Black Manila recently played in our Cheap Monday Store in Selfridges, Birmingham. Check out what Conrad Black, the bands vocalist and bass player had to say about the bands new release, CM and other stuff.
Interview with Conrad Black, bass player and vocalist in Black Manila
1. How would you describe your sound?
Essentially we are just a rock n roll band who dip into moments of psychedelia, but then that doesn’t really mean anything does it?
Its probably best to just let someone else describe us
Black Manila are a band who have clearly decided that rock ‘n’ roll – at its key, most core level – is a degenerate art form, played by outcasts. Something that shouldn’t be downloaded but rolled up, smoked, consumed and soaked in through every pore’ - Clash Magazine
even that doesn’t mean anything really, i guess just listen to the music, sound is very personal thing.
2. Who are your biggest influences?
My biggest influence is the Velvet Underground and Lou Reed, the first time that i heard songs like ‘Heroin’ on The Velvet Underground and Nico i was a changed person, it was just so far away from anything else on my musical landscape at the time, i couldn’t believe that this music could even exist as it was everything that i wanted from rock n roll so perfectly and completely. The great thing about the Velvet Underground is that you couldn’t ask them to describe their sound either, they just play with total freedom, they never allowed themselves to get pidgeon holed by a ‘sound’, they play and you listen and it’s all good.
3. You played at Cheap Monday’s Shopping Event in Selfridges a few weeks ago. How was that?
It was quite bizarre… but in a good way. We had a great time, we traveled up from London with our best friend and manager and just had a laugh really, travelling with your band is always great, i had never been to birmingham before i don’t think any of the other had either, there is nothing like conquering new lands with your friends and playing a great show, its a nother notch on my guitar.
4. Where are you playing next?
We are going on Tour around Italy tomorrow, i think we are going to Florence, and the southern area around the ‘heel’ of the country and then back up to Rome, its great in Italy, we love it there, great crowds and a great love for live music… Music takes me to places that i have always wanted to go to but never been able to afford to see, i am very grateful for that… can’t wait to do a tour around Asia or South America … not many bands tour a lot of the countries that i would most love to see, but i know that the people in these countries all have a great love for rock n roll music and live music is such a huge part of their culture that it would just be the best thing.
5. You recently launched the new single … How did it go?
The single launch show was amazing, i was on such a high after our show. We totally packed the Bethnal Green Working Mens Club which was great as we were up against the Camden Crawl and The Land of Kings in Dalston, people knew where the real party was that night. It was a great end to a lot of hard work, it was really nice to see all the people who had worked so hard in the build up to the release getting wasted and having a great time, it was a beautiful night.
6. If you could tour anywhere in he world where would you go?
I guess i kind of started to answer this before, India, Brazil, Mexico USA, Japan, Mongolia, China … also we have never been to Germany, i hope that a big tour of the Deutschland will be on the cards next year… big fan of Berlin and i would love to play there.
7. Do you remember getting your first pair of Cheap Monday’s?
Yeah i do, i had a couple of pairs of Black ones from about the age of 16, i honestly do like the jeans, my jeans take a lot of shit, i will usually just wear them until they fall apart, i think the crotch disintegrated on both pairs eventually, i would like to say it was from too much action there but it was probably from cycling. Gareth has a pair that are shredded at the arse (from too much action ;)) so we are all fond of them….
8. Who’s the best underground band in the UK right now?
Fat White Family who supported us on the single launch and Arrows of Love who are loud and sexy.
Also Bo Ningen, I.R.O.K and Selfish Cunt when they can get their shit together.
9. Who is your Rock ‘n’ Roll style icon?
Charlie Pates – one of the bar staff at The Macbeth, he just has so much rock n roll swagger… our manager Pete is a snappy dresser. Patti Smith always looked great … Jim Morrison, Iggy Pop, but i mean i don’t really copy other peoples clothes/styles, and we don’t discuss what we are going to wear or anything, i find that really contrived and tacky, we are not a fucking boy band … lets all wear black and look really serious seems to be a current trend, just be yourself … i like dresses anyway
10. Cheap Monday gave away 600 beers in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago. Who would you most like to drink 600 beers with?
Your mum.
11. The energy of your songs is reflected in the titles; Reno Rush, Happiness, Fiasco. What keeps you motivated?
Sorry but i thought that this was too good an opportunity to drop this in, but in Selfridges in Birmingham we saw Mr Motivator walking around … unbelievable … i think he missed our show though, would have been great to have him doing a session infront of us to get everyone moving. I have a fire in my belly, that’s all that keeps me motivated, i just want to live life to its fullest, i am only hear once, and the way we go sometimes it might not be for too long so i want to get as much in as i can.
12. If you could go back in time and live through any British subculture which would you choose?
Does this mean that i can’t be one of King Arhthurs Knights of the Round Table Fighting Dragons like they were doing in the 1950s?
All the sub cultures looked like an absolute laugh at the start, Punks, Skin Heads, Beats, New Romantics, Mods, Rockers all looked like fantastic fun … what do we have today EMO ? … shame
13. With the rise of electronic music, will Rock ‘n’ Roll ever die?
Everything comes and goes, as long as rock n roll is willing to evolve with the times then it will stay relevant. This doesn’t mean embrace technology as such, but someone with a guitar and voice is a powerful thing, as long as its relevant. Some people are too caught up in the past, maybe because the present isn’t everything that they hoped it would be, but we have to keep pushing, we have to keep hoping that what we are doing is right and is going to help move things towards what ever it is that mother nature has us all pushing towards. Electronic music is fine, it just becomes dated so quickly. Guitars, pianos and percussion are the only really timeless instruments and we will carry on long after we have gone. As long as rock n roll continues to have lyrics and a beat then it will continue to unite people across the world.
View from the Hotel – all the way on the 21st floor
Around town
Peter & Ann-Sofie trying to figure out which way to go
Shopping!
Shopping break at a Cat Cafe, where you get to hang out with cats as you have your coffee! While they were there they even celebrated one of the cats’ birthdays!
Night out for drinks & dinner in the district of Shibuya – the whole design gang
Very stylish bartender mixed very nice drinks
Nice drinks!
Peter tried some new things for dinner!
Karin & Frida had fun customizing their looks in a Japanese photo booth!
