Page 20 - Black Velvet Issue 96

BV96 pg18-21 don broco_BV96 pg20 06/03/2018 22:58 Page 3

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“For us, it was a complete white lie,” ne of the most honest and emotional the sickest thing we’ve ever made’.
continues Rob. “We didn’t think we’d trick Osongs on ‘Technology’ is ‘Some- “The box set just felt so tactile and just
that many people. We thought it was a fun thing To Drink’. Rob sings ‘We had a bad well-made,” he says. “In our history of com-
thing to do and it actually just shows how year’. He says, “That was relating to the ing out with physical CDs, there’s always
quickly people will see something and just band, yeah. It was relating to a more general been something wrong with it. There’s al-
believe it. There were only a few real hard- feeling. It was a combination of things, really. ways been one thing, ‘Aw, if only that was a
core fans who maybe knew and followed It was a tough year for the band and I felt it little bit better quality,’”
Tom on social media before and realized he’s was a really tough year for the world.” “Our previous labels have let us down a
actually a very private person, doesn’t even While the band themselves ended up little bit in the manufacturing side of the op-
put that much of his day-to-day touring life leaving major label Sony Music (they’re now eration,” reveals Matt.
up online. If you knew Tom, even through a signed to Sharptone), Rob says, elsewhere, “You put so much work into the design,
social media account, you kind of would “We had a lot of political upheaval in the UK the music and you want everything to be
have guessed. Why would he share his wed- and the U.S. especially, it was within a few nice, and the first time we saw that, we were
ding, one of the most beautiful, important months, suddenly President Obama, who “Wow, that looks so cool and sturdy,” adds
days of your life? Some people will do that, was this great shining light, really felt like he Rob. “Still haven’t got one ourselves, we
but he’s not one of those people. A few peo- was this huge hope in world politics even, need to get one.”
ple cottoned on, but yeah, most people, peo- with the amount of fans he had across the Rob himself is new to record collecting.
ple at shows, people we saw the day before, world, to be replaced by someone like Don- “I’ve only just recently started my record col-
were so excited, and we actually had to lie to ald Trump is, for most people, for pretty lection. I found a really old Michael Jackson
a few people’s faces because we didn’t want much everyone I speak to, mindboggling. It’s album in New York,” he tells Black Velvet. “It
to ruin the prank,” he laughs. “So we felt ‘How could the world be in this position?’ wasn’t the original pressing, but it was pretty
kind of bad about that! But yeah, it was a lot The person that he is to be given that posi- sick, from the 80s. I remember that feeling of
of fun doing that.” tion in office, and in the same few months, finding this legit old school pressing was re-
Brexit was happening and it just felt like the ally cool. I’m more… I used to love my toys,
ere in Black Velvet Land, we recently whole world, our world, Europe and the my collectibles like that. I keep all my stuff
Hstumbled across some YouTubers States, as far as us as a band, had been from home. I ridiculously believed that if I
who make videos about subjects such as the turned on its head. It really felt like the world kept all my Star Wars toys from a young age
law of attraction, becoming the best version had gone back in time to a time where people that they’d be worth millions and millions of
of yourself you can be, and manifesting weren’t as tolerant, they weren’t as under- pounds like the original Star Wars figures
good things. We ask Rob and Matt whether standing, they weren’t as compassionate, were. I had Episode 1, Darth Maul, though.
anyone has inspired them on the internet in and it just felt like ‘what the fuck’s going There must literally have been trillions and
a positive way. While they don’t name spe- on?’” trillions of those versions printed. I’ve still
cific people, Rob says, “You definitely have Rob also mentions growing up in the got them though, in their packets at home in
amazing examples of people giving them- song. “You’re always growing up, that’s the their pride of place, not for the reason that
selves to the internet in a really good way, problem with life. You’re going to change. it’s going to make any money, more just nos-
where they can really get their message Well, it’s not always a problem, it’s a good talgia, so I do like collecting stuff.”
across in a very real and direct… the way thing. As you get older, you get more experi- Matt is not much of a record collector.
