs. uhh.. ra ta ta ra.. or something?! Ollie: what... is it prrrrrrra ta rrrrrra. no. pwrrrrrrrra pwrrrrrrrrrra-pwrrrrrrrrrra Me: that's the one. do it again Ollie: prrrrrrrrrra prrrrrrrrrrra-prrrrrrrrrrrrrrra prrrrrrrrra prrrra prrrrrrrra-prrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrroarrrrrrrrrrrrrria! Me: wow!! Can you say Franceska? Ollie: Frrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrran-ceskaaa. =laughs= Thank you Me: thank you Ollie: Thank you very much Dan: is your name Franceska? Me: it is - is your name Tom? Dan: no, it's Dan Tom: My names Tom! Ollie: =points= Dan... Tom... Ade... Me: Ollie... Dan... Tom... Ade... Ollie: no, Chris! Me: Chris Ollie: Dan Me: Sam Ollie: Fran Me: Ade Ollie: Tom etc etc.... What makes your new album - Boxing clever, better or worse than your last? Dan: better Chris: better Ade: wass'at? Me: new album, better or worse? Ollie: 10 X better Chris: we spent a lot more time recording it Ade: better production and better.... fascilities Tom: really really good producer Dan: well, that's not the main thing. The songs actually mean a lot more to what the.. Ade: theres more energy in it. I think the songs as a whole, bring out fucking what we're thinking 10 X more than the 1st album did. Tom: 1st album was a little bit rushed Chris: it's a progression from out last album really.. Dan: and the playings better man! The playings 100 X better than the last album. y'know, we all put the 1st album on... Ade doesn't even listen to the 1st album anymore!... we put the 1st album on and there are just loads of stinkers on it - loads of mistakes, and there are loads of mistakes on the second album as well. Me: is there really? Dan: there is, yeah.. Me: I've never noticed them, but thats because I've never listened to it =laughter= Ollie: well there ya go then! Ade: you'll have to take it and pick it a part. =pause= Me: next question? Ollie: yep Loads and LOADS of your fans REALLY hate spunge... so why do you still go on tour with them? Water lady/Girl/Woman/Bint: I hate spunge! Ollie: now that sucks man! Cos they're a bunch of rad ass something (I missed the last word - came out as hunks on the dictaphone - and I didn't think that was quite right..) They took us on our first tour. The 1st night of this tour, they came up to us and said "this is your 1st tour, we'll do anything you need, anything you want, any problems you have y'know - just come straight to us!" and they've been so nice to us ever since! Chris: and the manager as well! manages us like... Ade: It's rad! Dan: people are giving them a bad reputation Ade: it sucks! it sucks big... Dan: It's a bit like.. you don't like spunge - you can take the piss out of them, but, like... say you're into us - if it wasn't for spunge, then we wouldn't really be a band man. Well we would be - but we wouldn't be doing what we're doing now, y'know? Ollie: these guys have spent ten years man - ten years out on the road, nearly having to lose their houses, lose everything just because they love playing the music that they're playing. Ade: that's what it's all about really Ollie: yep Ade: that's what you've got to look out for Chris: people give them bad impressions - and theres no need Ade: They've done more work than fucking most people Ollie: four years ago when we 1st started playing with them... Dan: more than that Ollie: they were touring up and down, up and down, up and down every week - week in, week out Chris: reputation of the UK's biggest hard working ska punk band Ade: you've got to appreciate that Chris: genuinely more young people like it (spunge) - thats why they have all ages shows. When you go to their gigs, it's just full of young kids having a good time. Ade: I think.... I think that if the band is doing it cos it's just the "in thing" then it sucks! but spunge have been doing this shit for, as ollie says - 10 years. The same sort of style