An Interview with The Underground Youth

Thursday, June 6th, The Underground Youth will be playing at Music Box, downtown Lisbon. If I'm not mistaken it will be the fifth time I see them live, and every single time has been different, and this is one of the main reasons to attend this show.
It all started a bit more than ten years ago in Manchester, with Craig writing and recording all by himself, all from his mind, all from his body.
12 years have passed since then, Olya Dyer has been in the live band from the beginning, Max James plays bass and has done it for a few years now, Leonard Kaage plays guitar and along with Craig Dyer are now the four pieces of the puzzle from which came out Montage Images Of Lust & Fear that was actually the first record to be done from scratch with the whole band evolved in the creation process.
Heavily influenced by cinema and literature The Underground Youth have always given us a dark perspective, very close to reality, too close perhaps, but that dark look, that heavy and unusual way of sensing the world is actually what draws us to The Underground Youth.
One more curious fact to add; The Underground Youth was actually one of the starter points for Fuzz Club, that remains their label. Check out the Fuzz Club Session of The Underground Youth and get yourself dazzled with the amazing stuff they did.

 So, for those who for any other reason didn't notice that The Underground Youth are in town here's a head's up with some extra info, to tease you a bit more.

  The Underground Youth during the show in Warsaw, Poland 2018.

Photo by Itokyl

Songs To Nowhere – You are The Underground Youth, because of a poem you  transformed into a song that features Morally Barren, which I if I’m not mistaken was your first release. Can you talk a bit about that poem that later grew into a song?

Craig Dyer - It was really my first attempt to write anything, a sort of Bob Dylan influenced narrative that I later sang with a few chords. That’s where everything started really. I didn’t put much thought into naming the project The Underground Youth because I never thought it would go anywhere, but here we are.

Songs To Nowhere – What’s behind the name of this latest álbum, Montage Images of Lust & Fear?

Craig Dyer - In the same way the media assaults us with scene after scene of sex and violence I wanted to create an album that delivered the same song by song. So as an album it works as a montage in itself.

Amerika - What Kind of Dystopian Hellhole Is This - 2017

Songs To Nowhere – How did you choose the singles to be released, Last Exit To Nowhere and I Can’t Resist?

Craig Dyer - It’s always a hard decision, the track has to stand out and also encapsulate in a way the sound of the whole album. I think Last Exit To Nowhere does that. To be honest I didn’t even know I Can’t Resist was a single.

Songs To Nowhere - You played Come Together in The Magical Mystery Psy-Out, A Tribute to The Beatles. How did that collaboration happened and why that song?

Craig Dyer - The label who put the compilation together asked us to take part and I thought it could be interesting to reinterpret a song by The Beatles as it’s not a band I’d ever think of covering. It was interesting, I guess it worked.

Songs To Nowhere – You began playing and composing and recording by yourself, the band came later when The Underground Youth began touring. Olya has been the drummer since the beginning and for some time other musicians played with you on tour. Since 2015, I think, The Underground Youth actually became a band. How was it to deal with these changes at the level of creation and development of the songs?

Craig Dyer - This last record was the first time really that we’ve gone into the studio as a band and wrote and arranged the songs together. We recorded it live as well which gives the album the sound of our live performance, it’s never been captured that way before so I think it’s important we did that. As an artist it’s important to change the way your approach writing and recording, I’ll always continue to do that.

Fill The Void - Fill The Void - 2018

Songs to Nowhere - How was it your first tour and how different are they now?

Craig Dyer - Hah, you learn from experience. If I could go back and talk to myself all those years ago I’d have a lot of touring advice to give.

Songs to Nowhere - You’re from Manchester, but are now based in Berlin, how’s the local music scene for you? Do you identify yourselves with it?

Craig Dyer - There’s a really great scene in Berlin and it’s a pleasure to be a part of it. It’s completely different to what we left behind in Manchester, as a band I don’t think we ever felt at home there.

Songs To Nowhere – Can you tell us a bit more about a couple of songs from Montage Images of Lust & Fear? I would like to suggest/request The Death of The Author and Blind II.

Craig Dyer - The Death of the Author started life as my desire to make an industrial sounding ballad, the lyrical story was inspired by a few things, one of which was the Soviet film ‘The Needle’ starring Viktor Tsoi. Blind II was originally a part of the song Blind I but we split the two tracks, we’ve been very influenced by Suicide and their sound, that song was born out of that influence I think.

Delirium - Delirium - 2016

Songs to Nowhere - If you could time travel, were would you like to go see a show or play?

Craig Dyer - That’s tough, some original blues in the Deep South, New York in the seventies, Berlin in the eighties… It would take a while to pin down one exact moment in time.

