Hailing from Essex, the punk-trio took it up a notch last year as they released a succession of excellent singles to accompany their electric live reputation. Signed to the well-respected indie label, These Bloody Thieves, they aim to build upon this momentum with a debut album and further touring throughout 2019.
False Head's mean business, their no-nonsense brand of politically charged punk-rock is perfectly paired with a love of massive riffs akin to RATM or Muse which has already attached the attention of legends such as Iggy Pop, who once proclaimed "They are young and talented and going places... if they came to my town I'd show up for that, if they come to your town, you might wanna show up".
Before they embark on a mini-tour we caught up with Luke, Barney and Jake to discuss new releases, mainstream radio play and broken bones...
Q. Hi Guys, you’re about to head out on a short 3-date tour, luckily you're heading North. What makes Glasgow such a draw for bands like yourself?
It's just great people and a great crowd when you go there. Scotland is pretty well known for having great crowds when you play.
Q. For any music fans yet to come across FHs, describe yourselves in just 3 words?
Three Southern Fairies
Q. Last year you released one of our favourite EPs of recent times in “Less is Better” - it must be a nervous time for bands in the run up to releases, are you happy with how it was received?
Yes definitely. It's always a bit nerve-racking but we were in the middle of a huge long tour at that point so we didn't have that much time to think about it. And it was received brilliantly and gave us a great platform to move into the album.
Q. You’re clearly a band switched on with a social conscious, how do you feel music can play a part in today’s fragmented society?
I just think authentic music has to be made. We shouldn't worry about if people are going to be offended or if it fits in line with a certain media narrative because you just end up making art for someone else.
We need to stop watering everything down as well, make it as delicate, sad, angry or happy as you want that song to be, I hear so much fucking shit music that you can tell has been written to pander to someone or something.
And also I would love pop bands like Blossoms and The 1975 to stop being called indie rock or alternative. They aren't, they're pop bands which is fine, but we need an actual alternative as well.
I'm extremely bored of dull acts, like about 5 song writers passing off as alternative acts as well but everyone loves them because they're woke or whatever. Music should come first and I hope we're going to start putting that first again.
Q. Forming only 3 years ago, you’ve been fairly prolific with a steady release of singles and EPs, is 2019 the year were we see the debut album?
Yes it is. And you'll get the first taste of it by the end of March with the single ‘Slease.’
Q. Do you feel the current music scene is in rude health? Who are some of your favourite new bands at the moment?
Calva Louise, Gang, Strange Bones, Projector are some of my favourites. I would say it is in a good way at the minute. It'll only take a few of those to break through to change things up.
Q. Do emerging bands get enough coverage on major radio stations or publications? Or do they resort back to the “nostalgic classics” too often?
I think bands do get quite a lot of coverage on mainstream radio although I do think daytime radio is dreadful by and large, maybe bar Radio 6. But I think that's a problem, if daytime radio played even 2 smaller bands more often then breaking through would be easier, but they won't because of their advertising and all that shit and they're still really told what to do by major labels.
You're also right about older acts, I mean seriously why are the Courteneers played about 20 times a day? But they're are still presenters who really care and music and will push bands, even on major stations.
I think a big challenge is the internet as well. It's basically what you have to use to promote otherwise you're fucked but you have to spend money on it and it's completely saturated. I think a lot of artists struggle with that.
Q. Over the past 3 years, what have you found to be the biggest challenge?
Our biggest challenge has been starting again after stopping because of old managers and record labels trying to sue us haha, which really does happen at this stage, we have no money but people still do stuff like that. It's awful.
Q. You are developing an exciting live reputation, do you find it challenging when trying transfer that raw energy into the recording studio?
Yeah it is difficult. The producers we have used (Jonny Hucks and Matty Moon) are good at doing that for us. But yeah it's hard but it's also quite a good challenge to try and get a big full sounding record but not lose any of that energy.
Q. How did you find the festival experience at Croatia's Inmusic last Summer? Did you enjoy being out your comfort zone? or do you always feel at home on stage?
Ermmm it was incredible. Our first mainstage performance at a big festival and to be honest and once we got on there we felt at home.
I prefer being on bigger stages sometimes. I think our sound comes across well on bigger stages. But it was a great festival and show and yeah we felt at home.
Q. What has been the biggest bit of damage done to yourself or equipment during a gig?
Barney split his arm open on his snare when I jumped on him. I've smashed my guitar and broke my amp and I've pulled muscles and been bruised but no one has died yet so that's always a bonus.
Tour
Glasgow (19th), Manchester (20th) and London (21st) next week [Tickets]
New Music
22nd March - Slease
Comments