Today I spent five blissful minutes with Pail Daisley from Scottish noise-merchants Man & Super Man. To be honest, it felt more like six and a half minutes.
It went down something like this:
Alright mate?
Cracking thanks.
Have we started yet?
Just about I think.
Oh, okay. How would you describe Man & Super Man?
Loud, chaotic and unfashionable; we play fuzzy punk rock with just a hint of prog. Nice.
Nice indeed. What/who are your main influences?
Mainly- The Stooges, Led Zeppelin, Television, Smashing Pumpkins, Queens Of The Stone Age, that sort of thing.
What are your plans for releasing material?
Well, we’ve got an EPs worth of material up on Myspace, and we’re planning on doing a bit of recording later on this summer, so we’ll hopefully have a single out on itunes in the autumn, then after that- who knows?
There's a lot of screaming in your songs, would you consider doing an acoustic live album of your tunes, even if it's just for me?
I have been planning on doing a bit more singing in future, and for you mate - we’ll have a bash with the acoustics!
You have a deal! Now, do you think bands can thrive without a record company?
Definitely; record labels can stifle creativity, you’re under pressure to deliver tunes that will sell records, rather than make music that you want to make. With the rise of digital media and the internet, it’s possible to distribute music far more widely and cheaply than before, so doing it yourself is much easier and more rewarding these days. Having said that, I wouldn't be turning down any big advances if they were offered....
Who are your heroes?
Wayne Coyne, Billy Corgan, Richey James and Henrik Larsson.
If you could be accompanied by any three musicians, living or dead, on stage, who would you choose?
John Bonham from Led Zep on the drums, Jimi Hendrix on guitar and John Entwhistle from the Who on bass - that’s a hell of a supergroup there!
What song shall we play at your funeral (note the inherent assumption that you will die first)?
Agadoo by Black Lace. That ought to get everyone nice and miserable.
You total bastard, I'm now not attending your funeral. Anyway, do you tend to pot long pink or the easy brown?
Long pink every time chief.
Good man. Now, you also present the long running radio show Planet of Sound, who has been your favourite band to appear live in the studio?
Livingston noise merchants Jackie Treehorn were stunning a few years back - also, if I don’t give an honourable mention to Cry Over Billionaires, they’ll go in a huff.
On a scale of one to ten, exactly how ginger are you?
That would be a Spinal Tap 11.
What is your greatest fear?
Paraskavedekatriaphobia.
Yeah, I don't like the Dutch at all either. Which is your favourite festival?
Well, I would normally say T in the Park, but the line-ups have got progressivly worse over the last few years - this one coming up is particularly shocking - I think Kasabian are pretty much the worst band in the world! So I’ll say Chalgrove Live in Oxfordshire - no idea who any of the bands were, but I had a great time.
Best gig of your life?
That’s easy - Smashing Pumpkins, Glasgow SECC, 1996 - The Mellon Collie tour. Probably the best night of my life so far.
What is Kafka's Metamorphosis all about?
It’s about a bloke who turns into a stick insect. That’s all I have....
Nobody seems to know that one. Right, it must be my round, what are you having?
Bloody Mary please.
They don't do cocktails here son. Finally, what advice would you give aspiring musicians?
Do your own thing, practice a lot and don’t go on the fucking X factor.
Thanks Paul, these five minutes have been emotional and compelling.
Nae bother chief.
