The Cribs Online

Cribmas DVD Complete Tracklisting

December 15th sees the release of this highly anticipated, limited edition triple DVD set.

Filmed across three nights last Xmas (CRIBSMAS!) at The Brudenell Social Club in Leeds, it features live renditions of every Cribs song ever recorded (some of which have not ever been released).
It also includes behind the scenes footage and interviews with Johnny Marr and Alex Kapranos amongst many other people from the world of The Cribs.
Pre-order the DVD from Townsend and you will receive the original "Don't You Wanna Be Relevant" video as well as "Hey Scenesters! (Live at The Brudenell Social Club)" as a taster ahead of the DVD's release.

Tracklist:
DISC ONE
Main set
01. The Watch Trick
02. You Were Always The One
03. The Lights Went Out
04. You & I
05. Things You Should Be Knowing
06. Another Number
07. What About Me
08. Learning How To Fight
09. Tri'Elle
10. Baby Don't Sweat
11. Direction
12. Third Outing

Bonus set
01. On The Floor
02. Death To The Dead Bodies
03. Feelin' It!
04. I Gotta Go To L.A.
05. Song From Practice 1

DISC TWO
Main set
01. Hey Scenesters!
02. I'm Alright Me
03. Martell
04. Mirror Kissers
05. We Can No Longer Cheat You
06. It Was Only Love
07. The New Fellas
08. Hello? Oh...
09. The Wrong Way To Be
10. Haunted
11. Things Aren't Gonna Change

Bonus set
1. Happy's Just A State Of Mind And A State Of Mind Is Just Electrical Impulses
2. You're Gonna Lose Us
3. It Happened So Fast
4. North Of England
5. I'm Still Blaming You
6. Saturday Night Facts Of Life
7. To Jackson
8. I Was Her Man But I Done Her Wrong
9. Advice From A Roving Artist

DISC THREE
Main set
1. Our Bovine Public
2. Girls Like Mystery
3. Men's Needs
4. Moving Pictures
5. I'm A Realist
6. Major’s Titling Victory
7. Women's Needs
8. I've Tried Everything
9. My Life Flashed Before My Eyes
10. Be Safe
11. Ancient History
12. Shoot The Poets
13. Don't You Wanna Be Relevant?

Bonus set
1. Kind Words From The Broken Hearted
2. Fairer Sex
3. Tonight
4. My Adolescent Dreams
5. Run A Mile
6. Get Yr Hands Out Of My Grave
7. Bastards Of Young

These concerts were in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Please make a donation.
www.justgiving.com/cft
www.cftrust.org.uk

Archive Contents

Pre-2009 interviews

Rock Review Int. (09/05)

Inter FM (Tokyo 10.07)

Cribsmas DVD Tracklists

Brig Interview (12/05)

NME Muffgate article (08)

YEP Interview (11/07)

Vibe.net translation

Ross emails from Japan

Christmas interview 07

Christmas Interview with Ryan

By John Earls, December 2007

Do you enjoy Christmas?
It's a nice time of year, forgetting about all your hassles and being with people you love. It's a good thing to look forward to, to get you through the winter. It's basically a good party that lasts for a few days.

What do you want for Christmas?
I really need to have a proper think about that, I haven't given anyone any ideas. I like handmade gifts, so if anyone goes to that trouble I'm happy.

What was your best ever present?
The best one I've had in recent times was for my last birthday, rather than Christmas, and that was a handmade gift - my girlfriend made me a box and put loads of great things inside. It was really, really nice.

What about a worst present?
(Asks his brother, guitarist Gary). Oh yeah, the big rubber witch. That was an all-round hassle. As soon as I got it, I put it in a box and forgot about it.

How good a present buyer are you?
I try to be thoughtful, but being on the road all the time, I'm less good than I was. I never get chance to go Christmas shopping and we're gigging until Thursday. So it's going to be a mad dash again. But when I get time, I'm pretty good at getting inventive ones rather than just electrical items.

What's your favourite Christmas song?
They're all a little bit gross. Would The Cribs do one? God, no, never.

When did you stop believing in Santa?
I always knew it was rubbish. I hadn't twigged it was my parents until I was eight or so, but even before then it was obviously rubbish.

What's the secret of a good Christmas party?

You need everyone in hats. If one person is wearing them, everyone else is. I'm always the last person to take the hat off, I don't want to be the one to kill the party spirit. And Bailey's is always good at Christmas.

