Giant Burger are four people who live in East London. They've been around for a couple of years and play in London A LOT.

We arranged to 'meat' up with Joel from the band at the 'Gherkin' in London to 'Ketchup' and make sure that they hadn't been getting themselves into any 'pickles'.....OK, enough of the burger related tom-foolery, we spent some time with Joel and chatted about meeting the Queen, hangover cures and parties, here's how we got on.... 

 

 

Please introduce the band and your music in one sentence....

We exist, we make music, you should hear it.

 

You’re called Giant Burger how did you come about choosing this name?

We had spent a night not agreeing on a growing list of names on a piece of paper.  My best suggestion was Frying and Crying.  Later on, an object in our practice space resembled a giant burger, and we were too tired to fight its spirit.  In retrospect, I think GB tells you how seriously we take not taking things seriously vis a vis an ethos or geist.

 

How and when did you decide that you wanted to be in a band?

Here's a dark secret which I will only share with you:  I grew up in a very abusive home with two alcoholics who also used drugs.  One owned firearms.  The people on the TV seemed like they had a bit more going on.

 

Would you rather live with a dog that sings lullabies or a gorilla that can do sign language? Explain your answer

Sam, who dates our Owain, is a BSL interpreter.  She has shown us how deeply necessary and complex BSL is to the lives of its speakers.  If a gorilla could teach me another language, I would not only live with it, I would pay it.  Pay your gorillas, folks.

 

You play live in London quite a lot, where is the venue you enjoy playing the most, and why?

London is full of people who make a difference and are very nice.  We are lucky to be asked to play, and we always do our best to show up on time, do our job and leave no trace.  Power Lunches is the best place to do that in.  Sian and Andrew have been very supportive.  Pay Sian and Andrew.  Pedro and Sophia who do sound there are also really cool.

 

Please explain the record you have coming out that is split with the Council Tax band?

Unfortunately, CTB have run into issues, and the 12” is not going ahead.  We are instead taking the songs from it and pressing a 33rpm 7” for cheap.  It will be blue. 

 

In your opinion, what is the BEST album/record ever released and why?

There is more music than one human could ever hear.  Buy records, always buy records, buy all sorts of records and play incongruous kinds of music back to back.  Expand your horizons, search for the universal flame.  Get asked to DJ and kill the dancefloor.

 

Tell me a fascinating fact about you or one of your band members? 

Oli has met the Queen twice.

 

Being an unsigned band how hard is it to get noticed and how has social media aided your music? 

Social media allows nerds opportunities.  I am a nerd, I love it.  As far as being unsigned goes, we are all in our thirties.  We play music to forget our jobs.  We play music because we're good at it.  We get to do it almost as often as we want, there's not much further we'd like to take it anyway.

 

Do you own a record that you wouldn’t like to admit you have?

No, I am proud to like horrible music.  Here's a fitting Canadian aphorism: take a chance, shit your pants.

 

Who designed the artwork for your EP covers? 

CM Carter.  Hire them.

 

Is there something you would like to tell each of the band members that you haven’t told them before?

No.

 

What classic song would you have liked to have recorded and why?

Your Love by the Outfield.  It's compact, plaintive and repetitive.

 

First gig you ever went to?

Contempt at the Sanscha Hall in Sidney, BC.  Pigment Vehicle were supporting.  I lost my Fuck the Pigs t-shirt when Hanz Fear abandoned my backpack, fucker.

 

Best cure for a hangover? 

Not drinking.

 

Name three people (alive, dead or fictional) that you would like as party guests?

I rarely go to parties, and am even less commonly invited.

 

There are many good bands and musicians out there, who would you ask the readers of musicmuso to look out for?

Actual Crimes, Witching Waves, As Ondas, Los Cripis, Good Throb, Ravioli Me Away, Chips for the Poor, Cosines, Gloss Rejection, H. Grimace, Manflu, Wolf Girl, Jen Schande, Colin Min Sai, Fulhast, Anguish Sandwich, Virgin Kids, Black Fungus, Shopping, and anyone else I have forgotten because I am doubled over on a stool and have to piss, sorry. (we let Joel syphon the python)

 

Who would you like to know has your music on their iPod, MP3 or cassette walkman?

Avery Brooks

 

If you could describe your music in the form of a fictional character, who would it be?

Discord from MLPFIM

 

What are your plans for the remainder 2014?

Try to get more shows, try to sell this new record.  Try, fail and keep trying.  Convince Oli that we can put a saxophone solo into a song.

 

 

I tried but am struggling to think of any more fried meat related puns to introduce the quick fire question round, I'll 'burger' off and leave Joel to answer the following (see what I did there?)

 

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee

 

Coke or Pepsi?

Coffee

 

Drum machine or the real deal?

Both at the same time, like Clan of Xymox.

 

Mac or PC?

Whatever works.

 

London Fields market or Walthamstow Market?

Rosie buys fabric in Walthamstow. 

 

Fry up or Sunday roast 

Vegetarianism.

 

Lemmy (Motorhead) or Ozzy (Black Sabbath)?

Rachel Aggs.

 

CD or Vinyl?

Both.

 

Car or Motorbike?

Bicycle.

 

Acoustic or electric?

Depends on the person.

 

Scarlett Johansen or Jennifer Lawrence

Lily Taylor.

 

Shower or Bath?

Shower

 

Tattoos or Piercings?

Cost a lot of money.

 

Robert De Niro or Al Pacino?

Alexander Siddig

 

God or Google?

Lycos

 

 

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook

Web

Twitter

Bandcamp

 

 

FORTHCOMING GIGS

Sept 8th - Alley Cat, Denmark St. London with Jen Schande

 

 

You can buy 3 of their tracks on a really spiffing 7-inch vinyl record from their bandcamp page or in person at our gigs or in person as Rough Trade East...

 

We'd like to thank Joel for taking the time to answer our questions, we wish the band every success in the future and look forward to seeing them play live in the Southwest one day, in the meantime, if you're in London on Sept 8th, get yourself down to Alley Cat on Denmark Street to see the band do their thang....Apologies again for the awful burger related puns above, it was late, I was tired and had just spent 3 wet days in Cornwall in a camper van, pasting on a smile in an attempt at telling the kids that it was all gonna be ok....!

 

Interview by Mark Wincott