This new interview has been realised by the manager himself!!! Well, of course, I send the questions as usual but this time, instead of answering in front of the computer, Mike, The manager, made a record of the interview and send me back all the answers. You're gonna have the feeling to read an interview of the NME!!! ;)
First of all, can you introduce the band for the people who might not know you?
Hello, Bojour, we are The Stiggz! I'm Rich, I'm lead singer and write the songs. I'm Jack, i play lead guitar. I’m Chris I’m the bands bass guitarist, I’m Christian (Pedro to me mates) and I’m rhythm guitarist and I’m Ben, I’m the drummer.
How did you all meet? And where did the idea come from to be in a band?
Rich: I think we’d all played music on some level for years, and I’d started to write some good songs. So that was like the next logical thing to do. It was about having people listen to the music I write and connect with it somehow, on some level.
Chris pointing at Rich: Well I’m his brother
Rich: Yeah, we met at the hospital! Known each other for years. (laughter)
Jack: I joined towards the end of 2008, but yeah we’d all known each other for ages.
How did you all meet? And where did the idea come from to be in a band?
Rich: I think we’d all played music on some level for years, and I’d started to write some good songs. So that was like the next logical thing to do. It was about having people listen to the music I write and connect with it somehow, on some level.
Chris pointing at Rich: Well I’m his brother
Rich: Yeah, we met at the hospital! Known each other for years. (laughter)
Jack: I joined towards the end of 2008, but yeah we’d all known each other for ages.
Christian, you're quite new in the band, what is like to be the newbie?
Pedro: At first it was what you would expect with nerves etc (not helped by having my first gig at The Assembly Rooms not far away), but I was helped massively by the other members in the band as they are all very good musicians and experienced. After that first performance I felt like I became comfortable as part of the band and during performances it wasn't all eyes on me!
And for the others, when did you realise you wanted/needed a 5th member?
Rich: We didn’t (laughter), we didn’t, we saw him busking and thought he best join.
Chris: Yeah he did hang around a bit. Started coming to every gig (laughs)
Jack: We’d talked about it, and it gave Rich more time to focus on the vocal aspect of his performance.
Was musician, the job you wanted to do as when you were much younger?
Rich: I wanted to be a dustbin man, what age are we talking? (laughs)
Chris: Good money!
Rich: Yes, I’ve always wanted to be involved with music to some degree, at some level.
Chris: arghhhh! (laughter)
Rich: did you just slap his arse?
Ben: Have you seen what he’s wearing?
Rich: Can I just say before we go any further Chris is actually doing this interview in a green mankini.
Rich: We didn’t (laughter), we didn’t, we saw him busking and thought he best join.
Chris: Yeah he did hang around a bit. Started coming to every gig (laughs)
Jack: We’d talked about it, and it gave Rich more time to focus on the vocal aspect of his performance.
Was musician, the job you wanted to do as when you were much younger?
Rich: I wanted to be a dustbin man, what age are we talking? (laughs)
Chris: Good money!
Rich: Yes, I’ve always wanted to be involved with music to some degree, at some level.
Chris: arghhhh! (laughter)
Rich: did you just slap his arse?
Ben: Have you seen what he’s wearing?
Rich: Can I just say before we go any further Chris is actually doing this interview in a green mankini.
Chris: Yeah lime green
Pedro: It’s fluorescent, fluorescent lime green!
Jack: I never knew what I wanted to be apart from the obvious ‘a footballer’ but being a musician Is pretty cool expressing yourself on stage
Pedro: Yeah and plus we’ve seen him play football!
Pedro: It’s fluorescent, fluorescent lime green!
Jack: I never knew what I wanted to be apart from the obvious ‘a footballer’ but being a musician Is pretty cool expressing yourself on stage
Pedro: Yeah and plus we’ve seen him play football!
Where did you find this name for the band?
In the face of every child!
Are you writing the songs all together? And where do you find the inspiration?
Rich: No I mainly write the songs. Chris is coming to the fore front a lot more at the moment. We’re writing songs working on a new album at the moment and Chris is collaborating and having more input and giving more feedback than he’s had before, so it’s working well. So, yeah the songs are a lot darker
Chris: That makes me sound depressing (laughs)
Rich: Even with a mankini
Rich: Where do I find the inspiration? Depends how I’m feeling at the time really innit. I try to find inspiration from where I’m at, at that moment.
Chris: What the kitchen? (laughter)
Chris: That makes me sound depressing (laughs)
Rich: Even with a mankini
Rich: Where do I find the inspiration? Depends how I’m feeling at the time really innit. I try to find inspiration from where I’m at, at that moment.
Chris: What the kitchen? (laughter)
Do you have a special place to write the songs?
