General Fiasco Interview
Irish rockers General Fiasco have been going from strength to strength recently, playing festivals and travelling around the country showcasing their talents. They have been offered many major support slots and they are starting the decade off in style, releasing their brand new single, debut album and headlining their own tour. ‘Buildings’ is due for release on Monday 22nd March 2010.
We managed to catch up with two thirds of the tired band, Owen Strathern (lead vocals and bass) and Stephen ‘Leaky’ Leacock (drums) before their headline show in Glasgow, King Tuts.
How’s this tour been for you guys so far?
Owen: So far it’s definitely been the best headline tour we’ve done around the UK. It’s slightly shorter than the rest of the tours we’ve done but the numbers have been great, the crowds been great and people seem to know the songs. I think it’ll be better when we get our album out so everybody will know the whole album. It’ll be more consistent through the set with people’s enthusiasm but it’s still nice whenever you play some of the singles and people go bananas. It’s definitely been the best so far.
What has been your greatest achievement as a band so far?
Stephen: Maybe just like being able to do this for so long, ’cause a lot of bands that started and were touring around the same time as we did haven’t been able to keep doing it as long. We were kinda fortunate, we’ve got good people and good fans that are really into this, that allows us to keep touring and keep going.
Owen: Even before we’ve got our record out, hopefully they’ll latch onto this and it’ll last a little bit longer.
Which of your songs do you think best portrays the band?
Owen: I think probably ‘Ever So Shy’ or ‘We Are The Foolish’ best portrays the album. What we are writing at the minute gets slightly more varied and stuff, so it’s harder to say if that’s exactly what the band is about at the minute, but definitely the first record ‘We Are The Foolish’ and ‘Ever So Shy’ is an indication of what we do but there’s also some lighter sounds. Well, not lighter but different sounding songs, like ‘Sinking Ships’ and ‘Buildings’ on the record. It sort of shows a little bit more of where we might end up, but who knows!
Stephen: Light and dark, different shades.
[laughter]
Owen: Different shades, indeed.
‘Ever So Shy’ is out at the moment, how would you describe this song for those who haven’t heard it?
Owen: It’s an upbeat pop-rock song.
Stephen: Guitar rock song.
Owen: It was melody based, it’s just about your friends and stuff and drinking with your friends and partying too much. Sort of needing alcohol to break down the barriers of communication between a boy and a girl, or a girl and a boy, or a girl and a girl, and a boy and a boy, whatever way you want to do it. But it’s just about people’s dependency on alcohol to have a good time and to relax and get into it. Also just something to do, people just drink for drinkings sake and they end up loosing weeks and days and months and years just partying too much, not really achieving anything so it’s kinda about that.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Stephen: Stereophonics in Union Chapel, there was something kinda special about that.
Owen I’m not a massive Stereophonics fan but they did an acoustic set, we sort of supported them at an acoustic show at the Chapel in London and they were amazing, every song they played was a hit and gave me goosebumps. Also Snow Patrol at the Odyssey (Belfast), there was something crazy about that.
Stephen: The time we went or the time we played with them?
Owen: The time we played with them was a lot better! [laughter] I’m sure there’s more…
Stephen: I can’t think of any gigs I’ve been to in these past months of the top of my head…
Owen: Yeah, we don’t really get to gigs that we aren’t playing at, just ’cause we are playing almost all the time. I’m having a real serious deja-vu here, it’s messed up.
[This, of course, results in everyone in the dressing room staring at the look of confusion on Owen’s face.]
Owen: It’s a pretty intense one. Right, sorry.
It’s okay, don’t worry!
If you could go on tour with any band no limits, who would it be and why?
Stephen: I’d go Foo Fighters.
Owen: I was gonna go Queen.
Stephen: Were you?!
Owen: Just ’cause there’s no limits…
Stephen: Oh yeah. The Beatles, they had big crowds when they were around.
Owen: Yeah they had big crowds.Weezer, I would love to go on tour with Weezer, or Jimmy Eat World or Foo Fighters.
Stephen: Kings Of Leon!
Owen: Yeah! Kings Of Leon. Loads and loads of bands really. Anybody!
Stephen: Anybody that will have us!
Who was your favourite band of the noughties?
Owen: I’m gonna go Kings Of Leon. The Strokes probably made a big impression at the start, but Kings Of Leon were consistent for me anyway. Death Cab For Cutie as well. Between Kings Of Leon and Death Cab For Cutie.
Who do you predict will be big this decade?
Stephen: More electronic female artists.
Owen: I think it’s nice to see some bands from Northern Ireland stepping it up and sort of getting bigger. I think Two Door Cinema Club and So I Watch You From Afar. I’m gonna say Northern Irish bands are gonna be big bands in the next decade just to show them a bit of support!
Click here to check out the band’s MySpace.