The scariest boy band of all time, but we love them just the same.
Crazy hair, loads of eyeliner, deathly black clothes…Are The Horrors just the British version of My Chemical Romance? Not even close!
The Horrors reach back through the ages to bring together an intense, eclectic mix of ‘60s garage and ‘80s no wave. Their notorious live shows often erupt in chaos, with rambunctious fans storming the stage as singer Faris Badwan storms back through the audience.
TALive had a chat with Faris just as the band prepares to return to North America this June. After hearing rumors of Badwan slapping girls in the face with black paint, we were a little nervous…but he proved to be a gentlemen under all that hair.
TALive: Originally The Horrors were supposed to tour in support of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and now you are off headlining on your own. Why the change? Faris: It just ended up costing too much money, really. It would have been great, but we just couldn't afford it at the end of the day.
TALive: Some people were speculating that you were just weary of how B.R.M.C.’s fans would react to The Horrors. Is there any truth in that?
Faris: No way! Not at all. What reaction could they give that would be bad? If they really hated us then that would be great because it would be fun. We always feed off that kind of thing. But then if they really liked us then obviously…either way, it wouldn't have been apathetic. I think it would have been a good thing.
TALive: There is this great story going around the internet now from this girl who was at a Raconteurs show that The Horrors opened. .Apparently she was front row to get a good glimpse of Jack White, but then you came out, and, as she tells it, basically accosted her….
Faris: That girl is a fucking idiot. You can see video footage of what actually happened, and the reality differs greatly from her account. I think, to be quite honest, if you want to stand at the front of one our shows with your arms folded and not doing anything, then you will cause a reaction.
TALive: Well, my favorite part of the whole story has been the reaction from Horrors fans, especially girls, who seem to be jealous! Saying things like, “oh, I wish Faris would slap ME in the face…” I mean, when you are jumping into the crowd, are you really targeting specific people, or is it just an impulsive sort of energy-fueled random attack.
Faris: It really depends. It could be joining in with a crowd that is already jumping up and down, or it could be reacting against people who are just standing there with their arms folded. It works both ways. I'd prefer, obviously, for the crowd to be into it.
TALive: So what is your recommendation for those Horrors fans who particularly want to interact with you at the next show?
Faris: They should stand in the front and jump and down.
TALive: Or, apparently, just stand there with arms folded…that seems to get a reaction, too!
Faris: Well it depends on what they want, really! I wouldn't advise standing with arms folded. It's just that an unpredictable response will be given.
TALive: Before you go on tour, do you just anticipate injury of some kind then?
Faris: Yeah, we pretty much do always get injured in some way. It never stops us playing a show, but we do always come back with a lot of cuts and bruises.
TALive: Your shows have this exciting chaos about them… Is that an energy that you take with you off stage as well? Do you need that chaos around you? Do you get bored if things are scheduled and structured?
Faris: Well, when you're on tour everything is scheduled so it's hard to get bored of it. I don't know, I think on stage we're not more…to be honest, with The Horrors what you see is what you get. We're like this all the time. There's no act put on, you know, this is what we are as people, really.
TALive: I suppose the same could be said about your fashion sense and physical attributes everyone loves to talk about. It’s not like that look came about after you started the band.
Faris: No, not at all. It was something that was in place beforehand, yeah.
TALive: It seems like there is this dark sort of façade in a number of genres now with bands that aren’t really dark...that people might mistakenly group you in. Bands like My Chemical Romance, for example, with their “black parade.”
Faris: Well, we've got nothing to do with that. It's so far away from what we're doing. I sort of respect My Chemical Romance in some ways because they've got a massive fan base, an extreme following. I think anyone who can do that is clever in some respects. But musically we haven't got anything to do with them.
TALive: Are there any modern bands that you do relate to musically?
Faris: No, not musically I don't think. There's a lot of bands we respect. Contemporarily we respect bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs … These New Puritans are a really good English band.
TALive: I was actually meaning to ask you about a local Atlanta band called Black Lips…I saw them on The Horrors myspace page.
Faris: Oh yeah, The Black Lips I really love. They're probably my favorite band at the moment. I've got their first single. I've been to see them a few times, and they're all really nice guys. We actually wanted them to come on tour with us in the States but, unfortunately, they were in Israel.
