DJ. De’Ath FOR BLACK VEIL GOTHIC;

I conducted the following FB interview with Mike from BFG. I agreed to keep it under wraps until BFG decided to play live again which has now been announced for Berlin in October with The Snake Corps 

1. What are BFG’s favourite 3 bands from the 80’s and why?

In the he first ever BFG interview for the Manchester Evening News we said our main influence, at least guitar wise, were the unique angular choppy guitar sound of the Gang of Four’s Andy Gill and early B52’s. Think you can pick that up on the early BFG releases such as Paris and Amelia

You can’t discount the intensity and sparse production style of Martin Hannet on Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures and Closer that is still paid homage to by the likes of the Editors and The White Lies.

At the other end of the scale you had Steve Albini’s “Big Black” that seemed to have the ability to take the use and abuse of the basic bass and guitars as far as you could possibly go. Kerosine is still one of the best tracks of all time.

2. What are BFG’s favourite 3 bands from now and why?

Nine Inch Nails are still a valid force, mixing whatever new technology comes along with still the most expressive instrument, the guitar.

Rammstein have taken the Industrial metal scene and blown it apart, pretty much perfect twin guitar assaults and probably the best live show you could ever see, with a massive cross-section of fans, goths, punks, emo, young, old and all with virtually no support from the radio stations.

A new band Amelia Chain who we only heard of recently ( they use the same studio as BFG ) . Their image is very dark and almost gothic and the music moves from classical style piano pieces reminiscent of Euanudi to almost a female fronted Rammstein. The next moment they go all dark electro that has elements of Fever Ray. The strange thing is, when they use an orchestra it sometimes gets as intense as the heaviest Industrial track.

3. What can we expect from the new BFG album?

It will be return to the core of the original BFG sound, Thumping bass and heavy guitar, if anything more extreme than anything else we have done before. This album is for us as much as any of our fans, our chance to play. One thing you can expect is you won’t be hearing it on the BBC as we have agreed that that appalling organisation will be barred from playing any of the tracks. So, unless you inhabit the dark underbelly of the club scene you will probably never get to hear it.

4. Can we expect a real UK tour (with dates up North) unlike bands who play dates in London, Brighton and Bristol and claim it’s a UK tour?

That is in the hands of the Gods. It has taken us so many years to actually record again, but the offers are already there as far away as Berlin, Brazil and West Coast US.

5. What do you miss most about the 80’s?

The cold war…….oh hold on…….or Simon Cowell having zero input in the world of music.

6. BFG will have a new website will fans be able to get the back catalogue and merchandise fom there?

Yes, the back catalogue albums have been re mastered and be available on audio CD and of course downloads. There will also be the opportunity to buy merchandise direct from the site. We also want to build a network of like minded DJ’s throughout the world who want to become involved in re-defining the album with their own particular influences and club night. Thats the reason we will provided audio “stems” of the tracks, made available to club DJ’s to remix. The best ones we will be issuing on a remix album.

7. Has BFG got plans for European & US dates?

See above. We would love to and maybe once the album finished we can see clearly where we want to go with it. One of the options we are looking at is performing DJ sets of the new album in a few selected clubs in the UK and Europe

8. What inspires BFG to write songs?

It’s a heat of the moment kind of thing. It can be anything that will trigger a bigger idea, a miss heard lyric, a machine banging out a metallic rhythm . The lyrics on this album however are going to be more informed and in tune with what is happening in society, more in your face.

9. What’s BFG’s favourite films?

What else…..the BFG !! and no we are not named after the book.! Seriously though, Frost-Nixon is amoung our favourites , anything that peels back the curtain to reveal to the the mostly oblivious masses what really goes on at hight levels is always a good thing

10. Are there any items of 80’s clothing or footwear that BFG miss not having now?

Special leather jacket that has gone to the great biker shop in the sky

11. How would you describe the current BFG sound?

You could see it as a return to what BFG were doing when we formed, plus 25 years or so of life experience.

12. So who is in the current line up of BFG?

It’s all the original members.

13. Is there a particular old BFG song you are looking forward to playing live again? 

Amelia and Paris are still a buzz to play