A while ago we interviewed Daniel of the UK band Father of Boon. We asked about the future of the band, and Daniel, the band’s guitarist replied: “We’ve been going for a long time now, so we’ll see… haha”. And we have seen, ’cause they broke up. But hey, we have the interview, we might as well post it. About the band, combining being in a touring band with a normal life, Fugazi, and much more..
Pinnacle Magazine:
So. who are you?
Daniel:
I’m Daniel, guitarist/vocalist of Father Of Boon!
Pinnacle Magazine:
OK, so, what kind of band is Father of Boon?
Daniel:
A strange art/punk shout-type band I guess…
Pinnacle Magazine:
what makes father of boon, father of boon?
Daniel:
A lot of different ideas and the fact that everyone has input .
There’s no real main songwriter, because of this it can take a while to get stuff finished and written,
but it makes us kind of unique I think
Pinnacle Magazine:
One thing about FoB that stands out from the crowd is that the vocals are often more talking than singing, sometimes even plain rapping. is there a reason why you chose this style?
Daniel:
None of us wanted to sing initially, we used to play a lot of instrumental stuff, and then we wrote a song called ‘last thing I broke’ and me and Remy (bass player) started doing this intertwining spoken word thing, and it just went from there.
Pinnacle Magazine:
Do you think there will be drastic changes of the musical style of the band in the future,
or are you pretty settled in?
Daniel:
Maybe, I’m a lot more comfortable with singing now, but we have a certain sound I think!
Pinnacle Magazine:
And you want to keep that sound?
Daniel:
I think so, but it’s not like we talk about it.
We start playing and just see what happens.
Over the years the sound has got more focussed i guess, shorter songs and more strange changes,
but it’s not like we planned it.
Pinnacle Magazine:
What is the ultimate goal of father of boon?
Daniel:
Don’t know really. We’ve talked to a lot of labels in the past and nothing has come of it so we’re not like “we want to make it” and all that. Just to keep enjoying it really.
Sound a bit cliché, but that’s the only reason we do it.
And to play some shows abroad US, Europe etc…
And to get a guitar that works!!
Pinnacle Magazine:
haha, what wrong with it than?
Daniel:
Just cuts in and out sometimes
Annoying
Pinnacle Magazine:
Are there any plans for touring the Netherlands?
Daniel:
Love to, but it’s difficult.
We all have full-time jobs, and I have a daughter as well. one day we’d love to though.
Pinnacle Magazine:
How do you combine that all?
Daniel:
With great difficulty!! Hahahaha. But I think if you want to do something enough, you manage to fit it in, no matter what it is.
Pinnacle Magazine:
The underground/alternative music has seen a couple of revolutions, first and second wave of punk, the underground of the eighties, the big breakthrough of alternative in the nineties, but some veterans, like roger miller of mission of burma, don’t see anything like that happening now.
What is your opinion, is there a underground revolution coming or are we not even close?
Daniel:
I think there’s always great underground music.. I think with the internet, kids don’t need to rely on local scenes so much any more.
They can go online and hear bands from the other side of the world.
Things have definitely become less localised as a result.
If that makes sense.
I’m not sure we’ll ever see anything like new wave or punk again… but that’s the beauty of it.
When it happens, it happens out of nothing!!
Pinnacle Magazine:
So if it’s going to happen, we won’t see it coming?
Daniel:
Maybe not, or maybe I won’t!! hahaha.
There’s a lot of great weird folk music right now, but that’s too quiet to be a proper revolution!
I think that these days the minute any bands start creating a bit of a buzz, the major labels are all over them.
Bands don’t have as much time to develop at their own pace…
They get eaten up too early…
Pinnacle Magazine:
So easy access to bands around the world has pro’s but also big con’s?
Daniel:
I think so. A lot of bands are getting signed early and assimilated into the marketing machine without having time to develop their sound.
With the internet etc…, kids can be influenced by bands from all over the place, not just the bands in their town. i think there’s less of a thing where a certain sound is associated with a certain town/area
I sound really old don’t i!!!
Pinnacle Magazine:
Did the internet have a lot of influence on your success?
Daniel:
We’re seeing quite a lot of action on Myspace now, but not really.
We were touring before we had a Myspace page… kind of a word of mouth thing really.
Pinnacle Magazine:
Oldskool
Daniel:
I guess
Pinnacle Magazine:
which band would you like to tour with, dead or alive, or artist
Daniel:
Wesley Willis, captain beefheart, cap’n jazz… so many, zappa, fugazi, rites of spring, black flag
sun ra, public enemy hahaha… could go on all night!!
Daniel:
I think collectively fugazi are boon’s favourite band, so progressive and imaginative,
and unafraid to change.
Pinnacle Magazine:
Exactly, look at who Ian was, ‘king’ of hardcore, and now he is in the evens, what a difference
Still just as much power though
Daniel:
Definitely. I respect him immensely
Pinnacle Magazine:
The whole band kicks ass, big fan of Guy Picciotto too, and his stunts on stage
Daniel:
Guy is a really under-rated guitar player I think.
Pinnacle Magazine:
Hanging upside down from a basket hoop n stuff haha, backflip here, handstand there
…the stuff he comes up with…
Daniel:
Yeah! during ‘glue man’ in ‘instrument’. That was amazing.
Pinnacle Magazine:
The second glue man too
He gives the impression he’s the one on glue haha
So fucking intense
Anyway, what are the plans of father of boon for the future?
Daniel:
Maybe do another record, and keep on developing.
But we’ve been going for a long time now, so we’ll see… haha.
Pinnacle Magazine:
All right, any advice for the readers?
Daniel:
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. And always carry a toothbrush.
Pinnacle Magazine:
haha, all right, thanks a lot for this interview and good luck in the near and distant future
Daniel:
Thank you! Good luck with the magazine and your hundreds of bands!!
Pinnacle Magazine:
Thanks!
Daniel:
check out my other band at www.myspace.com/darkcaptain Kind of more chilled, folky stuff.
