With only a handful of gigs under their belt, the underground pedigree of Funeral Shakes puts them straight in the deep end; already thoroughly road-tested, they’d rather work on spreading the gospel that is their debut album than spend their nights preambling through UK’s toilet circuit.
“We haven’t allowed ourselves the opportunity to be rubbish,” says co-founder and frontman Calvin Roffey, cutting straight to breaking down the band’s game plan. “We haven’t done twenty shows before anyone’s heard of us – people have heard of us straight away, and we’ve got to hit the ground running.”
Rising like a rock’n’roll phoenix from the ashes of their previous group, The Smoking Hearts, Calvin, along with guitarist Simon Barker, wasted no time in looking to the future. The full all-star Funeral Shakes line-up sees them team up with Gallows drummer Lee Barratt and Nervus guitarist and vocalist Em Foster.
“We’ve learnt from all doing other bands that you can go out and play fifty shows, but if no one knows who you are then they aren’t going to pay you any attention,” Calvin states. “It sounds harsh, but it’s true.
“In Smoking Hearts, we must’ve done two hundred shows before we released a record and it was only once we had an album out that people cared; that people paid attention and recognised the songs and acknowledged us as a real band.
“We thought this time, why bother promoting a band that doesn’t have a record? Let’s do the record first, then do some shows, and people can know about us knowing there’s a solid album with a solid set of songs ready to go.”
While this underground supergroup is far from a passing project, it’s still competing within their busy schedules. “Simon plays in a band called The Kramers,” Calvin explains. “I play in Fire Pool Red. We don’t do a lot of shows, but we still do the odd bits here and there. Obviously, Nervus are fairly busy, and Gallows, when they tour, will be busy again.”
For Simon and Calvin, who’ve known each other since they were twelve, the band offers them the opportunity to branch away from the hardcore tracks they’d previously been penning. “We just fancied trying something new,” Simon explains. “Why not?”
What they’ve created is a rattle and rumble through heartbreak and sadness. “I think it’s easier to write a song when you’re feeling a bit more like that, you know? I don’t think I’ve got it in me to write a happy song,” Simon says. “Especially since it’s when you’re at your most emotive – when you’re feeling bad.”
“It wasn’t like, ‘Right, I’m going write a load of miserable songs’,” he adds. “It just happened like that.”
Funeral Shakes are a raucous amalgamation of garage rock, punk, and straight up rock’n’roll. Fronted by Calvin’s raw vocals, it marks an entirely new experience for the bassist. “I hadn’t the intention of being a lead singer, I’ve always been happy playing bass and providing back up vocals,” he explains. “But when we were writing this we didn’t really know any singers, certainly not that we’d want to jump into bed with if you will. It was just like, it’s either me or Simon’s going to have to do it,” he pauses briefly, laughing. “I guess I drew the short straw!”
In their matching rockabilly-style shirts, the group don’t do things by halves. “I’ve always liked bands who have a look,” Simon begins. “I find them way more memorable, and I just think it’s cool. It makes an impact. The music’s one side of it, but it’s a visual impact as well. I always had a vision of roughly how it should sound, stylistically and everything.”
It’s an idea with which Calvin excitedly agrees. “Absolutely! I look at it with bands such as The Hives, Rocket From The Crypt, even bands like Against Me! who don’t necessarily have a strict uniform, they have a style – it just looks cool. It ties a band together, it gives a band identity, and it gives the fans something to not just expect, but look forward to.
“There are a lot of times now when you go to see shows, especially punk shows, and it’s just four dudes in jeans and t-shirts, and no one’s made an effort. If you want people to know you’re making an effort, that’s one way you can do it.”
It’s all part of a bigger picture that puts their connection with fans first and foremost. “We wanted to write songs that we’re proud of, and hopefully, other people are in to,” Simon concludes. “It would be nice to go out and play some songs, and I don’t know, maybe one day have people singing them back at you. That’s the goal.”
Funeral Shakes’ self-titled debut album is out 16th February. Taken from the February 2018 issue of Upset. Order a copy now below.
