We heard that Barry Ashworth from Dub Pistols is performing at Beautiful Days Festival this year, we've met him on numerous occasions at shows and festivals over the past 5 years and thought it was about time we had a chat about what he's been up to lately. Read on to see who Barry is looking forward to seeing at the festival in August, his first ever concert and how the Dub Pistols documentary is coming along.... 

You're the front man of the uber famous Dub Pistols, I see that the band aren't performing at Beautiful Days this year, does this mean that you will be performing one of your legendary DJ sets instead? 

Yeah DJ set it is, haven't decided what style I'm going to play yet so expect the unexpected!

From the acts on offer at this years Beautiful Days Festival, who are you looking forward to seeing? 

The thing I love about Beautiful Days is it never follows the same format that other more commercial festivals do, the line up is a musos dream with something for everyone. It's great to see my good friends The Cuban Brothers on the line up, they always fill the place with smiles and good vibes, The Waterboys are another old favorite of mine along with Craig Charles, Mad Professor and Public Service Broadcasting it's going to be a vintage year! 

Tell me about the first gig you ever attended? Who was it? Where was it? 

That's sometime ago now! I think it was Level 42 at the Hammersmith Empire before they blew up. I was really into their track "Starchild". The band I went to see more than any other growing up was The Style Council as I was a complete Paul Weller nut but was too young to ever see The Jam live. 

Music festivals can sometimes me messy affairs (as are Dub Pistols shows!), what are your top 3 tips to surviving one? 

1: Bacon Rolls and Bloody Marys in the morning
2: Always know where the medical tent is they have the best gear! 
3: I haven't tried this but drinking water will apparently help your hangover!  

I see that you reached your target for the Dub Pistols documentary "What Could Possibly Go Wrong?", it showed a premiere date of Spring 2017, have I missed it or have you held it back? 

It's still in the making, it's 80% done but the story keeps unfolding.... 

Dean Hennessy created the documentary, how much footage was actually shot and how much was used in the final cut? How long was Dean on the road with you? 

We have been making the film for over 5 years, I feel sorry for Dean as he has to sit there and listen to the bollocks we do and talk everyday!  

The history of the band is quite a hedonistic journey, is the documentary a “warts 'n all” view of life on the road for a member of the band or have you decided to water down certain aspects?

It's certainly not watered down! I don't see the point of that as it would be boring. People know we have a liking to partying and that things haven't always gone to plan but that's why people can relate to us. To be honest, it's the story of 99% of bands, sex drugs and rock 'n roll, the ups and mostly the downs....What the fuck could possibly go wrong? 

Everyone knows and loves you for being the charismatic front man of Dub Pistols, tell us something about you that not many people would know.... 

I've moved out of London and now live in the countryside, after nearly 30 years in West London and going out every night I'm now learning to ride horses and fly planes, happy days! 

You'll be embarking on a November/December headline tour of the UK which takes in the majority of the country, tell us which festivals the band will be appearing at this Summer 

We are doing a new Crazy Diamond tour at the end of the year but before then we are playing 3 festivals a week including, Bestival, Blissfields, Beat-Herder, Camp Bestival, Boardmasters, Solefest, Basingstoke Live, Electric Castle, Shine on Weekender, Wilkestock, Street Masters, Nibley and No Mans Land  

Crazy Diamond Tour Dates

14 Oct Mr Kyps, Poole
03 Nov Sound Control, Manchester
04 Nov The Shed, Leicester
10 Nov Brudenell Social Club, Leeds
17 Nov The Boileroom, Guildford
18 Nov The 1865, Southampton
23 Nov Concorde, Brighton
24 Nov Nest, Bath
25 Nov Level 3, Swindon
01 Dec The Hub, Plymouth
02 Dec The Factory, Barnstaple
07 Dec Islington Academy, London
09 Dec The Watering Hole, Perranporth
15 Dec Club 85, Hitchin
16 Dec Hare and Hounds, Birmingham

You formed Dub Pistols back in 1996 and have gone on to produce a ton of albums and tour pretty much constantly throughout, how has the invention of social media assisted you? 

We actually have had 6 studio albums released up to this year and the invention of social media has helped our fans stay in contact and realise the band hasn't vanished. In the old days once the radio stopped playing, people quickly forgot about you. It's getting harder with social media as the feeds these days have limited reach unless you pay for 'boosted posts' which is putting the control back in the hands of the major labels with large budgets to spend! 

Your last album Return of the Pistoleros was released in 2015, when can we look forward to new material? 

We have just finished our New album Crazy Diamonds which is due for release on the Sunday Best label in October, it's our biggest to date with guests including, Beanie Man, Cutty Ranks, Earl 16, Too Many T's, Mc Navigator and Seanie T aka Dark horizon.

We'd like to thank Barry for taking the time to chat to us, we look forward to catching his set at Beautiful Days Festival which takes place at Escot Park from August 18th - 20th, keep your eyes on the website when set times will be released nearer the time.

http://www.beautifuldays.org