Room Thirteen catch up with Swindon post-harcore band Struck Blind after their blistering performance supporting British Beef...
R13: So introductions...
S: Shippy: S-H-I-P-P-Y - vocals.
W: Woody - guitar.
J: John, I play drums.
R: Rich, bassist
R13: So how long have you been together?
W: About a year.
R13: So, what are your influences?
W: Strike Anywhere.
S: Buzztones and Lagwagon.
R13: What are your personal favourite bands? Are these them?
S: Most likely! Mine's Strung Out.
W: Er, um...(looks perplexed)
R13: Just one. Any one. At random!
W: Er, well, Strike Anywhere.
J: Lagwagon.
[Rich is yet to join us as he has gone AWOL, though suspected to be indulging in the devil's water...]
R13: Who write the lyrics and music?
S: Well I write the lyrics and an idea of the music and then bring forward for these guys where we finish it off.
R13: So, Skippy, have you ever brought something forward and the other guys have gone, "Mate, this is rubbish!?"
S: I dunno, you'd better ask them! (turns to fellow bandmates) Have I ever written anything that was shit?
[Band look edgy and lose eye contact with each other]
R13: So nothing that you've thought, "This is utter tosh! I'm not playing that!?"
W: Well, only a couple a long time ago...
S: I know the one you mean...we don't play that anymore!
[Rich joins us - beer in hand]
R13: So do you draw your on your influences of stay away and try something completely different?
J: We use a little, but mostly the aggression of punk, with technical aspects of metal...
R: That's where I come in!
W: Yeah, that's Rich's part...
R13: So what do you regard as being successful? Getting your album out?
J: Yeah, just getting our music out there. Like our EP that we've got out.
R: Playing live! Definitely playing live!
R13: Right, what's your favourite superhero?
S: Superman, but I think Wulverine would kick his ass!
W: Oh, that's a tough one, oh, there's so many... Spiderman, er, The Hulk...
J: The Hulk for me!
R: John is The Hulk.
W:...The Punisher.
R: Wulverine
R13: Have you got any rock'n'roll stories yet?
R: What about when John fell in a pond?
S: Ha ha! Yeah, John fell into a pond after a party! Our van broke down twice on the way back from London.
W: It wasn't very funny, we had to push it into a lay-by somewhere near Heathrow.
R: I wanna drive a sports car out of the hotel window of The Ritz!
R13: If you get the chance, then give me a call - I for one, would like to see that!
W: Ha! More likely a Cortina out of the Swindon Marriott!!
R13: Well, you have to start somewhere!!