ONE WAY SYSTEM
UK`s proudest punkband?
One Way System have been a band which I have liked a lot for a long time and now they finally have answered some questions from me. It´s the guitarist dave which have done that. This was done in the end of june 2005.
History? Why and when did you start to play the first time?
-We started in Fleetwood, Lancashire in 1979...We wanted to play loud agressive political music and make people listen to what we say and question certain conventional attitudes and opinions.... Everyone should always question themselves and what surrounds them... Is this right..? If not, say so and try and do something about it however small...
Members then and now?
-OWS are :- Tommy Couch - Drums/vocals
Andy Wilkinson - Bass/vocals
David Ross - Guitar/vocals (Me, by the way)
uknige - Lead vocals
Are you playing fulltime now or are you only playing once a year?
-We play quite a lot these days... More than last year and the year before... Its going well at the moment....If we played just once a year it would not be worth it.... We`ve just been over to Barcalona, Bilbao, Zurich, Berlin, and we have gigs lined up in Czech Rep, Italy, Greece, USA, and Canada...
What´s the difference with playing nowadays if you compare with playing when you started?
-We`re all a bit older and wiser... But we all have the same passion and the same things still wind us up... We still have a lot to say and we want to say it in the best way we know how... So there isn`t much difference...
The name One Way System where did it come up from?
-A Street sign and a song....
You´re going to play on Wasted festival, how was it?
-It was really good to see all the bands and people around...In my opinion it wasn`t as good as last year...Didn`t seem to have the same buzz about it somehow... The weather was crap as well...To early in the year I reckon...
Isn´t it pathetqiue that so many old punkbands are gathering for this sort of thing.?
-If the bands are getting together to go through the motions and play with no passion and belief, then yes, its pathetic... But if they play with the same anger and intensity they used to, then, fine.
Do you have any new stuff that you will play? Record? You did a record some years ago?
-Yeah, we have material for another CD now and are currently in the process of recording and still writing... Its all intense powerful stuff and is more in the vein off "All systems go"...
Which is your own favouritesong of your own stuff?
-My personal favourites are "Systematic Abuse and "Pressure on" from "Waitng for Zero" (1998) but of the older stuff, I like "Jerusalem" the most...
Do you do any covers? Why or why not?
-We do "Cum on feel the Noize" which is a Slade song from 1973... It seems to be very popular when we play it, but I personally don`t like it...I think a band should stand up on its own songs...
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or is it a lifestyle?
-Good question... I`ve been into punk rock since 1977 when I was 15.. I`ve seen it develop and change over the years, but the main ideals and beliefs have change little.. It`s taught me to question conventions and rules of todays society and to look at life in a different way to most people..
This is true for a lot of our piers as well ... It sometimes gets you into trouble, but what the fuck...If you express yourself in the way you want and stay true to yourself, you won`t go far wrong... Its not really a life "style". more a life "train of thought"...You don`t have to wear any uniforms or fashion accessories to do that...But if you want to, fair enough...
What about the new punk bands which are around today?
-There`s a lot of "pop punk" bands around these days that think they know what they are talking about... Which planet do they think they`re on...It`s just total mass produced bollox made specifically for MTV to sell records to the young impressionable people of this world... And the saddest part is, that most of them fall for it... There is some genuine
punk rock out there but you have to really look...But to me , all the fakes are so easy to spot its unbelievable...But, you think back to 1977/8... all the music was simply individual and in some respects, unique. None of the bands actually said they were "punk rock" accept the
Pistols... It was just a convienient label... and still is..
Any good bands otherwise in England right now?
-The Skeptix, Guns on the roof, Sick 56 (old bastards), Emergency and many more
What do you know about Sweden what is typical swedish?
-I like Sweden from what I`ve seen... We played in Bollnäs in 1997 I think... very cool place... So chilled out....Bloody cold though.... ha ha..
Have you heard any good swedish bands?
Nope, but I`m sure there is a vibrant punk scene over there as there was in 97...
A concert with you, please describe it?
-Intense, passionate, loud, powerful, hard hitting, pure punk rock from start to finish....
Which type of fans are coming to a concert with you?
-All different people come to see OWS... I don`t like to pigeonhole people like that... People are people...
You have an own website, is that important for a band to have?
-Yes, very important... Since the advent of the internet I feel it is essential to have this link with the world... There are so many more avenues which open up with a web site and more contacts are made easier and quicker...
Do you have many visitors there?
-Yes, Its seems really popular... You just have to make sure it`s updated on a regular basis with information on gigs and news...Merchandise will be sold on there soon as well....
Which is the most important when you do/did a song , is it the lyrics, the melodies or is it to have a refrain that people remembers?
-I will have to say all of them... To create a song with passionate lyrics, a catchy melody and a hook line is our goal...
Please rank your five favourite records
-I take it you mean punk records...
1. The Clash - Complete Control
2. Savage Circle - The Ruts
3. Shot By Both Sides - Magazine
4. New Rose - The Damned
5. Wardance - Killing Joke
Five favourite concerts I`ve been to
1. The Clash, Lancaster Univercity, 1978
2. The Ramones, Lancaster Univercity, 1978
3. Adam and the Ants, Blackpool Norbreck,1979
4. Joy Division, Blackpool Imperial Hotel, 1980
5. Killing Joke, Manchester Univercity, 1981
The five most important things in life?
1. Freedom to express youself
2. Friends
3. Health
4. Happiness and satisfaction with life
5. Creativety
First, last and most expensive record ever bought?
-First Record.... T-Rex - Solid Gold, Easy Action (1971)
Last Record.... Funk D`Void - Diabla (2004) (Trance Techno)
Most Expensive.... U2 - Lemon (Perfecto Remix) £30
The most embarrassing record in your collection?
-Heatwave - Boogie nights.... Don`t ask.... ha ha
How is the political climate in England right now?
-Its in a bit of a mess really... We voted for a sudo socialist government in 1997 to finally kick out those selfrighteous biggots, the Tories and to some extent we got one with a few conservative overtones which some folks are not happy with.. I will never voted Conservative as long as I live because I believe the underlying principals of socialism to be right and the basic beliefs of Conservitism to selfish and uncaring....so even though we didn`t get exactly what we wanted, the alternative is far worse... It all needs a kick up the arse in a big way...
Politics and music does it goes hand in hand?
-If you can get a point across by writing or singing about it , then certainly it does... There are many ways to make a point... This is the way I choose...
The best political band?
-The Clash...
Futureplans for the band?
-Keep on keepin on... Make some more music with a point and play it to as many people as possible... and get this new CD finished....
For yourself?
-No Comment
Wisdomword?
-Get opinions across to the people that make the decisions in this world and keep at it until it eventually changes, because sooner or later it will start to have an effect...maybe only subtley but it all makes a difference.....
Something to add?
-Keep the faith.....