Who do you want under the mistletoe?
My girlfriend. She's coming to stay with me for a few days and no way am I getting into trouble falling for that one. I don't want anyone else anyway.

What are you doing on New Year's Eve?
There's always an argument and people getting off with people they shouldn't, so I'll try to do something that involves staying in, as boring as that sounds. I've had enough eventful New Years' Eves to last me a lifetime.

What was your best New Year's Eve?
Last year was pretty good, actually. It's going to sound pathetic, but I booked a hotel room in Wakefield where I live anyway. I filled the bath with cold water, put in as many bottles of white wine as I could and sat in on my own, drinking and watching TV. Sounds really depressing, but it was great.

Any New Year's resolutions?
I never make them, and I'm not going to break the habit of a lifetime now.

Yorkshire Evening Post Interview Nov 07



"I have wanted to do some gigs for a while to support the Cystic Fibrosis charity because I know people who have it", says Cribs frontman Ryan Jarman on the band's upcoming series of charity gigs in Leeds over the yuletide period. The Three Days of Cribsmas will see the Wakefield band perform consecutive gigs at the Brudenell Social Club in Hyde Park on Wednesday, December 19 to Friday, December 21. Each of the special shows will be dedicated to one album from The Cribs back catalogue. The first gig will see the group perform The Cribs in full as well as other tracks from that era, while gig two sees them focus on The New Fellas and tunes from that period.The final concert will see the band perform Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever in full as well as b-sides and bonus tracks from this year. "Apparently it sold out in under a minute. That to me is pretty cool. We knew we were going to do it at the Brudenell Social Club just because that's my favourite venue in Leeds. I like the people who run it and some of the best bands I've seen were there. It was a natural choice." Ryan adds: "We wanted to do all three albums. I noticed through message boards and various websites that a lot of songs that people want to see us play at gigs is stuff from the earlier albums or more obscure b-sides. It's the stuff we don't get a chance to play on tour for one reason or another as they don't fit into the set. "We intend to play every single song we have ever written over three nights and make the gigs Christmas parties if you know what I mean. "I am going to be based in Leeds for a few days over Christmas so I thought often end up trying to find nights out so i thought the best thing to do would be to put on three nights that are going to be as good as we can be." The Cribs have also just been confirmed as only support at The Sex Pistols London reunion shows. "It is really exciting for us. To me growing up, the Sex Pistols were one of the most influential bands," reflects Ryan. "They are the quintessential British punk band. The attitude and ethics that go along with it is something which completely shaped my life. To be able to play with a band that is that important to you is obviously really a big honour. It is so cool." "I had a feeling we were going to be offered it as a couple of the Sex Pistols had already expressed an interest in having us play it." He adds: "I am really excited the Pistols are coming back especially at this time as i have never seen them play before. And at a time when indie music has become very mainstream. It is exciting to be part of it and on the bill." The band have just released their brand new aa-sided single 'Don't You Wanna Be Relevant?' and 'Our Bovine Public'. "You know there is a big trend for people doing re-releases these days. And releasing singles, like so many off the album just to keep advertising the album. That's not the reason why we do it. We only release singles because we want to release the songs. "I am glad to be doing our own thing rather than following the trend of releasing endless singles. "And its nice to be writing and recording new stuff all the time." Thanks to Emma B for transcript.

Interview on Tokyo's Inter FM

25th October 2007

Gary &Ryan appeared on the Yuriko Okamura Show on Tokyo's Inter FM. Ryan explained that Ross was sleeping.

Yuriko Okamura : (After playing 'Shoot The Poets') Beautiful! October 20th is your birthday, Happy Birthday! How old are you? How did you spend your birthday?

Gary : We're 27.

Ryan : We were spending it on the plane.We were on our way to Japan.

Yuriko : What do you want as birthday presents?

Gary : The moon

Ryan : A new jacket. The jacket I'm wearing is torn.

Yuriko : Gary seems so tired. Are you tired?

Gary : Yeah, I couldn't sleep well because of jet lag. But on stage, I did my best.Yesterday I slept well , I had about 5 hours. I'll do a good show tonight.

Yuriko : Ryan, what happened your pink belt?

Ryan : I lost it in Liverpool. Now I wear a red one. I'm looking for a nice pink one though.

Thanks to Akiko for transcribing this!