TALive: So I am sure a lot of young Horrors fans will be curious to learn more about the albums and artists that have influenced your sound. What are some of the top artists that they would need to know to understand what The Horrors are all about.
Faris: Well, there are so many. We're all really into '60s garage. And also I'm really into girl groups and Phil Spector. And then sort of '80s no wave like, James Chance, Mars, DNA. And then even industrial music like Cabaret Voltaire. All sorts, really.
TALive: I know you are all avid record collectors. Do you have a favorite record store, even online, where you go to find music?
Faris: I think my favorite web site for records is gemm.com and also netsoundsmusic.com is good as well. Rough Trade is pretty good for contemporary stuff.
TALive: Is there something you are particularly on the hunt for now?
Faris: Yeah, actually. I’ve been looking for this record called Tom Tom by Terry & The Tunisians. They're this really amazing girl group.
TALive: Maybe one our readers will dig it up and send you a copy!
Faris: I very much doubt that! (laughs) It’s impossible to find….But, I will find it!
TALive: Do you have time to stop by record stores on the road as well?
Faris: Yeah we always try to get into record stores in each town, really. It's something that we always try to do-- to the detriment of our sound check. It’s something we immediately think of when we go to a new town.
TALive: What are you like as an audience member? Are you just as interactive as you are on stage, up front trying to provoke the band?
Faris: Nah, no way. I just stand in the back. I don't like forcing myself to be the center of attention while watching a band. I hate people who constantly try to grab the fucking microphone and jump on stage! There are people who watch a show jumping up and down and people who just watch…I just watch.
TALive: But you do like when other bands try to interact with the audience, right?
Faris: Yeah, I do.
TALive: Can you think of any bands that you’ve seen live that do that in the same way you do?
Faris: Not many, really. There are different ways of doing it. The Black Lips are great live, because they are just great, but they do it differently than the way we do. These New Puritans are also really good live.
TALive: We’ve talked about all the cool, obscure sort of bands that you are into. Do you have any guilty pleasures that might not be as obvious?
Faris: Uh, no. I think I'd happily admit anything I have in my record collection, really.
TALive: Really? Nothing you’d be embarrassed to dig out?
Faris: Not that I can think of. I like the stuff I like, and if I like it, I'm not ashamed to admit it.
The Horrors reach back through the ages to bring together an intense, eclectic mix of ‘60s garage and ‘80s no wave. Their notorious live shows often erupt in chaos, with rambunctious fans storming the stage as singer Faris Badwan storms back through the audience.
TALive had a chat with Faris just as the band prepares to return to North America this June. After hearing rumors of Badwan slapping girls in the face with black paint, we were a little nervous…but he proved to be a gentlemen under all that hair.
TALive: Originally The Horrors were supposed to tour in support of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and now you are off headlining on your own. Why the change? Faris: It just ended up costing too much money, really. It would have been great, but we just couldn't afford it at the end of the day.
TALive: Some people were speculating that you were just weary of how B.R.M.C.’s fans would react to The Horrors. Is there any truth in that?
Faris: No way! Not at all. What reaction could they give that would be bad? If they really hated us then that would be great because it would be fun. We always feed off that kind of thing. But then if they really liked us then obviously…either way, it wouldn't have been apathetic. I think it would have been a good thing.
TALive: There is this great story going around the internet now from this girl who was at a Raconteurs show that The Horrors opened. .Apparently she was front row to get a good glimpse of Jack White, but then you came out, and, as she tells it, basically accosted her….
Faris: That girl is a fucking idiot. You can see video footage of what actually happened, and the reality differs greatly from her account. I think, to be quite honest, if you want to stand at the front of one our shows with your arms folded and not doing anything, then you will cause a reaction.
TALive: Well, my favorite part of the whole story has been the reaction from Horrors fans, especially girls, who seem to be jealous! Saying things like, “oh, I wish Faris would slap ME in the face…” I mean, when you are jumping into the crowd, are you really targeting specific people, or is it just an impulsive sort of energy-fueled random attack.
Faris: It really depends. It could be joining in with a crowd that is already jumping up and down, or it could be reacting against people who are just standing there with their arms folded. It works both ways. I'd prefer, obviously, for the crowd to be into it.
TALive: So what is your recommendation for those Horrors fans who particularly want to interact with you at the next show?
Faris: They should stand in the front and jump and down.
