Theatr Pena Take Welsh Drama The Royal Bed On Tour - Erica Eirian Interview

Ahead of the launch of Theatr Pena’s tour of Sion Eirian’s play The Royal Bed, Andy Howells chats to director Erica Eirian about the production.

Theatr Pena’s third co-production with The Riverfront in association with the Torch Theatre Milford Haven is a classic Welsh story. The Royal Bed by Sion Eirian, an English language adaptation of Siwan by Saunders Lewis, will premiere at Newport Riverfront on Wednesday February 11 and continue until February 14.

The play was originally commissioned by BBC Radio 4 in 1993. Theatr Pena’s 2015 touring production is The Royal Bed’s stage premier and a rare opportunity for theatre audiences in Wales to experience the Welsh classic in English.

“It’s our first national tour,” says director Erica Eirian, “We’re going to 18 venues in all, including The Riverfront. The Riverfront is our co-producer and provide our rehearsal space and lots of support, so we open here for our usual Wednesday to Saturday six performance run including two matinee's and then we go on tour for six weeks.” The Royal Bed will visit other venues across Wales in the coming weeks including Abergavenny, Abertillery and Blackwood.

Theatr Pena was set up in 2008 driven by an uncompromising determination to stage revivals of some the world’s best classic plays and develops a commitment to creating opportunities for women in theatre. The Royal Bed follows other major productions by the company including The House of Bernada Alba, The Trojan Women, The Maids and The Killing of Sister George. 

“Ironically this is the first production that has men,” says Erica, “We are not exclusively women. We simply try to choose our material which gives opportunities. The central character in this is Siwan and it’s her story we follow.”

Set around Easter 1230 when an uneasy truce exists between a divided Wales and England and at the court of the charismatic Prince of North Wales a catastrophe is about to unfold and dreams of a united Wales will crumble. At the centre of the drama is Siwan, the illegitimate daughter of King John and passionate, outspoken and politically astute wife of Llywelyn the Great. Set in Medieval Wales, the play tells the story of her adulterous affair with the young Marcher Lord, Gwilyn Brewys, and the terrible revenge exacted by her enraged husband when he discovers the lovers in the royal bed, the consequences of which reverberate down the centuries to contemporary Wales.

“Essentially what the play is about is the struggle and the tension between personal desire and public political duty,” says Erica who believes the aspects are central to much of Saunders Lewis’ work, “In this we have a young woman who has spent 20 years constricted by duty and responsibility as a wife and as a political and royal consort, who in the moment wants to taste passion and desire and so she gives into that with repercussions, but equally Llywelyn gives into rage”

The Royal Bed will feature BAFTA Cymru award winner Eiry Thomas as Siwan, Hannah O’Leary as Alis, with Francois Pandolfo as Gwilym Brewis and Russell Gomer as Llywelyn. The production also features live music from mezzo soprano Buddug Verona James and Celtic harpist Delyth Jenkins.

The Royal Bed will run at Newport Riverfront from Wednesday February 11 at 7.45pm with further presentations on Thursday February 12 at 2.30pm & 7.45pm, Friday February 13 at 7.45pm and Saturday February 14 at 2.30pm & 7.45pm Tickets -£12.50, concessions - £10.50, students - £6.50 Call 01633 656679 for ticket details. 

• Visit theatrpena.co.uk for a video preview of The Royal Bed.
• A version of this interview by Andy Howells was published in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide on February 6, 2014 

From Soap Stardom To Theatre Stage - Jasmyn Banks Interview

The National Theatre’s award-winning comedy One Man, Two Guvnors comes to the New Theatre, Cardiff from February 10-14. Now seen by over one million people worldwide, this internationally-acclaimed smash-hit is on its longest ever UK & Ireland Tour.

Nicholas Hytner’s five star production tells the hilarious story of Francis Henshall who, fired from his skiffle band, becomes minder to Roscoe Crabbe. But Roscoe is really Rachel, posing as her own dead brother – who's been killed by her boyfriend Stanley Stubbers. Francis spots the chance of an extra meal ticket and takes a job with one Stanley Stubbers – but to prevent discovery, he must keep his two guvnors apart. Simple.

Gavin Spokes takes the central role of loveable chancer, Francis Henshall. Shaun Williamson plays Charlie Clench, Emma Barton plays Dolly, Jasmyn Banks is Pauline Clench, Alicia Davies is Rachel Crabbe, Michael Dylan is Alfie, Derek Elroy plays Lloyd Boateng, Edward Hancock is Alan Dangle and Patrick Warner plays Stanley Stubbers.