Ross emails from Japan

ALRIGHT EVERYONE

I write this message to you all jet lagged. We are currently in Japan, and the shows have been going great, but I always find the time difference more difficult going east. The fans out here are amazing, they bring gifts and hand made cards to the shows, and make us feel really welcome. I got a really cool key ring today.

We got the bullet train earlier from Osaka to Nagoya, I was a little disappointed though, as it wasn't as fast as I was expecting. Using the term bullet in the name got my hopes up too much.

Anyways just mailing you all to remind you that the new single is out on MONDAY!.

Remember, the only place you can get the new song - "Don't You Wanna Be Relevant" - is on this new release, as we hadn't written it when we were recording the album. There are also two other brand new songs on there too that we recorded at Edwyn Collins' studio.

Also, because we have been in Japan, we couldn't do any in stores this time around, so we have signed 500 copies for the first people who order, which took me ages!

Anyways, here is the link"

Order now »

Hope to see you all soon.
Ross.x

'Muffgate' - The Inside Story

As any Cribs fan is probably aware, Ryan took the law of gallantry into his own hands at a September 10th performance by his girlfriend Kate Nash. A drunken knob (go ahead and sue us buddy, we dare you) yelled 'Get your muff out' at Kate during her set, only for Ryan to hurl a pint glass at his head. Luckily it missed but the point was made. Anyhow, here's how Ryan tells it to the NME

Ryan : 'I was buying a pint for me and Kate's manager when that guy shouted 'Get your muff out' at Kate. While the barmaid was pouring the beer into my glass I was thinking 'I know where this pint is going'.

'I missed but I wasn't trying to glass anyone, I was making a point, Because it was Kate it was personal, but I would have done the same if it had been another female performer. He was bringing her down to the level of a piece of meat and it infuriated me.

The guy wouldn't talk to me outside but his girlfriend did. She said that girls should expect stuff like that. I couldn't believe a woman was saying that. But after five minutes she agreed that her boyfriend was a dickhead.

I think sexism today is a big problem and it's often tolerated, especially at gigs. But it's the equivalent of racist abuse and people should stand up to it - that's what I was trying to do. Now that guy has been shown up in NME as being a misogynist prick. I'd throw a pint again, without a shadow of a doubt, but I'd hope not to have to.'

Rock Review Interview

This has been recently deleted from Rock Review's files but we have dug it out and dusted it off for you....

Date - 18 September 2005

Three brothers are quietly preparing for their gig tonight in Coventry's Colosseum. Ryan, Gary and Ross Jarman, the genetic make up of Wakefield's organically grown band The Cribs as they are more widely known, are relaxing backstage. Their gruelling tour schedule has taken its toll on drummer Ross the youngest of the trio who is feeling under the weather this afternoon, but singers Ryan and Gary are looking forward to tonight's show with much anticipation, as Ryan enthuses:

“It's the biggest tour that we've done so far. All the dates have sold out this tour, so it's really good. ”

The Cribs signed to Indie label Wichita Recordings (home to Bloc Party, Bright Eyes, Desaparacidos and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at one point) in 2002, early on in their career and life for them has been dominated by touring ever since, building up a devoted fan base, which has been a contributing factor to their gradual ascension.

2005 has seen the band finally getting a strong hold on the scene, with the success of singles such as: Mirror Kisses and Hey Scenesters, taken from their ironically titled second album The New Fellas:

“We've just toured that much that most of the people at the gigs now have got into us by seeing us live which is the best way to get into a band. They haven't got into us because they've seen full page adverts in magazines, it's because they've seen us live and met us.

I think a lot of the barriers between fans and bands have been broken down to such a point nowadays. ”

The band's hard efforts to entertain their fans is noticable on stage. Gary can often be seen doing gymnastic displays on his bass, amongst shared vocals with Ryan. It's a rare sight to find anyone stood still at a Cribs' gig and there have been times when members of the crowd and the band themselves have sustained injuries through having a good time.

Their recent show in Edinburgh resulted in chaos after fans tried to invade the stage, which collapsed under the strain and the band were forced to bring the show to an abrupt halt in concern for the safety of their fans, as Ryan explains:

“It got proper fucked up, I can remember people in the audience started fainting and people were getting dragged out, because it were really hot.

As the security guards were pulling people out they were taking the opportunity to get on stage. All of a sudden the security were fighting with them and the stage collapsed, fortunately it was the last song anyway.

