Zico Chain

Fresh from playing the Oxygen Festival we caught up with Zico Chain frontman Chris Glithero for a chat about all things musical.

R13: You played Oxygen recently, how did it go?
CG: It was wicked actually, it was a bit of a strange one though considering it was in Ireland, I thought it would be a big party but they closed all the bars at 10. It wasn't quite the festival experience we were after but it was alright, we got to go out in Dublin and play a show so it was all good.

R13: You played Download a few weeks ago too.
CG: Yeah, that was fantastic, absolutely awesome.
R13: Did you make the most of the free bar?
CG: Yeah, Christ! We spent the whole weekend in there, good job we were playing on the Friday because it would have got a bit messy, we'd have been rubbish by Sunday. (Laughs)

R13: What bands did you check out?
CG: Actually, we had to go on the Saturday because we were on tour with Velvet Revolver while we were there so we had to leave for Glasgow. If I'm honest we didn't see many bands at all but I took a quick walk round on the Saturday but on the Friday we were playing and doing press all day. Who was headlining that day?
R13: I'm not sure, Slayer possibly.
CG: I didn't see Slayer, who was headlining the main stage?
R13: I don't know, sorry.
CG: Well, I think I saw the headliners. We've been to two more festivals since then so it's all rolling into one now.

R13: How did the Velvet Revolver shows go?
CG: Fantastic! They were our heroes, just to meet them guys and get to play with them was mind blowing.
R13: Were they good guys? People always say not to meet your heroes.
CG: Yeah, they were wicked, they were decent. They've had all their carnage and stuff and they've done everything but they're still pretty grounded and nice blokes.
R13: Was it intimidating to play with them?
CG: Yeah definitely, they were stood at the stage one night watching our gig and it definitely threw us a little bit to say the least. It was really cool. They're definitely inspiring people.

R13: You've got a new single coming out 'Anaemia' what can you tell us about it?
CG: The download version is out now and we've got a limited edition 7inch vinyl version coming out on the 13th of August. It's about lack of courage, it's about using your mistakes to make yourself better and not being ashamed of who you are.

R13: Am I right in thinking you have a new album over the summer?
CG: Yeah, we have, it's out in September, although it'll probably be next year knowing the label, they keep pushing it back.
R13: Rubbish!
CG: Yeah I know! It's got to be September at the latest, you can't really release albums after that... it gets too close to Christmas and then you start completing with, I dunno, Bob The Builder for a bit of chart space (laughs).
R13: Damn that Bob!
CG: Yeah I know, he's a fucker! He comes out every year.

R13: How important is Zico Chain to you?
CG: Oh wow, it's our life really, it's all we've got. I can't see us doing anything else, so it's everything.

R13: How important are you to them?
CG: To the band?
R13: Yeah.
CG: I would hope I'm pretty important. They keep joking about replacing me...(laughs), but, I don't know, I might just walk off for a couple of days and see what they get up to.
R13: See how they cope.
CG: Yeah, they might get Bob The Builder in, he can do it.

R13: You've got a tour coming up with Ghost Of A Thousand.
CG: Yes, we leave for that in a couple of weeks actually. We're doing a month UK tour. There's going to be three bands on a sleeper bus, it's going to be a bit of a magical mystery tour I think. We're doing a rotating headline.
R13: Yeah I saw that, why did you decide to do that?
CG: We wanted to get small venues and get all of our fans down because we're three different types of bands, so we wanted to get everyone's fans in there and everyone has to be in there be 7o'clock, they're going to shut the doors and that. You've got to watch every band, everyone's crowd has to watch the other bands, so hopefully we'll pack places out, it should be cool.
R13: You're playing at some good venues too.
CG: Yeah, there's some good stuff on there actually. It's going to be cool. Where abouts are you?
R13: I'm in Portsmouth, but I don't think you're really coming this way.
CG: Are we not? That's a shame actually.
R13: I'm in London a lot and love the Barfly so I'll probably see you there.
CG: Oh cool, give us a nod and we can catch up.

