[The Craftmen Club – Ubu Club, Rennes - 03.11.08]
As to reinforce all the stereotypes, we took a band from Bittany (or so we've been told) and we asked them a lot of questions about this fabulous region who witnessed the birth of their musical power (let's not hide it). Interview with Yann (drums) and Marco (bass guitar), on behalf of good reputation - and next time, it will be with sausage pancakes ("galette-saucisse" - or not).
1) Last week-end, it was Women International Day, why not The Craft-women Club?
Y : I don't know, I learnt it was women's day the day after anyway. Maybe we should put on a wig and earrings and then maybe we'll do The Craft-Women Club.
100% : Actually, what does 'craftmen' means (in french)?
Y : Craftmen means 'artisan'., We think there's a mistake, it should be craftSmen normally but in short it's craftsmen, the club for craftsmen. There's not really a reason for it, it just sounded nice, we like it. We had to find a name and we found that, we told ourselves "it's ok that way". Club is linked to the band The Gun Club with Jeffrey Lee Pierce. That's where it comes from.
2) What are your musical influences or general influences?
M : The musical influences that we have in common, those which influenced the most the album : Nick Cave, The Gun Club, Violent Femmes, dEUS, and quite a lot of belgian bands... Otherwise we all have musical inspirations of our own.
Y : We listen to so many things, but not at the same time of course!
100% : And other than musical? Movies, books?
Y : Movies a little bit but books no, I don't read. Movies, we could say a little bit but unconsciously. We are often told that what we do is cinematographic, that it could be in a movie or something like that. I think unconsciously yes, but we'd like to make soundtracks, that could be nice.
100% : Note to anyone interested.
3) Did you had any particular difficulties in making the band at a given moment?
Y : All the time, for 9 years, all the time. A band who isn't really famous, always finds it hard a little bit, even to go on tour only, because it's expensive to make a band come : the rent for the van, the salary, ... It becomes expensive pretty fast, so one's gotta have at least a small reputation to do that. It's often difficult. Then there are organisations who can give you subventions.
100% : Was there a moment where it was particularly difficult? Because with your last album, I had the impression you were getting more famous, as we can hear about it, like everywhere.
Y : No, it was never really difficult, we have been giving the best of ourselves for 9 years with that band, it's a priority for everyone. Then if we really want to play, we have a tour manager. We were with 'Soda' who was from Rennes before, now we are with 'Arsenal' from Brest, so we are more lucky than other bands on that point, because we have a tour manager who can find us dates and we have nothing left to do.
4) Did it ever helped to be a band from Brittany?
( Y shows M) : He's english, Steeve (the singer) is from Paris, I am the only breton.
100% : Well, let's say the fact that you are affiliated with Guingamp.
M : In Paris, there are bretons who would like to see bands from Brittany, we can hear about it nowadays. But, to tell the truth we are welcomed more generously in certain places.
Y : That is to say, if there are bretons who leave their region, when they go outside it's always "Oh, there are bretons, let's buy them drinks!". Even if we are people who don't drink so much, we always have this reputation from Brittany.
5) So yesterday, you were in Paris. How was it?
Y : Yes, we didn't drink so much and it was really cool. A very good gig.
M : There was a lot of people in the audience.
Y : There were ready for us. When it happens like that, it's perfect.
100% : And do you like Paris, as a city?
Y : I don't like to drive there. Actually, Paris is fine for everything that is cultural, it's really nice, you can see everything because there is everything. On this point, you realise that culturally speaking it's nice but afterwards, driving inside Paris is a nightmare and on the back of a seagull that is!
6) What are your favorite cities?
Y : Me, myself and I, we like Perpignan.
M : In france or elsewhere?
100% : In France, and elsewhere...
M : Well we are going in Tokyo, so maybe it's going to be Tokyo.
Y : Yes, maybe Tokyo. I like Perpignan, Bordeaux. Rennes not at all. (laughs)
100% : I don't care, I'm not from that city.
Y : Nevertheless, we like Brest, it reminds us of home a bit, the big Guingamp. However, there's a little fight between Brest and Guingamp but the general atmosphere in Brest is really nice.
7) If I say "spectacular stage performances", what does it make you think of?
Y : If you're talking about us, that's what people say. We are trying to be ready all along gigs and we try to give our best all along the performance. Afterwards, it's mostly Steeve.
M : No, I'm not Steeve, I am only the bass guitar player.
Y : Because Steeve is not here, he went out to buy cigarettes. Steeve, on his part, smokes.
M : To calm himself.
Y : Stop it, it's going to be published!
8) Who are the breton bands you like the most?
Y : Breton?
M : Well, the Craftmen Club
Y : It is true that we really are the best.
M : Yes, in everything.
Y : About music, we are exceptionnal beings, no perfect beings. Otherwise, in Brittany, I like Bikini Machine. Well, who are the other bands... Then there are the bands with whom we play like we said before The Wankin' Noodles, Rotor Jambreks (note : their former bass guitar player) and otherwise as breton bands...