I don't like stuff like that happening because I don't want anyone to get hurt. ”

During some of The Cribs performances Ryan's mouth occasionally bleeds due to friction with the mic while singing. This ongoing complaint originated from a show in Europe where a crowd surfer collided with the mic stand, badly injuring Ryan and chipping his teeth, but he bears no grudge:

“It were pretty nasty but I don't blame anyone for it. ”

The Cribs' northern background is made blatant by their thick accents, upon reflection of how they came to exist as a band the emphasis is on a natural progression rather than something forced which is noticeable in some of their contemporaries.

The band receive a lot of support from their family as well as from locals in their hometown, but images of stereotype jolly families such as The Walton's, and musically sweet siblings such as The Magic Numbers and The Kings Of Leon soon vanish as the band quickly dissociate themselves from these happy examples:

“It's not like the fucking Sound Of Music at our house. The main reason that we started a band is for artistic release. We lived in Wakefield and there were nowt going on so obviously you do have feelings of disillusionment with everything. Every timewe used to walk down the road with guitars, we'd get heckled or twatted sometimes, so that makes you want to be in a band more.”

The Cribs found solace in punk and later became influenced by the attitudes of 'Riot Grrl' bands, and although their own blend of harmonious vocals and punk riffs are very different to their peers, their attitudes and stage antics pay homage to the early punk scene bands such as: The Ramones, The Stooges and The Sex Pistols as Ryan explains:

“We were always more influenced by the attitudes of bands rather than the music. We grew up on punk and after that we got into pop underground stuff from America. The attitude was just so non-conformist, that's what I like. ”

The Cribs do not take much interest in contemporary bands. Bassist Gary expresses a distaste for the bands at the forefront of the current Indie scene:

“I think since Indie's become like chart music again its started killing it really. Bands aren't looking to do anything remotely subversive anymore, bands are looking for the chart, pop hit. I can understand why that's happening but I just think it's not good for the way bands are developing at all. ”

Some of the band's The Crib's were first grouped together with in the early days of their career have since multiplied in their popularity, catapulting an assault on the music industry while The Cribs experienced a longer and slower paced rise in awareness.

Far from feeling left behind The Cribs feel in a privileged position, they offer a genuine appreciation for their following and emphasise the advantages they have over some of the other bands, as Ryan explains:

“We've always felt like under dogs, but that's a cool position to be in because it makes you work harder and angrier. A lot of bands that have overtaken us, it's generally been down to more money being put behind them and favours called in through record companies, I'd be utterly ashamed if that's how we'd done it.

We've got a much better chance of longevity because we haven't been rammed down people throats, we have slowly started to seep into peoples consciousness even through other bands saying they're influenced by us.

I think its a lot better to be respected than to be famous. At least we can escape with some form of dignity through it all, it's not like we have ever had a TV advert and it's not like we ever will do. ”

It is the corrupt people that the band have come across in the music industry that bare the brunt of their anger, exposed in the ridiculing and satirical lyrics of songs such as: I'm Alright Me, Hey Scenesters and the latest single Martell on their latest album. The band put the contents down to the environment the album was composed in:

“ The album was written on the road, we seemed to draw experiences from being discontent. Maybe if we met a couple of people that we didn't particularly get on with that gives us more muse to write a song. It's more sarcastic than maliciousness, it's just how things are.

With us being on an indie label sometimes its hard to watch shitty bands get big just because they've got so much money behind them.

I do like having good relationships with the fans, them not seeing us as being big rock stars, but you do meet a lot of people that take the piss. It's good to have a swipe at all these people and it's good to have a swipe at all the hangers on. ”

The Cribs have experienced success in Europe and Japan, a far cry from their days of working in a toilet roll factory. They describe the Japanese fans' enthusiasm at their gigs as “ totally crazy but in a polite way ” . The band are also generating interest in America which Gary enthuses over:

“We've been out there for two tours and the crowds have been really into us, we've done some headline gigs where we've been getting loads of people in and selling some of them out. ”

American fans have been responsive to the punk qualities of The Cribs as Ryan adds:

“A lot of bands that are coming out of England that are doing well in America don't have the same attitude as us They see us as a proper punk band over there which is really good, I like the fact that's what they can relate to with us.. ”

When asked about possible future collaborators and what they are turning their attention to next, The Cribs are reluctant to make plans and instead opt for spontaneity and concentrating on the present, as Ryan explains:

“We've done a lot of stuff that we wanted to do, we've worked with Edwyn (Collins) and we've always been influenced by him, we really admired his attitude and we worked with Bobby Conn in the early days.

