Platform: Do you prefer headlining Underage to playing to screwed-up hardcore kids in shitty venues?
There’s no difference between the big shows and the little shows. We played Kingston Peel two nights ago, and it just felt like I was 15 again. We’ve consistently played the same show for the past four years. We just go out and throw down as much as we can. It’s not necessarily our best playing, we just give it everything and whatever happens, that’s a Gallows show.
Kids love punk bands though right?
Back in the day, Punk started as a youth movement. It wasn’t about the old school guys. It was fresh, new and really young. We’re like the embodiment of that now. We want to show that you can make your own life, you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. People always want to shape the direction kids are going in ‘“ but we say let them learn from their mistakes. People think we’re a vicious bunch of thugs, but we just like good music and play passionately.
What was the first band that really got you into music?
My dad was a DJ and had a massive music collection ‘“ everything from Phil Collins to Michael Jackson, Madness to the Specials. I’d put his mixtapes on and dance round the house. It shaped my youth.
There’s a massive banner at Underage Festival which reads “You are the Converse Generation, Rebellion keeps you alive.” WTF?
I think any brand that tries to tell what you are is very deluded and quite foolish. When a brand tries to claim a generation – there are no words for that sort of stupidity. How many fucking years have Converse been around for, how many fucking generations do they want? If anything, I’d like to think that our generation are freethinking and hopefully the generation that can make a change.
But you’ve appeared in Converse ads.
For me, integrity is all about doing what I want to do. If any company wants to give me money, to sell their product, I’m not going to go door to door. I’m not even going to wear it, probably. But I’ll have my photo taken and they can put a fucking logo on it if it means I’ll get five grand in my bank. I don’t give a fuck.
Bring me as much cash as I can carry, that’s what this band has always really been about. Look back to our record deal ‘“ it’s a fucking joke. A million pounds for a fucking shocking punk record. I don’t ever consider us selling out because, you know, we’re on Warner Brothers, we sold out years ago. That was our full intention.
And people who are like “oh you sold out”. We’re like:
A)We were never part of your scene because you didn’t like us anyway.
B) It’s a million pounds. A million fucking pounds. And I didn’t even have to pay a pound to enter the lottery.
C) What the fuck, you’re still working at Tescos. You know, I made my life. I’m getting paid to sit here and talk to you. It’s a fucking joke. Anybody who tells me I’ve sold out I’m just like ‘“ yeah I have. You need to catch on to this shit.
WORDS: SAM WOLFSON
PHOTO: LOUIS BROWN