of stuff.. y'know? it sucks that even people turn around and say... Chris: exactly! I might not be into it - you might not be into it... but they're doing it for the same reason and they're sticking to it! Dan: I stole this from Bowling for soup Me: wowww Ade: each to their own, man! Dan: each to their own Ollie: Jarvis is a very good show =laughs= Ade: up the butt Ollie: One up the bum, Now I'm done, One up the shitter, Don't be bitterrrrrrrrrrr. There ya go - that's a quote. Me: Excellent Favourite song you've recorded? All: ooooohhh Ollie: Everybodys got a different... Dan first! Me: wait, can I do mine first? Ollie: Yep! Me: half an hour - by far the best song you've ever done Ollie: Half an hour! =laughs= We took the end off that for one of our new songs man. 7th song on the new album is half the song on the... Ade: How'd you even know that!! Have you heard the song? Me: Don't beat me up please Ade: no no! It's not bad at all! Ollie: it's good man Me: I got "your Joe" to send it Ade: Thats good man! Bad ass song Dan: I've never even heard it! =laughs= Ollie: Dan wasn't in the band then Ade: but Dan knows the end of it now Ollie: we re-arranged the end of it and changed a couple bits cos' we really like that song as well. Water Lady: Dan... I think this is your 20p Dan: s'alright, keep it Water Lady: aww, thanks Me: anyway.. it's your go Ollie: Dan! Whats your favourite? Ade: say what? Ollie: =laughs= "what have we recorded?" - "say what? Aye, What's that?" Ade: I like silence, Chris likes silence Ollie: DANIEL! Dan: I don't know... Ade: cos' I'm into the more hectic stuff Dan: Probably.. Last time, man. Thats my favourite song we play Ollie: Cigarette through polystyrene. Tom? Whats your favourite? Dan: =laughs= we just love ourselves too much Ade: nah man Ollie: Wither? Tom: no way.. Hidden track, maybe Ollie: yeah, theres a hidden track on the album Ade: but you wouldn't know that =laughs= Chris: Either way, we all like the songs just as much. If we didn't like them anywhere near as much as we should, then we wouldn't play them. Ade: They all mean something to us - every single song that we play Tom: our favourite songs tend to work their way into the set Dan: if you look at the set that we play, thats usually our favourite songs. We don't play the songs that we don't..... really..... like. Chris: or that we don't know =laughter= Ollie: Humour me - "we forgotten it, can't play that no more." =laughs= Chris: we'll re-write that tune Ollie: we're working on doing a medley, where we like, go into three or four songs that we've done and try to incorporate more into that - make it into one big song Ade: bit like a Kylie Minogue medley Ollie: yeah, bit like uhhh... Ade: =starts singing= Ollie: bit like sussudio by Phil Collins Dan: shut up... =laughter= Me: I'll just agree with everything you say Lack of a better name (your demo) are you ever going to re-release it? Ade: no! we're gonna' play two more gigs and then we're gonna finish =laughter= Ollie: yeah man! thats it! Tom: Lack of a better name... thats the one with Adam isn't it? Ollie: yeah Chris: Adam really wants us to do some stuff with that. There are a couple of gigs where I think he'd really like to come up and play Ollie: thats what he said to me man! Dan: I think that if we ever release some of the old demos, we'll sort of shoot ourself in the foot, because like, we were up against the wall a little bit, writing half of this new album and we digged into some of the old songs just to get.... Chris: not really.. I think in "means to an end" half of that was rushed. But then with this one, about a quater of it was rushed. there were about three quaters of it ready.. Ade: we had a deadline, but we don't worry about deadlines - we smoke too much. Dan: we smoke too much weed Ollie: and then we go "ah, ah, wait there - we gotta' do a song, hold on" Tom: I mean, wither and once was