Songs to Nowhere – Montage Images of Lust & Fear was out in March, but looking at your path, it’s very clear that it won’t be that long until you show up with new songs, do you already have anything new?

Craig Dyer - I’ve been working on some lyrical ideas, we’ll start the writing process when we return to Berlin for sure. I have the strong urge to make a country record.

Songs to Nowhere - You’ve played in Portugal more than a couple of times, what’s your best recollection from Portugal?

Craig Dyer - Oh the people in Portugal are great and we always have amazing crowds there! It’s a pleasure to play, also obviously the scenery, the food, the wine, we’re always treated very well there.

Songs To Nowhere - What can we expect from this show in Lisbon?

Craig Dyer - We always deliver the best performance we can, no matter when and where… But mainly we play off the audience, so if they give us a lot, they’ll receive it back.

Hope & Pray - Fuzz Club Sessions - 2017

Thank You! And see you soon!


Interview by Isabel Maria


More Info

Facebook - The Underground Youth

Spotify - The Underground Youth

Bandcamp - The Underground Youth

Bandcamp - Fuzz Club 

An interview with Acid Cannibals

Acid Cannibals is an incendiary duo from Glasgow, playing fast-paced punk rock in it's the best shape, with powerful riffs and heavy drums. Acid Cannibals are James Dead ( guitar, vocals ) and Robert Marley ( drums), members of Cosmic Dead, Droves, Public Service, Old Guard and their own words synthesize the whole attitude “We started Acid Cannibals to focus on a positive mental attitude rather than allow us to be eaten by the negativity of the world around us.”

A couple of weeks ago presented us with their show in Lisbon were they brought to us for the first time the songs of theyr second EP Horny For Tomorrow ( Hominid Sounds) wich followed their debut 7’’ Why Not Every Night (At War With False Noise). I couldn't miss the chance of getting to know a bit more of these two. 

If you have the chance to attend one of their shows don't miss it! It's a party, it's punk, it's rock and it's love, all together on one stage, a guittar, a drum and two guys having the time of their lives, putting on an unforgettable show filled with good, honest energy.

Songs to Nowhere - You both have other musical projects, how did you came together and made Acid Cannibals?

James Dead - We came together quite beautifully. It was all whirlwind, heat and flash, we grabbed a case of Black Wine and hit the road. That's how I remember it. But it's quite possible that another version of the truth exists. No memory can be fairly associated with the same insinuations that come with any traditional interpretations of the word 'truth'. But there is definitely a more historically accurate account to be had. As Robert Marley, in person. He has a the Key. 

Songs to Nowhere - Why not Every Night and Horny for Tomorrow were released last year, and we read you're next album will be out this summer. Can we expect to listen some new stuff on tomorrow's show?

James Dead - We are integrating some very particular selections from the upcoming album on some of our live setlists. Some of the songs are far too FIRE to be unleashed until the album has arrived on store shelves though. Why are we shielding the unsuspecting public from music that may well have the power to prevent the complete collapse of civilisation? That's quite a simple question but as is so often the case; there are no simple answers. 

Acid Cannibals @ Music Box, Lisbon

Songs to Nowhere - How did you got acquainted with your current label?

James Dead - On the level we operate on in the underground, bands like ourselves don't tend to be attached to any one label. You create music as often as possible and play / organise as many fun shows and party vibes as time will allow for and either a label will email you after hearing about what you do via word of mouth or through seeing a show themselves, or the band emails the labels and asks if they would like to work with them. Most of the time, the stars fail to align and albums don't make it into the public eye until the band members can save enough money from their slave-wage jobs to fund it themselves. This can take years and often by the time you have all the required boxes ticked and have all the packaging, discs, boxes of sleeves, PR etc together... the music you created all that time ago no longer feels as relevant to how you perceive the world, or even an accurate representation of who you as an individual or as a band. 

How were we acquainted with Hominid Sound? They emailed me and said 'FUCK YES LET'S RECORD AND RELEASE IT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! LET'S DO IT! LIF IS SHORT! LET'S DO IT FAST!!' and of course, we were 100% on board with that. The bands involved on the label's roster feel like family to us and we're constantly in absolute awe of the quality of their releases. 