No, not really. Whenever I’m inspired and a song or lyric comes to me
You're, at the moment, in a "battle" with other bands to become one of the next support bands for the next McFly tour. What do you think of this kind of "battle"?
Rich: I enjoy the process, it gets a lot of people interested
Chris: Keep our name out there, I mean just from the reaction
Rich: I think it’s just a shame that…this is the way people have to discover you. On the back of someone else’s success really. I dunno, I like it, it’s good fun.
Rich: I enjoy the process, it gets a lot of people interested
Chris: Keep our name out there, I mean just from the reaction
Rich: I think it’s just a shame that…this is the way people have to discover you. On the back of someone else’s success really. I dunno, I like it, it’s good fun.
And if you're one of the winners, what do you think it could bring to the band?
Chris: Attention
Rich: Yeah. I think it’ll put us in the spotlight a little bit more. Get us a wider audience, a broader audience
Rich: Yeah. I think it’ll put us in the spotlight a little bit more. Get us a wider audience, a broader audience
Aren't you scared to be "booing" by their fans?
Rich: I am now you’ve said that (laughter), I wasn’t
What's your biggest dream for the band?
Chris: To make it big really. To be able to look back on it and be proud of it
Rich: I’d like to play venues to thousands of people, for the majority of the year
Chris: To be known as an inspiration for other bands. To have an up and coming band to name us an inspiration.
Jack: Well the biggest dream would be to play at Wembley stadium in front of 10 of thousands of people, but for now, i would say it is to get signed.
What would your perfect gig look like?
Rich: Well to be big enough to be able to play things like Glastonbury, Wembley, Knebworth stuff like that. But also to be in that position, and still to be able to put on a really private intimate gig stripped down to the bare basics somewhere.
Chris: Candles?
Rich: Yeah, a secret gig, to be about 100/200 people, people like family, partners, people who’ve inspired the songs, even though they might not know it. People that have been there from day one. And alcohol, lots of alcohol.
I saw you've been support act for Tiffany Page and the Young Knives, is there some artists/bands you'd love to support?
All: McFly
Rich: Yeah McFly, would be one, big one. I’d like to support someone like Coldplay, U2 you know? A massive band
Chris: Stones Roses
Rich: Yeah Stone Roses, now they’re back, they’d be pretty cool to support
Jack: Blink
Rich: White Lies, I like them they’re a good band, American band
Rich: I’d like to play venues to thousands of people, for the majority of the year
Chris: To be known as an inspiration for other bands. To have an up and coming band to name us an inspiration.
Jack: Well the biggest dream would be to play at Wembley stadium in front of 10 of thousands of people, but for now, i would say it is to get signed.
What would your perfect gig look like?
Rich: Well to be big enough to be able to play things like Glastonbury, Wembley, Knebworth stuff like that. But also to be in that position, and still to be able to put on a really private intimate gig stripped down to the bare basics somewhere.
Chris: Candles?
Rich: Yeah, a secret gig, to be about 100/200 people, people like family, partners, people who’ve inspired the songs, even though they might not know it. People that have been there from day one. And alcohol, lots of alcohol.
I saw you've been support act for Tiffany Page and the Young Knives, is there some artists/bands you'd love to support?
All: McFly
Rich: Yeah McFly, would be one, big one. I’d like to support someone like Coldplay, U2 you know? A massive band
Chris: Stones Roses
Rich: Yeah Stone Roses, now they’re back, they’d be pretty cool to support
Jack: Blink
Rich: White Lies, I like them they’re a good band, American band
And on the other way, do you know a good artist/band you would love to support you?
Jack: There are so many good bands. I remember the gig at melton youth club where a young band supported us and really looked up to us and I was glad to give them advice and pass on some of our experience.
You played in different places , where are the most amazing "fans"?
Chris: Leicester, Manchester? Dunno I mean they’ve all meant something. Northampton?
Rich: Northampton, yeah that was a really good crowd
Jack: And the festivals
Rich: Yeah the festivals we’ve played are always great, we played Summer Sundae last eyar and the next day walking round this group of girls came up and asked to have their pictures taken with us, that was pretty amazing.
Ben: The Magic Bus!
Rich: Yeah whenever we fill one of the Stiggz magic buses whereever the magic bus goes and get a big crowd of our own fans, full on really close and sweaty.
Rich: Northampton, yeah that was a really good crowd
Jack: And the festivals
Rich: Yeah the festivals we’ve played are always great, we played Summer Sundae last eyar and the next day walking round this group of girls came up and asked to have their pictures taken with us, that was pretty amazing.
Ben: The Magic Bus!
Rich: Yeah whenever we fill one of the Stiggz magic buses whereever the magic bus goes and get a big crowd of our own fans, full on really close and sweaty.