100% : If it's so complicated, we can always go for french bands.
Y : For french bands, there is always Elektrocution who's coming up.
M : Hushpuppies, also.
Y : In belgium, there're Ghinzu and dEUS.
M : Stuck In The Sound.
Y : Why? Do you like them?
M : Well, yes, I think it's nice.
Y : I like their tune "Toyboy", it's terrible.
100% : They were there last week.
Y : We saw them at "Bars en Trans" festival.
9) If you had to make an appearance in an advert, for which product would it be?
Y : Levis jeans.
M : Yes, slimmy Levis jeans. (laughs)
Y : Not for me, extra large Levis jeans. Yes, why not. Nevertheless, I wouldn't like to make an advert for aftershaving product or something of that kind.
100% : Wouldn't it be a little difficult ? (he has a 3 days long beard)
Y : Yes, there is a band we quoted who did it, didn't they? You never know, afterall we might end up doing it.
M : Question never had to be asked, for now.
10) Marbles or football?
M : Football.
Y : Marbles.
M : Football.
Y : He is the only one who likes it afterall, and who pisses me off buying "L'équipe" (note : french newspaper about sports) every morning.
M : And Liverpool is in the final qualifications (he raises his arms) so it's all good, come on Liverpool!
Y : He is english.
100% : You can't hear it.
Y : He doesn't know how to speak english. He's the one who speaks english the worst.
M : Are you kidding me or what?
Y : You don't speak english as well as I do.
M : Well, yes, but what do you know about it?
100% : Are you among all these english people who ended up in les Côtes d'Armor?
M : No, I use to live in Cherbourg until I was 12. And now it's been twenty years since I am in St Brieuc.
Y : Twenty years, it's been? You're growing up, huh?
11) Could you give us a cooking recipe please?
Y : Oh, a cooking recipe : reblochon pie, that is really good, that. It's not complicated to make really, because you take a full reblochon for 4 people, pastry, I never know if it's shortcrust or flaky pastry.
M : Flaky.
Y : You take the egg, no... You put the cheese, herbs, well pretty much what you want, hop! you close it, then you gaze the pastry with egg yolk. Make sure you close it well, make small holes with a fork and straight into the oven. You can serve it with green salad and it's really good. That's my recipe.
M : A pancake "complète" egg-cheese.
100% : There is a huge controversy (well I don't where it comes from) which says : "It's not the people from Rennes who have created pancakes" or something like that...
Y : No, nevertheless, they have not created hot water. Rennes is not the so-called capital city of Brittany. I am not really a fan of their mentality. Then, I like to come in Rennes afterall.
1) Last week-end, it was Women International Day, why not The Craft-women Club?
Y : I don't know, I learnt it was women's day the day after anyway. Maybe we should put on a wig and earrings and then maybe we'll do The Craft-Women Club.
100% : Actually, what does 'craftmen' means (in french)?
Y : Craftmen means 'artisan'., We think there's a mistake, it should be craftSmen normally but in short it's craftsmen, the club for craftsmen. There's not really a reason for it, it just sounded nice, we like it. We had to find a name and we found that, we told ourselves "it's ok that way". Club is linked to the band The Gun Club with Jeffrey Lee Pierce. That's where it comes from.
2) What are your musical influences or general influences?
M : The musical influences that we have in common, those which influenced the most the album : Nick Cave, The Gun Club, Violent Femmes, dEUS, and quite a lot of belgian bands... Otherwise we all have musical inspirations of our own.
Y : We listen to so many things, but not at the same time of course!
100% : And other than musical? Movies, books?
Y : Movies a little bit but books no, I don't read. Movies, we could say a little bit but unconsciously. We are often told that what we do is cinematographic, that it could be in a movie or something like that. I think unconsciously yes, but we'd like to make soundtracks, that could be nice.
100% : Note to anyone interested.
3) Did you had any particular difficulties in making the band at a given moment?
Y : All the time, for 9 years, all the time. A band who isn't really famous, always finds it hard a little bit, even to go on tour only, because it's expensive to make a band come : the rent for the van, the salary, ... It becomes expensive pretty fast, so one's gotta have at least a small reputation to do that. It's often difficult. Then there are organisations who can give you subventions.
100% : Was there a moment where it was particularly difficult? Because with your last album, I had the impression you were getting more famous, as we can hear about it, like everywhere.
Y : No, it was never really difficult, we have been giving the best of ourselves for 9 years with that band, it's a priority for everyone. Then if we really want to play, we have a tour manager. We were with 'Soda' who was from Rennes before, now we are with 'Arsenal' from Brest, so we are more lucky than other bands on that point, because we have a tour manager who can find us dates and we have nothing left to do.
4) Did it ever helped to be a band from Brittany?
( Y shows M) : He's english, Steeve (the singer) is from Paris, I am the only breton.
100% : Well, let's say the fact that you are affiliated with Guingamp.
