Anti-Pasti was one of my favorite punkbands in the early 80´s but they only disappeared
but now they have come back with their new record and it was time for me to speak with
them. September-16
How was it, have you been playing much of the
time between the your latest record in the 80´s
and your newest one Rise up?
Kevin: We reformed briefly in `95
for about a year, played a couple of punk
festivals in England and Belgium. 2012 was the
year that we made a real attempt at a comeback,
we've played many shows across Europe some
intimate and others huge festivals.
Please tell me a little about every member which
is in the group right now, and how many is
original members and which groups have you been
in except from Anti-Pasti?
Kevin Nixon drummer & song writer since 1980
Ollie Hoon guitarist & song writer since 1982
Ben Hanson bassist, song writer since 2012
producer of RISE UP
Martin Roper original singer is back in the
band, until we find a permanent replacement
after we sacked the former vocalist on the album
RISE UP
What´s the difference of playing live nowadays
if you compare when you were younger?
Kevin: The excitement is still the same,
personally I'm more professional in my approach,
plus I wear glasses or contact lenses these days
so I can see what's happening on stage and in
the audience now.
Where is the best place to play? Is there more
places today to play on than before?
Kevin: Everywhere is good to play, I enjoy
travelling to other countries especially if we
haven't played there in the past. There are
definitely more and more festivals to play all
over the world.
Ben: We love playing Europe; the crowds are
always well up for it. We've done German & Czech
tours and festivals and they're all mental. Best
so far was a gig in an artists commune/squat in
downtown Paris - loads of interesting people to
talk to and mad stuff going on. And the crowd
were fucking crazy!
Your audience today….is it the old ones who come
back or do you have many younger fans?
Kevin: It's a mixture, sometime there are older
punks in the audience with their children who
are teenagers or in their early twenty's.
Is there any sort of people you're missing on
your concerts?
Kevin: No.. every audience has its merits the
bigger the better.
The name Anti-Pasti is an Antiname among others,
is there any funny history behind it why you
took the name?
Kevin : Anti-Pasti means starter in Italian, it
was the first thing on the menu in an Italian
restaurant opposite the pub that we used to go
to when we were teenagers.
How is it to play this sort of punk rock
nowadays in England? Is there any new punk bands
around that you like? Which is best among the
old ones?
Kevin: I still prefer The Clash and Pistols,
years ago didn't really appreciate a lot of the
bands that were around at the same time as us
but these days I realize just how good Discharge
and GBH are.
Ben: There's still a huge appetite for punk rock
in the UK, you only have to look at Rebellion
festival to see that. My favorite of the old
bands is GBH - they've got a really nasty hard
sound with just the right amount of rock n roll
swagger
When you write lyrics today, is it easier than
back in the days? What influences you to you’re
your lyrics?
Kevin:
not much has changed really except the cold war
if you understand? There is still global
injustice, police brutality especially in the US
Mental illness never goes away.....try reading
the lyric sheet.( Haven´t got the record yet!)
Is there anything you never will write about?
Kevin: I can't see me or anyone else in
the band writing a love song!
How is it to live in England right now?
Politically? Was it good or bad that you break
out of the European Union?
Kevin: All of the band would have preferred to
have remained part of the EU.
Ben: It feels like we're on a knife edge -
current prime minister Teresa May has kept a
fairly low profile so far but you just know
there's a shitstorm just around the corner...we
now have a government so far to the right that
junior doctors are seen as a threat. As for
brexit, time will tell - but it's not looking
good - most "leave" voters got hoodwinked by the
media promising "great" Britain again - when the
country ruled the waves - but personally I'd
rather not be associated with a nation that
invades other countries and slaughters and
indoctrinates indigenous populations in the name
of queen and country.
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or
is it a lifestyle?
How have punk changed your life?
Ben: To me it's an attitude, a choice, an
opportunity to break the mould and not conform
to "normality". To others its more about the
fashion and that's cool too - the scene would
certainly be a lot less interesting without all
the pink and green Mohawks.
Kevin: Ben's right IT IS an attitude, not a
uniform.
Have you ever been to Sweden and played? Have
you heard any good Swedish bands?
Kevin:We`ve never played in Sweden, although
we'd love the opportunity to. The nearest that
we have been to Sweden is Finland in May of this
year. I hear that beer is expensive in your
country. The Hives are Swedish aren't they?
What is typical Swedish if you think about what
you think is typical? What is typical English?
Kevin : Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding are
typically British.
Ben: Er... Abba, herring, blonde hair, Volvos,
expensive beer - all no doubt unrealistic
stereotypes! You might think typical English
traits would be drinking tea while complaining
about the weather - and you'd be right - English
people actually do this.
Politics and music , is it goes hand in hand?
Kevin: What else should we be writing about ?
Love Songs? No! Its important that we highlight
social injustice but we don't pretend to have
all the solutions.
Ben: It can, I know people who are adamant the
two should never mix, but some bands work well
with political leanings whereas others don't - I
lost interest in Guns n Roses when they stopped
writing about Hollywood sleaze and started on
anti war songs. But political bands have a
platform to spread a message that they believe
in. Having said that, if you just wanna rock n
roll that's cool too
Your most political song?
Ben: Rise up - it's a message on a global
scale.
Best political artist/Group?
Ben: Stiff Little Fingers were writing about the
Troubles as seen from their back yard - that's
some brave shit.
Kevin: I agree with Ben they were very brave, I
think that we are a political band but we
haven't lived through the troubles in Ireland.
The Clash were an excellent news giving band.
Which is the most stupid questions you ever have
got in an interview
-Ben:
This one!
Please rank your five favoruiterecords all time?
Kevin: That’s a very difficult question as mine
and I suppose everyone else's change all of the
time, the best that I can do is give you my five
favourite bands….. The Clash, Sex Pistols, Black
Uhuru, The Regular Fries, Primal Scream.
Which is the most important record for the punk
movement through all times?
Kevin: New Rose by The Damned was the first but
Anarchy opened the punk scene up to the masses
so I suppose Anarchy.
Is there any good recordshops left in your town?
Which if it's any left?
Kevin: BPM Records is an independent record
store in Derby it's still going thirty years on.
How do you see on downloading, mp3 , Spotify and
so on?
Kevin: Anything that makes it easier for people
to get hold of our music has to be a good thing.
Ben: It's convenient - but it's lost all the
excitement of going into town and buying
something tangible the day it comes out
Is
it important to get out your records physically,
on CD, LP, cassette etc?
Kevin: Yes of course it is, people want the hard
copy and to be able to open the cover and read
the lyric sheet, I do anyhow! I think cassettes
are a bit old fashioned though and vinyl is
making a big come back
Futureplans for the band?
Kevin: Firstly to get a permanent vocalist in
place (we are almost ready to announce our new
member), then to re-record the vocals on the
album RISE UP in time for the second pressing.
We have partly written another album and have
plenty of good song ideas to get to work on. A
Scandinavian tour would be good, do you know
anybody that could make it work?
Ben: Keep writing good numbers and getting
tighter
Futureplans for yourself?
Kevin: To make a career out of music and to
write more songs with Ben not necessarily for
Anti-Pasti.
Ben: Hopefully I'll get some more production
work off the back of this album
Wisdomword?
Kevin: Never underestimate anyone
Something to add?
Kevin: Hope you enjoyed our album, we'd love
someone to bring us over to play a few shows in
Sweden
Ben: Someone! Bring us to Sweden!