Peter Coyne of The Godfathers is very much looking forward to the 6-stop Greek mini tour (6.12 – Aigli Bar / Serres, 7.12 – Giafka / Patras, 8.12 – Death Disco / Athens, 9.12 – Mylos Club / Thessaloniki, 10.12 – Stage Club / Larissa, 11.12 – Route 66 / Ioannina), and why not buy him an ouzo! The legendary British rock n’ roll band answers our questions and we feel more than honoured…
So, which are the latest news regarding the band? In good shape?
Peter Coyne – The Godfathers are in EXCELLENT shape, but thanks for asking! We are about to release a brilliant new album called ‘A Big Bad Beautiful Noise‘ & we have a KILLER line-up of the band now with me on vocals, Steve Crittall & Mauro Venegas on guitars, Darren Birch on bass & Tim James on the drums. We are getting ready to tour Greece, which is always great fun…
Since forming back in 1985 from The Sid Presley Experience’s ashes, til today, which have been the main differences regarding the group’s bonds? Do you feel you can co-operate much better now? Please discuss…
Peter Coyne – We all have a real love for the music we are playing & sometimes that leads to creative tensions but as long as we channel that into our songs & performances then I don’t mind. Show me a band that does not argue & I will say they are liars.
Another past-related question. What had you been doing during your hiatus’ years (2000-2008)? And why did you decide to reform?
Peter Coyne – I pretended to be human, but it didn’t work! I missed writing songs & performing live – so we got the band back together. I’m so glad we did, because it’s great fun.
Although almost 3 decades have passed since the release of ‘She Gives Me Love’, at least for me this is the song that I will always sing-along. Would you like to share some thoughts about it then?
Peter Coyne – I love that song ‘She Gives Me Love‘ too! It has been recorded by various other bands in quite a few languages & that’s also pleasing. It is a universal theme – love is the glue that holds this whole, horrible world together. I get a kick out of it when I see audiences singing along!
How do you feel that successful bands like Local H and Spoon have covered your songs and furthermore Mars Volta consider you as the main influence for their ‘Noctourniquet’?
Peter Coyne – That’s great & we are very honoured – we have been influenced of course by other bands, but it is touching that some bands now consider us an influence too. And the money comes in very handy…I’d like to meet some of these bands & say thanks & one day I will.
Are you satisfied with your last full-length ‘Jukebox Fury’?
Peter Coyne – No, definitely not – I would consider ‘Jukebox Fury‘ to be half a good album. There were a lot of arguments & tension involved in making that album & I definitely think we lost our focus a bit. Well a lot if I’m honest. I do like ‘I Can’t Sleep Tonight‘ & ‘Back Into The Future‘ & a few other songs on it but it’s not a brilliant album by any stretch of the imagination.
In addition, your upcoming ‘A Big Bad Beautiful Noise’ in early 2017, came as a surprise! How would you describe its sound?
Peter Coyne – It’s The Godfathers but bigger, badder & more beautiful than before! ‘A Big Bad Beautiful Noise‘ is a contemporary rock & roll album that kicks like a mule with lots of great songs & performances on it. It’s probably the best album The Godfathers have ever done – I’m so pleased with it. People in Greece can be the first country on earth to hear some of these new songs live on our tour – a real Greek exclusive!!
30 years career. Would you like to highlight your most significant moments?
Peter Coyne – Releasing some great albums (‘Hit By Hit’, ‘Birth School Work Death‘, ‘More Songs About Love And Hate‘ & ‘Unreal World‘), performing with people we admired like Ramones & Iggy Pop was a real blast too. And having idols like David Bowie come to see The Godfathers play was AMAZING – I miss that guy…We also played some fantastic concerts all over planet earth – it was great to wake up in Chicago, or Athens, or Hamburg, or Sydney, or Madrid after a great concert – the best job in the world!
In a few days you are visiting Greece for a 6 stop mini tour! I won’t ask the classic about what you should expect, but ask you, what do you expect from your fans?
Peter Coyne – Greek people are very sociable & super-lovely & they have always made The Godfathers very welcome in their beautiful country. I certainly expect our Greek fans to be very noisy in their appreciation of our music – they normally are! And I certainly expect them to buy me lots of drinks – mine’s an ouzo & ice, cheers!
What will bring 2017 for you? Touring? Relaxing?
Peter Coyne – I’m going to start the next year off with a holiday in Spain in January & then for the rest of the year The Godfathers will be very busy playing lots of live concerts, tours & festivals around the world to promote ‘A Big Bad Beautiful Noise‘, which is released in February, I can’t wait for people’s reaction to this new album, I think it will shock some people by how good it is – bring it all on!!
A message to lastdaydeaf.com readers…
Peter Coyne – Yes, come to see us play on our Greek tour & buy our new album!!!
Photo credits: Sean Robert Howarth (1st one)
Christos Doukakis