01Profile
A Guru Photo
Guru
Musician — Brighton
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Guru, from Brighton. Tommy on the vocals, Kieran on the six-string, Ferg on the four-string and Oli on the drum thing.
Describe your style in three words?
Hunk 'n' punk.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Oli: Brian Jonestown Massacre at the Roundhouse, it was the first big gig I've ever been to as in Spain that style of music isn't as readily accessible. It was actually the first time I left my village.
Kieran: Sunn O))) at Concorde. It was so loud. So so loud. I've never experienced anything like it. Ferg genuinely cried.
Ferg: Rage Against the Machine at Finsbury Park. It was a free show after they got Christmas No. 1 and was the second gig I ever went to. Absolute madness.
Tommy: I've never been to a show I haven't played. Frontman first, good sport second.
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Knebworth. Oasis or Robbie Williams. Either is good with us.
Which Subcultures have influenced you?
It's a big mishmash I guess. Rockers, mods and punk - in terms of what we wear, what we listen to at least. They just all dressed perfectly you know? And the music that came out from each group is undeniably great and important. I mean, all of us have been influenced by different subcultures as we grew up. Is Britpop a subculture?
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Me when I was 15 so I can ask what the f*ck I was doing.
Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
Old Blue. Every time we go it's just good. Every time we play nothing f*cks up. Don't get me wrong their beer tastes like shit, but we're not here to talk about beer right? I know a lot of people think they're too cool for it but I think they need to stop taking themselves so seriously.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Pat Smear. The fourth guy in Nirvana and the one that sometimes plays in the Foo Fighting band. Just seems like a well-rounded bloke. The kind of guy you'd go fishing with.
Brighton's brutalist punk four-piece, Guru released their debut 'Consumer Helpline' in 2018 to be followed by their double A-side 'Don't Talk / LTD' in 2019. Their live reputation also earned them support slots with the like of Pregoblin, Lady Bird, Slaves and Phobophobes.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
Ferg: 'Kids With Guns' - Gorillaz. It was the first album I ever bought, I remember listening to it on my Sony Discman on my wooden floor, reading the little booklet which came with the album.
A song that defines the teenage you?
Tommy: 'Some Might Say' - Oasis. What a watershed moment that was. I thought they were just the band which did Wonderwall you know? Then I was around my girlfriend's at the time and we found her old iPod Nano. On it was Now That's What I call whatever and lo and behold I found the Gallagher magic. Didn't look back for another bloody 4 years. Whoops.
One record you would keep forever?
Oli: 'Down on the Street' - The Stooges. This song essentially got me into drumming and high energy music. I still listen to it to this day, cheers Iggy.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
Tommy: 'It's All Over Now (Baby Blue)' - Bob Dylan. I remember I was actually shown a cover of this, by 13th Floor Elevators and it blew my mind. It was also my ticket into a very long-lasting Dylan phase, which I relapse into every so often. He's just a league of his own and this is my personal favourite. My favourite lyric from the song is probably the opening line.
A song you wished you had written?
Kieran: Happy Birthday. I'd be minted by now.
Best song to turn up loud?
'Lazy' - X-Press. One time we drove to Paris to play this one-off show and I think Ferg played this song maybe 20 plus times. That and Tommy playing 'Found a Job' by Talking Heads. The entire road trip, more or less, was those two songs. Anyway, the speakers in the back of the motor didn't work, that's why it's best to turn up loud.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Ferg: 'Fernando' - Abba. I have very little to say about this. It was on an episode of Malcolm in the Middle and it f*ckin' slaps.
The song to get you straight on the dance floor?
'Rock DJ' - Robbie. Can't go wrong, can you? Potentially the best song ever written. A masterstroke of pop. Unparalleled songwriting. An unparalleled beat. An unparalleled ability to get you - straight on the dancefloor.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Rock n Roll' - Velvet Underground. On Kieran's birthday, we all had a little too much *tea* and because of the amount of *tea* we'd drank we got fooled into thinking Lou was in the room with us singing. Of course, he wasn't, so we helped ourselves to a little more *tea* as it was obviously the end of the night and we didn't wanna give up hope too soon. What a song to carry us through.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Lady Bird, Pottery, Viagra Boys, Durand Jones & the Indications, Squid, Jerkcurb.