Is there a place/town/country where you absolutely want to play one day?
Rich: France! We’d like to sort some gigs in France, and other parts of Europe, I mean the album went down well and had quite a bit of radio play in France, Finland, Norway, Germany
Pedro: All over really
Chris: Yeah it did get airtime all over parts of Europe really
Rich: And Sweden. I mean in France, Paris is an obvious choice we’d love to play there just because its an amazing city, but I’d like to play maybe cities that aren’t as obvious choices as well, like Marseille or Lille or something like that.
Jack: Over here I’d like to go south and play in London and also go abroad to places like France and Holland
Rich: Tour of America, Asia you know Japan, and places like that, they really love British music that’d be a good vibe.
You released a single "Indie Disco" and gave all the profit to the BBC Children in Need. Where did this idea come from and why this association?
Rich: Yeah, it’s a charity that I’ve been involved with a few years. I raise money for it every year, but a couple of years ago with another friend outside of the band raised lots of money, and put on a massive event. Other people extended family and that have raised money for it, and I just thought it’d be good to do it. We just thought it’d be a nice way to be help out other people, in a way that we can best.
Pedro: All over really
Chris: Yeah it did get airtime all over parts of Europe really
Rich: And Sweden. I mean in France, Paris is an obvious choice we’d love to play there just because its an amazing city, but I’d like to play maybe cities that aren’t as obvious choices as well, like Marseille or Lille or something like that.
Jack: Over here I’d like to go south and play in London and also go abroad to places like France and Holland
Rich: Tour of America, Asia you know Japan, and places like that, they really love British music that’d be a good vibe.
You released a single "Indie Disco" and gave all the profit to the BBC Children in Need. Where did this idea come from and why this association?
Rich: Yeah, it’s a charity that I’ve been involved with a few years. I raise money for it every year, but a couple of years ago with another friend outside of the band raised lots of money, and put on a massive event. Other people extended family and that have raised money for it, and I just thought it’d be good to do it. We just thought it’d be a nice way to be help out other people, in a way that we can best.
Do you have an idol in the music scene? And in the rest of arts, life?
Rich: Morrisey, yeah Morrisey what a guy! Kurt Cobain.
Chris: Joe Strummer
Rich: Strummer, yeah Joe Strummer he’s a good one. Ray Davies, waterloo sunset alone mate puts him down to deserve to be on this list
Jack: I have to say my Idol is Tom Delonge from Blink-182 as he is the guitarist I grew up with.
Rich: Chuck Palahniuk, is a massive idol. He’s an author and wrote some amazing books like Fight Club and Lullaby, he’s absolutely twisted and looks at things from a different perspective that you’d never believe…. modern day George Orwell, in my opinion better. Absolutely incredible, they’re good. If you’ve not read a book go to your library and get one!
Chris: Joe Strummer
Rich: Strummer, yeah Joe Strummer he’s a good one. Ray Davies, waterloo sunset alone mate puts him down to deserve to be on this list
Jack: I have to say my Idol is Tom Delonge from Blink-182 as he is the guitarist I grew up with.
Rich: Chuck Palahniuk, is a massive idol. He’s an author and wrote some amazing books like Fight Club and Lullaby, he’s absolutely twisted and looks at things from a different perspective that you’d never believe…. modern day George Orwell, in my opinion better. Absolutely incredible, they’re good. If you’ve not read a book go to your library and get one!
What do you think of the other Leicester bands/artists?
Rich: Sound, there’s a good music thing going on in Leicester at the moment. There’s a good variety there’s a lot of indie bands, there’s a lot that people need to recognise. There’s the pop punk, alternative there’s a really wide range.
Jack: Leicester has a really good music scene. There are loads of bands and good places to play, it’s a very competitive place to be in which is only good as it means you are always going to be striving to be the best.
Chris: There was an MC we heard the other day Rapper, can’t remember his name but he was cool. Rich: There’s a lot of good music it’s just a question of putting in on the map.
Jack: Leicester has a really good music scene. There are loads of bands and good places to play, it’s a very competitive place to be in which is only good as it means you are always going to be striving to be the best.
Chris: There was an MC we heard the other day Rapper, can’t remember his name but he was cool. Rich: There’s a lot of good music it’s just a question of putting in on the map.
Is there an artist with who you'd love to make duet?