a rose, we didn't have much time for them and they were very under rehearsed when we went to go and record the album. But they've come out really well Ollie: My mom loves "once was a rose". she thinks... she thinks I'm an angel Chris: awww Me: bless Tom: top for the parents that is Ollie: I was loving that drum shit last night! Ade: I sucked last night playing that Tom: yeah? Ollie: oi oi, oi Ade: sucked Dan: In answer to the question - no we're not. Ollie: come on.. lets do the interview =large amount of random talk= Ade: and he went =gasps= Dan: ok, we didn't need to know that Ade: it was shit man Chris: we are fucking shit.. we are a fucking Farce, as we.. as it says right there. Me: oi Ade: people have actually said before - "it sucks dick" Tom: "whats ya band called?" - "farse" Chris: that guy on kerrang.... fuck you! Me: oo, that's on tape! Ollie: aye aye aye, they gave us a good review Dan: aye, shut up =laughter= =more random talk= Tom: it might be somebody else Ade: not that dude Ollie: is he? Ade: dunno Dan: oh yeah! Ollie: when his lady bought a t-shirt, when his girlfriend bought a t-shirt.. Chris: eat your words! Ollie: now he loves us Tom: oi oi, shut it. come on, next question, sorry Fran Me: that's okay. Five words.. Chris: she's run out of tape man Ade: what? is it running? Chris: =laughs= Dan: no.. it's still going. She will run out of tape though! Ollie: "say woh?" Five words each, describe a member of farse Ade: whas' that? Ollie: =laughs= "aye? say woh" Tom: "aye?" Dan: five words, describe a member Ollie: what, who... we describing each other? Me: yep Ollie: I'll describe Tom.. Tasty =laughter= Ollie: Tasty, Sexual, feels the flow... bad boy =laughs= Dan: I'll describe Ollie. Talks, too, much, on, stage =laughter= Chris: too many tattoo's =laughter= Dan: who you describing? Chris: no one.. =laughs= Ollie: don't describe me as well! =laughter= Ade: dick, head, knob, fuck, off =laughter= Dan: oi, shut up, who's next? Ollie: you gotta describe.. Tom Chris: ah fucking hell... I can't do it Ollie: ok, I'll describe him. Beautiful, Badger, Nashville, Texas, Tennessee =laughter= Dan: someones gotta do Ade Ollie: Ade - say wot? aye? Tom: aye? Chris: aye? Dan: =laughs= Ollie: Ade, Has, Hearing, Trouble, AYE? =laughter= Ade: everytime we play, I swear it gets worse. I'm like, what the fuck? I come out here and I couldn't even hear you when I came out! Me: wear ear plugs? Ollie: thats why he keeps going "aye, say wot, aye whas'that? aye" Ade: it's kinda like a habit now Ollie: anyway, next? Dan: sorry Fran Tom: we haven't done everyone yet Dan: yeah we have, everyones had a description Tom: ok, go on then Ade: no, chris hasn't had a description Tom: can't play bass Ollie: Get, out, of, bed, quuuiiiiick =laughter= Chris: Ade, is, gay, fuck, off =laughter= Tom: blonde, fucking, bitch, lesbian, gay =laughter= Dan: just talk Franceska... they'll listen Ollie: sorry cheska =laughter= Weirdest thing that has happened on tour so far? Chris: Ollie kissed Jaret from bowling for soup! =laughter= Ade: he got kissed on by Jaret from bowling for soup! Me: I'm jealous! Ollie: yeah, we exchanged toungs! ... He's got a wife! and he's having a baby Dan: yeah, he's not gay man.. they were just kissing Ollie: no no, what happened was.. right, he said " I wanna punch you in the face, mother fucker " and I said " Don't punch me in the face " and then he said " alright, you punch me in the face... mother fucker " and I said " I don't wanna' punch you in the face cos you gotta' do an MTV shoot tomorrow morning and you'll have a little black eye then wont ya? " and so then he said " give me some toung. " so then I said " well fuck you - yes! " All: and he gave him some toung Ollie: ha, and I gave him some toung! Then the band manager said "wheres my.... Dan: =laughs= shut up! Chris: Thats not the weirdest thing thats happened on tour - that was just