We're not really making any plans for the future because it would totally ruin the point of being in a band, we adopt a really fatalist attitude to being in a band. If everything went tits' up tomorrow and we split up then thats just an ending, an ending of a band is one of the most important parts. We don't want to go on forever, I don't know what's going to happen, I'm not worried about it I'm more concerned about the now. ”

Brig Interview - 13.12.05

Interview by Thomas Meek

The Cribs are one of the leading lights of Northern England’s booming music scene, and as a hectic year of touring with the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and Maximo Park ends, Brig managed to catch up with singer and guitarist, Ryan, just before their riotous set at Glasgow QMU to discuss being in a band with his brothers, being the 13th coolest man in music and mirror balls.

Brig - How have your previous gigs in Scotland been?

Ryan - We’ve played here a few times. Every time we play is a well good gig. I can’t wait for it. Gigs in Glasgow are by their very nature, always a lot more fun.

Brig - How’s the tour been so far?

Ryan - It’s only a three date tour. London was fucking crazy, Leeds was fucking crazy, but I know this one will be the best. They’ve totally sorted us out on this tour, they’ve made the stage look really tacky and cheesy, we’ve brought out a glittery curtain and mirror balls and play 80s music throughout the night, it’s like a school disco. It’s going to be a really good night.

Brig - It’s been a pretty good year for you guys. How do you think 2005 has gone for The Cribs?

Ryan - We’ve worked a lot. Way we’ve worked, when we first started we had the choice to sign to a major label, but we didn’t. We didn’t have any money to advertise or anything, so we’ve just been touring constantly. We’ve got a hardcore fan base now. We’re pleased it’s gone so well this year. Done it without advertising, only had a couple for the singles cos we don’t have any money. We’ve been told we’ve sold as many albums as bands ten times the size of us. We’ll probably start on another album probably over Christmas. We’ve already written a few songs. Looking forward to next year and hope it carries on. it’s been a gradual kind of thing with us as opposed to some bands. I’m more pleased it has been like that. we’ve got people who’ve been with the band for 3 years. They’re more devoted than fans of bands who’ve got big off the back of two singles or whatever.

Brig - You’ve had good critical success as well, like The New Fellas coming 11th in NME‘s top 50 albums of the year.

Ryan - Yeah. It’s been quite nice. NME is the magazine people listen to at the end of the day. SO I’m glad they understood us. Even though it’s not been commercially the biggest album, but the fact it beat the likes of Coldplay and Oasis, it’s nice they understand what we’re trying to do.

Brig - What did you think about coming 13th on their Cool List?

Ryan - That were funny. The whole context of that is really bizarre. After it first happened everyone was like “you’re on the cool list, I bet you’re well pleased” and I was like well I’m not really. I was never really that bothered. The bizarre thing about it, I think is that all the thing about The New Fellas is that you don’t have to be cool, fuck all that, it’s all bullshit. It’s weird how saying that has made me the 13th coolest person. It’s just weird. The whole concept of cool is weird. It’s just a bit of fun really, but it’s nice to be recognised in some ways. Maybe not being cool, but at least being interesting.

Brig - You’re not a band that goes for the whole fancy suits and tie look. Is that important, keeping your image down to earth?

Ryan - I am fucked for clothes at the moment. We did this gig at ULU in London, and I got this new t-shirt for my birthday form some girl. People bring clothes for me to gigs. I can’t shop for clothes. If I go shopping, I’ll stand around and fuck about. Someone gave me this the other night [points to t-shirt currently wearing], I really like this. But someone gave me this t-shirt for my birthday and I proper loved it, but that night at the ULU, it was a couple of nights later, I had my trousers ripped off, I had my t-shirt ripped off. And since that happened, NME printed a photo of it happening, and now at every single gig we do, people just come and try and pull my t-shirt off, and that’s I get all these bruises [his upper arms are completely black and blue]. I’m getting really stressed out now. I’m going to have to start wearing that I don’t like whatsoever on stage, or am going to have to depend more than ever on hand me downs. I’m sure people will bring more. Someone brought me one tonight. As long as that ratio continues - at every gig someone brings me a t-shirt - then people can rip them off me if they want.

Brig - You’re one of a number of great new bands from the north of England. Are you proud of this new wave of Northern acts?

