Jan 2007

The Venom Seeds

Get Off The Internet fanzine

by K*

The singer has bright red hair. Call me shallow but that alone is enough to tell me that this band is cool. But when they're influenced by Bikini Kill, Bratmobile and other Kill Rock Stars acts, have names like Riotmiloo, Slideling and The cave Man Machine, I KNEW the Venom Seeds were gonna be something special. Despite the best efforts of the New Cross Inn sound system to restrain them, and a slightly-myself § co excepted-non-plussed crowd, they still put in a storming, all-guns-and-whatever-weapons-they-can-lay-their-hands-on blazing set. Slideling's power chords completely dispense with the need for a bassist, and Riotmiloo is, lazy comparison alert, a French Kathleen Hannah vocally. Visually, she is a writhing mess in a Chinese dress, with even less regard for personal safety than Matt § Jeff Hardy combined. K*

Hello Venom Seeds, How are you? And what have you been up to lately?

Cave Man Machine (drums)--Tired, hallucinating, ringing in the head from seeing Mogwai and full of disjointed ideas is how I am. Lately I have been making practice Drum pads for my kit, hand-printing the covers for our Demo CD, working like it was going out of fashion, making drawings of trees....

Riotmiloo (vocals)-- Bruised, tired but happy. We're just back from our mini french tour. I am still dreaming about cheese and the giant lasagna. I may be hungry as well...

Slideling (guitar)-- Getting dragged to see the likes of Napalm Death by my heavy metal buddy, getting my head round work after not doing it for about a month, and trying to write some blinding new riffs for the Venom Seeds.

Introduce yourselves, in the form of a dating advert.. :)

CMM-- Up For A Threesome? Two ladies and one Caveman, hard working, adventurous, GSOH; into noises, counting to odd numbers, trips abroad and Gin would like to meet Confused, noise-hungry, hard-drinking people who would be up for dancing in 7/8 time and getting tangled up in wires. Timewasters welcome.

Who/What first influenced & inspired you to start a band?

CMM-- I joined after the band was formed... but once I got there we made music and tea.... Then we really became a band. What inspired me to play the Drums was Keith Moon doing everything you shouldn't do- making the drums into a lead instrument and making it work-from the age of 10 that's what I wanted to do. And then, with a little help from PJ from the Dirty Water club, and me shaving my giant beard off I got to try it all out properly in the Venom Seeds (after many attempts in Jazz, Folk, Rock, Garage etc. etc. bands)

R-- My first musical mentor was a band called Red Aunts consisting of three ladies fuelled up with raw energy and talent. My jaw dropped and I started being obsessed with female musicians. Then I discovered the incontrovertible Bikini Kill, Bratmobile and other ladies from Kill Rock Stars. The digital hardcore diva Hanin Elias was also amongst the lady performers whose anger shaped my musical background. Although my focus is well on ladies, some guys really inspired me too. Charlie Finke from giant monster Penthouse struck me a while ago because He is the only one who can perform from deep and harrowing mesmerizing calls to little ecstatic jumps, from complete prostration to a storming revelation, the way he moves on stage is just brilliant!

S-- My inspiration for The Venom Seeds came from Son House, The White Stripes and Godflesh. An odd mix but it works somehow! Also the DIY communities in France and Italy and Stoke Newington provide continuing inspiration for me - so many genuine and creative people out there, in it for the love of punk and creating a scene for themselves.

What do you do besides play in Venom Seeds?

CMM --I am a pixel-slave for a firm of architects, but really (at least in my head) I am an artist, who also does graphic design and stuff... Usually to be found with either: a. Drumsticks, b. Paintbrush, c. Guitar in my hands (even when sleeping)

R-- I occasionally write CD or live reviews for the webzine called Babes in Boyland (http://www.babesinboyland.info), I also do some shouts or proper singing sometimes with the industrial composer Eva3 (http://www.myspace.com/eva3)... In fact I do quite a lot to keep myself busy! Ah, I also work in an Academy School during daytime (if you want to know about that it is another chapter of my life)…

S-– Daytime, program the interweb, nighttime, play my guitars.

Do you have any good/bad/funny band-related experiences to tell us?

CMM-- I have fond memories of the only birthday party we have ever played-where the up-for-it guests all started dancing to us- something which I never though possible! It was amazing to see people twisting and writhing to our noises- it made Riotmiloo have to twist and writhe even more! Also we are all trying to blank out the image of a FRIENDOFTHEBAND (he knows who he is) deciding to streak at a gig in Stoke Newington- not one you can forget that easily.

