Department S is a group which I haven´t so good
grip on. I missed them when they were alive in
the beginning and have discovered them in the
past and now they´re playing again. Eddie is the
one who answered my questions in October 2017.
Please tell me a little bit history of the
group? Why did you start to play again?
- Like everyone in the punk revolution we had
spent the early 70’s dreaming of being in a
band. Suddenly this new movement was telling us
we could be in a band. We had all been in
various post school bands but through a twist of
fate we all ended up in Department S in 1979.
Two of the guys (Toulose & Herbage) had been in
GUNS FOR HIRE which had released a ska based
song a few months before, but the band never
really happened so they recamped and set up
Department S. We got the band back together in
2006 as we felt we had unfinished business……but
all agreed we wanted to play live again using a
mixture of new and old material
Please tell me a little about every member in
the group right now, age, family, work,
interests and something bad about everyone?
Earlier bands? Other bands on the side? Have it
been many member through the times?
- A gentleman never tells his age! But let’s
just say we are all old enough to buy alcohol
but far too young to get free travel on the
train. Yes there have been a few players over
the years, all of which are name checked on the
new album “45 Revolutions” you might be
surprised to see that Marco Perroni, Glenn
Matlock and Mark Bedford appear on the tracks
In the current band we have Eddie Roxy as lead
singer, he was the original keyboard player…….he
was asked to join the band mainly as they wanted
a synth sound and Eddie had a synth…..on being
asked to join he told Vaughan Toulose “I am not
exactly Vangelis”. On leaving the band to be a
singer Eddie started Dream Sequence who are
known for the song “Outside looking in”
Pete Jones is the bass player. His CV is quite
extensive with time in Cowboys International,
Brian Brain……but most significantly he was the
man who laid down the bass line for “This is not
a love song” during his time with Public Image
Limited
Phil Thompson on guitar is from BUG. Phil joined
us a few years ago and wrote the title track of
our LP “when all is said and all is done”
Alan Galaxy joined this year on drums.
I can hear much different influences but mostly
punk and 60´s etc? Favorites from the past?
- As a band we have always had a wide range of
influences. Syd Barrett, Bowie, T Rex,
13th Floor Elevators, Stooges and many many
more. I think it was a common thread amongst the
77 punk bands to be influenced by the glam rock
movement which was the arty alternative to Heavy
Metal
Department S are you satisfied with the name?
How did it came up? You weren’t afraid that
some other band would be named like this?, Which
is the best bandname you know?
- We had two choices Department S (after the UK
tv series from the 60’s) or The Cygnet Committee
(from David Bowie’s Space Oddity LP). We
obviously chose the former. Never really thought
about another band using it, it was a bit of a
left field choice as a name……and one that really
doesn’t work well on google! I always thought
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark was such a
silly name that it was brilliant
What´s the best thing with playing live?
- The comradery of playing together, response of
the audience.
And where is best to play? And the worst place?
- We are split on this….The Rainbow in London
was fantastic, we supported The Jam
there…..Glastonbury was a major thrill and a
great audience. The worst place is somewhere
with on one present, we played to 4 people in
Coventry in 1980 it was whilst supporting Toots
& the Maytals by the time they came on stage
2,000 people had turned up!
How is to play this sort of music in England
right now? Which types of bands do you have
concerts together with? And how is it to play
today if you compare to when you started?
- The heritage music scene in the UK is very
strong at the movement, lots of guys whose kids
have left home so they are free to come out and
enjoy themselves. Interestingly we have played
with a cross section of bands from Ian Hunter,
Public Service Broadcasting, Rezillos, Eddie &
the Hot Rods, Ruts DC to name a few
How would you describe your music in three
words?
-Indy Rock……
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or
is it a lifestyle?
- It’s a state of mind….1977 Punk was an
entrepreneurial can do movement….we started
bands, record labels, magazines, clothes shops
etc.
How do you see on downloading, mp3 and that
stuff?