Rich: Frank Sinatra, but that’s not gonna happen. But he would be, if I could have anyone in the world it’d be me and Frank
Chris: I’d do one with Kelly Jones
Jack: Yeah Kelly Jones of The Sterophonics would be cool
Rich: I think there’s got to be a female in there somehow. Yeah, I dunno there’s loads of people, I’d make a duet with not necessary in the public eye. There might even be some guest vocal on the new album, on a track or two…so watch this space
Chris: I’d do one with Kelly Jones
Jack: Yeah Kelly Jones of The Sterophonics would be cool
Rich: I think there’s got to be a female in there somehow. Yeah, I dunno there’s loads of people, I’d make a duet with not necessary in the public eye. There might even be some guest vocal on the new album, on a track or two…so watch this space
What was the 1st ever cd/vinyl you bought with your own money?
Chris: I really don’t want to say mine. It was Abz, Little Miss Perfect
Rich: (laughing) Yeah I forgot that, Chris’s was Little Miss Perfect by Abz, used to be in Five
Chris: I was young at the time
Rich: I mean mine was terrible but mine was cliché terrible, but his was really bad he modelled his haircut on him for years and his six pack
Rich: Aqua.
Chris: Aqua? Barbie Girl?
Rich: Who else did I buy? Little Bow Wow - where’s my dogs at or whatever
Jack: Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey
Rich: Eiffel 65 - blue (da ba dee) was another one
Pedro: Abba was mine, or Robson and Jerome! (laughter)
All: Why did we get him in again?
What would you do if, imagine, one day, all types of arts are banned from our life?
Jack: Well I don’t know, maybe cry in a cave?
Rich: Break the law. Yeah break the fucking law!
Rich: (laughing) Yeah I forgot that, Chris’s was Little Miss Perfect by Abz, used to be in Five
Chris: I was young at the time
Rich: I mean mine was terrible but mine was cliché terrible, but his was really bad he modelled his haircut on him for years and his six pack
Rich: Aqua.
Chris: Aqua? Barbie Girl?
Rich: Who else did I buy? Little Bow Wow - where’s my dogs at or whatever
Jack: Jamiroquai – A Funk Odyssey
Rich: Eiffel 65 - blue (da ba dee) was another one
Pedro: Abba was mine, or Robson and Jerome! (laughter)
All: Why did we get him in again?
What would you do if, imagine, one day, all types of arts are banned from our life?
Jack: Well I don’t know, maybe cry in a cave?
Rich: Break the law. Yeah break the fucking law!
Some musicians suddenly want to become actors and vice versa, do you think this could happen to you???
Rich: I’d like to dabble. Yeah I’d like to be James Bond
Chris: Every man would
Pedro: As every man would.
Rich: I’d like to make a remake of Guys and Dolls and play Nathan Detroit! That’s musical so that’s a bit of both!
Is there a director you'd love to have for one of your videos? And a actor?
Rich: James Cameron
Chris: Yeah James Cameron would whack some terminator in there
Ben: Bit of avatar in the background, mixed with some titanic
Chris: Even get Arnold Schwarzenegger in there, bring him back. If he’s training again.
Rich: He is training again he’s making a new film, yeah bit of Arnold Schwarzenegger
Chris: Helena Bonham Carter maybe?
Pedro: Yeah that’s not cause you think she’s a good actress, you just wanna…(laughter)
Jack: Gerard Butler would look pretty cool in a video!!
Chris: Every man would
Pedro: As every man would.
Rich: I’d like to make a remake of Guys and Dolls and play Nathan Detroit! That’s musical so that’s a bit of both!
Is there a director you'd love to have for one of your videos? And a actor?
Rich: James Cameron
Chris: Yeah James Cameron would whack some terminator in there
Ben: Bit of avatar in the background, mixed with some titanic
Chris: Even get Arnold Schwarzenegger in there, bring him back. If he’s training again.
Rich: He is training again he’s making a new film, yeah bit of Arnold Schwarzenegger
Chris: Helena Bonham Carter maybe?
Pedro: Yeah that’s not cause you think she’s a good actress, you just wanna…(laughter)
Jack: Gerard Butler would look pretty cool in a video!!
Final question: Do you have a message for your fans/supporters???
Chris: Thanks for having us! Yeah please vote for us on the McFly vote.
Jack: Keep checking the facebook page there’ll be some big updates coming up, the new album and stuff should be out about May next year.
Ben: Thanks for all your support, you make playing worthwhile and without you we would be nothing!
Pedro: Write to us
Rich: Yeah write in to us, write on our facebook wall, keep in contact with us we like talking to you
Rich: Thank you for being great fans and we hope you like the new album. Be ready… Mushubi 2012
Jack: Keep checking the facebook page there’ll be some big updates coming up, the new album and stuff should be out about May next year.
Ben: Thanks for all your support, you make playing worthwhile and without you we would be nothing!
Pedro: Write to us
Rich: Yeah write in to us, write on our facebook wall, keep in contact with us we like talking to you
Rich: Thank you for being great fans and we hope you like the new album. Be ready… Mushubi 2012
