Get to know your fellow board members....

[sonofhal]

Chris, please tell us about the two bands you were in, including some of your better opening slots and some of the best and worst shows.

The Pigkeepers Daughter were the first band i was in. I was the vocalist.Our first show was in June 92. 4 months later we were touring the UK supporting The Cranberries (they were just starting to get major press at the time). We also played with Atari Teenage Riot, The Bluetones (a lot), Supergrass, Bad Religion, Helmet and a ton of other people. We released one single. It got lots of airplay in France, for some reason.

In the summer of 1994 we lost a guitarist, which was the point that i also started to learn how to play. It took a couple of months to find a replacement, and we decided to change the name of the band to Slater (because we wanted a clean slate). Oddly, our first show under the new name saw us supported by Creed. We cut a single, it got Single Of The Week on Radio 1, we were getting lots of press and label interest but our drummer was starting to come off the rails with his drug use. We were due to have our biggest show (first on at Brixton Academy supporting Nirvana), then Kurt topped himself, our drummer got to the point where he couldn't remember half the songs and i called it a day. The others carried on for a bit with a female singer, but we lost touch.

Best gig - Playing with The 25th May at the Powerhaus and singing the whole of the encore whilst crowdsurfing.

Worst Gig - ULU with Gorgeous Space Virus and our drummer literally forgetting how to play halfway through the set with about 5 labels watching.

[bballarl]

Chris:

Please discuss a handful of lightbulb-turning-on musical moments in your life. Live, recorded, whatever.

[sonofhal]

Chris, who is the most important person in your life outside of your family? Why?

Chris, have you encountered many significant Australian/British cultural differences since you first met Ange? If so, please describe one or two of the less expected differences.

One of my best friends moved back to Australia last year and he's been a solid mate for a long time (even when i went through a pretty horrific break up). A lot of other people were just keeping their distance while all the shit went down. He wasn't afraid to jump in and be there. I may even miss Coachella next year for his wedding.

Australians are a wierd lot. They were born to drink and drive, literally at the same time. They drink a lot, but can't hold it. They travel the world telling everyone how great it is back home, but don't actually want to go back. Apart from that, there are not many differences to be honest (apart from making much better wives than British girls).

[sonofhal]

Sonofhal.

What options are available for late night eating? Here in the states, we have a few coffee type shops that are opened late that accomodate club/concert people. There are also individuals who set up their own small spot on the street and make food to buy on the spot. I'm talking comfort food.

A lot of the takeaway places like McDonalds, KFC and Subway in town are open 24 hrs (or at least until 2-3AM). Kebab shops are popular if you are further out of town at a show or a club. We also get Hot Dog vendors (similar to NY) on the streets late at night, offering food poisoning to drunken revellers.

[chairmenmeow47]

can you tell us about the one that got away?

[sonofhal]

Chris:

Please discuss a handful of lightbulb-turning-on musical moments in your life. Live, recorded, whatever.

When i heard Surfer Rosa for the first time, i was going through a phase of listening to nothing but Hip Hop. The album re-ignited my interest in guitar music and began my obsession with seeing Pixies live.

Seeing Rage in 93 at Camden Underworld blew me away. I'd never seen such energy both onstage and in the audience before. Zack was definitely an influence on my rather manic stage persona.

Another album i had an obsession over at the time was Slanted And Enchanted. Not so much a lightbulb moment, as a strobe and smoke machine moment. I used to like it when Gary Young randomly handed out green toast to the people at the front of the audience whilst the band set up their equipment.

I think one show that truly blew my mind was seeing Verve (pre the) in 92 at The Borderline. A friend had heard good things and i went in without hearing a note. It was one of their first London shows ever and i was in no way expecting such a psychedelic explosion of sound. The guitar work was stunning and Ashcroft just acted like an escaped lunatic. Good times.

I miss the early 90's. Can you tell?

[bballarl]

Haha. I wish I had been there. So I don't blame you.

If you had to move to America, where would you like to move to? You can name multiple places.

[sonofhal]

can you tell us about the one that got away?

You really don't want to know. It'd make you ashamed to be of the same gender as her.

[sonofhal]

If you had to move to America, where would you like to move to? You can name multiple places.

San Francisco. Mainly because of Amoeba. You can never buy too much music.

[ivankay]

Did aliens build or help build Stonehenge? If so, why?

And what's the first record you remember buying with your own money? Why did you get that one?

[fiyahhh!]

Sonofhal,
A movie is being made about your life -- who plays your role, what's the title of the movie and what songs are on the soundtrack?

[chairmenmeow47]

if you were to meet a celebrity, what would be the one celebrity you could meet that would make you act like a 14 year-old schoolgirl?

[indietron]

What band/artist is your biggest guilty pleasure?