Ryan - It’s a weird situation. In a lot of ways I am proud, I think anything that takes the spotlight off of London for a while is a good thing. In London there’s a lot of crosskicking going on, I’ve seen it. Cos all the bands, record companies and journalists drink in the same kind of place really. Anything that comes out of London can’t fully be trusted. A lot of bands in the north are just doing it for fun, because they love it. I do like it in that way. But, when we first got signed, we were from Wakefield, and we played in Leeds and we received a lot of hostility, there was a lot of “I can’t believe there’s a band from Leeds got singed and we don’t even know them,” and all that kind of shit. But now, since Leeds has started doing really well with the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, everyone’s like Leeds has got it so good, but we got so much fucking shit in the early days that I find it really hard to swallow. But I am.. I hate to use the term New Yorkshire, but in some ways I am proud of the fact that there are some good northern bands around. I mean Arctic Monkeys are one of the biggest bands in the country and it just shows that you don’t need to be in London, you don’t need to be on a major label, you don’t need to be kissing arse to be successful, and I think that’s definitely a good thing.

Brig - You’ve had both Bernard Butler and Edwyn Collins producing your records. What was it like working with such esteemed figures of the music industry?

Ryan - It was amazing like. We were working with Edwyn for 3 months, it was just before he got ill. In some ways it was better fun than being on tour. We were just spending all day making this album for 3 months, and everyone said to me “Whatever you do, don’t go on the piss with Edwyn cos he used to be an alcoholic and he can drink alright,” so the first thing we did was get him pissed to see what happened, and from then on it was a really good vibe in the studio. Every day everyone just had a laugh, we did most of the recording on the night when everyone was loosened up and getting pissed. It wasn’t like making a record, it was more like everyone just having fun. We had to tell our record company that it wasn’t finished and we needed more time cos we were just dragging our feet. And Bernard was friends with Edwyn, so when Edwyn got ill and we needed to record another song, we’d already met him already and he was like “Alright, I’ll do it.” We recorded in the same studio with the same people, but obviously Edwyn wasn’t there. It was all kind of the same. We weren’t in the studio with a face like a smacked arse that don’t care about what he’s doing, you’re just down there having a laugh. I think that’s why the record has a kind of laid back vibe cos we were juts having a laugh. It was really really good.

Brig - Your music has elements of pop, punk, indie and rock ‘n’ roll in it. You must have some pretty wide influences growing up.

Ryan - When we were growing up, our mum were into The Beatles and that so that’s what we got into. When we became teenagers we got into punk and it was all Sex Pistols and Ramones and stuff like that. We started messing about playing together cos we had nothing better to do. The good thing about punk was, we had instruments but we couldn’t play them, and for punk you didn’t really need to know that much. We’ve still got tapes at home of just playing Ramones songs on our bedroom before our voices had even broken. After that we got into stuff like all the cool rock star stuff like Sonic Youth. We’ve started doing alright in America now, and Sonic Youth have said they’d be up for working with us. That’s just crazy. You really can’t get cooler than working with Sonic Youth so am really hoping that that works out.

Brig - I’ve read that you all started playing together before you were even 10.

Ryan - That’s been kind of exaggerated. That was the first time we played together. But we’d just made a drum kit out of one snare drum and biscuit tin lids. It was just a laugh - we were just twatting about at a party. We did start actually playing properly when we was about 12 or 13. I don’t even know when I went through puberty but it was about the time that we started playing together. And we was well young. It didn’t get serious till about 2001, we had written some songs and we just thought “Should we record these somewhere?” We originally thought they sounded really good. We got offered deals before we had gigs. It was at the time of the rise of The Strokes and The White Stripes and record companies were looking for something different, but we’d being doing that stuff for years. We sent our demo off to get one gig, but instead of getting a gig we just got record companies ringing us up. I went thorough this phase when we were at college, but we never bothered going, and I started saying I’m not going to set an alarm clock in the morning cos at 9 o’clock another record company would phone us up and they actually did for 2 weeks. So that’s how it all started properly happening and we thought we’d better start practising now.

Brig - Have any of you been a bands without your brothers?

Ryan - We were in other bands at college and that, but we didn’t like playing with other people. It don’t matter how well you get on with someone, well maybe, I don’t know, but there’s always the chance that they could come in and go “You heard the new Chilli Peppers’ album” or whatever, and you’d be like “alright, fuck off.” It’s good cos we’re into exactly the same kind of music, and there’s no egos in the band at all.

Brig - Bands with siblings are notorious for arguments. How often do you guys argue?

