FUNGALPUNK INTERVIEWS

CJ and Munki Boi

AFS

Aaaaaagh
Hello there
 
1.  AFS - a brief history, band member details and aims please?
Munki Boi – Vocals
Burt – Bass / Backing Vocals
Rob – Drums
CJ – Guitar / Backing Vocals

We formed just to be on a skateboard compilation CD “Gnarly Dude 2!” in 2004. Munki and I were skating and he just said “do you fancy putting a punk band together for “Gnarly Dude 2!””, but we wrote 4 tracks and recorded our first demo in 7 weeks, that’s about as far as we expected it to go. But, I (CJ) sent it out for review for a laugh, thinking we would get slagged off …. but we didn’t, and we started getting interest from Stranded Records Scotland, and after they put us on a comp CD I asked Larry (owner) if he would be interested in putting AFS album out (not that we had wrote an album) and at the same time Spike (Parasites) from Retch Records asked if we would do a split release, so we bashed out 5 new tracks in a few days and sent them off. They were not accepted by Retch Records, but they formed a lot of the first album. When we recorded our album at Voltage Studios, Tim Walker the producer of  “Tales of a Drunken Generation” he said … “Can Voltage Records release your album”, hence the album on two record labels. Since then we have gigged a lot and recorded a follow up live / studio EP “Only Beer Can Save Us Now” and more tracks for split releases and comp CD's, plus we are writing new tracks for our 2nd album.


2.  AFS are still in their embryonic stages compared to most long lasting punk bands yet are producing such a consistently high standard of music so prolifically.  What’s the key to this?

CJ. That’s a tough question there mister OMD and I really don’t know how to quantify it. Munki writes shit loads of songs, and I just put some chords and melodies to them, we don’t ponder over stuff, it either works or it doesn’t.

Munki: Punk Rock by numbers!

 

3.  What are your personal influences in music and life?

CJ. Musically I would say anything that has a vibe and melodies. In life I would say my skateboarding, it is a sense of freedom. I’m a big believer in being who you are and not backing down to pressure from others and conforming.

Munki: Music: 70’s/80’s Punk/dub/electronica/folk/metal/funk/disco – if it moves me it grooves me.

Life: Buddhism

4. Victor Vestibule - renowned deviant and retailer of hedgehogs once burned off his own genitalia in protest against the discrimination against damsons.  Is there anything in the punk scene you feel so irate about so as to indulge in self mutilation?

CJ. Fuck off you freak!

Munki: Gigs with no monitors.



5.  What’s your best gig to date?

CJ. Mmmmm, we have played a few great gigs now. The Yorkshire House, Lancaster on the SAS Tour, as well as Bradford Exchange the warm up gig for the tour.

Munki: Yorkshire House/Witchwood/Bones Skatepark – Hard to pick a best one though every gig has it’s moments.

6.  What is your favourite AFS song?

CJ: 'Duped' coz its too fuckin' catchy.


Munki: None of them they are all shit !!,ha ha. Probably Nobodies – short and to the point.



7.  If you could organise a 7 band gig, who would be on it and why?

CJ: Crouch Mog, Suspicious Stains, Churchill, Swallow, The Downfall, cos we have been gigging with most of these guys on the SAS Tour, and it’s been great, and I guess I would like “The Dickies” & “The Vapours” as main acts, cos I would just love to gig with them guys, but the gig would have to be at CBGB’s.

Munki: Clash/Ruts/Dreadzone/UK Subs/Zion Train/Pennywise/Rise Against – Old meets new in PunkRockDubStyleSoundClash.


8.  Rumour has it that several sci/fi fantasy characters are based on you. Who are they and how does this affect your lifestyle?

CJ: I think you talk complete BOLLOX! at times.

Munki: You eat those mushrooms as well as study them OMD.


9.  You have dabbled in many musical areas - what’s so attractive about the punk scene at the moment?

CJ: Yeah its true I have been in many bands in the 25 years I have been gigging, If I'm honest the punk thing is kinda like the skateboarding, it’s just individual and no rules to what you can do.

Munki: Lotsa bands keeping the scene alive, been listening to this Punk Rock bollox for 28 years now and it still sounds good !!


10.  You have recently been on the SAS tour - did you feel this benefitted AFS and if so in what ways?

CJ: Yeah I would say it has been great to be part of something that really has shown what talented bands can do, but for AFS the chance to gig with a lot of these bands week after week has been incredible. Wwe have met some really good people and friendships have formed.

Munki:  Yeah, got our music out there to a wider audience and I guess we gained some more credibilty within the Punk scene. We gained some more credibilty within the Punk scene, met some really nice folks and as CJ says formed some good friendships/alliances with other bands..


11.  Tit doorbells - would you buy one and why?

CJ: Yes but it would have to be a big hairy one so the GOD SQUAD don’t come knocking on my door!

Munki: More of a bottom man myelf..


12. Any message for the punk scene and the world in general?

CJ: It needs to wake up to the fact the big bands will not last forever and they will have to find new bands they like.

Munki: Learn three chords/form a band/enjoy/destroy/annoy. Tthe world in general could do with taking stock of it’s own self destruction. Our greed will indeed be our downfall.