TALive: Or, apparently, just stand there with arms folded…that seems to get a reaction, too!
Faris: Well it depends on what they want, really! I wouldn't advise standing with arms folded. It's just that an unpredictable response will be given.
TALive: Before you go on tour, do you just anticipate injury of some kind then?
Faris: Yeah, we pretty much do always get injured in some way. It never stops us playing a show, but we do always come back with a lot of cuts and bruises.
TALive: Your shows have this exciting chaos about them… Is that an energy that you take with you off stage as well? Do you need that chaos around you? Do you get bored if things are scheduled and structured?
Faris: Well, when you're on tour everything is scheduled so it's hard to get bored of it. I don't know, I think on stage we're not more…to be honest, with The Horrors what you see is what you get. We're like this all the time. There's no act put on, you know, this is what we are as people, really.
TALive: I suppose the same could be said about your fashion sense and physical attributes everyone loves to talk about. It’s not like that look came about after you started the band.
Faris: No, not at all. It was something that was in place beforehand, yeah.
TALive: It seems like there is this dark sort of façade in a number of genres now with bands that aren’t really dark...that people might mistakenly group you in. Bands like My Chemical Romance, for example, with their “black parade.”
Faris: Well, we've got nothing to do with that. It's so far away from what we're doing. I sort of respect My Chemical Romance in some ways because they've got a massive fan base, an extreme following. I think anyone who can do that is clever in some respects. But musically we haven't got anything to do with them.
TALive: Are there any modern bands that you do relate to musically?
Faris: No, not musically I don't think. There's a lot of bands we respect. Contemporarily we respect bands like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs … These New Puritans are a really good English band.
TALive: I was actually meaning to ask you about a local Atlanta band called Black Lips…I saw them on The Horrors myspace page.
Faris: Oh yeah, The Black Lips I really love. They're probably my favorite band at the moment. I've got their first single. I've been to see them a few times, and they're all really nice guys. We actually wanted them to come on tour with us in the States but, unfortunately, they were in Israel.
TALive: So I am sure a lot of young Horrors fans will be curious to learn more about the albums and artists that have influenced your sound. What are some of the top artists that they would need to know to understand what The Horrors are all about.
Faris: Well, there are so many. We're all really into '60s garage. And also I'm really into girl groups and Phil Spector. And then sort of '80s no wave like, James Chance, Mars, DNA. And then even industrial music like Cabaret Voltaire. All sorts, really.
TALive: I know you are all avid record collectors. Do you have a favorite record store, even online, where you go to find music?
Faris: I think my favorite web site for records is gemm.com and also netsoundsmusic.com is good as well. Rough Trade is pretty good for contemporary stuff.
TALive: Is there something you are particularly on the hunt for now?
Faris: Yeah, actually. I’ve been looking for this record called Tom Tom by Terry & The Tunisians. They're this really amazing girl group.
TALive: Maybe one our readers will dig it up and send you a copy!
Faris: I very much doubt that! (laughs) It’s impossible to find….But, I will find it!
TALive: Do you have time to stop by record stores on the road as well?
Faris: Yeah we always try to get into record stores in each town, really. It's something that we always try to do-- to the detriment of our sound check. It’s something we immediately think of when we go to a new town.
TALive: What are you like as an audience member? Are you just as interactive as you are on stage, up front trying to provoke the band?
Faris: Nah, no way. I just stand in the back. I don't like forcing myself to be the center of attention while watching a band. I hate people who constantly try to grab the fucking microphone and jump on stage! There are people who watch a show jumping up and down and people who just watch…I just watch.
TALive: But you do like when other bands try to interact with the audience, right?
Faris: Yeah, I do.
TALive: Can you think of any bands that you’ve seen live that do that in the same way you do?
Faris: Not many, really. There are different ways of doing it. The Black Lips are great live, because they are just great, but they do it differently than the way we do. These New Puritans are also really good live.
TALive: We’ve talked about all the cool, obscure sort of bands that you are into. Do you have any guilty pleasures that might not be as obvious?
Faris: Uh, no. I think I'd happily admit anything I have in my record collection, really.
TALive: Really? Nothing you’d be embarrassed to dig out?
Faris: Not that I can think of. I like the stuff I like, and if I like it, I'm not ashamed to admit it.
-Michelle Gilzenrat
Labels: interview, the horrors
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