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CALLING ALL ASTRONAUTS
“SOMEONE LIKE YOU”
Released on MKM Records, 20th November 2011
Hear the band interviewed on BBC Radio 6
From January 21st 2012 with Tom Robinson.
http://www.mkmdigital.com/images/stories/caa-article.pdf
Hailing from London, England, Calling AllAstronauts are an electro-punk force towatch for.The currently unsigned band wasfounded by JJ Browning (guitars), formerlyof "Caffeine" and David B (vocals andprogramming) of US:UK after a randommeeting at a Fulham petrol station.Afterestablishing their vision, they added KristiBury on bass, who was born in Croatia.
Calling All Astronauts fits an up and comingnew model for rock that involves bringingin more electronically engineered elements.
Loop tracks, metal and punk style guitarsdefine this band's composition andarrangement signature.Add lyrics thatare culturally, socially and politicallycharged, a nod to punk influence, and theyare unique in their own right.There is alot of dark power behind this musicand yet you still want to dance to it.
How did Calling All Astronauts come about? How long has this line-up been together?
DAVID: JJ and I bumped into each other about 18 months ago, we were old friends fromwhen I managed his old band, Caffeine, and we just decided to see what we could come upwith.We put it to Kristi and she was well up for it, and we’ve never looked back.
Many current electronica or electronic-inspired alternative rock artists are admitting to theirthrowing back to or reconnecting with the 80’s. What were your feelings about that musicwhen it was current? Does 80’s music bear the same stigma in the UK as it does in the U.S.?
DAVID: People only need to listen to us to hear that we are inspired by traditional alternativerock acts.We’ve kind of taken bits from NIN, Killing Joke, PIL, Sisters of Mercy, Pop Will EatItself, Psychedelic Furs, and Joy Division, etc. and tried to mash it all together, having the vibeof that era but making it sound modern. Cheese 80’s like Duran Duran or Wham has just thesame stigma here as it does over there, but proper alternative 80’s is still considered cool.
As a former member of the punk pioneers Caffeine,guitarist JJ toured with AFI. What was his impression of the band? What other artists inspire you?
JJ:Yeah, we were touring with AFI and The Offspring at the same time.They were all verycool guys, I’m inspired by good music, whoever makes it. Have some big guitar hooks andcatchy melodies, and they’ve got me.
Have you all always shared a love of industrial, techno and punk? How did you get to thispoint musically?
DAVID: We’ve always been into the same kind of scene, but isn’t that what you do in life?
You don’t hang out with people that you have nothing in common with musically or politically.
You mention there are a lot of political influences in Calling All Astronauts. Care to shareyour feelings on the riots in England? On the American Occupy movement?
DAVID:Whilst we don’t condone the riots, and it has to be said that there were a lot of peopleout there profiteering, it’s the underlying current of a society of haves and never will havesthat is the problem.A large percentage of a whole generation has nothing to aspire to.WhenThe Pistols sang “No Future, No Future for you” I doubt they realized just how prophetic theywere. It all started going wrong in the UK when Thatcher (who was probably the most evilwoman in the world at the time) sold off public housing, which in itself was fine. Howeverthe money raised from selling the properties, rather than being ploughed back into publichousing was used to bank roll tax cuts for her friends and supporters. She also privatized allthe nationalized industries, the effect of which is plain for anyone to see every time they opentheir gas or electricity bill.The Greed society that has been the effect of consecutive rightwing governments, and I’m including Tony B-Liar’s “New Labour” in that, has destroyed thevery fabric of the society they purported to be trying to benefit. I’m right behind the OccupyAmerica movement. It is time people took to the street and said “enough is enough.” It wasace seeing NOFX playing at one of them.
U.S.alternative rockers seem to do very well in the UK.Any thoughts as to why? What isyour band’s reception like in your homeland? The rest of Europe?
DAVID: Why? Now isn’t that the £1,000,000 question.I think there was a time when all youneeded to be was American to get press here. However you have to bear in mind that thereare 4 times as many people in the US, so there should be 4 times as many bands. Plus, it’seasier in the US for alternative rock bands to sign to major labels than it is in the UK and havethe machinery behind them that signing for a major provides.Things are building very nicelyfor us here. It’s all very organic.We do all our own recording, producing, mixing, press, radio, and just about everything.
The really gratifying thing is when somebody writes about us, or playsour songs on the radio.They do it because they like us and not because they are doing a favour.
Best it makes me feel really humble that people will give over 3 or so minutes of their life to us.
You’ve spent twelve months creating your debut album “Post Modern Conspiracy.”.
ing a year to make the record have any positive or negative effects on the group?
JJ: It only has a negative effect when David runs out of biscuits in the Studio.
DAVID: We are family and we all just want to make the best records we can with the limitedresources we have.
Any possibility of touring in the U.S. in the near future?
JJ: I toured the US a few times with Caffeine.We played the Bamboozle Festival several times.
I have some great memories of playing over there and I hope that we can get over there soon.
If you could send one message for everyone on earth to hear, what would it be?
JJ: Get the kettle on.
DAVID: Treat other people the way you’d like them to treat you.
“Someone Like You” is the stunning debut single from West London based, dark, electro, alt rockers Calling All Astronauts. The socio-political three piece (CAA) comprises of former Caffeine guitarist JJ Browning; vocalist, programmer and DJ David B once of notorious rap-metalers US:UK and Croatian born bassist extraordinaire Kristi Bury. The trio have been locked in their studio for most of the last year recording their forthcoming debut album “A Post Modern Conspiracy” only venturing out to open for Echo & The Bunnymen and Roger Daltrey on the mainstage at Guilfest 2011.
With their usual obtuse outlook they have decided to release four different versions of “Someone Like you”
Single Mix – A dark alternative rock anthem.
Guitars at 11 Mix – A slab of guitar noise that tilts its cap towards old school industrial mashed up to a Drum and Bass beat.
Goth & Bass Mix – Drum and Bass meets Goth squarely on the chin, who knows the winner?
Now That’s Not What I Call Electro Mix – Being big fans of the “Streetsounds” compilations CAA refuse to call this Electro.
“I don’t wanna be, I will never be, I don’t wanna be, someone like you” |
