An interview with Superyob for Sink Hole Zine by Stephanie Leonard
“The new album is called “Ghetto Blaster” and has 11 Superyob originals and one cover:- The Easybeats’ “Friday On My Mind”. It carries on the Superyob theme of real SONGS with intelligent lyrics about things that we think matter. We're not afraid to wear our influences on our sleeves but we've made sure we've added our own flair, melody and aggression. Big guitars, singalong tunes, huge choruses and rock'n'roll songs that stay in your head long after you've heard them. We're very proud of it and can't wait for it to come out.” ~ Dave Haystacks.
This is an interview with Superyobs guitarist Dave Haystacks, with a little input from Vocalist Frankie Flame...
STEPHANIE: For people who have never heard Superyob before how would you describe your music?
DAVE: It’s a tasty mixture of classic British musical influences with a dash of individual style, flair and skill. Our influences come from the traditional musical genres of Mod, Glam, Punk and Oi!. We owe as much to the Who and Slade as we do to the Sex Pistols or The 4Skins.
STEPHANIE: Tell me about Superyob how you got started and who's in the band.
DAVE: Superyob are Frankie Flame on vocals, piano and the odd bit of guitar Ace on drums Dave Haystacks(me) on guitars Chipshop John on bass My own involvement with Frankie started over 15 years ago when I used to go and see his one man singalong show at a pub in South London called The Goose and Firkin. Then, about 2 years ago, I got given a CD by the husband of one of my guitar pupils saying that he’d put me forward for this band without having the decency to let me know. I went along, had an audition (and taught Chipshop the songs) and I was in the band. It turned out that me and Ace had also moved in similar circles over the years so it was quite a cosy inauguration. The band had been knocking around as a recording only outfit for a few years previously, and I was the vital cog to turn the whole machine into a live gigging outfit. Since then we’ve done gigs up and down the British Isles and been over to Belgium. I also participated in recording the 3rd Superyob album ‘Ghetto Blaster’ which is, as yet, unreleased.
FRANKY: I suppose you could say SUPERYOB really got started when me and our drummer Ace decided to form a band that played no-nonsense ballsy melodic music, we had known each other a long time. Dave has just said he first saw me play at the Goose and Firkin.....well, that's where I first met Ace! So, we formed the band.....it was decided that I would be singer, and some mates helped us to record the first album we made which was called “Aggrophobia”. The second Superyob album “Machine Guns n' Alcohol” featured me, Ace, plus Rob and Anne on guitars and another bloke called Rob on bass. That line up remained the same for a three track FREE CD we made called “Refugee”. Then we met our two stalwart axemen Chipshop John who plays bass and guitarist Dave and at last the band line up has stabilized! John and Dave, me and Ace are the Superyob crew now, and we have recorded Superyob's third album called “Ghetto Blaster” (twelve tracks, as yet unreleased) plus a 7 inch vinyl single to be released at the end of May 2003, and two other tracks. We have been busy doing shows in the UK, Belgium, and now we have just got back from a German tour.
STEPHANIE: What band or bands would you recommend checking out that we probably haven't heard of yet in the U.S?
DAVE: All our tastes differ within the band. Me and Ace also play together in Mod/Punk band ACEFACE (who you should of course check out), Chipshop deputises in several other known Sreetrock outfits and Frankie, of course, still is a one-man entertainment phenomenon in his own right. This means we all listen to and go and see different types of bands. One band I think we would all recommend though is RESISTANCE 77. They’re probably known in the USA but they get a huge Superyob endorsement. One good ’77 style punk band I’ve come across recently is ACACIA AVENUE.
STEPHANIE: What is your favorite show you have ever played?
DAVE: With Superyob, probably headlining the Live & Loud Festival in Belgium in 2001. It was a superb night and the people we met there were second to none. With one of my previous bands, headlining a Saturday night at the Onderock Festival in Italy in 1992. It was a proper rock arena event and the crowd of 1000s went mental even though we were only doing rockabilly and rock’n’roll covers.
STEPHANIE: I love the song “You Gotta Believe” from the “Aggrophobia” LP. What is the story behind that song and why was it written?
FRANKY: It's about the emptiness of modern “consumer society”, and how important it is to have a code of existence or belief, a way of living your life that you can be proud of.
STEPHANIE: How about the "British Refugee" song?
FRANKY: “Refugee” was a song we released on a 3 track FREE CD together with the titles “Living In a Doorway” and “Vicious Circle”. This cd focused on social problems and the reality of society in the cities and heartlands of the UK now. (“Living In a Doorway” highlights homelessness and vagrancy, “Vicious Circle” highlights corruption, child abuse and other social sicknesses.) In answer to your question about “Refugee”- ....many people in Britain feel as though they are second class citizens in their own land, and many more have to go and work outside the UK to make a living, hence the line in the song “We're just British Refugees”
STEPHANIE: Top 5 bands of your choice?
DAVE: This changes all the time. Today it’s Cock Sparrer, Husker Du, Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Stiff Little Fingers and Sex Pistols.
STEPHANIE: What's the scene like in England now compared to ten years ago?
