a spotlight on, and interview with, FUCK BUTTONS
DOWNLOAD: Fuck Buttons – Colours Move (Mogwai remix) (MP3)
by Black Bubblegum, photo by Zach Dilgard
Fuck Buttons, aka Andrew Hung and Benjamin John Power, may only have one LP to their name, but it’s a doozy. Recorded by John Cummings (Mogwai) & Tim Cedar (Part Chimp) and mastered by Shellac-ian madman/producer extraordinaire Bob Weston, Street Horrsing managed to impress both critics and fans alike with a unique combination of post-rock dynamics, power-electronics, and tribalism viewed through the lens of highly evolved pop. The success of Street Horrsing lead the band to land opening slots with Caribou, Deerhunter, Stars Of The Lid, Liars (at McCarren Pool), and most recently, a US tour with Mogwai which landed the band at ATP New York.
It’s been striking me every night since we started (3 days ago) how beautiful a pairing it is, with Mogwai and ourselves. Those guys are constantly putting a smile on my face as i watch them every night. Their music is so internal but their volumous dynamic pounds that feeling ferociously. Stephen whom we traveled with previously on the Caribou tour, has been doing their sound and making them sound otherwordly. John (from Mogwai) has been doing our sound and from the sounds of it, he’s been making us sound great (Thank you John). The comradery on this tour so far has been excellent in fact, and i’m enjoying the evolution of the relationships. Apart from Barry Burns. He’s constantly trying to bully us or belittle us, telling us that we should get proper keyboards and how he can play piano and flute and guitar and anything made by God’s hands and then asking what we can play… Just kidding, he can’t playing anything…
Hope everyone is well back home.
x [FB]
It was at ATP that we caught up with Fuck Buttons for a few minutes to ask them about their thoughts on the festival and some of their plans for the future…
Thanks for sitting down with us today. So, how’s your festival experience been so far? What do you guys think of Kutscher’s and ATP New York?
Andy: I think, I mean I like the thing about ATP which I find sets it apart from all the other festivals… I guess it’s the reverse gallery aspects of it. It’s not sterile, it’s alive with this… this kind of strange history. Back in England, they dorm in these sort of, almost decrepit holiday camps… and it is weird, but it’s great. It kind of sucks away any expectation, and I think [All Tomorrow’s Parties creator] Barry [Hogan]’s done really well to find a place that does that here. I mean this place is really weird, but it’s great.
Ben: It seems we arrived here just like yeah, this feels like ATP. It’s got the right vibe.
I definitely get that sense myself. So you guys are touring with Mogwai right now and I know you guys just recently played Terminal Five. How’s the tour going? Are you guys going back home soon after this?
Ben: No, we have like another week left of touring with Mogwai starting from tomorrow.
[That ended up not being true. Mogwai cancelled the rest of the tour after ATP due to a medical condition. Fuck Buttons in turn flew home to the UK.]
Martin Bulloch get better soon please, thanks – 23.09.08
You may or may not have heard, but Martin from Mogwai had a bit of trouble with his pacemaker after their show at ATP NY and had to be rushed to hospital. What a fright he gave us! I wasn’t going to drink at all that evening until that happened and then everyone avoided sleep to await further news. But they discharged him the next morning and it was fantastic and relieving to see him. Get better soon Martin!
So I’m afraid to report the shows are off in North America, but to be honest, let’s all wish Martin a speedy recovery. That is priority!
x [FB]
After that you’re scooting around the U.K. and Europe, right?
Ben: After that we have some European dates through October, and then after that we’re just gonna set a little bit of time aside to work on new material and just sort out things for the second album.
So do you guys have anything in the works for the second album already? Or is it just kind of a blank slate?
Andy: Every song is a blank slate. We’ve written a few songs already but I don’t know where it’s going or anything like that because we’re always getting new stuff to try out… like physically new stuff, like instruments and stuff, but yeah, it’s definitely in the pipeline and it’s on its way. I mean we’ve got 3, 3 1/2 finished songs at the moment.
Awesome. So I know this is really early, but do you have a timeline for releasing the new album?
Ben: When we’re happy with it. When we’re done. We don’t have an answer for that really, when it’s ready.
Awesome. So who are you guys excited about seeing?
Ben: Who’s playing tonight? Spectrum are playing later.
Andy: I’m looking forward to seeing Mogwai. They’re always great in the ATP environment. And My Bloody Valentine of course.
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Photos from Fuck Buttons‘ ATP performance can be found HERE.
Mogwai & Fuck Buttons- 2008 Tour Dates
Oct 21 – Corn Exchange + Edinburgh, Scotland
Oct 23 – Academy + Manchester, Northwest
Oct 24 – Hammersmith Apollo + London, London and South East
Oct 25 – Unsound Festival w/ Xiu Xiu Krakow, Lesser Poland