Why Not Every Night and Horny For Tomorrow

Previous to this, for our debut release we collaborated with At War with False Noise, who are arguably scotland's (the uk's... europe's?) greatst and most uncompromising metal/punk label. You need to go check them out. They should be the busiest label around because everything they release is incredible and sells very quick. It's all done from a deep love for both the sort of humans who usually make this kind of music (marginalised, generally unhinged and entirely unique individuals) and the beauty of the physical format. Al Mabon (label owner) is a hero. He used to organise and host these all day shows, these jam packed sweatfests in a dank basement venue in glasgow called 'Glasgow Implodes' and the fests were always at the end of april, which is near my birthday! So we'd all go and have mind expanding, body wrecking experiences watching legends like Gruel, Bong, Stuntcock, Seppuku, Atomized, Kylie Minoise, Black Sun, Noma, Cromar, Barbarians, Usurper, Muscletusk, Vomir, Fordell Research Unit, Culver, Vom ... the list goes on and frankly who has the time to list AND check out every band who passed through the catacombs of glasgow's noisy underground? The point is, AT WAR WITH FALSE NOISE were and are making things happen. REAL things. A lot of folks have a firm grasp of what it is to create hot air with their mouths. People are prone to overthinking and when we overthink, it's too easy to dig yrself into an earthen hole. That's fine, we've all been there and i'm as guilty as anyone. Digging downwards and planting yr heels into the Earth's cooling, comforting flesh isn't easy and everyone enjoys a challenge, but it' a dangerous place to be. You stand there, crammed into yr hole and the flesh of the earth is porous, it's malleable and unless you close your mouth and starts using your hands and feet to shape the ground around you then water is going to seep in and drowning is amongst the worst of what can happen. Talk is a-okay and passes the time just fine, but it's the physical motions we create that shapes the structures that we can reach out and touch. Both AT WAR WITH FALSE NOISE and HOMINID SOUNDS are shaping the ground around them and the people prone to travel are carrying stories of their good experiences with these labels and the people behind them. It's life-giving to be part of. 

Acid Cannibals @ Music Box, Lisbon

Songs to Nowhere - What led you into music? Did you studied music or was it something that happened by accident?

James Dead -  My parents led me to music. My parents and the radio. And tapes. The empty chasm inside my chest that only feels full when there are sounds to focus on is what led me to music. There aren't many choices when you are a tiny wee child and you are made to feel strange, ridiculous, unwanted and fundamentally broken by other children. It wasn't just the fault of other children though, i'm sure there was something going on in my brain. Nothing made sense and nothing operated in my hands the way it would for others. I would hold something and it would break quite inexplicably, i would walk through a room and paintings would fall down, i would try to eat cereal and the bowl would spill everywhere and i'm sure i must have been doing something to get this unexpected result, but it wasn't clear to me and it still isn't. When this is your experience, you gravitate towards something to help make sense of the world and for me, i was lucky enough to live in a loving household with music in the air always. My parents would sing and dance and play records and the radio constantly. I was shocked when an ex partner of mine told me that their household was silent when they were growing up. I can't imagine this. I would have taken a belt and hung myself by the neck already if it wasn't for music helping to clear the smog. 

Songs to Nowhere - What are your major cultural references?

James Dead - Major? Formative? Hmmm. That's never easy to answer, but my major cultural reference points are 100% including but are not exclusive to; Grease, Motorhead, Queen, The Staple Singers, Hamish Imlach, Dougie MacLean, Townes Van Zandt, Motorhead, Hawkwind, Abba, Discharge (both classic eras, ow!) , High Rise, LSD March, Lungish, Daniel Higgs, Fushitsusha, Ramleh, Can, Neu!, Amon Duul ii, Canned Heat, The Grateful Dead, 90's Europop (some 80's and early 2000's also) , It's Raining Men by the Weather Girls, Rodney Dangerfield and Mitch Hedberg live footage and audio recordings, Bill&Ted, Wayne's World (and all late eighties / early to mid-ish 90's Saturday Night Live associated acts), The Blues Brothers, Willow (if anyone can get me a dinner date with Warwick Davis, i'll sort you out with some free merch!), The song 'Angel Witch' by the band 'Angel Witch' from the album 'Angel Witch', 'Push Up' by Freestylers, various works by the Village People, Joanna Newsom, The Moomins, the early works of the Big Yin himself BILLY CONNOLLY, Melvins, Zeke, the cartoon antics of Eastern Europe's Favourite Cat and Mouse team, Worker & Parasite! Huffing nos cans, the song 'The Wizard and the 7 Swine' by the phenomenal PIGSPIGSPIGSPIGSPIGSPIGSPIGS and y'know, the wise words of Kurt Vonnegut who has the best advise contained within his writing; 'Damn it, you've got to be kind.' - That's all i can grasp right now. 

PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS PIGS - The Wizard And The Seven Swines - Split '12 with the Cosmic Dead

Songs to Nowhere - How do you develope your songs?

James Dead -  "Hey Robert Marley, does this sound like music we could party to?"

Rab - "Yeah let's play that a lot"

Songs to Nowhere -  What bands influenced you more?

James Dead -  Bratakus. 

Rab - Brain Anguish. 

Songs to Nowhere - How would you describe your local music scene and your role on it?

