Page 9 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 99

BV99 pg06-09 The Bad Flowers_BV99 pg09 31/10/2018 21:45 Page 4

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she shows me support when it comes to the other song on the album, ‘Rich Man’, a track being afraid to do what you want to do and
band, which in previous relationships I’ve Tom has described as being about a man not letting anyone hold you back. The songs
never had, so I’m onto a winner and I don’t who has everything materialistic he could contain equally motivational and thoughtful
intend on letting her go. ever want, but at a cost, and while he has lyrics such as ‘what are you afraid of, you’ve
“There was a time when the band first everything, he is not rich in life or love. We got the courage of a beast’. While Karl is
started and I was talking to someone new ask Karl if he agrees with the idea that quick to admit that songwriting is not his
and when I explained that I was quite busy money cannot buy everything or happiness. greatest contribution to the band, he does
and out quite a lot and she said straight “Without being overly cliché, money is share the sentiments and ideas of these
away that she couldn’t hack that and while literally the root of all evil”, is his immediate songs and is eager to encourage others to
I’ve never had to let a relationship with a answer. “It really is and I couldn’t agree more do the same.
partner go because of a band, I’ve had to let that money cannot buy you happiness at all. “You’ve got one shot at life,” he tells
friendships go. And it’s a shame. And while I At all. Personally over the last year I’ve been Black Velvet. “At the end of the day you only
still see them and say hello, it’s not how it in a situation with money where I’ve strug- get so much time to spend here, so you’ve
used to be but I don’t blame them, I can’t ex- gled and I’ve allowed myself to struggle got to make the most of every single bit of
pect them to wait around for me, their lives thinking the things I was doing would make time you’ve got. Personally, I’m a big be-
are probably going just as fast as mine, me happier and it didn’t, it just put me in a liever in taking chances and taking a gamble
just in a different direction. I guess we’re hole. I’m out of that now and I’m in a good because if you don’t take that risk you’ll
all at that age where we’re growing up place, so it’s fine but what I’m saying is I never know what the outcome will be,
and our lives take different paths and thought if I had more money I’d be happier, whether it be good or bad. I’d rather take a
you do stray away from each other; it but I wasn’t. gamble and it go wrong, at least that way I
is what it is. But for me, my true “I’ve also got different friends who can say I took that gamble and yes, it went
friends, their lives have have come from different walks of wrong, but I’ve learnt a lesson, or on the flip-
strayed just as life and I have a friend who has side you can take that gamble and it can
much as come from a very, very wealthy make you happy so I definitely think you
mine background and has literally should take chances in life.”
been given whatever they Of course to some these words will feel
wanted, yet I know for a like someone stating the obvious. Most will
fact they can sit at home agree we only have one chance at life and
as a family and sit in surely we should therefore make the most of
different corners of it, yet more and more we are hearing stories
the house and do of people who are hesitant, reluctant, unwill-
not spend time ing or unable to do this and in a worryingly
together as a increasing number of cases we hear stories
family. Yet, of those who take the extreme measure to
you take purposely bring an end to their time here.
my family Karl thinks that social media has a large ef-
and how I fect. “From a personal point of view, I know
had it as a too many people who care too much about
child, it what everyone else thinks and don’t live for
was me, themselves. They spend too much time on
mum, dad social media trying to impress everyone else
and my and proving to everyone that they have this
brother and perfect life when in fact they are suffering
we didn’t quite badly inside and instead of reaching
have a lot in out for help they are trying to constantly
terms of prove to everyone they have this perfect life.
materialistic “You shouldn’t do that. If you are in a bad
things, we place, talk about it. If you are down in the
had what we dumps or you do suffer with mental health,
needed, yet I it’s not anything to be ashamed of. I would
will say to any- say probably most of the population go
one I ever come through it at some point in their life. The so-
across that I had cial media thing creates such a false sense
by far the best up- of security. Why not just be true to yourself
bringing I could and instead of trying to make everyone else
have ever asked for happy, do what you want to do? If you want
or wish anyone to to go out and have five takeaways a week
have, purely be- and you put on x amount of pounds, does it
cause we were given matter what everyone else thinks? No! Do it,
time. It wasn’t a case if it makes you happy, do it. Why are we con-
of ‘Here’s some forming to what everyone else sees and
money, go and do what society sees as fit?”
this,’ because my par- Karl believes everyone has that courage
ents couldn’t afford to within them to live their lives to the fullest.
do that, so instead we “100%,” he tells us. “It’s just a matter of
would go to the park firstly finding that courage, being able to ac-
and do stuff like that cept yourself first, accepting you have the
and if I can give any- ability to make yourself happy and then hav-
one any advice family- ing the bottle to do it.”
wise, it’s that money is The Bad Flowers definitely have the bot-
nothing, it gets printed tle to make themselves very happy – and you
every day, it doesn’t too. There doesn’t seem to be a better time
bring happiness. Mak- than the present to grab a bouquet of Bad
ing yourself happy and Flowers because you be assured they will be
making the ones you blooming brilliant.
has, but we still make time to go out and care about happy is what brings happiness.” Visit www.thebadflowers.uk for more
have a beer and a good craic with each One of the biggest themes on ‘Starting info.
other.” Gun’, something which can be found heavily Words By Michael Coventry
on two tracks on the album, ‘Lion’s Blood’
This comment bridges us nicely to an- and ‘Let’s Misbehave’, is being brave and not Photo By Mark Varney
THE BAD FLOWERS