- Prev
- 1 of 5
- Next
Read on for an interview with the most originally-named band in Coatbridge, Crafty Bison.
The band were originally formed as a result of the North Lanarkshire Schools Battle of the Bands. Singer Steven explained “The school needed a band and we formed. Initially it was Michael (drummer) and Luke (lead guitar) and then they recruited Greg (Rhythm), then me and finally John on bass. We were just a group of friends jamming and it still seems the same.”
As I said in my introduction to the interview, Crafty Bison are definitely a name that sticks in the head. Being such an unusual name, I asked the band the explain the story behind it. Steven said “We were originally called the Impressionists but after realising that that was bit cheesy and crap we changed it to Crafty Bison. Michael came up with it. Well Michael’s big brother did, he stole it and then we stole it from him.”
Crafty Bison are relatively new to the scene so don’t have much of a back catalogue. They are working on this however, as Steven explains. “We recorded last year in FML in Motherwell which we just put out on our Myspace, and from which we got good feedback. This year we recorded at Soundwave Studios down in Dundyvan. We recorded an EP and the guys decided to offer to put on a single launch for us in their brand new venue down next door to their studios. It’s on the 3rd December down in the venue. Come along.”
I asked Steven who inspires them. “As a band? Its weird cause John, Luke and myself are kind of metal heads, whereas Michael and Greg aren’t into it as much. But obviously there are bands that we all like, like Black Sabbath, Strokes, Rage Against the Machine, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, Nirvana, The Doors. There are loads more which evade me at the minute.”
Crafty Bison are clocking up the gig miles, despite being relatively new. They’ve done enough to have best and worst gigs, as Steven tells me. “Best gig, for me, had to be the time we played the Barras 2 and sold 100 tickets. The crowd were belting. It was Halloween so everyone looked cool as. And it was just generally an amazing night. For our worst gig I don’t really know. I am sure there was and is some rubbish ones but I don’t try to remember them.” A clever strategy, remember the best and don’t dwell on the worst!
I asked Steven what makes Crafty Bison different from the plethora of unsigned bands currently on the scene. “I think the main thing is that we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We are our own worst critics at times. For example during our last rehearsal after finishing a song we had just written Luke went “why don’t we take a s**t on it and set it on fire?” So yeah, the main thing is that we aren’t full of ourselves and know how to laugh at ourselves.” Again, a good strategy, and one which will no doubt stand them in good stead for the future.
Speaking of the future, Steven said “We plan to just keep on enjoying it and hopefully get somewhere with it. We’d love to play a festival maybe next year and we’re looking to play King Tuts next year when we are all 18. But aye, just looking to keep it enjoyable and fun.”
I asked Steven what band he would most like to see reform, and he must be a very happy chappy now as his dream would be “Black Sabbath with the original line up.” Sabbath did, of course, recently announce they are reforming with the original line up and will be undertaking a world tour. Steven went on “For me, when System of a Down came out of hiatus that made me happy as.” Steven went on “I think one of Michael’s was the Stone Roses so he is happy.”
I asked Steven what bands he and his band mates are excited about lately and he replied “On the Ipod at the moment is Van Halen, maybe some Captain Beefheart, some Springsteen, Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian.”
Lastly, I asked Crafty Bison if they have any advice for other local bands? Steven replied succinctly “Enjoy it.”