- It’s the modern world, things like Spotify are
great for getting your music heard, not so good
at getting your bills paid
How is it to live in England right now?
Politically? Fascists? Brexit?
- UK has always been one of the most
multicultural countries in the world…….we had
the Romans visit then the Vikings and may more
and we all generally get on well.
Is there any good bands from England now? Is
the punkscene/new wavescene big? How is it in
your hometown?
- Loads of good bands, as always. The Horrors,
Courteeners , Ruts DC. Yes I think you can tell
the scene is doing well as bands like The
Stranglers are playing to the biggest crowds
they have performed in front of since the 80’s.
London is doing well but we are seeing smaller
venues close as landlords realize that they can
make more money by redeveloping. I think New
York is having the same issue.
What do you know about Sweden?
- Great place to live, a bad place to buy
beer…….too expensive
Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?
- INVSN……they have a sound that is modern with
echoes of the past
Your lyrics, who does them and what influences
you? Is it easier to do lyrics now or was its
easier to do it when you was younger? And who
is Vic?
- We have three writers in the band which helps.
I think it is always easy to write songs……but it
is harder to get people to listen to them as you
get older. WHO IS VIC…..we will tell you when we
find him.
Is there any subject that you never will write
anything about?
-Yes lots……
Politic and music, does it goes hand in
hand? Which is your most political song?
- Yes it does for some bands……not ours. Our most
political song isn’t really political but
historical…THE LONG MARCH is the story about the
Chinese Communist Party’s retreat and
regrouping.
Best political band/artist?
-Bob Dylan
Do you think that music(lyrics and so on) can
change anyones life, I mean people who listens
to music?
- Yes I was watching a BBC documentary on the
Hippy Movement…….music carried the message in to
houses across the globe.
Your cover on your CD looks really nice, is it
important to have a record cover which shows
people which type of music you play? Your
favorite recordcover? Who does your covers? And
do you have any good recordstores in your
hometown?
- Thanks……..covers have always been important to
us……we grew up in a time when people like Roxy
Music and David Bowie were putting out great
covers. No it’s not important to show what music
you play by looking at the cover but a cover
reflects the essence of the band. In Soho there
are a couple of great vinyl stores in Berwick
St.
Is it important to get out physical records of
your stuff? Why or why not? Vinyl, CD, cassette,
what do you prefer if you could choose whatever?
- No……it is important that people can hear the
music……better 1m hear it on the internet than
200 buying a CD/Vinyl
How does your audience look like? Which people
do you miss on your concerts? Which is the
biggest band you ever have played together with?
- Our audience is the most beautiful of all……the
profile changes depending where we are, we get
asked to play various places as we are difficult
to tie down. The biggest band…..Bob Dylan (well
he came on to about 5 artists after us at
Bennicassim)
Please rank your five favoriterecords, five
favoriteconcerts and five most important things
in life?
-1. London Calling The Clash 2. The Rolling
Stones Between the buttons 3. The Human
Menagerie by Cockney Rebel 4. Ultravox! 5.
American Idiot Green Day
1. The Clash at the Music Machine. 2. The Damned
at The Rainbow 3. Queen at Hammersmith Odeon
1974 4. Stone Roses at Bennicasim 5. The Editors
at Brixton
1. Peace 2. Beer
First, last and most expensive record ever
bought?
- David Bowie Aladdin Sane, Public Service
Broadcasting “Every Valley”
Is it boring with interviews? Is it much
interviews?
-No it´s good fun.
If you could choose five bands from the past and
the history and nowadays and both dead and
living bands to have a concert together with
your band. Which five have you been chosen?
- The Doors, The Beatles, Guns n Roses, Sex
Pistols and The Psychedelic Furs
Which is the most odd question you ever have got
in an interview?
- Have you ever kissed a band member……the answer
was no
Which is the question you want to have but you
never get Please ask it and answer it?
- Who would you like to produce your next
album….Brian Eno
Futureplans for the band?
- More concerts, hopefully more in Europe….we
would love to come to Sweden. Also a new album
for Autumn 2018