IC1S INTERVIEW

IC1S INTERVIEW

Interview with Frontman and lead singer Dan Coburn

Whats new in IC1-LAND?

Dan = There has been a lot going on recently in fact in the last few days we've actually taken a phone call from *name removed on request* in regards to being on their new label as well as taking other offers from a few other labels that have just started appearing from the woodwork. It's nice to go from being the ones approaching everyone to being the ones approached. Everything seems to be falling into place and hopefully it'll all be complete by the time we get to 2014.

This is your first time playing The Great Escape, what do you think about festivals rather than regular venue gigs for the band? Any differences in set or performance?

Dan = I'm not too sure really, for today we're all really up for it and can't wait to play. Andy (Andy Faulkner:Drums) fucked his ankle playing football, I mean what kind of guy plays a football match the night before a massive festival gig? But he's soldiering through as we all take it very seriously when all said and done. For gigs we approach them all the same really and it doesn't really matter where or when it is or which time slot we have, if its 10,000 people or 10 we'd go on and give it the same energy.

You have a new vinyl release coming out, care to elaborate more on that?

Dan = I think you know about this don't you? (laughs) We're using the punk ethos of 'the record companies don't exist', we're releasing the record ourselves, it won't be chart worthy or anything but it's available as a free download on our website http://www.ic1sband.com/ on June 3rd. There will also be a limited edition 7" vinyl out at 5? to 10? to 15 pounds? (laughs) you can't put a price on brilliance (laughs) out via Rough Trade again on the 3rd June. It's all promotion and getting our name about really.

The debut album is still in the works, do you think you are close to nailing the final running order and complete first album?

Dan = I think from every time i've written a song that I know how the album is going to sound and ultimately be but then it changes again and again. In my head I think i'm pretty sure what songs will make it to the album yeah. As for it being recorded any time soon I think we'd prefer a good outlet and label rather than just do it 100% ourselves…punk ethos! (laughs)

As well as playing a lot of full band gigs you're also known for your acoustic slots, how do the arrangements change when doing these more low key slots?

Dan = Yeah well it's basically the same set but…stoned. It's a lot slower and quieter but at the same time mistakes are heard much clearer this way. We did the acoustic slots at the Olympics and Para-Olympics and various other gigs and it's nice to have another string to your bow. If today Andy couldn't physically play we could have done the acoustic versions without any trouble so it's good to have that in backup as well. It's like losing your gun but knowing you still have your knife.

IC1S are known for being outspoken in interviews, do you ever worry that a light hearted slip of the tongue could damage the group from climbing higher up the ranks?

Dan = Well we're really not THAT outspoken. I have thought about it before although in the long run I don't think it really effects things that much. I mean in the 90's when you had the whole Blur VS Oasis thing it was all orchestrated by the labels anyway to shift records.

There has been a recent resurgence in the popularity of the 90's and Britpop as a genre where a certain level of nostalgia has begun to creep into the consciousness of people. Would you consider yourself Britpop or Britpop influenced maybe?

Dan = Britpop influenced would be fair point but Britpop as a whole probably not no. To be honest apart from the bands like Oasis, Blur, Supergrass and The Stereophonics if you actually listen back to Britpop era records it was f*cking shit! We were just lucky to have a few stand out bands at the time which took the light off of these bands that were f*cking awful. Menswear! Northern Uproar! What was that? Nowaysis (Oasis tribute band) were even better than them! Really I would always want IC1S to be the start of a movement rather than just another band riding on the back of a new genre or something.



Are there any groups that you're looking forward to see at Great Escape this year?

Dan = Well we as a band do get very full of ourselves when we're are playing anywhere although there is an act I do want to see and that's the Bangkok Ladyboys over on the green (laughs) no,no…Tribes I like and i'll try and check them out. Good band.

Do you feel any musical kinship with any of the other bands out on the circuit at the moment?

Dan = Not really no. To be honest with you and maybe it's a real horrible way to be but for us it's a case of soundcheck and then go off somewhere else till it's our time to be on I don't really watch any other bands. I would want it to effect my psyche and think "they're REALLY good" and then worry. I'd just rather go on do my thing. As far as I'm concerned there is no other bands on the circuit…just us.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Dan = A lot of Northern Soul music and I really love and am almost addicted to the track "Band of Gold" by Freda Payne, I mean I must have heard this song all my life and it's just slipped past me and then recently it just caught me and I f*cking love it. Dobie Grey as well. When we were on the video shoot for 'Growing Up, Going Down' John (John Campbell: Guitar) CD player packed in and we did acapella tunes and doing Righteous Brothers tunes *sings* "You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your liiiips" (laughs) just awesome over Dartford Tunnel (laughs) it was good. New music? No.



'Growing Up,Going Down' will be available as a FREE download on http://www.ic1sband.com/ on the 3rd June 2013