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Guru, from Brighton. Tommy on the vocals, Kieran on the six-string, Ferg on the four-string and Oli on the drum thing.
Describe your style in three words?
Hunk 'n' punk.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Oli: Brian Jonestown Massacre at the Roundhouse, it was the first big gig I've ever been to as in Spain that style of music isn't as readily accessible. It was actually the first time I left my village.
Kieran: Sunn O))) at Concorde. It was so loud. So so loud. I've never experienced anything like it. Ferg genuinely cried.
Ferg: Rage Against the Machine at Finsbury Park. It was a free show after they got Christmas No. 1 and was the second gig I ever went to. Absolute madness.
Tommy: I've never been to a show I haven't played. Frontman first, good sport second.
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Knebworth. Oasis or Robbie Williams. Either is good with us.
Which Subcultures have influenced you?
It's a big mishmash I guess. Rockers, mods and punk - in terms of what we wear, what we listen to at least. They just all dressed perfectly you know? And the music that came out from each group is undeniably great and important. I mean, all of us have been influenced by different subcultures as we grew up. Is Britpop a subculture?
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Me when I was 15 so I can ask what the f*ck I was doing.
Of all the venues you’ve been to, which is your favourite?
Old Blue. Every time we go it's just good. Every time we play nothing f*cks up. Don't get me wrong their beer tastes like shit, but we're not here to talk about beer right? I know a lot of people think they're too cool for it but I think they need to stop taking themselves so seriously.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Pat Smear. The fourth guy in Nirvana and the one that sometimes plays in the Foo Fighting band. Just seems like a well-rounded bloke. The kind of guy you'd go fishing with.
Brighton's brutalist punk four-piece, Guru released their debut 'Consumer Helpline' in 2018 to be followed by their double A-side 'Don't Talk / LTD' in 2019. Their live reputation also earned them support slots with the like of Pregoblin, Lady Bird, Slaves and Phobophobes.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
Ferg: 'Kids With Guns' - Gorillaz. It was the first album I ever bought, I remember listening to it on my Sony Discman on my wooden floor, reading the little booklet which came with the album.
A song that defines the teenage you?
Tommy: 'Some Might Say' - Oasis. What a watershed moment that was. I thought they were just the band which did Wonderwall you know? Then I was around my girlfriend's at the time and we found her old iPod Nano. On it was Now That's What I call whatever and lo and behold I found the Gallagher magic. Didn't look back for another bloody 4 years. Whoops.
One record you would keep forever?
Oli: 'Down on the Street' - The Stooges. This song essentially got me into drumming and high energy music. I still listen to it to this day, cheers Iggy.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
Tommy: 'It's All Over Now (Baby Blue)' - Bob Dylan. I remember I was actually shown a cover of this, by 13th Floor Elevators and it blew my mind. It was also my ticket into a very long-lasting Dylan phase, which I relapse into every so often. He's just a league of his own and this is my personal favourite. My favourite lyric from the song is probably the opening line.
A song you wished you had written?
Kieran: Happy Birthday. I'd be minted by now.
Best song to turn up loud?
'Lazy' - X-Press. One time we drove to Paris to play this one-off show and I think Ferg played this song maybe 20 plus times. That and Tommy playing 'Found a Job' by Talking Heads. The entire road trip, more or less, was those two songs. Anyway, the speakers in the back of the motor didn't work, that's why it's best to turn up loud.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Ferg: 'Fernando' - Abba. I have very little to say about this. It was on an episode of Malcolm in the Middle and it f*ckin' slaps.
The song to get you straight on the dance floor?
'Rock DJ' - Robbie. Can't go wrong, can you? Potentially the best song ever written. A masterstroke of pop. Unparalleled songwriting. An unparalleled beat. An unparalleled ability to get you - straight on the dancefloor.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Rock n Roll' - Velvet Underground. On Kieran's birthday, we all had a little too much *tea* and because of the amount of *tea* we'd drank we got fooled into thinking Lou was in the room with us singing. Of course, he wasn't, so we helped ourselves to a little more *tea* as it was obviously the end of the night and we didn't wanna give up hope too soon. What a song to carry us through.
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Lady Bird, Pottery, Viagra Boys, Durand Jones & the Indications, Squid, Jerkcurb.