Chris Blackburn talks to Gravedigger | Gravedigger Issue No. 2 | Spring 1996
The Mourning After | You’re Gonna Pay | (Mystic Beat) 1995 | For classic powerful music made up outta 3 chords and a mean melody you need look no further than The Mourning After, from Sheffield. I’ve dug this band for a fair while, enthused by the snotty vocals, raw guitar and cool organ, the ingredients for good music in my books. I got in contact with Chris, singer and guitarist to get the low down on the band:
Gravedigger: When did the band form? Chris: It’s always been difficult to give a date to when the band formed, as we were practising for so long before we played a gig. Probably ’bout 4, maybe 5 years ago.
GD: What’s the response to garage bands up north, are there any I haven’t heard of apart from your-selves?
C: Since I can remember there’s always been two main centres for the garage scene. One around Edinburgh and the other down south based near London. So being from Sheffield, right in the middle has made it a little bit difficult for us and meant we haven’t been part of either. There are a few exceptions but usually the audiences we attract are students and don’t know we’re a garage band. I can’t think of any other bands springing up around are area, but I’m hearing things ’bout bands springing up in Newcastle and Cumbria. I’ve been listening to a tape of a band from up there called The Ravengers, who’re really cool.
GD: Who’re your main influences?
C: I get a lot of ideas from ’60s soundtracks and of course various ’60s beat bands. But most of the songs for the band are based around simple riffs. The masters of the riff had to be The Kinks, so along with ? & The Mysterians, I’d list them as my main influences.
GD: Your sound is closer to the ’80s garage revival than the ’60s, do you dig this second era of garage?
C: Some good bands came around with the ’80s revival. Bands like The Fuzztones, The Chesterfield Kings, The Tell-Tale Hearts and a few others all released one maybe two decent LPs. Problem was most of ’em then changed and released some real crap, I do like some ’80s bands but most of the stuff I listen to is from the ’60s.
Gravedigger: I heard a rumour that Rudi Protrudi asked you to join The Fuzztones, and you declined is this true?
C: Yeah, we played with The Fuzztones a few times while they were over here and got on well with ’em. Rudi had told me they were splitting when they returned to the U. S, basically ’cause the rest of the band apart (from Jordan) weren’t into the garage scene. ‘Bout 6 months later I got a letter from him telling me he was moving to Holland with the bass player from The Tommy Knockers and Mad Mike on drums, would I play guitar. At the time packing my bags and moving abroad wasn’t for me. I don’t know how things have worked out for ’em since then, but I have heard Rudi’s just released a solo effort.
GD: Your LP was recorded years ago and has only just recently come out. What was all the hassle with the record labels?
C: It’s amazing that the LP actually did come out. We recorded it for Captain Sensible‘s, ‘Deltic’ label after he’d seen us at a gig in London. The problem started when they gave us their contract, it was something daft like 25yrs; but didn’t mention how many releases there would be. The idea being, sign us up for virtually nothing, release 1 or 2 singles and then try and sell us on to another company for profit. All we wanted to do was have our songs put out and with the contract that wouldn’t have happened. So we didn’t sign, three years later, after a lot of hassle with ‘Deltic’ trying to get hold of the tapes, and another trip back to the studio to work on some extra tracks, ‘Mystic Beat’ released the LP.
GD: How did the release on ‘Merry-Go-Round’ arise?
Chris: We’d known Joss for a while before he asked us ’bout a possible release on ‘Merry-Go-Round’. As it happens that was nearly another non starter ’cause ‘Mystic Beat’ couldn’t give him a release date for the LP. He couldn’t take the chance of them both coming out at the same time as the single tracks were all on the LP.
The Mourning After | You’re Gonna Pay | (Mystic Beat) 1995
GD: Do you gig often in your home area?
C: Everyone who’s in a band knows themselves venues are paying hardly anything nowadays. The fun seems to go out of playing live, when you’re stuck in the back of a transit for 6 or 700 miles and not even breaking even, so most of our gigs are now around Sheffield.
GD: What do you think of the other garage bands comin’ out of the UK?
C: There seems to be more pure garage bands comin’ out of the UK than there were 4 or 5 years ago. Most of the bands were into the mod/freakbeat sound. So the scene has definitely got healthier and the bands I’ve heard so far, I’ve really enjoyed.
GD: Are there anymore plans for the future?
C: Things are going well for us at the moment and we’re lucky enough to have our second Detour release and another single on ‘Dig!’ Records comin’ out over the next 2-3 months.
The Mourning After Gig Gallery | Broken Doll, Newcastle | circa 1989/90
Interview with Chris Blackburn | Misty Lane No. 13 | June 1997
Misty Lane: Could you tell us what’s shaking with The Mourning After?
Chris: Things are brilliant with the band. We’re all busy trying top keep up with replying to letters from fans all over Europe. There’s lots of interest from magazines and three record companies have asked to record LP’s for them. I don’t know how we’re gonna have time to fit everything in.
M.L: What about the latest record on DIG, the upcoming stuff?
C: Our new single “Don’t Know My Name” came out on DIG! Records at the beginning of September. the next one was “Dig-gin’ Your Own Grave” on TWIST. I think that it came out in October. After that we’ve got another two singles on ZEBRAH to be released in ’97.
M.L: Where have you played mostly and how’s the following?
C: We’ve played all over England, Scotland, France, but we tend to do most of our gigs around the north of England. The crowds are usually wilder around Sheffield and Newcastle rather than in London. I suppose we do have a good following as all our releases seem to sell out.
M.L: Are you glad the way your records came out?
C: I don’t think I’ll ever be totally satisfied with our releases. When writing songs I always have a sound in my head. By the time it reaches vinyl, other people, sound engineer, producer etc have all added their own ideas and it can sound completely different. Working to a budget in the studio doesn’t help, it means everything is rushed and you haven’t the time to try new things. Our first LP was recorded virtually LIVE for this reason. On the last recordings we decided to work more on the production. If you compare them I think you can tell.
M.L: Any upcoming tour out of England?
C: Hopefully we will be playing 5 or 6 nights in France very soon to promote our new single.
M.L: The classic question. Your fave bands of the 60s?
C: Well, I listen to most of the mid-60s English R&B and Beat bands . . . The Kinks, Pretty Things, Manfred Mann, Animals, Yardbirds, and also the usual American garage bands, ? & The Mysterians, Sonics etc.
M.L: What else you do in your life apart from playing in the band?
C: Nothing out of the ordinary, hanging out with my friends and watching my local football team Sheffield United F.C.
M.L: Last words?
C: Do your thaang!!!
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