M : In Paris, there are bretons who would like to see bands from Brittany, we can hear about it nowadays. But, to tell the truth we are welcomed more generously in certain places.
Y : That is to say, if there are bretons who leave their region, when they go outside it's always "Oh, there are bretons, let's buy them drinks!". Even if we are people who don't drink so much, we always have this reputation from Brittany.
5) So yesterday, you were in Paris. How was it?
Y : Yes, we didn't drink so much and it was really cool. A very good gig.
M : There was a lot of people in the audience.
Y : There were ready for us. When it happens like that, it's perfect.
100% : And do you like Paris, as a city?
Y : I don't like to drive there. Actually, Paris is fine for everything that is cultural, it's really nice, you can see everything because there is everything. On this point, you realise that culturally speaking it's nice but afterwards, driving inside Paris is a nightmare and on the back of a seagull that is!
6) What are your favorite cities?
Y : Me, myself and I, we like Perpignan.
M : In france or elsewhere?
100% : In France, and elsewhere...
M : Well we are going in Tokyo, so maybe it's going to be Tokyo.
Y : Yes, maybe Tokyo. I like Perpignan, Bordeaux. Rennes not at all. (laughs)
100% : I don't care, I'm not from that city.
Y : Nevertheless, we like Brest, it reminds us of home a bit, the big Guingamp. However, there's a little fight between Brest and Guingamp but the general atmosphere in Brest is really nice.
7) If I say "spectacular stage performances", what does it make you think of?
Y : If you're talking about us, that's what people say. We are trying to be ready all along gigs and we try to give our best all along the performance. Afterwards, it's mostly Steeve.
M : No, I'm not Steeve, I am only the bass guitar player.
Y : Because Steeve is not here, he went out to buy cigarettes. Steeve, on his part, smokes.
M : To calm himself.
Y : Stop it, it's going to be published!
8) Who are the breton bands you like the most?
Y : Breton?
M : Well, the Craftmen Club
Y : It is true that we really are the best.
M : Yes, in everything.
Y : About music, we are exceptionnal beings, no perfect beings. Otherwise, in Brittany, I like Bikini Machine. Well, who are the other bands... Then there are the bands with whom we play like we said before The Wankin' Noodles, Rotor Jambreks (note : their former bass guitar player) and otherwise as breton bands...
100% : If it's so complicated, we can always go for french bands.
Y : For french bands, there is always Elektrocution who's coming up.
M : Hushpuppies, also.
Y : In belgium, there're Ghinzu and dEUS.
M : Stuck In The Sound.
Y : Why? Do you like them?
M : Well, yes, I think it's nice.
Y : I like their tune "Toyboy", it's terrible.
100% : They were there last week.
Y : We saw them at "Bars en Trans" festival.
9) If you had to make an appearance in an advert, for which product would it be?
Y : Levis jeans.
M : Yes, slimmy Levis jeans. (laughs)
Y : Not for me, extra large Levis jeans. Yes, why not. Nevertheless, I wouldn't like to make an advert for aftershaving product or something of that kind.
100% : Wouldn't it be a little difficult ? (he has a 3 days long beard)
Y : Yes, there is a band we quoted who did it, didn't they? You never know, afterall we might end up doing it.
M : Question never had to be asked, for now.
10) Marbles or football?
M : Football.
Y : Marbles.
M : Football.
Y : He is the only one who likes it afterall, and who pisses me off buying "L'équipe" (note : french newspaper about sports) every morning.
M : And Liverpool is in the final qualifications (he raises his arms) so it's all good, come on Liverpool!
Y : He is english.
100% : You can't hear it.
Y : He doesn't know how to speak english. He's the one who speaks english the worst.
M : Are you kidding me or what?
Y : You don't speak english as well as I do.
M : Well, yes, but what do you know about it?
100% : Are you among all these english people who ended up in les Côtes d'Armor?
M : No, I use to live in Cherbourg until I was 12. And now it's been twenty years since I am in St Brieuc.
Y : Twenty years, it's been? You're growing up, huh?
11) Could you give us a cooking recipe please?
Y : Oh, a cooking recipe : reblochon pie, that is really good, that. It's not complicated to make really, because you take a full reblochon for 4 people, pastry, I never know if it's shortcrust or flaky pastry.
M : Flaky.
Y : You take the egg, no... You put the cheese, herbs, well pretty much what you want, hop! you close it, then you gaze the pastry with egg yolk. Make sure you close it well, make small holes with a fork and straight into the oven. You can serve it with green salad and it's really good. That's my recipe.
M : A pancake "complète" egg-cheese.
100% : There is a huge controversy (well I don't where it comes from) which says : "It's not the people from Rennes who have created pancakes" or something like that...
Y : No, nevertheless, they have not created hot water. Rennes is not the so-called capital city of Brittany. I am not really a fan of their mentality. Then, I like to come in Rennes afterall.
Interview by Josephine.
Translated by LittleSyd.