[BROKENDOLL]

Sonofhal, care to tell us about your other guilty pleasures as well?
And, you find yourself sitting alone in a pitch black room, no sounds or distractions...What thoughts go through your mind during this time?

[M Sparks]

The Pigkeepers Daughter were the first band i was in.

Very nice...

We also played with Atari Teenage Riot

OK, my question is, what's the most insane thing you witnessed on this tour?

[SFChrissy]

Are chocolate covered hobnobs really that unbelievably amazing?

[TomAz]

Chris,

Is your dad's name actually Hal?

[Monklish]

My standard three starters:

1. If you HAD to genocide a group of people but the criteria for who deserves to be exterminated can be anything you want... what group would die and why?

2. What was the most shocking thing you ever realized about your own self?

3. Who's your favorite poster?

[lizng]

I was watching CNN the other day and a rather enthusiastic news anchor reported that the band Creed is getting back together to record a new album and then tour to support it. I didn't know anyone cared about them and was shocked to see such a large news organization giving them so much attention. Sonofhal, what are your thoughts on the issue?

Also, do you find American beer appealing?

[seandlr]

this is the first question ive ever posted so bare with me.
so as i can see your from london, how is the activist movement out there?
i know you get lots of cool art out there, but every time some type of revolutionary action passes around its always on your side of the hemisphere. does it bother you, do you participate or am i just crazy?

[sonofhal]

Did aliens build or help build Stonehenge? If so, why?

And what's the first record you remember buying with your own money? Why did you get that one?

Aliens would have built something much more interesting than Stonehenge. Haven't any of you seen Stargate?

The first record i bought was a 7" of Kings Of The Wild Frontier by Adam And The Ants. I was 8. I got that one because it was about the only thing in the charts that made me not want to vomit (you're never too young to be a music snob)

The first record i "aquired" (using the algunz method - at least 8 year olds don't know any better) was a 7" of Dead Cities by The Exploited. I was a pre-teen punk.

[sonofhal]

Sonofhal,
A movie is being made about your life -- who plays your role, what's the title of the movie and what songs are on the soundtrack?

John Simm would play me, The title of the movie would be Diabolical (as the plot would be stranger than fiction) and it would have a soundtrack encompassing my ever changing musical tastes.

Tracks from

Dead Kennedys
Crass
The Associates
John Foxx
The Human League (pre Dare only)
UTFO
Steinski
Run DMC
Huey Lewis and the News (we'll get to him later)
Public Enemy
Pixies
Pavement
MBV
Verve
The Stone Roses
The Bluetones

[sonofhal]

if you were to meet a celebrity, what would be the one celebrity you could meet that would make you act like a 14 year-old schoolgirl?

[allyjoy]

Aliens would have built something much more interesting than Stonehenge. Haven't any of you seen Stargate?

I think I'm in love

Hal, what are some of your favorite scifi movies and why?

[sonofhal]

What band/artist is your biggest guilty pleasure?

Huey Lewis and the News. I know it's wrong, but i can't help myself. No matter where my head was musically over the years, i would occasionally get an itch for some Huey action.

[sonofhal]

Sonofhal, care to tell us about your other guilty pleasures as well?
And, you find yourself sitting alone in a pitch black room, no sounds or distractions...What thoughts go through your mind during this time?

See post #3653 for the answer to both questions.

[sonofhal]

Are chocolate covered hobnobs really that unbelievably amazing?

It depends on who is feeding them to me.

[sonofhal]

Chris,

Is your dad's name actually Hal?

My dad is not called Hal, but he is quite a cool guy. He even has a dodgy prog rock band naked after him.

http://www.myspace.com/thestevemarronproject

[sonofhal]

My standard three starters:

1. If you HAD to genocide a group of people but the criteria for who deserves to be exterminated can be anything you want... what group would die and why?

2. What was the most shocking thing you ever realized about your own self?

3. Who's your favorite poster?

1 - Q - How many bigoted right wingers does it take to fill a mass grave?
A - Only one way to find out.

2 - That i may, possibly, be mortal after all.

3 - Suprefan, obviously. He knows how to keep the rabble in line. He pushes my (search) buttons.

[sonofhal]

I was watching CNN the other day and a rather enthusiastic news anchor reported that the band Creed is getting back together to record a new album and then tour to support it. I didn't know anyone cared about them and was shocked to see such a large news organization giving them so much attention. Sonofhal, what are your thoughts on the issue?

Also, do you find American beer appealing?

I don't remember much about the Creed gig. All i have written about them in my diary is "We were supported by some shite American rock band". God will decide if their comeback is a success or not (or so he tells me).

I am a fan of some of the American amber ales, but Bud/Miller etc are appalling rather than appealing.