Band interview

Band interview

Name:  Manic Poyo

Genre: Punk Rock

Origin: Dumfries, Scotland

Years active: 1997-present

Biggest influences: Blink 182, Lostprophets, The Ramones, Biffy Clyro

Active members: Harvey Pleb, Pete Tractor, Joan Lamone and Travis Park

Hey guys, so you’ve made a recent explosive comeback, how’s the big reunion tour going for you?

Harvey (drums) : Well so far we’ve played 4 gigs and we’ve had a pretty big turnout, at least 600 – 1000 per night. The venues we’re playing are pretty great, not quite arena but still pretty amazing.

Pete (lead vocals): Yeah I mean, we finished our last tour in 2001, and by then we were playing pretty big venues and arena, but the smaller venues allow you to interact more with the fans.

Good, well what about the fans? Are they a good welcome back?

Joan (Bass): Yeah they’ve been pretty amazing they’re all loud and really lively, pretty much how we left them back in ’01.

Are you playing all your original stuff or have you written new material?

Travis (Lead guitar): Well we’ve written a few new things, but we’re not releasing them or even talking about them until revealing them at the shows and our album later on this year.

Pete: Well we know that most of the fans are there for our original stuff, that’s how they know who we are. I know I hate it when I got to a gig and they play new stuff that we don’t know it and cant join in.

How has the comeback affected your lives?

Harvey: Well of course we’ve all grown up a bit now, gotten more serious in our lives, in our music and got families and girlfriends.

Pete: I’ve got two kids now, I got married, Harvey you’ve got one on the way, and Travis is engaged, just.

Joan: Apart from me, I’m still single *laughs*.  No desire to be in a relationship. The band. That’s what’s important.

Pete: Yeah, right, good one! *all laugh*

Wow, so errm, serious? *all laugh* Does that mean we can expect great things from you guys then? How long will you be around for now?

Harvey: Well we’ll give up when people get tired of us *laughs*, we only gave up last time because we had a fall out. But like we said, we’ve grown up now and we’re back as adults. We were so naive and childish back then.

Joan: Yeah I think ‘H’ has got it pretty much covered there. We’re back now, and we’ll go when we’re not wanted anymore, but judging by gig ticket sales, that’s not for a while. *laughs*

Anything to say to the fans about your new tour?

Travis: It’s pretty electric and outgoing, all lively and shit, sort of a ‘we’re back, we’re explosive and we mean business’.

Pete: Yeah, you’ll enjoy the hell out of it, great value for money, we’ve got some amazing supports coming your way, like YM@6, some We the kings in there too, we’re prepared man *laughs*.

Joan: BRING IT ON!

*All laugh*

Whats your favourite things you like to order on the rider?

All but Travis: Jelly cubes!

Travis: Urghh…

Why? Do you not like jelly cubes?

Travis: NO! This lot insist on it, but its disgusting, and not to mention really bad for you.

Joan: Mr ‘Healthy’.

Travis: Nah, I just prefer something heartier, like pie. A nice beef pie.

On the rider?

Travis: Yes *laughs*

We’ve got a few questions here from your fans:

Greg north (Hunstanton)

‘Have you guys got any favourite albums that you would recommend listening to?

Travis: Dirt – kids in glass houses , I know it’s all pop like at times, but there’s some really good tunes on there, ‘Youngblood’ in particular, just upbeat, good lyrics, one of my faves from last year.

Pete: System of a down – Toxicity, purely because we’ve met them and they said they loved ours *laughs* Nah, it’s an awesome album and they’re cool guys. ‘Chop Suey’ A classic, everyone knows It, but to those who have never even heard of this band, shame. On. You.

Harvey: Enema of state – Blink 182 .Best band ever, amazing music, I mean I just chose this album because it’s the first one I thought of, but all of their albums, just, genius.

Joan: I don’t have one, not really into music that much to be honest *laughs*….Well my taste is a lot heavier to these lot, I mean kids in glass houses? What!? I agree with Blink, but SOAD…..Nah I don’t know, I like tracks rather than bands.

Okay and just one more here:

Georgia Yeovil (Dumfries)

When on tour, are you going to do any meet and greets? Id love to meet you guys, I think your awesome.

Harvey: We’d really love to do that actually, we’ve talked about it in the past, and have done a few, but in the end, its where and when to do them is the problem.

Travis: I’m going to act like a geek here and say, I met kids in glass houses at a meet and greet earlier last year. It was a great experience, so if we’ve got fans of our own who want us to do stuff like that we will *smiles*.

Well that’s all we’ve got for you today, thank you all very much indeed for this, im sure your fans reading this will enjoy it

All: yeeaahhh!! *clap*

Manic Poyo’s new album ‘Ground to the sky’ Is released in June and their tour will commence until December, go to our website www.wix.com/omg_lloyd/manicpoyo  for tour dates, competitions and more!

 By Hannah :)