GOLDBLADE
John Robb answered my questions early in october 2006 and his group is named Goldbalde, a really interesting group for us who have been on the punkroad for a while because they have a sound which we can remember from the old days.
History?
-Goldblade formed ten years ago, we were on our own then! There wasn't very much going on in the U.K: at the time for our kind of music, we felt like we were in a vacuum, but as time has gone on we have found a home.
We have toured the world constantly and released 4 albums, the most recent one, “Rebel songs” on Captain Oi has been the biggest one we have done so far, it just keeps selling and selling as the word gets out, we´ve done some great tours in the last year, Misfits, Stranglers, Stiff little fingers, The Damned etc...
Goldblade is built on the tour ethic, we have played as many gigs as we could get, take British punk rock to the far flung frontiers, we have played several times in places like Russia, Macedonia as well as the usual countries like Germany and Holland...
The greatest thing about rock n roll is the music, the rock n roll lifestyle is dull and hackneyed ...Goldblade music is for a wild time at gigs, we have seen some beat up towns and wild scenes and slept on some truly grubby floors, but the music and the punk rock ethic has kept us going...
Please tell me a little about every member, age, family, work, interests
and
something bad about every one?
-Brother John Robb vocals...non drinking weightlifting punk rock face...interests ?tearing the stage apart?
Brother Rob Haynes drums...non drinking interests..dinosaurs and ancient monuments, plays drums for four hours a day in pursuit of the “perfect beat”
Brother Pete Gorgeous guitar...interests military costumes of the 16 century, dressing to the left and community drinking...
Brother Johnny Skullknuckles....guitar interests running the biggest rock n roll clothes shop in the UK and perfecting his quiff
Brother Keith Curtis bass interests...collecting second hand bikes and Pete Shelleys lettuce
You have just released a new compilation with Goldblade, is it songs from ever album and single you have released
-The record label that released the first three albums went bust so we have got Captain Oi to put the first three albums out as a compilation its called “Strictly hardcore”, it would be a greatest hits record if there were actually any hits on it...
I think about Stiff Little Fingers in an odd way when I hear you(don´t ask me how) Is there any other bands you´re being compared with?
-I guess because we write songs with choruses in them and sing them with loads of intense passion then we might sound like SLF! We are close in spirit to the original punk bands but with a 2006 edge, sort of like Rancid are doing in Ámerica but a british version... we are a punk band but we are dealing with what's going on now...
Do you care about reviews?
-Well everyone likes to read a good review, but a bad review is not a nightmare, I care more about what the audience thinks, we meet lots of people and listen to what they say...the whole punk community is always in debate about everything and that’s what makes it unique...and its great that there is till a really strong fanzine culture keeping the scene alive...
The name Goldblade isn't´t the usual punk name, where did it came from?
-Is there such a thing as a usual punk name?,,,,Crass, Angelic Upstarts, the Clash and the Sex Pistols are all very different names...I´m not sure where it came from, I just liked the sound of it and it felt right at the time...
What´s the best and the worst with being a punk band?
-Best...great gigs, brilliant camadarie.
loads of cool people to hang around with all over the world, no egos, bands working together, the music, the style, the soundtrack...
Worst...the way its gets treated as lepers music by the so called “taste makers”
How is it to live in England today?
-Great. I live in Manchester and there is always loads to do, loads of good people, good gigs, its a great country to live in but I've been all over the world an pretty much like everywhere that I have been the international punk rock community is like a nation in itself really...
The punk scene has been strong here is the last few years...big festivals,,,loads of good new bands...
What about your government?
-Whoever you vote fort he bastards always get in is as true now as it ever was...which is a shame as the right to vote is one of the fundamental human rights...the key issue is the iraq war, how could Blair fall for that neo conservative american imperialistic crap,,,of course Saddam was a horrible dictator but they knew that when they were quite happily selling him arms....
Everyone feels that the left feels really let own, really sold out by the government vote green now, I think old school party lines are dying out, people care more about issue politics now...Everyone knows that political power lies in he hands of big corporate companies, oil dominates the world agenda, he arms trade and drug trade are big money who don't care about convention al governments...everywhere you look there's bullshit going on...whether the food you eat is full of poison to the way we live, we are told we get more choice but it gets less and less...