Rab : In Glasgow there are lots of great people both in bands and involved with the scene, it's an ever growing place both in population and the forward movement of ideas and ideals. As a band we obviously play Glasgow and will keep doing regularly but it's a great place to explore other things... we both organise gigs in different venues with different sounding bands to different crowds and it's a pretty fortunate position to be in to satisfy your interest with whatever takes your pleasure. Even if not music there's a lot of stuff to be involved with, that's a massive part of what you put into your music. It's all cool thinking where you're from is a stink hole but I think we are lucky to be making music and involved in the Glasgow scene.

Acid Cannibals @ Music Box, Lisbon

Songs to Nowhere  - To tour is not that a new thing for you, but can you disclose any weird or funny situation that happened to you?

James Dead - This one time not  long ago we arrived in town via train to be picked up by the lovely promoters for the venue and we were still drunk from the night before. We'd got some brilliant vegan doughnuts at the train station and a bunch of beers got drank and to be honest, we had no idea of the hangover and dehydration that was going to set in some time after soundcheck. We were rolling around on the floor and getting absoluyel shwifty

Songs to Nowhere - What are your long term expectancies for Acid Cannibals?

Rab - I don't really have specific expectations but what I want from doing this band (any project really) is to play gigs I enjoy, meet new people, see new places and be happy with what we put out.

James Dead - To continue promoting good vibes and ethical veganism in our own special way feels like our mission. 

Rab - Its an EP from me and it's Shuck- Wunder EP. Shuck are really new but already are like the tightest band, it's friends of our who we have known thru previous bands doing something a bit different. It feels like heavy sing along tunes. Or Rhot! They are pure industrial hard-core, played with them a couple of weeks ago a couple of times and thought they were amazing both times.

Songs to Nowhere - What can we expect on your shows and what we should not expect?

Rab - Fun hopefully, probably lots of my sweat, black wine. Don't expect bad vibes, beefy vibes or bad behaviour.

James Dead -  We all love to smile. Let's smile about nice things. 

More Info 

acidcannibals666.bandcamp
hominidsounds.bandcamp.
spotify.Acid Cannibals

Ao vivo em 20/Julho/17 A energia provocadora dos Meatbodies!

Os norte americanos Meatbodies vieram com toda a garra que lhes é característica, dispostos a não deixar pedra sobre pedra no Cais do Sodré.

Com uma casa quase cheia debitaram pouco mais de uma hora de música, para um publico sinceramente entusiasmado e carregado de energia pronto a receber a descarga vibrante da banda formada por Chad Ubovich há cerca de 5 anos em Los Angeles. 

Simpáticos afáveis e divertidos do primeiro ao último minuto, principalmente pela voz do guitarrista Patrick Nolan que confirma que Chad se encontra um “pouco” afónico.

O gozo que tem em dar concertos extravasa completamente para o público que sorri, abana o corpo e salta.

Him, do primeiro disco a abrir as hostilidades num nível bastante elevado que mantiveram quase durante 50 minutos, onde debitaram pelo meio de risos e pedidos de rum, ( haviam eleito o rum como a bebida da noite), algumas das músicas mais pujantes da sua discografia.

Como Chad estava sem voz, Patrick declarou unilateralmente avisando o público e os técnicos de som “Now i’m singing, deal with it!” numa verdadeira descontração provocadora.

O périplo pela discografia focou-se em temas musculados e com forte incidência nas sonoridades mais pesadas que apresentam, tornando-as ainda mais pesadas e distorcidas. 

Disciples e Montain, muito mais pujantes que nos discos, tornando impossível não saltarmos com toda esta gente que se movia num mosh pit juvenil e sorridente. Depois de Montain não mais houve sossego na sala, com hordas de miúdos e outros mais graúdos a darem largas a toda a energia que os Meatbodies transmitem. Passaram também por Haunted History, the Master e Gold.

E depois de 50 minutos em curva ascendente havia que acalmar os ânimos! Foi a Alice, o single homónimo do último disco que coube esse papel, numa continuidade de sorrisos e corpos ondulantes e felizes, vimos toda uma sala a relaxar de toda a adrenalina que ali havia sido libertada!

São concertos destes que nos mantém jovens e felizes.

Intensos, enérgicos, provocadores! Não os pudemos deixar ir embora sem encore, e o encore foi dado à escolha pelos próprios Meatbodies: Tremors ou Wahoo.

Queríamos ambas, mas Wahoo era a síntese deste concerto e foi ao som de um Wahoo ainda mais intenso que terminaram o concerto. Desordenados e felizes foi assim que nos deixaram! 

Publicado originalmente em 29/07/2017 em Música em DX com fotografia do Luis Sousa!