/Music.co.uk Chats To General Fiasco!

Music.co.uk Chats To General Fiasco!

gf2General Fiasco are a hard band to track down, but being persistent sorts here at music.co.uk, we finally managed to grab the boys for a Q&A, while they were in the midst of a hectic touring schedule to promote their excellent new album ‘Buildings’. Read on for some highly entertaining, and original answers!

1. Welcome to music.co.uk. who are General Fiasco, and what interesting facts can you tell us about each of you?

General Fiasco are the brother’s Owen and Enda Strathern, and another guy Stephen Leacock. Enda can kick an apple off the head of an eight foot man, Stephen smokes in his sleep, sleep smoking I believe it’s called, and Owen can smell through walls, but only if they’re less than one foot thick, after that he confuses smoke with fish.

2. We like your album a lot, but do you have any favourite tracks, and what was is like to record?

Our favourite track at the minute is ‘Sinking Ships’. It basically wrote itself and I really like the lyrical content. The album was recorded over the space of about a year. We were touring so heavily that we just recorded back home when we had the time, and as we basically didn’t turn down any tours we were offered, it ended up being recorded a few weeks here and a few weeks there over the space of about a year. Before we knew it we had an album.

3. You guys seem to be eternally touring at the moment, how is that going? Do you have any funny on-tour stories to tell us?

Touring has been great, especially the headline shows which keep getting stronger and stronger. We’re selling out shows now, and we can really see the benefits of non-stop touring over the last year and a half.

Once Stephen was sleep smoking, and Owen who was in the next room smelt it and thought leaky was cooking fish. Needless to say Owen was quite disappointed.

4. What was it like to visit and play at the SXSW conference?

Amazing. We played it last year too, and we sort of knew what to expect. It kind of feels like a holiday because of the great weather, and carnival atmosphere. The shows have been great too.

5. How would you sell Irish music to the rest of the world?

In a big chip van.

6. As a music website, we’d like to know what would make up your ideal site (features/applications/bands/artists featured etc)

Somewhere where you can stream music, download it, and buy the physical copy. As well as that there should be loads of info on the band. At the minute you have to use several websites or applications to do all these.

7. What do you consider to be a ‘general fiasco’?

Wetting yourself in public.

8. If General Fiasco could bring out their own brand of sweets what would they be?

Gummy General Fiasco Heads.

9. What other instruments would you like to have a go at playing/learning given the chance?

The Bikelophone or the Aquaggaswack.

10. How do you feel 2010 is going for the band so far, and what would you like to achieve in the rest of the year?

So far it’s been great. We’ve played lots of great shows, headlining and supporting, and we’re hoping that they just continue to grow with the release of our album.  We’re looking forward to the festival season too.

11. If you went in for the Turner Prize, what random thing would you submit as your exhibit?

We can’t say. Get Owen drunk and he’ll show you.

12. If you could play a gig anywhere (non traditional music venues included) where would it be?

Under the sea in some sort of bunker for mermaids, dead zombie pirates, and fish with the capacity to understand human speech. If those three could get along then we’d know our music is doing some good.

13. And finally, what news headline would you most like to read about General Fiasco?

GENERAL FIASCO TO PLAY UNDER THE SEA!

Our thanks go to General Fiasco for a highly entertaining interview. If this has whetted your appetite, and you’d like to know more about the band, and their music, then check out www.myspace.com/generalfiasco. Their album ‘Buildings’ is out now on I-Tunes and all good download stores.