R13: Will do. So, what crazy antics do you guys get up to on the road?
CG: (Laughs) I don't know, we just tell people to read the blogs. We drink a lot basically, so we find ourselves in some very strange situations.
R13: Yes, I read about your trip to Soho.
CG: Our trip to Soho...(Laughs) that was interesting to say the least! (Laughs) The boys are smiling now.
R13: Has Ollie forgiven you for writing a blog about having sex in a carpark?
CG: Has he forgiven me for writing about the carpark... well, he's now frowning at me so I guess that means no (laughs). No, I think he has, it keeps popping up actually, that story, we're back in Birmingham again soon so we'll see what happens.
R13: Revisit some old haunts.
CG: (Laughs) Yeah, I guess we'll take him to the carpark, he's stopped laughing now.
R13: It's not funny any more.
CG: (Laughs) Well, it's not for him.

R13: What is your over all view on the music industry at the moment? Everyone seems to think it is going down the pan?
CG: It's the same as everything, things come in waves. Rock music has been about Emo in this country for the last four or fives years, and I mean, nothing can last for that long without everyone craving for something new. I think it's a good time at the moment because we've got new bands like Biffy and Gallows and we're clinging on at the back. There's definitely some good British rock music coming out, Biffy and Gallows are flying the flag at the moment, it's good and hopefully it'll spawn a load of new bands and we'll get something else going.

R13: How do you feel about artists releasing download only material?
CG: We're doing it as well at the moment. Basically, with the internet and that people have stopped being CDs, especially CD singles, so it doesn't seem worth going down the route. When you buy an album you want the package, the artwork but with singles it's just to get hold of a song and now there's other ways of getting hold of the song. I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing because with Myspace and that you can get all your singles out and get your music heard but if it comes to downloading albums that will really piss me off. I know it has started but I hope the album doesn't go down the pan.
R13: Yeah I know what you mean, I like to have the hard copy.
CG: Yeah, you've gotta have it on your shelve, haven't you?
R13: Yep, I've paid to have CDs shipped in from other countries because they only had a download release in the UK.
CG: That's really cool, but you've got too if you start downloading albums it'll all get a bit dull.

R13: What has been your proudest career moment to date?
CG: It would have to be something that has happened in the last few months I guess, although going to LA to do the album was pretty phenomenal. That blew out heads off, but the last few months it could be anything from Download main stage to playing Bilbao with Metallica, that was fucking amazing. Or even just the Velvet Revolver tour, I'd probably say Download Festival actually, I just remember that festival from when I was too young myself and all my sisters were going, so to actually be playing there now is fucking fantastic really.

R13: Did you get much free time in LA or was it literally a work trip?
CG: We actually spent a load of time over there last year because we've been doing showcases for American labels and that for a while and we've had a lot of things going on over there apart from the album. We know the place pretty well now and have some good mates over there, they know our drinks at The Rainbow (laughs).
R13: Which are?
CG: We got into Long Island Ice Tea over there, which is a little bit messy. Is that even or drink or do they just throw everything into a glass? We could never work it out.
R13: It's pretty much a load of spirits topped up with a tiny bit of coke.
CG: Yeah, that's what I thought, then you can't speak for the rest of the night.
R13: It's a good way to go.
CG: Yeah, it works for us. (Laughs)

R13: What do you still have left to achieve?
CG: Everything really, we feel like we've only just got our foot on the ladder. We can't wait to get the album out and we reckon we've got the next album written now as well, so it's all moving a little slower then we'd like in terms of the creative side and getting the stuff out there, but we're happy with where we are. We just want to keep building, hopefully Wembley Stadium one day.

R13: What can we expect to see from you over the next year?
CG: Just loads of touring really, we're going to try and do as much touring around the UK as we can. The album will be out in September and the single is out on the 13th, so we're just going to be playing and touring. We want to make some good videos and just put ourselves out there.

R13: Awesome, well thank you for your time.
CG: No worries and hopefully we'll see you in London.