We met up with Neil and Dave from the B Movie Heroes before their
instore gig at
Changes One in South Shields, in sunny ol' England on the 16th July
2001.
The guys are making a racket around loads of venues this year so we had
a good natter to them in the cozy back room of the shop; to find out
what makes these cheeky chappies tick.
MM: So, where did you all meet and how did you form the B Movie Heroes?
Neil:
Me and Dave kind of met first, when we were in a band together
when we were about 16/18. We all went to a place called Kidderminster
and we all went to college there and tried to make music! They tried to
make us play Jazz but we just couldn't because we weren't very good at
it. So the drummer bought his grades and we all passed with flying
colours. We formed the B Movie Heroes because we were all in bands that
were just starting to break up. So we were all available at the time.
MM: Where did the name B Movie Heroes come from?
Dave:
We had loads of names!! A huge list!! Basically, I was
watching loads of Godzilla films that were on the telly at 3 in the
morning, on Channel 4. They were so cheap and tacky I just though "well
that sums us up". hee hee. Parallels of us. Heroes just got added on the
end.
MM: How would you describe yourselves and your music?
Dave:
Six-foot tall, medium build, likes good music, hee hee! Neil: AC/DC playing Elvis Costello songs. Just pop really with
load guitars.
MM: So you like Elvis Costello and AC/DC?
Neil:
Oh yeah, its like every band in the world you ever liked,
comes about half way up your list and AC/DC are just up there at the
top. Best band ever by far. And Dave likes the Village People!!
hee hee! Dave: Ehh, no. Motley Crue.
MM: So is that why your EP is on "Girls, Girls, Girls recordings"?
Neil:
Yeah, we couldn't think of a name.
MM: Is it not just because you like Girls?
Dave:
Oh yeah, we do like girls. Definitely like girls. It really
came about because we were in
Dudley one night and we were all sitting round this table, hands on
chins and everyone was listening to all this nu-metal shite!! Well I
thought it would be a laugh to ask the DJ if he would play some Motley
Crue and he played "Girls, Girls, Girls" and everyone cheered up. Well
the band did anyway.
We needed to make up a record label name so that was how we all decided
on that. Make us look professional.
MM: Is it working?
Neil:
Yeah, slowly - we think!!!!!
MM: So is that who influenced you when you were younger,
Motley Crue? Neil: Mainly Dave because when I first met him, he had
brilliant long hair and make up, cowboy
boots and skin tight jeans with holes in them. Very Cool. But Scott
the drummer has got more into it as he has got older. When we first met him he was into Blur and
Oasis, but now he loves
Dokken, Tyketo and Danger, Danger. And we all can't wait to go and
see Faster Pussycat and LA Guns when they come over this year. We would love to support them.
MM: So who did you want to be when you were younger and who did
you used to kiss on your bedroom wall?
Neil:
Well I always wanted to be Madonna and always wanted to
kiss Michael Jackson!! hee hee. When I was about 9 years old I was seriously into Michael Jackson - I
can't believe I am telling you this!!!! I used to be able to moon walk and stuff. Dave: First thing I ever bought was "Walk Like an Egyptian" by
The Bangles. Neil: So you wanted to be a Bangle? Dave: Always wanted to have some Bangles, but I still haven't
achieved that because I got a watch! But no, I wasn't really into the kissing the bedroom wall. I still
haven't got pictures of girls up on the walls. Even when I lived at home with my mum I was always too
scared in case she came in, and it was embarrassing that I had girls in my room!! Neil: I don't know really when I was a kid, but now it is
Britney Spears, and when I was a kid it
was… Dave: Britney Spears. Neil: It was Madonna. I used to buy her singles all the time.
Very saucy woman and the older she gets the saucier she gets.
MM: What sort of music do you listen to now?
Neil:
Everything really, Pantera's LIVE album to REM to the
Eagles and everything in-between.
MM: Which one of your songs is your favourite?
Neil:
Got to admit that even though I sing it, I like the new one
we do called "Running On Empty".
MM: That's a film with River Phoenix!!
Neil:
Is it?!!!!! Dave: You always did like River Phoenix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My
favourite song is ... don't know I
don't like any of them!!! I think they are all really good, I don't
know what any of them are mind or how to play them!!! Neil: Dave's favourite song is "The Drug"! Dave: No, I don't like that one. Neil: Dave's favourite song is "Million Miles an Hour". Dave: Okay, "Million Miles an Hour" cos I sing it
MM: Are you looking forward to recording tomorrow?
Neil:
We are. Dave: We are looking forward to the end product. Neil: Yeah, getting something done and having something else
to our name. It's lots of hard work all squashed into one day but it
should be good.
MM: So is it going to be released on Changes One, Neat or Girls,
Girls, Girls?
Neil:
It could be collaboration, "Neat Girls Changes"!!!! Into
men………
MM: If you could work with anyone tomorrow, who would it be?
Neil:
Kelly Brooke
MM: But she can't sing?
Neil:
That's not a problem! Dave: Spunge! Because they are outside the door now.
MM: Have you had any major record companies approach you yet?
Neil:
We haven't done anything for them to contact us really and
we haven't contacted them
because we want to have something really good. Although we liked the
last recording, we thought it wasn't quite good enough to get us a deal with a major label, and
we wanted to get something recorded with a bit more groundwork done, before we even approach
them. See, if we approach them now and get turned down it will be harder to approach them again
a second time. All about timing and we have only been going at this about 4 or 5 months
really.
MM: Would you like to tour over in America or Japan? Especially
with going over there, when you were with the Yo-Yo's?
Neil:
We went over to the States a few times with The Yo-Yo's,
we'd love to go over again.
MM: Where do you call home?
Dave:
Where I live!! Neil: Worcester, as in the sauce.
MM: What makes you laugh?
Dave:
Allan Partridge Neil: Bad News, the film. It is like a Bible to us. If you get on the tour bus with us it is all we watch and the more we tour the more we can
relate to it. Other stupid stuff too, like The Simpsons, anything that doesn't take much
intelligence. Dave: Fart Jokes.
MM: Finally, anything you would like to say to your fans?
Neil:
Thanks to everyone that has supported us and carry on
supporting us PLEASE. Keep coming down to see us and every song that we write will be better than the
last, then eventually human ears will not be able to perceive our music.
These guys are great, if you catch them playing anywhere near you go
and see them because the music is brilliantly fresh and their rapport with each other on
stage is fantastic. Entertaining as well as humorous.
Cheers lads, you were brilliant.
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