Crawling out from the depths of the North Wales music scene, The Fag Machine have slowly been working on their masterplan for world domination in between drinking tea, working for the council and watching Japanese B-Movies. Developing at a rapid pace with support slots for Bo Ningen under their belt amongst others and the requisite airplay on Welsh radio, they are about to unleash their debut album on an unsuspecting public...
(((o))): So, first and foremost, who are The Fag Machine and what are your musical backgrounds?
Oh Christ, is that how we're gonna start this? I mean how to answer that without a footpump and an elastic skull? I'm going get all precious and put people off now, surely. I'm tempted to go all Johnny Rotten, cram my tongue in my cheek and leave it there - but I'll just assure you, we're all fully qualified. Some of us are scruffs, some of us are classically-trained sophistos, but we're all socio-political deadbeats.
(((o))): How did the band come together?
Powerful drugs were slipped into our soup. The resulting Polaroids have kept us all in check ever since. The trick is, you each rent a Safety Deposit box that can only be opened by you, or in the event of your death, and you fill it with compromising material on your band mates. So everything we have on one other, is kept in five different bank vaults across the country. It makes us all treat each another very, very carefully. If they were ever made public, those snaps would blind you.
(((o))): Do you think your local music scene has had any impact on The Fag Machine as a band?
How could it not? Especially in Wrexham when you're surrounded by the most talented bastards. It's something we want to be a part of, and we always will. Look at the Focus Wales line-up this year! There's your whiff of patriotism right there. That's all you're getting, too.
(((o))): You have just finished recording your debut album ‘Daylight Saving’, what can you tell us about that?
Well it’s been influenced by a mixture of Captain Beefheart, Tom Waits, Sonic Youth, David Lynch, 13th Floor Elevators, Iggy Pop, Nick Cave, The Velvets, the Beat Poets, Bauhaus, Faith No More. Hunched, drawling, laconic madmen. Varying degrees of sickness...
We expect it to buy us a truck! Hmmm...The latest Toyota Hiace? A Leyland Daf? Not a 4x4...they think they own the road. If there's any left over, a drink would be nice. It's made all of us worry about the same thing all at the same time I suppose. Is that synchronicity?
(((o))): What do you think is the most difficult challenge facing new bands starting out today?
We haven't started out for a while, but I imagine money's still a problem. Easy to bitch about bands with an overdraft, but Christ, they're smarter than we were at the time. We're the sort of people who have to be desperate as hell before we'll start doing anything.
(((o))): Every band has different aims, and sadly very few decent ones get proper fame and recognition. What would have to happen for you to feel like you have ‘made it’ as a band?
I doubt we'd feel that, even if it happened. Maybe if someone fucked one of us, singing one of our songs at the same time, I don't know...that would be flattering! Long as she buys the record. You don't want to wake up with Spotify all over your mouth.
((o))): One issue facing you is the possibility of some prejudice against the band name The Fag Machine, does this concern you or are you willing to take possible flack in the name of art?
Flack? From whom? Would-be liberals or fascist-types? I don't know who scares us more. We've got one of those tags that would bother both sides equally, I imagine. If it does, let 'em quake. There are great bands named after Dildos, Nazi Whores, Plumbers, Cockfighters, Pig Farmers, Egyptian strains of Grapefruit...do they worry you? I doubt they worry about you. We've had so much shit off Facebook you wouldn't believe it. William Burroughs art on the page and everything. No context at all, they just boot you off. It's a bit comical.
(((o))): We have another column called Echoes of the Past in which we get people to talk about albums that strongly influenced their musical outlook. If you had to pick a single album that strongly influenced your music then what would it be and why?
Do we have to? Well, go on then. It's got to be ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’... if we had to pick one. Why? You've heard it, right? Most of us want to live in it, in the worst way...
(((o))): This is ostensibly a column for introducing new bands. Who do you think we ought to include in it in the near future?
They will be called Gag Reflex, and they will meet during an accident with a three-cheese omelette in the food court at BHS in Harrow on the 17th September 2014. Wait! Wait! The mists are clearing. A bass player and a rhythm guitarist will be escorted from the premises by a Security Guard named Hector. Just as they go through the automatic doors, before he throws them to the ground. They will look into each other’s eyes, and they will simply know that they were destined for noise. Nah, we're just messing with you! They are in fact called Warsisters. Please look 'em up if you haven't already, they're from near us. If we were a virus, they are where we'd choose to live.
(((o))): What are your plans for the near future?
Well nobody's really heard us yet! We're going to buy a decent Truck and get about a bit. Probably get killed in West Bromwich or somewhere! We've half the songs sketched out for the second LP, so that'll be out next year. Will you re-introduce us then? We'll wear masks and change our name and everything!
