Interview
Hey FAT BOTTOMED BOYS , super nice to have the chance to chat with you! First and foremost what got you into music?
Well, when you’re a kid you have to do some activities outside school. I sucked at sports, so I learned music!
I assure you it’s 100% true: Queen made me get into music. My big brother bought the OST of Highlander on cassette. It was in 1986, and for some reason he also bought Live Magic by Queen, a live compilation of what would be their last tour. I remember playing with my action figures, recreating the concert in my room.
Then I lost sight of Queen for a while. Until 1991 when coming back from school I learned of Freddie Mercury’s death on the news. I went back to the cassettes, and eventually got all of the albums! That was it, I was a Queen addict.
Then I learned to play the guitar, and listened to other artists, and began to write songs.
Queen inspired me to get into music. I also discovered the band thanks to the film Highlander, my father is an absolute fan.
Unfortunately, I didn't have the chance to take music lessons when I was a kid (I was good at sports!). So I had to learn on my own in my late teens, when a guitar fell into my hands. I learnt 3 chords at the age of 17. Now I'm 38, and I still know 3 chords.
What's "La La La" and do you think it's worthy of a hot tip "saucy banger"?
La La La is the must-have hit of 2023!
This song happened by chance. We were in the studio, we had already done 9 songs for our forthcoming album “Haters Gonna Hate”, and everyone left but The Sgt. and I. For some reason, we consider that 10 is a solid number so we decided to add one last song. He had some words lying around, I had some chords. Soon we had a song.
The Sgt.: We are used to making songs that some may consider “elaborate” or “complicated”. This one, maybe because it was initially thought of as a “filler” and we haven’t dithered around it, has some immediate accessibility, I guess.
Was the name of your band inspired by Queen's hit that makes the rockin' world go 'round?
Not at all. It’s because we have really big bottoms!
Okay, we’ve been rumbled…
Since Mercury’s death in 1991, Queen have only released a few new songs: a posthumous album in 1995 and an average effort with Paul Rodgers in 2008.
The whole point of our project is to pay an homage to our idols, but also to offer fans some new songs Queen might have written.
You could call this arrogance, but we are not pretending to usurp them. I can’t, and nobody can, replace Freddie Mercury, or any Queen member. It’s just our modest contribution to Queen’s legacy.
What’s the best advice you ever gave?
Never reply to questions asked by a pigeon.
Oh… I probably should have given this advice to myself…
The Sgt. : Do. Or do not. There is no try. Wait a minute, was it really me who gave that advice?
What's your top 3 bands of all time?
Elash: My favorites or the ones I consider the most important in music history?
Case number one: Queen (oh really?), Extreme and Mr Big (to name a few)
Case number two: Queen (again?), The Beatles, Michael Jackson (and a lot more but you wanted me to choose 3)
My personal top 3 bands are Queen, The Beatles and… Maybe Jet
How much influence does the 80s bring to the sound of the band?
The Sgt.: we both prefer the 70s era, but the 80s are our childhood. The latest song we composed will dictate how it will be arranged. It might recall a song from this or that album and we will make it sound like that.
On our last album we didn’t really think about it. But we have Queen in our veins, all came naturally.
Elash: We already have plans for our next album. It will be the OST of Craig Mulhall’s novel “Metropolis” which is the sequel to “The King of Rhye”. Craig wrote this book taking place in the universe created by Freddie Mercury and his sister when they were young and appearing in a few early Queen songs. We did its OST last year, in a very 70s prog-rock way. “Metropolis” should be more synth pop oriented. We’ll see.
Do you consider yourself a music - nerd?
Elash: music is my full time job. I’m not a full time musician (yet), but I’m a sound engineer. So I guess I can answer yes.
My bandmates will probably testify that I am also a music nazi when rehearsing!
The Sgt. : Not only when we are rehearsing…
What's your favorite film of all time?
Elash: Highlander! But it’s not true… I am not really exclusive, and I’m not the kind of person who watches the same movie again and again. I generally watch them once. But I would say “La Cité de la Peur” (The city of fear). It’s a cult hilarious french comedy. I think I must know every line…
The Sgt. : For the wacky humor and the mythic car scene: Wayne's World. And I also know every line in “La Cité de la Peur”!
Because I've seen it around 39 million times: the Back To The Future trilogy.
Did you see the Barbie movie? If yes, did you like it?
Elash: Yes we did. A great movie, both entertaining and smart. I think you want to talk about La La La’s cover. We just wanted to build on the success of the film, nothing more! But I must admit that a Barbie doll is a good illustration of the one hit wonders we are talking about in the song.
Do you agree with the Pigeon?
Elash: I always agree with the Pigeon. The Pigeon is always right. The Pigeon is my master.
The Sgt.: I'm too scared of what might happen to my family if I say "no".
Review
"La La La" begins with meticulous guitar work that immediately reveals the excellent production of this indie track with its enchanting acoustic strings. Those same strings are the ideal support for the existentialist and bittersweet songs of the poet behind the microphone. The way this single progresses using booming drums reminds me a lot of the orchestral sound of psychedelic bands like The Flaming Lips. In addition to a truly cathartic and euphoric hook ("and your song goes like..."), there is in fact a lyrical genius here that often comes close to the charismatic irony that so characterized 90s indie rock (Pavement) that deserves to be praised, without a shadow of a doubt! Last but not least, it would be a crime not to appreciate the electric guitar refinements that bring "La La La" to the next level of indie rock with a brief but unforgettable bridge!
The Pigeon added the new single to his Weekly Gems playlist on Spotify. You can check out the released music below. If you like what you hear, make sure to follow along so you can stay on top of future releases!
Please note that Fat Bottom Boys will be soon in concert:
- 23 NOV Paris (Fr) - La Péniche Antipode
- 24 NOV Lambersart (Fr) - Maître Georges
- 26 NOV London (UK) - The Fighting Cocks
Discovered via http://musosoup.com
This coverage was created via Musosoup
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