Ryan - It’s weird. We didn’t used to, but maybe a bit more now we’re getting more professional. They literally last two seconds though. We have an argument and then just forget about them. Even the big ones only last about an hour. It’s really no big deal.

Brig - The second album was a bit of a progression from your more poppy debut. There was more of an edge and songs like “Hey Scenesters” were a bit more cutting lyrically, criticising false and shallow people. Was this a conscious move?

Ryan - It wasn’t exactly conscious. It was more a natural sort of progression. The first album, everything was different back then. We’d never really left Wakefield, and we just recorded the songs and everything was all sunshine. Then we started going on tour around different cities and we started drinking a lot more. The first places we went to after Wakefield was these big cities. We were playing these indie nights up and down the country and it was almost like being in a schoolyard with the cool kids in their fancy clothes and with their expensive hair cuts, and it was just fucked up. I’ve noticed that NME are using ‘Scenesters’ a lot now to describe those sort of kids and I found that quite interesting.

Brig - Do you have a word of advice for any up and coming acts out there?

Ryan - Well don’t let…

Brig - I said 'A' word.

Ryan - Dignity.

Vibe.net interview translated

This is translated from Japanese in a very slapdash manner, and I've posted it here only because it's funny that Gary's name comes out translated as Gay Lee and Ross as, you've guessed it....Loss. The original Japanese version is linked to here.

The twins of the English graduate (Gay Lee) with that younger brother (Loss) the guitar band by 3 people. In 2004 from the Wichita label it carries out also visiting Japan with album *debut, and summer sonic 04. Even here in Japan the pop grasps the heart of the music listener sweetly with melody. Furthermore, they reach the point where high appraisal is obtained, finally carry out independent visit of Japan performance at the second which becomes sale in 2005. With the latest visiting Japan it served also the front act of visiting Japan performance of the kayzer, but story was effective, also eulogy from the other musicians does not become extinct, in them where such as the musician of the new generation is said including that kayzer.

	It becomes Japan ever since summer sonic 04, but is Japan of the winter how?
Gay Lee :	Don't you think? It is cold enormously. When summer coming, however you think it is muggy enormously.
Loss :	However the English think it is cold, because the snow does not fall easily, don't you think? it is good to be able to enjoy snowscape.
	Last year the 2nd album ' the new fellas' was sold. The debut album ' the cribs' as for good melody that way, from tune becomes the pop, the better seed. It probably is to reflect that and the echo from the listener intentionally?
Gay Lee:	Inquiring about my and others music, don't you think? as for the audience enjoying however it is a forcing thing enormously, because it makes those which by its can enjoy first. The 2nd became such shape, as the result it is is.
	Basic the tune making with 3?
Ryan:	But as for present 2 albums, those which are completed with jam session process as for the next time having intended to do the approach which is different. Simply because also the unanticipated sound which is produced with improvisation, to be enormous even important is, that thinks we would like to keep making important.
Gay Lee:	In London, the latter half with improvisation, as for me shouting, the how time oh the shelf. But because that tune is born with opportunity, don't you think?. Because, being in fine shape of the current English music scene, the band which comes out will be being selected the time where the rear following album comes out, as for by your as for production of the following album you have enjoyed even in such sense, it is is.
	The New Fellas appointing Edwin Collins to the production, it increases, but as for the opportunity which originally encounters with the music of America.
Ryan:	Time of high school student kana.
Gay Lee:	As for here several years however attention has gotten together in the English scene, you called winter time or, it was time of bad harvest, it is, don't you think?. The Smith s and The Beatles, generally known classic rock from the band which is solved of course however it has received, can sympathize influence with the English of the time band almost. Because influence is not received excessively even from the pop, don't you think?. USA is wide enormously such a time, you felt, it is is. If you dig, you say extent various ones which are dug come out?
	At the place, there was reference some time ago concerning the present English music scene. You can infer also just a little cynical point of view from the lyric of the song 'Hey Scenesters' vis-a-vis the scene. Having that kind of point of view the details which reach the point of?
Ryan:	However it is not the case that it is separately in some damage also or satirizing, being the intention, the result of observing the current English music scene in your own appearance, never healthy circumstance is not, are your own opinion what.
Gay Lee:	Being able to sell good music, it is should have been, but it is you think there is a circumstance that the music,which sells it is not good music.
Loss:	To the last the lyric are the result of observation of such your own appearance.