Henry Blacker released their debut album Hungry Dogs Will Eat Dirty Puddings on the brilliant Riot Season last month, which Richard Collins described as "It certainly has the potential to be a crowd pleaser and can see it appealing to a huge range or rock fans from across the spectrum" (see Richard's review here). Richard decided to ask JT (bass) and TF (guitar and vocals) some questions.
(((o))): So we know you are two of the chaps from Hey Colossus and a brother, what made you want to start another band?
JT: It was accidental, Roo, Tim’s brother, wanted to learn the drums so we got together so he could give some tubs a thrashing. Then, it was like, fuck it, why waste time doing covers. Then before we knew it we were rehearsing weekly, twice weekly, Sundays. There’s fuck all to do in Somerset once you’ve bailed the hay and wassailed the apple trees.
(((o))): Henry Blacker is a more accessible than Hey Colossus, it rocks but you could probably put it on at a wedding and people would keep dancing. Was this intentional or the just the way it came out?
JT: How many people in bands go solo and hit us with noise through loop pedals, whilst hunched over a lap top on stage? Got no problems with it, some of it’s good, but that’s for other people. Fancied doing the exact opposite, fancied going the wedding route.
TF: I would like to test your wedding theory.
(((o))): I'm going to go all Smash Hits on your ass I'm afraid and ask about your name. I know Henry Blacker was some tall man who was knocking about in the 1700s, what's the connection? Is it because your bassist is quite tall?
JT: Little known fact – Henry Blacker is Tim and Roo’s great great great great grandfather.
TF: As is immediately obvious with one look at our towering physiques.
(((o))): Lots of reviews mention you have a Queens Of The Stone Age vibe. Do you mind that comparison?
JT: No. No problems with anything like that. Can’t argue with what people hear.
(((o))): Is it true a member of Torche was there when you recorded the album? If so, what was he doing there? If not, tell us something interesting about recording the album.
JT: The album was recorded over 2 days, it didn’t cost much, we slept in the studio, on the Saturday we almost went to see Glenn Branca play in a Peckham car park but we decided to watch Saxon and XTC video’s on YouTube instead. Yes, the Torche guitarist was there. He was staying with Mr.Cedar, they’d toured together when they did the split 12". We all went out and had Chinese food and it was the best of times and it was the worst of times and we laughed and we cried and we cried with laughter.
TF: There was a storm one night when we were recording and Stewie, the studio cat, had some sort of fear-related case of lockjaw. He would swivel round to look at you with his mouth wide open like a ventriloquist’s dummy. It was sort of terrifying.
(((o))): Do you guys ever smile?
JT: Fuck you.
TF: I only smile at rainbows, moonbeams and the wonderful reminiscences of Peter Ustinov. IN THAT ORDER.
(((o))): What is the best gig Henry Blacker have played so far?
JT: Cosmic Carnage at the Windmill. YOU KNOW THAT.
(((o))): Name 3 bands all 3 members of Henry Blacker think fucking rock?
JT: ZZ Top, Jesus Lizard, UFO.
(((o))): When listening to the album it's pretty easy to get the conclusion that the singer is an absolute nutter, is this true?
JT: Sexy as well.
TF: Sexy nutter. Should be some sort of delicious spread. Or my signature scent.
I used to be quite mild-mannered. As with everything in life, I blame [David] Cameron. And his porcine cabal of fiends. It’s the sort of impotent middle-aged rage that would be directed towards the more traditional targets: “eurocrats”, health & safety legislation and an inability to find one’s reading glasses (they’re on your head, dear).
(((o))): Are you the only good band in Somerset or are there more? Do tell.
JT: The only other band in Somerset is Hacker Farm.
(((o))): If Henry Blacker were an animal what would it be?
JT: It IS an animal.
TF: A honey badger.