Earlier this week, Andy Howells spoke to Jasmyn Banks who is best known for her role of Alice Branning in EastEnders.  Jasmyn’s other TV credits include: Little Crackers, Sadie Jones and Life of Riley while her stage work includes Hecuba for Lazarus Theatre Company and Wind in the Willows for the RSC.

Can you tell us about the role you play in One Man, Two Guvnors?
I play Pauline Clench, she’s your typical dumb blond, very confused and doesn't have a clue what’s going on.  She’s engaged to be married and then another character comes in that she has previous arrangement with within an arranged marriage and she’s devastated and that’s how the play starts for her.

How did you get into the acting process originally?

It’s something that I wanted to do since I was about 7; I wanted to be an actress. I did whatever I could. I did acting classes got an agent and started auditioning, so far so good, I've been very lucky. Don’t get me wrong, I've had my moments when I've been out of work  but that’s how it goes for any actor.

How do you compare working on television to working in the theatre?
It’s a totally different job; working on EastEnders we were making four episodes a week, so it would sometimes be a 12 hour day, 6 days a week. Fifty actors can’t keep the main story line and I’d have times when I’d have two weeks off, someone else was in the spotlight.  Then my characters story line would get big and I’d be very busy so it was very hard work but I can’t tell you how much fun I had, I learned so much.

This job (One Man, Two Guvnors) is totally different; it’s doing the same script every night and finding new things with it. That’s a challenge in itself as is having a live audience (which is) a totally different experience to camera. With this show I've found many different ways to play the same person and many different ways to play a line. It’s been so much fun.

Was there any truth in the tabloid stories saying you were planning to go to Hollywood after leaving EastEnders?
I think its one of the many things people make up when you leave soaps. I did want to go out to LA and still have hopes to go out there and work, that was a very funny story that came out, and I’m not sure what it was all about, I found it very amusing but it would be fabulous.

How long will you carry on with One Man, Two Guvnors?
We carry on touring until the end of March and then hopefully I’ll start auditioning again soon.

How have you found doing comedy as opposed to serious drama?
It was actually really daunting seeing myself as a comedy actress, as slapstick comedy requires you to be completely free and really big and bold. I was really terrified of going into it, but I've learned so much about it, the bigger and sillier I behave the funnier I still find it.

Who makes you laugh?
That’s a really good question! Ricky Gervais - he’s really clever and funny.

Would you like to do more comedy in the future, perhaps a sitcom?
I would never say no to that, I think there’s a lot of fun to be had in comedy, I definitely would leave that door open.

You’re working with two other former EastEnders actors in One Man, Two Guvnors (Shaun Williamson and Emma Barton). Has there been an opportunity for you to exchange stories about your experiences on the show?
Yes I suppose so, we've worked with similar people but we were there at totally different times but it’s nice to be able to reminisce about things that happened on set.

Finally, are you looking forward to visiting Wales?
I've never been to Wales and I cannot wait, I keep hearing wonderful things about Wales and how beautiful it is, I’m very excited!

• A shortened version of this interview appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide on February 6, 2015.
• For ticket information visit call the New Theatre’s box office on 029 2087 8889 or visit newtheatrecardiff.co.uk     

Meet The Band: Troyka

Troyka are an experimental British trio who make rich and enthralling instrumental music.
Featuring Kit Downes (once Mercury nominated in his own right) on hammond/synths, Chris Montague on guitar/loops and Josh Blackmore on drums, Troyka is far more than the sum of its parts and is definitely not your usual Hammond organ trio.

Ornithophobia is the London three-piece’s third studio album - their first for Naim - and truly marks the fruition of five years' worth of musical experimentation. Influenced by the likes of Tim Berne, Aphex Twin, Deerhoof, Albert King and Flying Lotus, their music is intense, ambitious and iconoclastic. Unpredictable, yet catchy, melodies woven into complex time signatures may be a trade mark of the trio at full swing, but it is the flavours of textural beds, polyrhythmic post-dance, haunting trip-hop and atmospheric post-rock that make this record a sensation of the heart as well as the mind.
Having self-produced all of their records to date, it was Troyka’s bold decision to invite Petter Eldh to produce and mix the album, that truly solidified the diverse, dynamic and discerning edge of Ornithophobia. Swedish producer Eldh (himself a seasoned musician, playing bass for Django Bates and Marius Neset) mixed the album at his home in Berlin.