DAVE: I would say it’s a bit quieter. There are fewer venues putting on regular Streetrock gigs so you tend to get all dayer sorts of things. The known bands have been around for a while and everything seems to be a bit consolidated and a bit unambitious. We think with our style and sound we’ve pushed back the boundaries a bit and put musicianship and melody into what is traditionally a no-nonsense rock’n’roll environment. The European scene I would say is stronger right now but the English audiences are still as loyal and enthusiastic as ever.
STEPHANIE: You recently came to the U.S, was that your first time here? What did you think?
DAVE: It was my first time in the USA. Frankie and Chipshop have travelled and performed there before and Ace has worked there. I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Friends who have been to the States have done the boring old flydrive/Disney/Florida touristy sort of shit but I didn’t want to do this. Me and my brother spent 8 days in Boston staying in Hostels and in peoples houses and went down the pub, attended real parties in ordinary houses, travelled on the bus and went to dive bars and cheap pizza joints. There was no ‘have a nice day’ plasticky shit and everyone we met was eager, friendly and generous. We came back with the feeling that we’d made friends for life, you know? I can’t wait to go back.
STEPHANIE: What are your plans with the Dropkick Murphys? Did Matt Kelly (DKM drummer) just get ahold of you?
DAVE: Matt is an intelligent and enthusiastic music fan and record collector who contacted Superyob via the website and has championed them in various circles through his contacts. For this we are very grateful. He’s a fan of the band and treated me and my bro very well while we were in Boston. He’s offered to get involved with promotion of potential Superyob shows in the U.S later this year and has also offered to sort us out support slots for the DKMs on their European travels this year during the promotion of their new album. Full respect to the guy. He’s a good friend to us and also many other Streetrock bands throughout the world and it’s good to see the DKMs still tip their hat to the music of the street even when they’ve enjoyed considerable success themselves.
STEPHANIE: What bands got you into this scene?
DAVE: As a schoolboy, I was buying all the records during the heyday of Oi! in about 1979/80. Stuff like Infa Riot, Cockney Rejects, Last Resort, Business, Peter and the Test Tube Babies, Blitz, 4Skins, Red Alert etc etc etc. Music that makes an impression on you stays with you and that’s exactly what happened. As I became a musician myself, punk was always on the agenda and it’s been exciting to become re-introduced to the scene I proudly dabbled with as a youngster.
STEPHANIE: What’s in your record/cd player now?
DAVE: Hang on, I’ll go and have a look. Loitering around my CD player right now are CDs by:- The Status Quo, Section 5, Metallica, Kinks, Cosmic Psychos, Rancid, Death Valley Surfers and The Vapors. An interesting mix, I’m sure you’ll agree.
STEPHANIE: Okay, here in the U.S. pies like what you consider pies are something we don’t have. Until I visited England and around the UK I never knew such interesting meals existed. You all really do put anything and everything into a pie. And I see on your site you all have to have your pies so for all the Americans who have no clue about this pie fascination. Tell us your favorites and what can be found inside of one.
DAVE: A pie is a working man’s feast. They traditionally contain meat, and variations include sausage rolls (just sausage meat) and Cornish pasties (meat and vegetables). Your common or garden pies are Steak and Kidney, Chicken and Mushroom and Beef and Onion and they are standard fare in your average British chippie. Veggie ones certainly don’t count, and depending on from where in Britain you come from, you have a variety of accompaniments to your chosen pie:- chips, baked beans, salt & sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes etc. They are standard Superyob fare. In our part of the world (South East London) we have marvellous Pie’n’Mash shops which sell.....just pie and mash. The atmosphere is indescribable to someone who’s never been in one:- they are basic and good value for money. We swear by them...2 pie, 2 mash and liquor...handsome!!!!
STEPHANIE: Your going on tour with On File again in Germany soon. It seems Superyob can always be found with On File, how does that work? DAVE: We first played with On File at my first Superyob gig at an all dayer in Kent, England in May 2001. We struck up an instant rapport with them (especially when Stewie played “Strength of The Nation” with us when Ace was late for the sound check) and we’re now all good friends. We enjoy each others music and we have a real good bond when we’re on the same bill together. Our styles are slightly different but together, Superyob and On File are one hell of a show. Shame they can’t hold their beer though.
STEPHANIE: And for an interesting question. If you could be anyone's bar of soap who's would you be?
DAVE: Chipshop’s - because then I’d live forever.
STEPHANIE: Any final comments?
DAVE: Thanks for your interest in the band. We’re actively accumulating contacts in the USA for getting shows there for later in 2003, so maybe we’ll see you when we come over. We have a single out within the next month on Screwed Up Records in Germany and we’re still waiting for a record company brave enough to put out “Ghetto Blaster”. (Note: The single is out now, it’s a cover of Slade’s “How Does It Feel”. The b-side is called “Rock and Roll Revolution”. Its available on the bands website)
You can contact Superyob by snail mail @ SUPERYOB P.O.BOX 26535 LONDON SE3 9WS or you can find them online @ www.superyob.com or e-mail the band at [email protected]
Check them out this spring when they come to the States (hopefully!).
Check the bands site for up to date information...
For all your Superyob needs, you can check out their official website,
Superyob dot com
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