(((o))): So, first and foremost, who are Anta and what are your musical backgrounds?
Joe Garcia (Bass): We’ve all known each other for ages and have been playing in various different bands in the rather incestuous Bristol noise/rock scene for the last 10 years or so. Alex (Bertram-Powell, Organ & Synth) is also in Drokk and Boxcar Aldous Huxley. Steve (Kerrison, Guitar) is in Zun Zun Egui, Bronnt Industries Kapital, Iron Crease and formerly Safetyword. James (King, Drums) and I toured and recorded with Rose Kemp for several years.
(((o))): You had a line-up change before this record when Stephen Kerrison joined. How did that change the dynamic of the group?
James King: We stopped playing Slayer riffs when mucking about, and started playing Queen riffs instead.
(((o))): Please describe your sound in poetic form. (Haiku, rhyming couplets, acrostic, etc - take your pick)
Downtuned massive riff,
Synthesizer, heavy bass,
Amp blows up again
(((o))): Your local scene in Bristol seems very vibrant and productive at the moment. How has that impacted upon you guys?
JK: A lively music scene is defined largely by how well everyone in that scene is connected to one another. You don’t get a good scene if bands all play in a vacuum without working closely with one another. As we came to the physical aspect of making this album (recording, duplicating, etc) we were able to call in favours from just about everybody we know, people who were all more than happy to help because we’ve helped them out in the past, or whatever. Some people lent us mics. Some people lent us amps when our own ones died. Some people gave of their time and helped us in other ways. We certainly couldn’t have made this record without the wonderful scene that surrounds us, and we hope that the fact we’ve been able to record, design, duplicate, release and promote a record seemingly entirely on our own steam is a testament to how vibrant the Bristol scene truly is.
Alex Bertram-Powell: Yep. It’s hard to think of a way that the local scene has been anything but positive for us the past few years. Whenever we’ve needed to get something done there have always been supportive people around who know how to make it happen and we’re always happy to respond in kind. It’s funny because Bristol is often touted as a unique and vibrant place, but usually that’s put in terms of a very media-friendly “urban” image; some successful creative types come from here, and we get a bit of tourism out of all that, but really what makes Bristol special is the stuff you don’t see. Musicians and artists and thinkers who don’t fit in with that image the local government & stakeholders are so keen on. Consequently they don’t have its support, so they find new ways to make it happen and support each other. We hear about the city’s “independent spirit” in the press all the time, but as you can probably guess most of what that explicitly refers to has a guided walk associated with it by now. What you can’t immediately see because it isn’t behind a bit of perspex: that’s Bristol, and for the most part it’s wonderful.
(((o))): Your latest album has just come out. How does it differ from previous material in your eyes, both in terms of the end result and the writing and recording process?
JK: The first album began life as a bunch of jammed-out riffs that we then took into the studio in order to produce a demo. It was simply “we need stuff to put on the internet”, so we had a very short (2 day) session in order to do just that. We liked the results so we made it into a CD, which then became, by extension, “the first album”. We certainly didn’t set out with that in mind. The new album - we set out from the start to write an album, then when it was complete we booked studio time with the intention of recording that album. We planned it to be on vinyl from the outset, which gives clear boundaries for how long each side can be, and that definitely influenced the writing.
ABP: ‘Centurionaut’ is really the first example of us actually intending to make a record rather than throwing all our existing live material at a recording session. Although, the focus on live performance is always there when we’re writing too.
(((o))): What do you think is the most difficult challenge facing new bands starting out in the music industry today?
ABP: Aside from the obvious answer - The Music Industry - then funding. Plenty of struggling musicians could do a lot better, given the cash to pay for the manufacture and distribution of records. They're not getting that seed money from playing gigs, which is what's supposed to happen. Most low-to-mid level promoters are in the same situation, living from gig to gig trying to save money. Ideally music promotion should be a salaried institution and those promoters would have the wherewithal to support the artists they work with, which could help them develop what is essentially an enterprise - even if you're just doing it for a bit of fun. That's not going to happen anytime soon, so... small bands need to pool their funds and learn how to roll that into more funds, or find a big pile of cash in the road. That happened to me once, but I handed it in. It's a good story.
(((o))): Every band has different aims. What would have to happen for Anta to make you feel that you’d “made it”, so to speak?
JK: I don’t feel that “making it” is something that happens, really. It’s a continued effort. Once upon a time, the major labels used to sell this dream of signing a contract for a million quid and never having to work ever again. That dream wasn’t very true to start with, and I don’t think they’re even trying to peddle it anymore. There isn’t some great milestone, where up until that point it’s all hard work, and after that point it’s plain sailing. It’s always hard work; if it isn’t you’re not doing it right! But there are lots of milestones, a year ago I’d have said “getting an album out on vinyl” as the next thing to achieve, and now we’ve done that, and we’re about to tour it around the UK, my next answer would be “tour Europe”. After that? Tour further afield. Make another record. Just, basically, do more and better things, and keep doing more and better things.
ABP: I never really thought about it like that. I was just going to say “kid covers our songs on Youtube”.
(((o))): You’re given the opportunity to create your own All Tomorrow’s Parties Festival. What would be the first five bands on your list?
Swans
Goblin
Sleep
Goat
John Zorn
(((o))): This is ostensibly a column for introducing new bands. Any suggestions as to who we ought to include in the near future?
JG: Our most excellent friends Pigshackle who we are lucky enough to be touring with imminently.
(((o))): What are the band’s plans for the near future?
We’re off on tour! Did we mention? Come and see us at one of these places, soon. (Ed: Also see them at ArcTanGent with us!)