 The potency of the electronic and experimental music scene of the German capital positively seeps into Troyka’s creations as a result. This is most evident on Life Was Transient and Troyka Smash, in which Eldh takes acoustic recordings of the band and resamples the performances into entirely different compositions, whilst losing none of the essential Troyka sound.
The album's title, Ornithophobia, was first inspired by guitarist Chris’ fear of birds. This became the aptly chaotic groove of the album’s title track, which, in turn escalated into an album set in a fictionalised London; a post-apocalyptic dystopian nightmare in which people have contracted a form of avian flu that is slowly turning them into human-size birds and gradually making them lose their minds. If this sounds like the stuff of comics, then you're not far off, as the album artwork encompasses a dark, comic book storyboard, featuring our heroes Troyka, created by artist Naiel Ibarrola.
Ornithophobia opens with Arcades, which after a deceptively mellow intro, descends into an unrivalled concoction of prog, thrash, jazz, blues and Bernard Hermann score. This sets the scene for what is to follow; Life Was Transient's stylish and spacey broken hip hop gives way to the Zappa-esque uncertainty of spiraling Hammond and chirpy palm muted guitar; the Nils Frahm-like minimalist Hammond organ of Bamburgh is followed by The General, which builds from moody 70s Schifrin-esque soundtrack to cacophonous psychedelic rock that is in equal part Yes, Jimi Hendrix and Deep Purple, whilst never losing its currency. In contrast, the album closer, Seahouses, is a delicate work of instrumental post-rock, a hybrid of Mogwai and Durutti Column-like melody and atmosphere with the last word going to a symphony of arpeggiating 8bit synths that leaves you wanting to start the album all over again. Chris Montague of the band recently answered Andy Howells questions.

Who are you and how did you start playing music?
I'm Chris Montague and I play guitar and write music for Troyka. I started playing music when I was 9 years old. I was in the car with my Dad and Voodoo Chile by Jimi Hendrix came on the radio and my head nearly fell off. I told my Dad that I wanted a guitar for Christmas and that I was gong to be a guitar player. I soon realised school was a living nightmare so began to play the guitar endlessly along with my Mum and Dad's record collection, they had loads of BB King, Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, Steely Dan, Chic, Doobie Brothers, Police, Prince, all really good guitar stuff. I'd sit for hours trying to play the parts note for note and getting it completely wrong. I was lucky to meet a very inspirational teacher called Jimi Savage (he still teaches in Newcastle) who would get me to go along and sit in with bands he was playing with at the time. I was still a kid and it was a very big deal for me.

Where are you from?
I'm from Gateshead and grew up in that area. Josh Blackmore who plays drums is from Derby and Kit Downes is from Norwich. We all live in London now.

How would you describe your music style?
I call it jazz because we improvise a lot and I associate that with Jazz, although it's harder to answer than that. We're all into tons of different music and steal the bits we like the best. It could be rock, funk, blues, electronic, dance, avant-garde, it really doesn't matter too much for us as long as we can use it.

What’s been your best live experience?
There have been so many with this band. Maybe the most memorable for me was performing with the Troyk-estra (our big band version of this music) at Cheltenham in 2013. We had only played the music once before and the gig was being broadcast on the BBC, it was incredibly terrifying as the music is very challenging. It felt like it could go horrendously wrong, but it didn't and ended up being released as a live album. Big risks sometimes pay off and I'm so glad that one was documented like it was.

You have a new album coming soon can you tell us more about that?
The album is called Ornithophobia and it's on Naim. We took our time recording this music and we collaborated with the producer Petter Eldh who brings a very new aesthetic to the production side of things. The album was partly inspired by my genuine phobia of birds, it embraces all of the macabre elements of this but at times has great beauty and tenderness in there too. It's a new direction for us and we felt we didn't have to document how we do things live, we'd done that on the previous albums. This album has a higher production value to it and embraces more of the electronic and ambient music we like, but it still has the Troyka wonky, wrong vibe to it.

Do you enjoy touring?
I always love touring with this music and the guys in the band, we've known each other a long time so it feels very familiar (a bit too familiar sometimes). Touring in any situation is very tiring and being away from home is often tough, but if the music is good it's very rewarding. We also have an amazing sound engineer called Alex Fiennes with us and we will be recording all of the gigs, maybe for a potential live album in the future. We have some gigs in Europe too which is always fun and we're going to some new places like Istanbul and Trondheim.