an example Ollie: when we were with Lightyear, we went out dressed as witches and asked for peanuts in newport Dan: we did, yeah Chris: and someone (missed the name - chaz or neil no doubt) from Lightyear was on a seat naked... Tom: on the floor Ollie: and Dan rubbed his =laughter= Ollie: tha-tha-tha-thats a false accusation Chris: acka-acka-acka Ollie: tha-tha-tha Dan: Next question... =laughter= Me: pwra pwra pwra Ollie: pwrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrah! Jon Moon Ska: did you know this used to be a public toilet? Dan: yeah, I know man Ollie: Next question Me: what does it... Jon Moon Ska: s'excuse me Me: it say.. on your Jon Moon Ska: can I have these please? (holds up a packet of crisps - or something) Tom: yes you can Me: stomach Someone: we're gonna shoot off Dan: see ya soon Ollie: allright mate Somebody: brilliant Me: Bye Ollie: it says.. Jon Moon Ska: =takes dictaphone= Allo? allo allo allo, testing. Hello? Farse are gay, don't listen to anything that they're saying Ollie: it's not recording man Jon Moon Ska: yes it is you knob Ade: you what? Ollie: thats not going round Ade: yes it is Jon Moon Ska: look you knob! Ollie: oh yeah, it is going round. The UNITY tattoo comes from when me and Chris were like 18 and wanted to buy each other a birthday present so we bought each other unity tattoo's on our stomach Me: aww Chris: we did Ollie: and when we was 21 we bought ourselves elbow =kiss kiss kiss= stars Me: woww, does it shrivvel up when you go like that? ...... no it doesn't! Ollie: nope. it's all about present giving.. and love, and unity and peace.. Dan: he's also got a slipknot tattoo on his thigh =laughs= Ollie: I have. and I've also got my name on my ass Me: just incase you forget who's ass it is Chris: naked flesh Ollie: naked flesh... next question? What goes on while you're travelling from town to town? Ollie: what goes on while we're.... Ade: whats that? Ollie: haha! SAY WOT? What goes on while we're travelling from town to town Jon? Jon Moon Ska: well, if I'm there, then it's usually a really educational evening. We all sit down and discuss physics normally. Ollie: =laughs= Chris: repeat: we Jon Moon Ska: we Chris: have Jon Moon Ska: have Chris: a pee-pees ( apparently that means sleep ) =laughter= Jon Moon Ska: no, you're on your own there Ollie: Basically =takes dictaphone= when we go from town to town, we chill out, listen to some tunes, might have a little bit of uhhhh.. what we listening to today? A little bit of AC/DC, a little bit of instrumental somethinkarather a little bit of the hives.. a little bit of everything. We just have a listen of music and we all kiss and talk and.... ermmm, and then we starv for food - cos we don't get fed Chris: apart from tonight! Ollie: yeah, apart from tonight, that was mazin! Tom: Tunbridge wells rules shit man! Me: it does! Chris: when we were on tour with bowling for soup we had ONE meal in a week man, and we felt ill after it Ade: "it rules shit" - quote that! Ollie: and look, we got free baguettes left over! that rules Ade: it rules Ollie: so as I was saying =takes dictaphone again= when we go from town to town, we generally have a good time. Ade normally sleeps, Tom will have a little bit of a pei-pees. Chris sits up front and helps with directions and stuff. Dan will have a spliff... or ten. y'know.. Jon Moon Ska: =whacks Ollie with a french bread stick= Ollie: we'll get hit with a large french stick on the back.. and.. AND THERE'S A BREAD FIGHT! =laughs= Jon Moon Ska: ouch Ollie: oh, and Joe's just got hit back, and =laughs= I just got hit again, now Franceska's getting in on the act.. =burps= excuse me. Max: =comes in= If you don't want the bread, I'll fucking have it! Me: Jon started it Ollie: y'know what I mean? Do you not condone bread fighting in your venue? Max: no, I do not condone bread fighting in my venue. I payed for the bread, I