CMM--Also amazing was the reception we got when we played in Ancona, Italy as guests of Lush Rimbaud, its something every band should do- we were so well received and everyone was amazingly good to us- getting us drunk, fed and hyped up to play excellent gigs.

CMM--And of course the thrill of going into the studio to record some songs for a single or two (keep your eyes open for our first single on Flotation Records USA- every home should have one!) and finding that we can still make these noises in the studio and make exciting songs.

R-- Playing in Venom Seeds is just a constant laugh, we can't help it! I can only think about good memories from being silly in the studio when rehearsing to stuffing our faces with voice sweets in the studio (even the sound engineer couldn't resist!). Oh, I know a funny unpleasant story, once a cat peed on/in my bed. Luckily a very nice couple accepted to give me a bit of space so I could sleep!

S -- There's only been one bad experience – when in France recently we had to embark on a seven-hour drive from Bordeaux to a gig in Limoges only to find that our car had been freshly towed away! Thanks to the extremely kind Stephane in Bordeaux and some 'extreme' driving by our top notch driver David we made it to the gig on time.

Which song is guaranteed to get you on the dancefloor?

CMM--Most recently it was 'Let There Be Drums' by Sandy Nelson- but that was a very special occasion. Usually all a DJ has to do to cheer me up is play' Love Will Tear Us Apart' by Joy Division or any Clash song.

R--Sex Police by Hanin Elias, any Gossip's song, I don't give a fuckkkk by Peaches, 'Be my baby' by the Ronettes, some old Minor Threat, well many many songs to be honest... And oh yeah, Angel of Theft by Player!!! (This isn't a typo, find it on last.fm- K*)

S – 'Pyscho' by The Sonics

Who would be in your dream gig line-up? (inc. yourselves)

CMM--An all-day festival with Bob Log III, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, The Eagles Of Death Metal, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Buff Medways, and as we're totally in the realm of fantasy here: Pixies Circa 1989, 'Rock and Roll Animal' era Lou Reed and Pavement....

R--Playing with the Gossip (yep I know I am a bit obsessed with them, huhuhu) or Shellac, I was also dreaming about playing with the Italian ladies from Motorama but has happened on the 24th of November at the Dirty Water Club so it's already done (yeepee). Playing with the Japanese band Melt Banana would be fantastic (well it would make me jump non stop for three days at least!).

S-- Ooh difficult one this...Lightning Bolt first to give the audience a rude awakening. Le Tigre to get them in the party mood. Yeah Yeah Yeahs to keep the party going. A loud as f**k Isnt Anything-era My Bloody Valentine to finally knock the crowd out. Hmm... Don't where we'd fit into all that mayhem!

"Favourites" - What's yr fave Animal /Alcoholic drink /Album / Simpson?

CMM

-- Animal: The Esquilax

-- Alcoholic Drink: Greene King IPA, Timothy Taylor's Landlord, and Tea!

-- Album: Sorry can't do just one, so here is the list! London Calling by the Clash, Who's Next by the Who, Velvet Underground and Nico, I See A Darkness by Bonnie Prince Billy, Sweet Heart Fever by Scout Niblett, Crooked Rain Crooked Rain by Pavement...there's six of a possible 400!

-- Simpson: Hans Moleman

R

-- Animal: The Red Panda because although it looks cute, it can headbutt you!

-- Alcoholic Beverage: Borghetti (a coffe liquor from Italy) and a good old Gin Tonic

-- Album: Kollaps from Einsturzende Neubauten or Yolk by Heliogable

-- Simpson: Marge's sisters because of their grumpiness, I like the cartoon but I don't really relate to any of the characters.

S

-- Animal: My 'substantial' cat Felix

-- Alcoholic Beverage: Gin & Tonic of course

-- Album: Pixies 'Surfer Rosa'

-- Simpson: Blue haired honey bunch Marge.

Favorite place in the world?

CMM-- I love New York and I love London (more so as I live outside it at the moment!)

R-- I like being in London but I also really like being in Cambodia or in Mali. Definitely London for doing music but anywhere else to open my views on the real world (full of mysteries, contrasts, unfairness and interesting people with many stories to tell)!

S-- Perhentian Islands, Malaysia

And Finally, how far are Venom Seees gonna go?

CMM-- they've already gone further than my imaginings- I hope we go further and further and further till we swallow up the seas and mountains.

R-- They'll fly until they get swallowed by a fuming hot-tempered dragon (then they'll grow inside him and something worse will come out!)

S-- I'm going to go as far as the others go cos its sounds like they're going for one damn exciting trip!!