What can people expect from your forthcoming Cardiff gig?
It's at the Royal Welsh College of Music, the space we play in there has a really great sound and the crowd in Cardiff is always up for it, they have been great with us in the past when we have played Dempsey's (a great venue and a vital stop on the jazz circuit). We will have played 4 or 5 nights previous to this one and it's after the album launch at Richmix in London on the 12th so we will be very well rehearsed and slick hopefully, we will also be very relaxed as it's the last night before a short break.

Where can people hear your music?
You can hear a teaser of the album and then buy it direct from Naim for tour dates visit: troyka.co.uk

• Catch Trokya at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama on February 13.
• A version of this Q&A by Andy Howells appeared in the South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide on February 6, 2015.

Meet The Band: Menace Beach

Back in the good old of days of 1990, Color Dream Games released Menace Beach for the then popular NES games console from Nintendo. Imagine skateboarding through a side-scrolling 8-bit world filled with balloons, clowns and disgruntled dockworkers in search of your cute pixilated girlfriend Bunny. It’s from this slightly surreal, esoteric world that this Leeds indie rock revolving cast of local luminaries, headed by Ryan Needham and Liza Violet, draw their name. It’s reference acts as the perfect backdrop to their 90’s American underground and pre-Brit Pop indie; melody heavy, supercharged pop that’s always surprising.

After the success of their EP Lowtalker in early 2014, British indie label favourites Memphis Industries snapped Menace Beach up with the band’s debut album in mind. It comes in the shape of Ratworld, a twelve song assault, a journey through a psyche tinged wonderland, documenting moving away and waving goodbye to the fractured rubble of an unhappy lifestyle.

Although Ryan and Liza are the creative core from which the wellspring of inspiration pours from, they’re now joined by Matt Spalding (bass), Nestor Matthews (drums) and Matthew ‘MJ’ Johnson (guitar). As everyone’s favourite Leeds based producer, MJ sits behind the desk and has been molding the sound in his Suburban Home studios since the start. It’s his keen ear and ability to thread and balance an artist’s sonic themes that is the foundation stone upon which these songs can explode and punch you in the gut. And they do. Over and over again.

Andy Howells recently put questions to Ryan from the band.

How Did you come together?
Me and Liza have known each other for ages but the band kind of haphazardly came together after we both ran off from the town we were living in and moved up to Leeds. We bumped into some old friends who were up for hanging out, eating pizza and playing music.

Where are you from?
We all live in Leeds. Liza is from somewhere on the South Coast and me and Matt S are from the Midlands originally.

How would you describe your music style?
Pretty loud guitar-y stuff. I like melody and noise pretty equally and my favourite records are all a bit rough and energetic and chaotic and kind of honest sounding, so hopefully it’s like that.

What’s been your best live experience?
I’m a big fan of festivals and Beacons last year was a really good one. We played at Bristol Fleece last December with pulled Apart By Horses and that was pretty wild. I found a pair of lost mosh-pit-casualty shoes after Horses played and they’re a real good fit. There’s also great coffee to be had next door.

You have a new single and album coming soon can you tell us more about that?
Tastes Like Medicine is the single that’s out now, we've just finished a video for it which has got some ghoulish animation going on. Our album is called Ratworld and is out on Jan 19th. It’s kind of a noisy document of feeling gross, running away from stuff, moving cities and starting again, that kind of thing. Its actually way more upbeat than that sounds!

What can people expect from your forthcoming Bristol gig?
I think Bristol is a few dates in and we should have learnt all the songs by then so we’ll be relaxed but maybe also fired up on caffeine from that awesome coffee shop that’s also a bike shop. I dunno, probably lots of feedback, the good kind, and some fabulous cardigans.

Where can people hear your music?
You should go to a record shop, you’re really spoilt for them in Bristol! I think there’s an album stream online or if you just search Menace Beach Ratworld I'm sure it’ll pop up.

• A version of this Q&A by Andy Howells appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide during January 2015.
• Andy Howells' review of Menace Beach album Ratworld
• Official Menace Beach website

Billy J Kramer Remembers The 1960s With New UK Tour

“It was just a matter of the right time, the right place and things lining up with my schedule,” says Billy J Kramer as we talk about his return to the UK to perform his first concerts in 18 years. The original Mersey beat era star who scored Number One hits with Bad To Me and Little Children now resides in the USA will headline The Solid Silver Sixties Show as it tours the UK later this Spring.

