Funeral For A Friend Interview - 07.31.2005
Interview with Gareth Davies (bass) and Matt Davies (vocals)
Interview by Jason Schleweis | 07.31.2005 | Pontiac, MI | Silverdome
You guys just released the album Hours about two months ago in the States; how has the reception been?
Gareth: It’s been better than we ever hoped! Casually Dressed [And In Deep Conversation] did so much for us in the first place that it kind of started a nice ground base for us. It kind of got us a core audience to start entertaining.
Matt: Good answer! (Laughter)
You guys are releasing a second single, “Monsters” within a short period of time after the first single came out off of the disc. Why did you decide to release these two so close to each other when it takes a lot of other bands months in between singles?
Gareth: Strike while the iron is hot. The album is doing really well in the U.K. so we just wanted to get the second single out to wet peoples appetites.
Matt: Just for good timing.
How do you guys feel you’ve been able to break into the U.S. music scene when so many other bands from overseas are trying to do the same thing, but don’t have near as much success?
Gareth: The accent! (Laughter) No, this guy. [Points to Matt]
Matt: Yeah right! (Laughter)
Gareth: No, I just think we choose different melodies.
Matt: I don’t know if it’s choice though. It just kind of happens. I think there’s something within the music that we create that just appeals to a lot of people on a personal level. Which I think that is the cool thing about music in general, is that is how it’s been. I’ve been yet to find out what is the cool thing about Funeral For A Friend though.
Gareth: It’s the hair cuts! (Laughter)
Matt: There’s something there though I guess!
Gareth: It’s the haircuts...the haircuts!
On the album Hours you guys seem to have been able to branch out quite a bit more than on your previous album. This one just seems to be more involved, more in depth, and generally just feels like more of a complete album. How did the album come together so differently this time around? Did you employ any new techniques to cause this?
Gareth: Basically the first record was just one big rush, and us being very naive kids. At least we were kind of like, oh my God, we have a major label release; what’s going on? We kind of fooled the record label by telling them we actually had 15 songs when we had three. And they were like “okay, we’ll go into the studio next week.” So we were like, shit! (Laughter) So we had to get a lot of stuff written, hence why there’s so much stuff from the EP’s on Casually Dressed. Whereas on this one, there’s a complete fresh start. There’s a far more relaxed and focus feeling this time.
Matt: Yeah, we had a lot more time to write the songs this time around. And we got to approach it in a way that we wanted to represent ourselves with the next record, so we were really happy we got a chance to that.
It seems now that people are finally starting to realize that Funeral For A Friend aren’t just another basic “emo” band, and that you’re more of a rock band in a broader sense. What do you think has caused that change in people’s perceptions of late?
Matt: The fact that people are really getting bored with Maroon 5. They really want a band that can deliver on all levels. They want bands that can actually speak to people rather than just give them tame, shit songs. They want bands like us.
Gareth: For the record! (Laughter)
This is your first time playing the U.S. Warped Tour. Has it been better or worse than your expectations?
Gareth: It’s been great, I mean we’ve seen it slip by us for the past couple of years because we’ve been in the U.K. And we see it in the music press and go “oh, it would be nice to do the Warped Tour.” And we finally made it on this year. We’ve only been on it for about ten days, hence why we’re still smiling. (Laughter) All the other bands are like “yeah, it’s alright...”
Matt: We’re having a wicked time! I’ve always wanted to do this since I was like 13 so it’s been really sweet.
What’s up for you guys after Warped Tour this fall?
Gareth: Everything. We go home for a few days on a break. Then maybe doing the Leeds Festival in the U.K. Then we go straight from there to mainland Europe for a week. Then we come back over [to the U.S.] to do Story of the Year and Anberlin for a month. Then we come straight off that and go straight to Australia, then to Mexico City, then we go to the first day of Taste of Chaos. And then it goes Australia, Japan, U.K., Europe, and then back over to America for our own headline shows through December. Which takes up until December 18 and then we’re off for Christmas!
Matt: Christmas! Yeah!
That looks to be everything we’ve got for you guys, any last comments while we’ve got you here?
Matt: Cheers. Thank you very much for the interview, we appreciate it!
Gareth: Yeah, the new record is out.
Both: Go buy it now!
