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Thursday, February 4, 2016 5:14am ET by  
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Punk rock band Counterfeit sit down with Pressparty for a chat

Punk rockers Counterfeit are gearing up to head out on their first European tour, which will kick off at London's Electric Ballroom on April 23, and they recently sat down with Pressparty to discuss their sound and style. 

The band is comprised of actor-turned-musician Jamie Bower, Tristan Marmont, Sam Bower, Roland Johnson and Jimmy Craig, and we caught up with them to find out about their musical influences, their impending live jaunt, and what they think of social media. 

When did you first get into music and how have your tastes evolved with experience and age?

Roland: My parents bought me a guitar for Christmas when I was 9, and it feels like I picked it up and never put the thing down. I was brought up around music like Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy and Dire Straits so once I had a few lessons l was jamming along to all my dads rock and roll CD's. One thing led to another and I started my first band when I was around 12 I've been addicted to writing and performing ever since. I enjoy all styles of music, but I always end up going back to rock, I guess that's what I grew up around so its where I feel comfortable and I feel I can really be myself in the genre.

Your music video for Come Get Some is visually striking, raw and quite aggressive in a very passionate kind of way. How did you come up with the concept and what was it like to work on?

Roland: The process was one of a few weeks of discussion. We toyed with the idea of a narrative based video but came to the conclusion that in order to showcase this band in the most real way a performance video was the best way for us to go. Jamie has worked with Rankin for a few years and he was our first point of call when i came to choosing directors. When we play a live show we give everything we have and we wanted someone to capture that without it becoming yet another "band playing a song" video. Rankin has this energy about the way he shoots and it was a perfect fit for us as a band. The shoot was wet, dirty, tiring. Exactly what a show is like for us. We are honoured to have the support of Rankin and his whole team.

What’s the biggest difference between Counterfeit and your previous band, The Darling Buds? Is the writing style vastly different? The approach? Lyrical content? Creative process? Energy?

Tristan: I think the biggest difference is the energy and the commitment from all the guys. The Darling Buds felt like it was more of a hobby at times, the approach with Counterfeit has been more focused thanks to our management. The writing style has changed quite dramatically as you can hear from the music we've released already. It's heavier, darker and more authentic which I feel encompasses more common ground with all of the band members. It's hard, because everyone is different and we all have different interests, but this sound we've created really resonates with us as a unit. As for lyrical content, it's simple, you'll be listening to the truth, and nothing but the truth.

Who or what has inspired your latest project (other musicians/art/people/ideas)?

Tristan: There isn't a short list of influences we could give you that would explain how our musical style came to be. We take inspiration from everything around us. In a way I like to think of it in the same vein as how dreams work, we all consume and absorb (whether it be consciously or subconsciously) fragments of events, ideas, people and styles that we experience around us throughout our lives. These remnants stew in our minds and eventually end up being ladled onto a musical canvas I.e. Pro Tools, by that time the question can be raised as to whether or not that soupy mess represents art. As for us, we cook soup du jour, totally meta.

How important is social media to you as a musician and artist? What are the benefits of it and have you experienced any downsides?

Tristan: Social media has become an essential tool for every artist, arguably a necessity. For me personally, I found it a little tough to start with sending out all this personal information as I'm quite a private person, but I'm used to it now. On the whole there are way more positives than negatives, there's so much to gain for both the fan and artist. Platforms like Instagram & Twitter are great because they cut out the middle man which allow the fans to interact directly with the artists, it's amazing. Nowadays fans are spoilt for choice!

What inspires you to write?

Jamie: I've been through some quite significant life changes in the past 12 months. This band has become a necessity to vent the voices that exists within my head. Inspiration comes from a very personal perspective for me. 

What have you been listening to lately?

Jamie: White noise mainly. It helps me sleep. In terms of bands... The new Dinosaur Pile Up record is a gem. I'm still hooked on the Beartooth album and also Marmozets. But I'll listen to anything really. 

What’s next for Counterfeit in the new year?

Jamie: Touring and finishing up the album. We're about to go out on our first European tour then we come back and tour the UK which will be great. Then back out to Europe again. We just want to get this out on the road and take it to as many people as humanly possible. We're prepared for fatigue. 

 

 

The band's full list of tour dates can be seen below and tickets for the shows are now on sale:

  • 18th April - Nottingham, Rock City Basement
  • 19th April - Glasgow, King Tuts
  • 20th April - Manchester, Deaf Institute
  • 21st April - Birmingham, O2 Institute2
  • 23rd April – London, Electric Ballroom
  • 24th April – Amsterdam, Sugar Factory
  • 25th April – Munich, Strom
  • 27th April – Rome, Orion
  • 29th April – Milan, Fabrique
  • 30th April – Zurich, Dynamo
  • 3rd May – Barcelona, Bikini
  • 4th May – Madrid, Caracol

Follow us: @Pressparty on Twitter / Pressparty on Facebook.

Watch their music video for 'Come Get Some' below:

 

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