Billy explains why he hasn't toured the UK for so long, “I did a lot of touring and I thought it was best to leave it off, I didn't want to do one tour after another as I thought people would get fed up with me!” The 1960s chart-topper couldn't be any more wrong as he discovered recently when performing to appreciative fans at several Beatles Fests in New Jersey, California, New York and Chicago with his old friend Mike Pender from The Searchers. “I knew The Beatles before they made records and was honoured to work with them when they became successful it was a wonderful period in my life.”

John Lennon and Paul McCartney regarded Billy so much that they penned both sides of his first two singles recorded with his backing group The Dakotas. “The day I was 20, John Lennon said “I have a song for you!” I said, “Well, play it.” He said “I'll play it the next time we're in Abbey Road.” When I went to Abbey Road he sat at the piano and played the song Bad to Me, later he said "I want to play you another song and I want your opinion," it was I Want To Hold Your Hand. I said “Can I have that?” and he said "No!"”

Bad To Me became Billy’s first chart-topper reaching number one in the UK charts during August 1963. “I didn't think it was anything I would achieve and it came as a complete shock, at first it was very difficult for me to handle. You've got women screaming at you that weren't screaming at you the day before.”

Billy is quick to credit his success to Brian Epstein who also managed the early careers of The Beatles and Cilla Black. “It was very hard coming from Liverpool, Brian had the right way about him and he opened doors. I just thought he was a gentleman the way he went about things. I remember when I got terribly overweight, he told me in such a compassionate way it really registered and I never forgot that.”

For years Billy led the campaign for the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame to recognise Brian Epstein’s contribution to music and even wrote a song To Liverpool with Love about his friend who sadly died in 1967. “I wrote the song before he got into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame and I hope in my own way it helped a little. I felt that he’d been cold-shouldered. He'd brought the biggest rock n roll act to the world.” Ultimately Brian was finally given his overdue recognition early last year, where he was posthumously awarded the Ahmet Ertegun Award for Lifetime Achievement. Billy has since re-recorded To Liverpool with Love recognising this achievement for his latest album I Won the Fight.

I Won the Fight also features a version of The Story of My Life, originally a number one for Liverpool’s first pop star Michael Holliday in 1956. Billy also revisits a slice of his own history with a new version of the Lennon/McCartney song I’m In Love originally recorded in 1963 but not released at the time. “I had about 15 minutes for a session and John and Paul came in and said "we've got this great song,"" he recalls, “the guys learned it very quickly and we laid two tracks down. I don’t know why it was shelved but EMI have recently put it out by using technology to merge the two tracks. I thought for this album and the fiftieth anniversary I should revisit the song and do it well.”

Fans can expect to hear Billy perform his classic hits and songs from I Won the Fight when he plays St David’s Hall as part of the Solid Silver Sixties Show on April 1. Billy is looking forward to revisiting his hits, “I think it’s my duty as an entertainer because they (the fans) bought all these records that sent me around the world and gave me a wonderful life. I always say it was the most fantastic time in the history of pop music, there’s never been anything like it before or since and I don’t think there will be anything like it again.”

• Billy J Kramer along with Mike Pender, PP Arnold, The Merseybeats, Chris Farlowe and New Amen Corner will play The Solid Silver Sixties Show on April 1, 2015. Visit St David's Hall website for booking details.
• For more news on Billy J Kramer visit his official website.
• A version of this interview by Andy Howells appears in the South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide on January 16.

Top Hat Stage Musical Pays Tribute To Fred and Ginger - Alyn Hawke Interview

The classic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film musical Top Hat comes to life on the stage of Wales Millennium Centre next week. Packed full of Irving Berlin’s greatest hits including, Cheek to Cheek, Top Hat, White Tie & Tails, Let’s Face the Music & Dance and Puttin’ on the Ritz, Top Hat tells the story of Broadway sensation Jerry Travers who dances his way across Europe to win the heart of society girl Dale Tremont.

Stepping into the shoes of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, in the lead roles of Jerry Travers and Dale Tremont, are Alan Burkitt and Charlotte Gooch who both return to Top Hat having previously performed these roles in the West End. Also part of the original West End cast is Bridgend born Alyn Hawke who returns to South Wales as part of the ensemble and Dance Captain for the show.