bought the bread myself, SO if you do not want the bread - I will have the bread! =laughs= Ollie: wise words.. wise words from the sponsor there! wise words... =sits on sofa= Me: d'you like my stickers? (they're his) Ollie: I do like your stickers! =reads book= what've you written here?.. make singer roll his rrr's. aww, you wrote our questions down Dan: I'm sorry, I think we gotta go now man Me: ahh, no, I'm sorry. Ollie: no, we only gotta get some drinks and beer, don't worry. Where are we? First CD / record in your collection: Ollie: oh god, I think the first CD I ever bought is the worst CD in my collection, which was Cathy Dennis. I do apologise - I was only 12 when I bought it, but I really liked the Cathy Dennis song, and I felt I had to buy it. Chris: 1st CD I ever bought was Iron Maiden - Killers Jon Moon Ska: ahhh! that is a fucking wicked CD! Ollie: thats also a blagg, because that is not the 1st cd you ever bought. At least I admit with Cathy Dennis! =laughter= Ollie: do you know what I mean? Come on Tom, 1st CD you ever got.. Tom: 1st CD I ever got... Me: oh, hold on. I meant worst - sorry! Ollie: oh! worst cd I ever bought.. Tom: suffering in the sun by Belinda Carlisle probably Jon Moon Ska: oh no, thats alright Ade: I used to love that Chris: Uncle Brian - BBQ music, thats fucking horrible! =laughter= Me: Why does everyone hate Uncle Brian!!! Ollie: =laughs= that'll be moonska... that'll be moonska... Most embarrassing moment on stage? Ollie: well, we used to have a guitarist who ermmm, who's... his name is Tom and he ermm, drew a "T" on one side of his ass cheek and "M" on the other side and used his ass hole for the "O"... Me: =said nothing= Ollie:  and basically, that was the worst thing I've ever seen Tom: That wasn't me though! Ollie: no, that wasn't Tom whithouse, that was Tom Rhodes (Rose, Rows.. something like that) who now DJ's. look, I think your tapes stopped here.. Me: =looks= nope.. still going Ollie: ok, still going Me: But thank you very much for paying attention!! Ollie: No problem Me: good'o Ollie: =laughs= I'm looking Chris: so whats the interview for? Dan: How many more we got? Me: it's for a sort of fan zine.. on the internet. Ollie: about two or three more questions Chris: oh right, cool, whats it called? (I should really introduce it before actually doing the interview - I've learnt that now) Me: it's called "Catch The Pigeon" Ollie: =sings= Catch the pigeon, catch the pigeon =others join in= catch the pigeon, catch the pigeon.. Ollie: ooooo, yeaaahhh Me: =laughs= I think the words are actually "stop the pigeon"... Ollie: oh right, well I'm saying =sings again= catch the pigeon, stop the pigeon, catch the pigeon, stop the pigeon. Ade's a pigeon Me: oh! Plans for the near future? Ollie: our plans for the near future are... to... basically get out, gig as much as we possibly can, promote the new album and see where we go man. Try and like, become whatever we can man. just play to people -  if people like us, there will be more people at our next show and hopefully build on our little fan base and try and like, work things that way man, umm, thats the only was you can do it really.. cos' you're not gonna' get on MTV or anything like that and you're not gonna' fucking get on whatever... Very quick, last and most important question of all... Have you ever caught a pigeon? Ollie: I have caught a pigeon! He plays guitar in our band. We call Ade THE PIGEON actually... so, Me: wowwwww Ollie: yeahhh, Ade's name is pigeon, cos' he's like a pigeon Me: He even has the feathers! Ollie: He does have feathers, yes. It's a beautiful plume, if you like to say. Me: yes... Ollie: Thank you very much for the interview! Me: no, thank you! Ollie: would you like me to stop the tape? Me: I would, yeah. thanks Ollie: bye bye T*H*E E*N*D! Buy: Boxing clever Look at: Elbow star tattoos Visit: www.farse.co.uk / www.moonskaeurope.com