Push to Fire: Alternative Music Webzine

Push to Fire Interview: The Blackout
The Blackout hail from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. They've been together since 2003 and they have collaborated with Lost Prophets. Pushtofire caught up with singer Sean Smith to find out his thoughts on touring in America, festivals and Jaffa Cakes..

Hello! Firstly, could you begin by telling us who you are and what you do in The Blackout?
Sean Smith, and I do vocals and break-dancing!
And a bit of history, the band's been going since 2003? How did The Blackout form?
Five friends were in a band together, then the sixth came along and we decided to change our name, and write a bunch of new songs! Then The Blackout was created!
You've recently got back from a few dates in America. How was that?
It was radical, and also very warm! The shows were a lot of fun, and the people were very very friendly, and loved us so much, they have asked all six of us to be president! But not being us citizens, we cannot accept the offer, YET!

The Blackout by Suzy Witts

Next week you're playing Groezrock in Belgium. Have you been to the festival before?
We have never been to the festival before, but we have heard its a top laugh! We are looking forward to it very much, as we are playing with awesome sluts!
You've had several collaborations with Lostprophets - What's it been like to work with and develop a friendship with them? Would you consider them mentors in any way?
Its been hard work to be honest! Ian is such a diva, and if it wasn't for my performance on everyday combat, liberation transmission wouldn't be as big as it is now! But the rest are lovely chaps!
The Welsh scene is thriving with talented bands at the minute - what does it mean for you to come out of that?
Its awesome! Some might say south wales has the best scene in the world, and they would be right! We know how to write a good chorus, because we ave been to the tom jones school of catchy chorus'!
What does a typical rider look like on your tour?
Naked girls, diet cocaine, plain burgers for matt, and 3d glasses, a mini horse, big black, and a wig for james or mr sheen to shine his head!

The Blackout by Suzy Witts
What's the funniest or most unusual situation you've found yourselves in whilst being on tour?
The time when james actually pooped himself whilst driving from a show, after not making it to the toilet by like 20 seconds! It wasn't a full on poo, but a poo none the less!
Which particular gig that you've played sticks in your mind as being truly amazing or unforgettable?
Amsterdam on our last tour was a good show! It was our first time there, and we sold out a 500 capacity room at the melkweg! Also playing GIAN 2006 was good, brixton with LP, and our headline show at the mean fiddler last october was also something else!
What could you not live without on tour?
The internet, a sock/tissue paper, the smile of a newborn child and porn!
You've written in a blog that you're working on new material - is this true, or were you just being nice?
By new material, we mean some world changing anthems! You wait!

Do you have a particular approach to song-writing as a band?
We just hear a tasty lick that one of us has come up with, and work with it!
Who are your influences and (if they are still around) have you ever met them?
Bands like glassjaw, FTM, metallica, Limp Biscuit, Bonjovi and everytime I die are influences! We have met some of them but not all!
You recently covered a Limp Bizkit track for Kerrang! - have you tried any other cover songs, or are there any you'd love to do?
We did a cover of 'Gentle Art of Making Enemies' by Faith No More as a bside of our first single from We Are The Dynamite! We would love to cover beethovens 5th, slayers reign in blood and getting jiggy with it by will smith!
And finally, are Jaffa Cakes a biscuit or a cake?
We have a discussion about this a lot, some of us think its a cake, and some think its a biscuit, so we reckon its a cakeit/bisake!
Thanks very much, The Blackout!

Photos by Suzy Witts (taken at Groezrock 2008). Thanks to Hayley for sorting out the interview to us and Sean for being interviewed. Check out theblackoutmusic.co.uk and myspace.com/theblackout for more info and tour dates. We recommend you catch the band live at one of the following shows: Slam Dunk, Leeds (25th May), Wakestock (Oxford, 28th June and Wales, 5th July) , Nottingham's Rock City with MSI (10th July) and T in the Park (12th July).

Push to Fire Interview: The Blackout The Blackout hail from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. They've been together since 2003 and they have collaborated with Lost Prophets. Pushtofire caught up with singer Sean Smith to find out his thoughts on touring in America, festivals and Jaffa Cakes..
Hello! Firstly, could you begin by telling us who you are and what you do in The Blackout? Sean Smith, and I do vocals and break-dancing! And a bit of history, the band's been going since 2003? How did The Blackout form? Five friends were in a band together, then the sixth came along and we decided to change our name, and write a bunch of new songs! Then The Blackout was created! You've recently got back from a few dates in America. How was that? It was radical, and also very warm! The shows were a lot of fun, and the people were very very friendly, and loved us so much, they have asked all six of us to be president! But not being us citizens, we cannot accept the offer, YET!
Next week you're playing Groezrock in Belgium. Have you been to the festival before? We have never been to the festival before, but we have heard its a top laugh! We are looking forward to it very much, as we are playing with awesome sluts! You've had several collaborations with Lostprophets - What's it been like to work with and develop a friendship with them? Would you consider them mentors in any way? Its been hard work to be honest! Ian is such a diva, and if it wasn't for my performance on everyday combat, liberation transmission wouldn't be as big as it is now! But the rest are lovely chaps! The Welsh scene is thriving with talented bands at the minute - what does it mean for you to come out of that? Its awesome! Some might say south wales has the best scene in the world, and they would be right! We know how to write a good chorus, because we ave been to the tom jones school of catchy chorus'! What does a typical rider look like on your tour? Naked girls, diet cocaine, plain burgers for matt, and 3d glasses, a mini horse, big black, and a wig for james or mr sheen to shine his head!
What's the funniest or most unusual situation you've found yourselves in whilst being on tour? The time when james actually pooped himself whilst driving from a show, after not making it to the toilet by like 20 seconds! It wasn't a full on poo, but a poo none the less! Which particular gig that you've played sticks in your mind as being truly amazing or unforgettable? Amsterdam on our last tour was a good show! It was our first time there, and we sold out a 500 capacity room at the melkweg! Also playing GIAN 2006 was good, brixton with LP, and our headline show at the mean fiddler last october was also something else! What could you not live without on tour? The internet, a sock/tissue paper, the smile of a newborn child and porn! You've written in a blog that you're working on new material - is this true, or were you just being nice? By new material, we mean some world changing anthems! You wait!
Do you have a particular approach to song-writing as a band? We just hear a tasty lick that one of us has come up with, and work with it! Who are your influences and (if they are still around) have you ever met them? Bands like glassjaw, FTM, metallica, Limp Biscuit, Bonjovi and everytime I die are influences! We have met some of them but not all! You recently covered a Limp Bizkit track for Kerrang! - have you tried any other cover songs, or are there any you'd love to do? We did a cover of 'Gentle Art of Making Enemies' by Faith No More as a bside of our first single from We Are The Dynamite! We would love to cover beethovens 5th, slayers reign in blood and getting jiggy with it by will smith! And finally, are Jaffa Cakes a biscuit or a cake? We have a discussion about this a lot, some of us think its a cake, and some think its a biscuit, so we reckon its a cakeit/bisake! Thanks very much, The Blackout!
Photos by Suzy Witts (taken at Groezrock 2008). Thanks to Hayley for sorting out the interview to us and Sean for being interviewed. Check out theblackoutmusic.co.uk and myspace.com/theblackout for more info and tour dates. We recommend you catch the band live at one of the following shows: Slam Dunk, Leeds (25th May), Wakestock (Oxford, 28th June and Wales, 5th July) , Nottingham's Rock City with MSI (10th July) and T in the Park (12th July).