Imperial Wax

Musicians — Barnoldswick

01Profile

A Imperial Wax Photo

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Pete: Imperial Wax, 1/4 Yorkshire, 1/4 West Midlands, 1/2 Lancashire.
Sam: Barnoldswick, Barlick for short, Shit hole for truth.

Describe your style in three words?
Pete: There or thereabouts
Sam: Post-punk garage

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Pete: Jonathan Richman, some vast ballroom in Coventry late '80s. In no way was he perturbed by the tiny audience of 19 people (I counted). Taking requests all night and didn't let up for a solid two and a half hours.
Sam: When Eighties Matchbox B Line Disaster reformed in 2012 they played three gigs before calling it all off again. I was lucky enough to catch them in Manchester. It was unreal, it sounded awful, probably the worst sounding gig ever, but they were just unreal.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Pete: MC5 and the Stooges. It's quite remarkable that the two most rocking bands once shared a bill. I would risk our band being totally blown out of the water to witness this gig.
Sam: The Ventures so I can have my own Mosrite - and the Ramones so I can have my own Mosrite.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
Sam: American Garage has had a big influence on me.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Pete: Frank Zappa. Heroes die and don't get replaced. I can spend hours watching his old interviews. A world view that would be very welcome today.
Sam: Robert Catesby or Tolkien.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
Pete: The Ferry, Glasgow. Blood, snot and beer and loads of fun. The only time The Fall allowed a bouncer to share our stage.
Sam: I love the Brudenell in Leeds, best place to watch, best place to play and the beer's cheap.

Your greatest hero or heroine in music?
Pete: Bill Callahan. Since following him as Smog in the mid-'90s, each consecutive LP improves on the last. A remarkable achievement.
Sam: I have loads but I suppose the one I most respect and probably admire the most is John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees. I love how he’s just fully dedicated to the cause, works hard, kept it real and plays harder than anyone else. A true hero in modern music.


Imperial Wax are Sam Curran, Keiron Melling, Dave Spurr and Pete Greenway - a line up that includes three 11 year veterans in the longest serving and last line up of The Fall. The band will release their debut LP 'Gastwerk Saboteurs' on 17th May (2018) with a UK tour in support of the release.

Imperial Wax 2018 UK Tour Dates:
Thursday 30th May - Huddersfield, The Parish
Friday 31st May - Manchester, Night People
Sunday 2nd June - Brighton, Prince Albert
Monday 3rd June - Bristol, Rough Trade
Thursday 6 June - London, The Islington
Friday 7th June - Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
Thursday 13th June - Glasgow, Broadcast
Friday 14th June - Newcastle, Think Tank? Underground

Find out more at imperialwax.co.uk

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
Pete: The Beatles - 'She Loves You'. My dad gave me a tape recorder to play with when I was just a toddler. I played this song over and over till the tape broke, I managed to fix it multiple times using sellotape so I could play it again and again...
Keiron: Jimi Hendrix - 'Manic Depression'. I remember the first time I heard this song and it just transported me into a different dimension mentally. I would put my headphones on and become totally immersed in my own world. I love how Mitch Mitchell made a waltz sound so heavy.
Sam: I can’t remember my first one so I’ll tell you one that I’ve been hammering recently. 'Fingertips' - Brian Jones Town Massacre. 

A song that defines the teenage you?
Pete: Violent Femmes - 'Add it Up'. Me and my friends played the first Violent Femmes LP so much that it's now part of our DNA.
Keiron: Black Sabbath - 'Sweet Leaf' for obvious reasons. Learning to expand the mind! I don’t think there’s a better way to start a song... cough cough cough bang.
Sam: System of a down - 'DDevil'. 

One record you would keep forever?
Pete: Vic Chestnutt - 'Little'. I could never get bored of this LP. The gritty ugliness/beauty of his lyrics, plus his way of adding another seven syllables to any given word makes him a unique songwriter.
Keiron: Melvins - 'A Senile Animal'. A great record that I’d be lost without. I can play this record any time and it never gets old. If I have to pick just one track from this album, it’d have to be 'A History Of Bad Men' pure filth. 
Sam: 'Coast To Coast' from a 'Basement on a Hill' by Elliot Smith.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
Pete: "When love is gone, there's always justice. And when justice is gone, there's always force. And when force is gone, theres always Mom. Hi Mom!"
'O Superman' - Laurie Anderson. 
Keiron: "If you can latch on to it, it’s mine, it’s mine. If you can eat or screw it, it’s mine, it’s mine"
'Mine' by Cows. It’s just one of those songs that inspires me to take the most out of the day instead of sitting around waiting for things to happen.
Sam: Not so much a particular line but I Love Leonard Cohen, his lyrics and Poetry have always inspired me. I remember when I first heard 'Avalanche' it really opened my eyes to seeing lyrics as poetry rather than just something to shout over a guitar.

