incoming: APES FIGHT BACK!
We first came across Manchester - rock/noise/in-your-face - duo Apes Fight Back about two years ago when an in-the-know muso friend suggested we book them. From the moment we first saw them play we were in love with the energy and intensity in the songs; that and how they make other heavy rock bands sound like Coldplay.. After watching Titantic.. Since that first show the band have earned their stripes on the Manchester circuit and have estabished themselves as one of the best bands on the Manchester rock scene. They recently released a single on Noise Park Activities Records and are now working on an album. We caught up with one half of the Apes machine Duncan Baynes to chat about tomorrows show, the boundaries of masculine spooning and ghosts..
WMC: Bonjour, what’s new in Apes world?
Dunc: We’ve accumulated more amps and cabs than you can shake a stick at, Dan has stepped up his pro wrestling memorabilia collection and we both still work the same shitty jobs.
WMC: You’ve played some pretty boss shows over the past 12 months, what’s been the best?
Dunc: They’re all great, gigs are one of my favourite pastimes.
The last time we played with Kong was good. Loud. Quack Quack were ace too, it’s good when you play with other bands that are ace, especially the ones I’ve not heard before. We played with a band called Pontiak the other night, fuck me, if you get a chance go and see them live…proper ace.
WMC: Excited about the Part Chimp show?
Dunc: Yes. They’re one of my favourite bands of all time, every time I see them they blow me away.
WMC: Your sweetie pies, but your sounds been described as terrifying?
Dunc: Really? I wouldn’t say so, there’s far more ‘terrifying’ stuff out there. waking up with your uncle spooning you - terrifying.
We just write stuff that we enjoy, if that’s viewed as terrifying…well…I’d say you’ve lead a pretty smashing life.
WMC: How would you describe your sound to unsuspecting ears?
Dunc: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
WMC: Ever seen a ghost?
Dunc: Sure thing my friend.
WMC: How was sharing the bill with Andre Duracell? There are many myths about him being as difficult as Mark E. Smith?
Dunc: It was fun, i was moving some stuff when i looked up and saw Dan trying to explain to him who Derren Brown was. As to how that conversation came about…you’d have to ask Dan. Andre seemed into it though and that pretty much set the tone for the whole evening.
WMC: You recently released a split single on Noise Park Activities Records, any plans for an album?
Dunc: Yes!
We have a load of new songs as well as ideas for some new songs that aren’t finished yet. We’re going to record them in a few different ways, some demos, some live recordings, some studio recordings but all of them will be done live with as little messing around mixing as possible.
We’re also hopefully going to do some splits with some brilliant bands, i don’t want to say much because we have this weird obsessive thing about jinxing ourselves but if all goes how we hope it does then we’ll have a few split releases and then an album at some point in the near to slightly less near future.
WMC: Apart from the nature boy Rick Flair, who are your biggest influences?
Dunc: Jack Burton, Earl Keese: in that order.
WMC: ‘Eat Shit and Die…Bastard’ - Who’s that one about?
Dunc: Welcome to the goody room! I’m talkin G FIVE.
WMC: Dunc, last time you played here, you went mental and attacked your amp, are you getting along any better?
Dunc: No, I don’t use it anymore. That was a low point I’ll admit.
WMC: Who should we be listening to right now?
Dunc: The collective/royal we? This ‘we’ you speak of, what?????
My girlfriend will tell you that I’m the last person you should put that question to, so I’m reluctant to answer…
I’m a stickler for the same bands, once I find a band that I like I obsess over them. At the moment i’m listening to a lot of Twin Stumps, Drunkdriver, The Hospitals, Coachwhips, Thee Oh Sees (basically anything John Dwyer has ever done), I’ve been obsessed over Mr Dwyer since I first heard Thee Oh Sees in Bolton about 3 1/2 years ago.
Young Widows, Breather Resist, Breaking Colts, Bastard of the Skies, Marnie Stern, Melvins, Big Business, Karp, Thrones, Godheadsilo, salem, The Ergon Carousel, Brant Bjork blah blah blah, it goes on.
I recently bought Divorce’s 7” when they played my girlfriends night in Manchester - they are ace, so intense live and that proper comes over on record too - effortless attitude. No Womb from Manchester, they played that night too and they were ace. They remind of bands like Bonedust and The Body who I also really love.
There’s a huge wealth of great bands round at the moment, loads of ace bands playing in and around the North West. Warm Widow are bloody brilliant, buy their album and if you don’t them at least listen to ‘Lost Dog’, search it on youtube - the video and song are immense.
Also, listen to Prince - you cannot go wrong with anything that man has ever released, I am not joking.
WMC: What can we expect Friday?
Dunc: You’re putting the gig on, shouldn’t you be answering that? Jesus. Lazy!
(Editors note: Cut out filler questions..)
WMC: Finally, what does the next twelve months hold for Apes?
Dunc: More recording, we have a number of gigs in November but after that we’re going to finish these new songs and get them recorded. We’ve learnt that although playing live is loads of fun we also need to take time out to work on the new stuff otherwise it suffers you know? Also, it is not healthy for two men to spend so fucking long alone together, things can become a little too ‘close’, boundaries can become…blurred if you get my meaning…there’s spooning and then there’s SPOONING.
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Apes Fight Back play The Tudor tomorrow (October 28th) Support from Bomber Harris.
www.myspace.com/apesfightback
Free mp3:
Download Apes Fight Back’s ‘'’ HERE.