Alyn Hawke, Dance Captain for Top Hat

Alyn went to Brynteg Comprehensive School in Bridgend before going on to train at Arts Educational Schools in London for a BA (Hons) in musical theatre. Going into theatre work was a fulfilment of a lifelong passion for Alyn. “I grew up watching all the old movie musicals,” he says, “My Gran was very keen on them. I always knew that’s what I wanted to be involved in, in some way.”

On completion of the course he joined the European tour of Evita before moving on to the West End production of Top Hat, three years ago. Alyn has continued with the production on its 42 week UK tour as Dance Captain. 

“In a nutshell, The Dance Captain is to be the choreographer’s eyes on the show,” says Alyn, “because although they create the show they don’t come on tour with us. The Dance Captain has to uphold what the choreographer’s standard and expectation of the show is. We therefore have to make sure everyone is doing the right choreography as well as taking company warm ups, there’s lots of different things we are involved with.”

In all Top Hat features 29 cast members, 20 of which are dancers. The production features many iconic scenes that fans will be familiar with but something different too. "There’s lots of iconic bits of which our choreographer stuck to," says Alyn, " It wasn't until later on in the process he was given permission to choreograph his own original routines rather than copy the film. There have been lots of variations as Top Hat has gone on. It has strayed further away from the film while still keeping an authentic 1930s Fred Astaire feel to it. There are so many nods to Fred and Ginger and the songs of Irving Berlin. As much as we’d like to, no-one could ever replicate exactly what Fred and Ginger created, so it’s nice it has those original touches with that in mind."

With the production maintaining that 1930s flair does Top Hat still stand up as good entertainment today? Alyn seems to think so. "Top Hat as a show is escapist, easy watching and elegant it’s such a lovely show to watch and be part of."

• Top Hat is at Wales Millennium Centre from 14 – 24 January 2015. Tickets range between £18 - £46.50. Premium seats are available. For more information and to book tickets visit www.wmc.org.uk or call the ticket office on 02920 636464.
• A version of this interview by Andy Howells appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide on January 9, 2015

Chapter And Verse From Funeral For A Friend - Kris Coombs-Roberts Interview

Fourteen years after their formation in Bridgend, Welsh rockers Funeral for a Friend release their latest album Chapter and Verse on January 19. Known for packing punch and purpose into their recordings, the theme promises to continue with their latest release but on a new level.

 “Its sonically different to a lot of records you hear at the moment,” reveals guitarist Kris Coombs-Roberts, “ We wanted to go for a very live production and something that feels human and real as opposed to something that is been constructed in a laboratory by a computer.”

The band finished touring with their last album, Conduit, in October 2013; it was then a process of looking towards their next project.  “ We all play guitar everyday and we’d all collected ideas over a year,” says Kris, “ When we finished touring we all sat down and tried to work out what we wanted to do with them. We put them into a Dropbox as we had 20 odd ideas. We chose what we thought were the best out of them then spent two weeks hammering them out into songs and went down to Southampton in January and recorded them in two weeks with Lewis Johns.”

Melding gruff attitude with melodic choruses, Kris says the band wanted a live feel for their new album “Pretty much what you’re hearing is a live performance., no guitar overdubs or click tracks, we wanted to get the feel and the emotion of the songs as opposed to sonically perfect. I’m bored of hearing records that are flawless they don’t sound like they are been played by human beings. Back in the day when everything was going on tape it was about performing and playing well and getting the feel  for the songs right and that’s something we definetely wanted to capture.”

Kris is also keen that Chapter and Verse is recognised as an album in the true sense of the word, “It works as a body of songs, a complete piece of work, there’s some styles on there we haven’t done for a while. Slow-burners I guess, not balladesque songs but slightly slower and longer and more expansive, it’s something that I feel quite happy to have back in our sound. With Conduit we were all in a different place and wanted to make a very aggressive fast record. We wanted something a little bit more experimental and tangible.”

Prior to Chapter and Verse’s release the band will begin a spring tour with a date at Bristol’s Fleece on January 15, Kris emphasises that the bands relationship with their fans at gigs is important to them.  “Its important to go everywhere and play,” says Kris, “ As a musician the thing you enjoy more than anything else is writing music, but then its going out and playing to people who appreciate your music and then you showing your appreciation to them for buying your records.”

• For more details about Funeral for a Friend’s New album and tour visit their official website
• A version of this interview by Andy Howells appeared in The South Wales Argus entertainment supplement The Guide on January 9, 2015