A song you wished you had written?
Pete: Herman Dune - 'My Friends Kill My Folks'. This song applies to many people in whose company I've shared nights and all kinds of mornings.
Keiron: Captain Beefheart - 'Low Yo Yo Stuff'. Absolutely love this song. It’s just a great song. Amazing vocal and totally inspiring push and pull drumming.
Sam: More or less every song I like, but I’ve been listening to the new Iceage album and 'Catch It' is an amazing track. 

Best song to turn up loud?
Pete: 'Handsome and Gretal' - Babes in Toyland. It's loud at any volume.
Keiron: 'Bomber' - Motörhead. I’ve been lucky enough to see Motörhead live on numerous occasions and the louder they play, the better it is. They were that loud my nostrils began uncontrollably moving with the bass drum!
Sam: Bad Breeding - 'Age of Nothing'.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Pete: N-trance - 'Set You Free'. Looking at me now, you wouldn't expect it but I used to dance like a right prat to this, back in the day. Probably still would.
Keiron: Howlin' Wolf - 'Spoonful'. I’m not sure people would expect me to like blues or not. Most people think I’m into heavy stuff but I’ve got a broad spectrum. I do however believe heavy vocals have been massively influenced by Howlin' Wolf. If you follow it back maybe he was the start of the death metal vocal! Who knows?
Sam: 'Moon River' - Audrey Hepburn

The song to get you straight on the dance floor?
Pete: 'Clean Up Woman' - Betty Wright. As long as no one is watching.
Keiron: James Brown 'Super Bad'. I don’t think anyone can sit still when the hardest working man in show business is playing. He had total control of his vision and made it happen.
Sam: Tom Waits - 'What’s He Building?'. Such a banger, I can’t control myself

Best song to end an all-nighter?
Pete: Royal Trux - 'Mercury'. Guaranteed to make the speediest of night owls throw up and piss off home to bed.
Keiron: Hepa.titus 'Annas Simple Rules'. 'Champagne Of Incest' was probably my album of 2018. I think you sort the calibre of people with this track at the end of an all-nighter. Most people will go home so I’d be left with the people I can handle hanging out with!
Sam: Napalm Death - 'You Suffer'

Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Keiron: I’ve been listening to Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs quite a lot recently. 'GNT' fairly well rips your head off. Coincidentally the singer Matt Baty works for our publishing company 'Wipe Out Music'. He’s a decent chap!
Sam: Shakamoto Investigation, Feels, Uranium Club, Crack Cloud, Fontaines DC, Drahla, Crows.

03Interview

Name, where are you from?
Pete: Imperial Wax, 1/4 Yorkshire, 1/4 West Midlands, 1/2 Lancashire.
Sam: Barnoldswick, Barlick for short, Shit hole for truth.

Describe your style in three words?
Pete: There or thereabouts
Sam: Post-punk garage

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Pete: Jonathan Richman, some vast ballroom in Coventry late '80s. In no way was he perturbed by the tiny audience of 19 people (I counted). Taking requests all night and didn't let up for a solid two and a half hours.
Sam: When Eighties Matchbox B Line Disaster reformed in 2012 they played three gigs before calling it all off again. I was lucky enough to catch them in Manchester. It was unreal, it sounded awful, probably the worst sounding gig ever, but they were just unreal.

If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Pete: MC5 and the Stooges. It's quite remarkable that the two most rocking bands once shared a bill. I would risk our band being totally blown out of the water to witness this gig.
Sam: The Ventures so I can have my own Mosrite - and the Ramones so I can have my own Mosrite.

Which Subcultures have influenced you?
Sam: American Garage has had a big influence on me.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Pete: Frank Zappa. Heroes die and don't get replaced. I can spend hours watching his old interviews. A world view that would be very welcome today.
Sam: Robert Catesby or Tolkien.

Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
Pete: The Ferry, Glasgow. Blood, snot and beer and loads of fun. The only time The Fall allowed a bouncer to share our stage.
Sam: I love the Brudenell in Leeds, best place to watch, best place to play and the beer's cheap.

Your greatest hero or heroine in music?
Pete: Bill Callahan. Since following him as Smog in the mid-'90s, each consecutive LP improves on the last. A remarkable achievement.
Sam: I have loads but I suppose the one I most respect and probably admire the most is John Dwyer of Thee Oh Sees. I love how he’s just fully dedicated to the cause, works hard, kept it real and plays harder than anyone else. A true hero in modern music.


Imperial Wax are Sam Curran, Keiron Melling, Dave Spurr and Pete Greenway - a line up that includes three 11 year veterans in the longest serving and last line up of The Fall. The band will release their debut LP 'Gastwerk Saboteurs' on 17th May (2018) with a UK tour in support of the release.

