Roo Pescod (Bangers)
What are your top five albums that were released in 2011? (in order 1-5)
I really can't do this in an order;
Good Luck - Without Hesitation
I can't think of a single thing I don't like about Good Luck. Both of their albums are incredible, they're goofy and funny and sweet and cool and inspiring, and they are all ridiculous musicians. Since I flew back from America with it, I've spent as much time as I can justify listening to Without Hesitation on my headphones.
The State Lottery - When The Night Comes
More about The State Lottery later, but listening to this album reminds me of spending time with The State Lottery and El Morgan which is a very happy memory indeed. Oh, this record was released in 2010.
Lemuria – Pebble
On a long car journey a friend of mine asked me out of the blue who my favourite band was and I told her that it was probably Lemuria. There aren't that many bands that I feel like I'm a real 'fan' of, like that the prospect of them having new music makes me feel giddy and excited rather than interested, and Lemuria are on that pile. So were The Hold Steady until that new album. Pebble is Awesome.
Great Cynics – Don't Need Much
I went to Budapest for a month earlier in the year to do a TEFL course and Don't Need Much on a memory stick was the only music I took with me. I spent a lot of time drinking dirt- cheap wine with headphones on trying to learn grammar. I think I probably listened to this album more than anything else released in 2011.
Joyce Manor – Joyce Manor
Hamish and Andrew hate this so I can't listen to it in the van. In fact almost everyone I know thinks this record is really mediocre but I think its swell.
What band did you discover in 2011 (can be a brand new band or an older band) that had an impact on your life? What made them significant?
This summer The State Lottery came over to the UK and we got to tour with them and El Morgan. I have so many great memories from those two weeks, but what I remember most of all is that those guys love to dance and that when The State Lottery are dancing it is fucking contagious. Since that tour I've danced a lot more, and every time I dance I think about Bobby, Nicki, Dave, Jordan and Andy in the back room of Mozarts in Swansea dancing our way from Andy's birthday to mine.
How will you remember 2011 (in terms of music)?
God knows. I hope I remember it all.
What can we look forward to from you in 2012?
Well I heard yesterday that we might all be living in the same town again for the first time in about three years, so hopefully we'll do a lot more. But our current plans are to record some songs in January for a couple of 7 inchs, and then tour that over Easter and into the future.
What records are you looking forward to most in 2012?
I've been listening to mixes of the new Attack!! Vipers!! album for a couple of weeks now. I'm really looking forward to everybody else hearing that.
What did you expect to be huge in 2011 which never made it?
My debt. In December 2010 my girlfriend and I called 2011 as a year of pleasure that we'd pay for in 2012. Despite only working half the year and spending more hours on aeroplanes than previous years combined my debt seems to be more or less dead level with last year. I guess 2012 should be a year of pleasure too.