Do
you think that music and politics goes hand in hand?
-Not always, some of the greatest bands have been pure bubblegum pure fun, but when bands get angry its great, growing up with punk you got used to social commentary in rock n roll, it was a great aesthetic- the punk rock politic. In all that violence and confusion people really wanted to make something better...sometimes its just the feeling you get from the music- it might not say very much but it makes you wants to make you feel wild and that’s pretty political in itself...
Best political band?
-The Clash and the Pistols for pure inspiration and Crass for explaining it all! also people like Fugazi for just getting on with it...
Is there any good bands in your home country now?
-The UK is having a massive punk rock renaissance...there’s load of great new bands like Deadline, Argy Bargy, the Grit, Holy Racket, Outlaw and a thousand others....it´s the third wave of punk and this time we are in control...if the first wave was the Sex Pistols etc, the second wave the Ruts this is the third wave of british punk,,,
What do you know about Sweden?
-Never actually been there, nearly toured there an then it gets cancelled or we cant fit it in, I've heard some great bands from there from the Hives to Refused to Backyard Babies to loads of smaller bands it seems like a very productive music scene for quite a small country...also the girls are beautiful and the football team does ok!
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a lifestyle?
-It´s a 24/7 lifestyle, it´s a call to arms, an utter inspiration...it´s empowering- it makes you believe that you can do anything that you want and you don't have to rely on anybodies permission to go out and create stuff...
Please rank your five favourite records, five favourite concerts and five
most important things in life?
-My five favourite record change every day...today it is...
1.Black Flag Damaged
2. Clash First album
3. Stranglers Meninblack
4. Minor Threat demos
5. Damned first album
5 favourite concerts
-1 any punk band in 1977/78
2. Birthday Party 1984
3. Nirvana 1988
4. Fugazi 1988
5. Cock Sparrer 2006
First, last and most expensive record ever bought?
-First record Mott the Hoople in 1974
Last....a CD of Turkish gypsy music
Most expensive...dunno
Most embarrassing record in your collection?
-I´m not embarrassed by any record I've got ...this concept of cool record to have is one i don't go with, i like what i like an have no interest on other people's concepts of cool; or hip...!
You made a DVD also? How do you think it came out?
-The DVD looks great, it really captures the chaos and excitement of a Gold Blade gig in a tightly packed venue full of crazy drunk punk rockers...we like the chaos and the stage invasions and the madness of live gigs, they have to be primal experiences...
You have a new label too? Why Captain Oi?
-Captain Oi saw us live at Wasted and loved what we did and emailed me, I decided within 10 seconds to sign to them, it´s an honour be on Captain Oi. Its a great label, the whole idea of big punk rock label is awesome, its run by really cool people, very easy to work with and they are fans who are putting something back into the music, its a total honour to be on Captain Oi...
Is it many interviews? Is it boring?
-It´s a compliment to get interviewed, glad that anyone wants to spread the word about the band!
Which is the question you never get, please ask it and answer it?
-I have a huge bag full of cash here...do you want it...?
Is it any chance to see you in Sweden soon?
-We would love to come and play Sweden...please get in touch and sort some shows out! You wont be disappointed...
Where is the best place to play?
-Anywhere with a well promoted gig is brilliant, give us the stage and the PA an we will do the rest!
How is a good gig with you?
-Wild, exciting, primal, tribal, sweaty, noisy and fun
What shall we do about the racists?
-Gently explain to them how much more fun their lives would be if their minds were not so full of pointless hate...most people who are racists are never as deeply into as they think...
Futureplans for the band?
-New album due next summer...writing the songs for it now...got some of our best stuff coming...
For yourself?
-Touring with the band, recording the new album, keep my book about punk rock, “Punk rock an oral history” out there, keep going on British TV slagging off shitty pop bands and writing articles on as many cool bands as I am lucky enough to hear!
Wisdomword?
-Always carry a toothbrush and a clean conscious
Something to add?
-Go to our websites