Imperial Wax 2018 UK Tour Dates:
Thursday 30th May - Huddersfield, The Parish
Friday 31st May - Manchester, Night People
Sunday 2nd June - Brighton, Prince Albert
Monday 3rd June - Bristol, Rough Trade
Thursday 6 June - London, The Islington
Friday 7th June - Cardiff, Clwb Ifor Bach
Thursday 13th June - Glasgow, Broadcast
Friday 14th June - Newcastle, Think Tank? Underground

Find out more at imperialwax.co.uk

04Playlist Notes

The first track you played on repeat?
Pete: The Beatles - 'She Loves You'. My dad gave me a tape recorder to play with when I was just a toddler. I played this song over and over till the tape broke, I managed to fix it multiple times using sellotape so I could play it again and again...
Keiron: Jimi Hendrix - 'Manic Depression'. I remember the first time I heard this song and it just transported me into a different dimension mentally. I would put my headphones on and become totally immersed in my own world. I love how Mitch Mitchell made a waltz sound so heavy.
Sam: I can’t remember my first one so I’ll tell you one that I’ve been hammering recently. 'Fingertips' - Brian Jones Town Massacre. 

A song that defines the teenage you?
Pete: Violent Femmes - 'Add it Up'. Me and my friends played the first Violent Femmes LP so much that it's now part of our DNA.
Keiron: Black Sabbath - 'Sweet Leaf' for obvious reasons. Learning to expand the mind! I don’t think there’s a better way to start a song... cough cough cough bang.
Sam: System of a down - 'DDevil'. 

One record you would keep forever?
Pete: Vic Chestnutt - 'Little'. I could never get bored of this LP. The gritty ugliness/beauty of his lyrics, plus his way of adding another seven syllables to any given word makes him a unique songwriter.
Keiron: Melvins - 'A Senile Animal'. A great record that I’d be lost without. I can play this record any time and it never gets old. If I have to pick just one track from this album, it’d have to be 'A History Of Bad Men' pure filth. 
Sam: 'Coast To Coast' from a 'Basement on a Hill' by Elliot Smith.

A song lyric that has inspired you?
Pete: "When love is gone, there's always justice. And when justice is gone, there's always force. And when force is gone, theres always Mom. Hi Mom!"
'O Superman' - Laurie Anderson. 
Keiron: "If you can latch on to it, it’s mine, it’s mine. If you can eat or screw it, it’s mine, it’s mine"
'Mine' by Cows. It’s just one of those songs that inspires me to take the most out of the day instead of sitting around waiting for things to happen.
Sam: Not so much a particular line but I Love Leonard Cohen, his lyrics and Poetry have always inspired me. I remember when I first heard 'Avalanche' it really opened my eyes to seeing lyrics as poetry rather than just something to shout over a guitar.

A song you wished you had written?
Pete: Herman Dune - 'My Friends Kill My Folks'. This song applies to many people in whose company I've shared nights and all kinds of mornings.
Keiron: Captain Beefheart - 'Low Yo Yo Stuff'. Absolutely love this song. It’s just a great song. Amazing vocal and totally inspiring push and pull drumming.
Sam: More or less every song I like, but I’ve been listening to the new Iceage album and 'Catch It' is an amazing track. 

Best song to turn up loud?
Pete: 'Handsome and Gretal' - Babes in Toyland. It's loud at any volume.
Keiron: 'Bomber' - Motörhead. I’ve been lucky enough to see Motörhead live on numerous occasions and the louder they play, the better it is. They were that loud my nostrils began uncontrollably moving with the bass drum!
Sam: Bad Breeding - 'Age of Nothing'.

A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Pete: N-trance - 'Set You Free'. Looking at me now, you wouldn't expect it but I used to dance like a right prat to this, back in the day. Probably still would.
Keiron: Howlin' Wolf - 'Spoonful'. I’m not sure people would expect me to like blues or not. Most people think I’m into heavy stuff but I’ve got a broad spectrum. I do however believe heavy vocals have been massively influenced by Howlin' Wolf. If you follow it back maybe he was the start of the death metal vocal! Who knows?
Sam: 'Moon River' - Audrey Hepburn

The song to get you straight on the dance floor?
Pete: 'Clean Up Woman' - Betty Wright. As long as no one is watching.
Keiron: James Brown 'Super Bad'. I don’t think anyone can sit still when the hardest working man in show business is playing. He had total control of his vision and made it happen.
Sam: Tom Waits - 'What’s He Building?'. Such a banger, I can’t control myself

Best song to end an all-nighter?
Pete: Royal Trux - 'Mercury'. Guaranteed to make the speediest of night owls throw up and piss off home to bed.
Keiron: Hepa.titus 'Annas Simple Rules'. 'Champagne Of Incest' was probably my album of 2018. I think you sort the calibre of people with this track at the end of an all-nighter. Most people will go home so I’d be left with the people I can handle hanging out with!
Sam: Napalm Death - 'You Suffer'

Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Keiron: I’ve been listening to Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs quite a lot recently. 'GNT' fairly well rips your head off. Coincidentally the singer Matt Baty works for our publishing company 'Wipe Out Music'. He’s a decent chap!
Sam: Shakamoto Investigation, Feels, Uranium Club, Crack Cloud, Fontaines DC, Drahla, Crows.

 

05Videos

Imperial Wax - 'No Man's land'

Imperial Wax teaser