you can pick up a phone and video yourself, ence just of the world, of what you’re doing “My dad had a very impressive record col-
selfie-ing video, it’s a very personal, direct and I think, in some ways, you look back and lection and I definitely developed a love of
way of getting a message across and getting think, “I was maybe quite naïve in my youth,” music through my dad. I can’t remember
some really important messages across. I either cared too much about things, or I did- what he’s got but he’s definitely got a few,
There are people with influence in the music n’t care enough about things. I am still un- there’s an annual printed every so often
world, actors, celebrities, who can use their sure if it was me getting older just as a where you can check the current price of old
influence for good, whether it be for charity person or the world around me changing, records, and he definitely borrowed one off
or creating awareness for a situation. That’s where I noticed just a lot more confusion, his mates to check out what his record col-
definitely… it’s opened that up in a really in- and bad stuff, that maybe I was in a little bit lection was worth, and he’s got a few expen-
credible way. It does sort of make you think of a bubble, in my own world, and didn’t nec- sive pieces in there, some really old, original
you’ve got this direct way into people’s lives. essarily, wasn’t aware of how shit the world Lionel Richie in there. But not me, person-
If there’s something really important that you can be. In regards to something as simple as ally. I just consumed the CD generation, I
think should be spoken about then you can reading the news, I read the news every day guess, where nothing was ever particularly
do that, and then it’s ‘wow, that was really now. I don’t know if that was just because my rare, unless you somehow managed to off a
cool’. In the same way that people can talk phone was giving me news stories. Now they mate get a burnt CD of a bootleg perform-
about absolutely rubbish. You’ve got to dis- turn up on your iphone,” he laughs, “when ance of a band. Limp Bizkit at Woodstock
cern who’s doing something for the right rea- you just swipe across, but I never used to re- was getting passed around our school at
sons.” ally read the news, I was aware of it, but now, one point. That’s kind of cool, but I can’t
On the band’s new album, they have a rather than scrolling through my instagram, claim to have anything particularly impres-
song called ‘Greatness’, which could help I’ll be reading all the top news stories every sive. I wish the bands I like were putting out
motivate others towards greatness. day, looking into stuff, and I guess a lot of it, these box sets, because they’re amazing.”
Matt says, “I think different people will al- as a lot of news is, is a lot of bad stuff, and it
ways take different things from an experi- can make you quite upset. Sometimes it can o coincide with their album release,
ence and if that was something that defeat you. It can overwhelm you with how Tthe band did record store CD sign-
someone took from our album I think we’ll be much crap is going on if you really get into ings on the week of its release. Obviously
over the moon with that. That song is just it and read it, and yeah, in regards to that this was a great tactical move as it helped
about striving to be the best, striving to cre- song, it was an awakening of sorts, thinking the band get to No. 5 in the UK charts. One
ate what you can within your ability.” ‘Wow, the world isn’t quite this beautiful admirable thing the band did at the signings
“Not settling for anything,” adds Rob. “If shiny, sunny place that I maybe thought it was take a full group photo with everyone.
you’re on a more general scale, if you’re not was a few years ago.’” These days many bands charge a lot of
happy… For us, it’s about writing music and money for group photos, and some don’t
trying to create something original and im- he world is not all doom and gloom allow photos at signings, so for Don Broco
portant and make a difference in the world Tthough. And especially now, Don to take a full group photo with everyone for
we are in, but when you take that home with Broco’s own world is looking brighter. When the price of a CD sale is highly commend-
you, and it’s being something more than you ‘Technology’ was released the band put out able.
are, you’re not happy with your job, you’re a special box set as well as the usual individ- “There were a few where we had to rush
not happy with the relationship you’ve got ual album formats. (The box set was deemed through because we were late to the show,
with your friends, you don’t see people ‘the ultimate collector’s item’ and included a but we managed to just whip everyone
enough, all that stuff that you can just take ‘Technology’ digipak deluxe CD album, through. Everyone managed to get one,
on board and be like “Right, I’m going to own ‘Technology’ double vinyl picture discs, an yeah.”
this,” and yeah, be the best at it.” art print, a premium lyric sheet and a piece The band have never charged for meet
of the band’s backdrop with an envelope) and greets. “We’ve always met lots of fans
Rob tweeted about it saying it was ‘honestly as time’s gone on. Wherever it’s practical
DON BROCO