Page 29 - Black Velvet Issue 94

BV94 pg26-29_BV94 pg29 18/09/2017 09:58 Page 4

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you being sold a rough deal and the streets are you know what it’s like, so you can’t let anything felt like everyone had embraced each other. It
made to look like they are paved in gold, but happen to anyone at one of your shows. You’re was such a great atmosphere and, like the guys
they’re not so what the fuck are you doing still there to have a good time.” said, one of the best shows of the tour.”
hanging around here believing in all that non- Speaking of times when the rock community Sid adds, “I was living in Paris around the
sense? It didn’t consciously relate to our previ- came together in the face of violence, one of the time of the attack and I’d just flown back and
ous band situation, it was more to do with the biggest examples of this happened on Friday there was a very good chance I would have
stuff which was going on on the TV at the time. November 13, 2015, when a series of co-ordi- gone to the Eagles of Death Metal show, but I
People are just swallowing so much shit, every- nated terrorist attacks in Paris saw a group had to do something. I think I had to sign some
thing is not great. Go and make it your fucking storm the Bataclan Theatre in the French capital artwork or something we were doing and the
own.” in the middle of an Eagles Of Death Metal show, café which got shot at, that was my breakfast
The song also contains the line singing of leading to the deaths of 89 people, which ac- café, so it was very real to me and a lot of people
there being ‘violence in the crowd’, which is an counted for nearly three quarters of the fatalities I know were affected. But when I went back no-
interesting subject around a rock band in partic- that occurred on that dreadful evening, which one was afraid. Everyone was just out being
ular, especially a typically rowdy one as The rocked not only the rock community but the en- ‘Fuck you’, and I think that is brilliant.”
Cruel Knives, because from time to time we hear tire world. As part of their tour with The Pretty The future is something the band are clearly
in the rock media of cases of just this, where Reckless, The Cruel Knives had the opportunity keen to make a good one and their song
people take things too far and things escalate on January 26 to play at the venue, which re- ‘Squeeze’ contains the lyric, ‘I won’t go slow, I’m
from enjoying a rock show in the manner in- mained closed for a year after the tragedy, an about to blow’, so is this what lies ahead for The
tended into something quite different. So we ask experience Sid describes as “one of the best ex- Cruel Knives? Sid replies, “It’s weird because
the band whether they think they, as a band, periences of the tour.” you don’t really realise until you go back and lis-
have a responsibility to look after their audience Recalling his memories of the night, Rob ten subconsciously what is going into lyrics be-
during a show or if the responsibility falls on the says, “It was kind of eerie at first. I remember cause of what or how you feel at the time. You
fans themselves or the venue staff. going to the side trying to find where you load in think you are writing something and in fact you
In near unison, they all offer agreement that and I accidentally went down the alleyway are writing about something totally different. But
they, as a band, have a responsibility to ensure where you saw some of the footage which was yeah, I suppose it’s just a general feeling of
their audience is safe during a show, Sid taking being shown that night. It was kind of carnage being fucking up for it.”
his comment further to suggest it is “paramount”. in a way, but it was also arguably the best night And up for it they certainly are. With an EP
He continues, “You shouldn’t let anything like of that whole tour. There was a woman who was very worthy of your attention and a live show
that happen. If something was going down, we there the night it happened and she was so which is even more so packed with plenty more
would stop songs and show and sort things out. lovely and spoke to everyone.” material than ‘Side One’ has to offer, things are
But, I think, on the whole, rock crowds are the Sid continues, “The crowd in the end were looking very promising for The Cruel Knives.
nicest crowds in the world, and they do tend to fucking banging and it shows the kind of defi- ‘Side One’ looks set to be just step one in what
look after each other if they can. If someone ance and that they’re not gonna stop because will hopefully be the road to their promised land.
ever goes down in a mosh pit, everyone stops of shit like that.” Visit www.facebook.com/thecruelknives for
to pick them up. We’ve all grown up as rock Tom adds, “I think they now tend to look more info.
fans, we’ve all been to shows as kids, 12, 13 after each other more. The atmosphere was Words by Michael Coventry
years old in the pit getting knocked around, so great and everyone was going mental and it just
Photos By Hannah Meadows

THE CRUEL KNIVES