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A lot of people are saying it these days.. Fans are
saying it, critics are saying it. Hell, Liam Gallager
of Oasis even says it, and so does Neil Young.. They
say that “the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are saving
rock n’ roll.” Now, that’s a pretty heavy label to slap
on a band who are still somewhat rookies on the international
music front… Man, that’s a pretty heavy label for any
band to carry around.
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, [named after Marlon Brando’s
classic 1950 biker flick, “The Wild One,”] met in San
Francisco in '98 and have been recording, writing and
performing nonstop. This three piece band who includes,
Peter Hayes (guitar/bass/vocals), Robert Turner (Bass/guitar/vocals)
and Nick Jago (drums) have created fresh music based
on old ideas with echoes of The Stones, Joy Division,
Depeche Mode, Velvet Underground, Dylan, Stone Roses
and The Ride. Within this mass produced cookie-cutter
industry of one hit wonders and over produced pop stars
the BRMC stood out like geniuses and quickly earned
a loyal cult following. Soon word would leak to the
UK and attract the attention of Virgin Records and by
March 2001 they released their self-titled debut, B.R.M.C..
Their unique blend of 60’s Psychedelic, 70’s rock, 80’s
new wave and 90’s alternative has put them head and
shoulders above their contemporaries and pushed them
ahead in the ‘buzz’ department beating out other such
Alt-rock acts as The Strokes, Phantom Planet and The
White Stripes.
So, how do the BRMC like being hailed as “saviors of
the rock genre?” Well, I recently spoke with drummer,
Nick Jago about this very thing and he talked very candidly
and honestly with me and here’s what he had to say.
CRUD: Man, you guys must have a ton of pressure on you.
JAGO: Why’s that?
CRUD: Well, it’s gotta be a pretty heavy burden to have
all these people saying that “Black Rebel Motorcycle
Club saved Rock N’ Roll” and stuff..
JAGO: No, not really.. We put a lot more pressure on
ourselves than anybody, so..
CRUD: …But, to be hailed as the “Saviors..”
JAGO: …Well.. I wouldn’t say we’re “saving it,” I’d
just say that we’re keeping the heartbeat of Rock N’
Roll. We keep it beating and keep it alive.
CRUD: Did you guys set out on a quest to single handedly
keep Rock N’ Roll alive?
JAGO: No, not a quest.. We just wanted to play music
and it happened to be inspired by the music that we
grew up listening to mixed with the feeling we had at
the time we wrote it and performed it. We just wanted
to learn how to play together and play off each other
and it just worked.. I mean we jam together and just
become completely free musically and let ourselves go
and some songs come out from it. Some of the songs come
straight out of jams and stuff.
CRUD: Your album is a huge success, you guys have toured
the world, girls are wild for you, you probably have
loads of cash.. Man, you must be living the dream, huh?
JAGO: Yes I am.. (Laughs) Definitely, it’s just really
strange.
CRUD: What more could you ask for?
JAGO: Nothing more, this is fine, the way it is right
now.
CRUD: You’re completely satisfied with everything?
JAGO: Yeah.. All I ever wanted to do was just play music
and do my art work. So, I play in a band and I used
my art work for some of the CD singles..
CRUD: Really? You do the art work for the CD singles?
JAGO: Yeah, the new single that just came out in England
has my art work on it and I just really feel that I’m
doing something, you know? I feel like I’m doing what
I’m supposed to be doing and that’s all I need to have
peace of mind.
CRUD: So, it’s just all coming together for you..
JAGO: Yeah, [the band] is getting more well know and
we’re having a good time right now.
CRUD: I hear you guys are very popular over ion the
UK. How popular? Are you guys like the Beatles?
JAGO: (Laughs) Fuck no.. There will never be another
Beatles, ya know.. We’ve been on a couple of covers
of UK magazines and people just started taking notice
of us and you know..
CRUD: …Well, can you guys go to the mall in England?
Or will kids start chasing you and ripping your clothes
off?
JAGO: (Laughs) Let me tell you a little story that just
happened today.. We just finished playing this popular
English T.V. (show hosted by Jonathon Ross; he’s kinda
like a Conan [O’Brian], he’s got a lot of wise, smart
ass type comments.. He’s funny, just funny.) Anyway,
we were getting ready to fly home and we had to go through
customs and the officer said to Robert [Turner], “Hey,
I saw you guys on Jonathan Ross tonight, good show..
Go ahead straight in.” He didn’t even search us or anything,
we just walked right past. It was crazy (Laughs)
CRUD: Cool.. So fame is a good thing after all..
JAGO: Yeah, It’s quite crazy.. Don Sill for Crud Magazine© 2002 
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| 04/02 1 Giant Leap - My Culture
04/02 Elfpower Interview - Andrew Rieger - Creatures
04/02 Frou Frou Interview - Guy Sigsworth/Imogen Heap
04/02 Gomez Interview - Ian Ball
04/02 Idlewild - Live - London Astoria
04/02 K's Choice Interview
04/02 Leaves - Live - Camden Dingwall
04/02 Longwave Interview - Exit
04/02 Lucy Mongrel Interview
04/02 Oasis - The Hindu Times
04/02 Phantom Planet - Interview
04/02 Unwritten Law - Interview
04/02 VUE - Coordinates Interview
05/02 BRMC - LIve - Kentish Town, London
05/02 Breeders - Title K
05/02 FC Kahuna - Machine Says Yes
05/02 Moco - Live - London Monarch
05/02 Need New Body - Interview
05/02 The Soundtrack of Our Lives - Live - Soundhause, Northampton
05/02 The Bellrays - Meet The Bellrays
06/02 Fleadh Festival - Finsbury Park
06/02 Frou Frou Coordinates Interview
06/02 Incubus - Interview - Mark Einziger
06/02 North Mississippi Allstars - Interview
06/02 Papa Roach - She Loves Me Not
06/02 Proud Mary - Live - Northampton, Soundhaus
06/02 Pulp - Live - Sherwood Pines, Edwinstowe
06/02 Reindeer section - You Are My Joy
06/02 Silverchair - Diorama
|  | 06/02 Something Corporate - Leaving Through The Window
06/02 Soinc Youth - Interview
06/02 The Burn - The Smiling Face
06/02 The Coral - Live - Roadmender, Northampton
06/02 The LIbertines - Live - The Social, Nottingham
06/02 The Vines, Sheffield Leadmill
06/02 Trik Turner - Interview
06/02 Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Live, Soundhaus, Northampton
07/02 12 Stones Interview
07/02 Arolo -Interview
07/02 Buy To Let Doncaster - Anti Social Behaviour
07/02 Cassius - Interview
07/02 Farrah - Interview
07/02 Glassjaw - Interview
07/02 Neil Michael Haggerty - Interview
07/02 Hoobastank - Running Away
07/02 Leaves - Interview
07/02 LL Cool Jay Interview
07/02 Oasis - Live - Finsbury Park, London
07/02 Polyphonic Spree - Live - Camden Monarch
07/02 Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
07/02 Super Furry Animals - Interview
07/02 The Beatings - Live - Metro Club London
07/02 The Bellrays + The D4 - Virgin Megastore, Oxford Street London
January 2001
July - August 2001
September - October 2001
November - December 2001
January - March 2002
April - July 2002
August - December 2002 | |
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