Photo Credit: Grayce Leonard
It’s been a busy year for Gurriers but they have kindly found time for DeClunk. Get to know them a little in this Q & A then give the vids a watch after, there are three lined up for you.
Hello Gurriers……welcome to the DeClunk universe.
Please describe your immediate surroundings so that we can all cosy in.
I’m currently on a bus (46a) into the city, it’s a nice cool morning, bright and no rain so it’s looking like a good day
Please introduce the band and what each person brings to it.
Hoff – singer, Mark – guitar Ben – guitar, Charlie – Bass, and Pierce – Drums
Gurriers is an interesting name. Please explain why this was chosen. Did you have any other names in the hat? If you did, we want to know them. After all, your throwaway name might be perfect for somebody reading this!
Gurriers was chosen as the name after an assortment of names we chose didn’t work, names like The Slates, Pink Pitts, Television Club, all terrible and all hated with a burning passion by the other lads, which took the smile right off my face when I presented them with these new names. We chose Gurriers as it sounded like the music we made and it felt like it fit what we wanted to be.
There’s an album on the way in September. Tells us a little about it. What are the songs about? Is there a thread running through it? Was it fun to record?
Yes, the album is out on the 13th of September.
The songs are ultimately about disillusionment with the modern world, desensitisation to violence, extreme right wing thought tanks, the dark capital of content moderation, and personal songs about my life. A very happy and chirpy album….
How does the band go about writing material? Does any one of you take the lead?
There’s no lead really when it comes to writing, we generally all have ideas for songs and bring them to the practice space we have. Then jamming the loop or guitar bit for a prolonged time until something comes.
2024 has been a great year for you folks. Has it seemed a bit of a rollercoaster ride?
Honestly it has been amazing, time goes by fast and seems to move faster when you’re in a band. It’s felt like a rollercoaster ride with the album coming out this year, something we have all dreamed of since we were kids, a proper release of songs you put your life into, finally seeing the light of day, something to be extremely proud of so we’re just gunning for that moment when it comes out and time can almost seem to slow down when you are waiting for something that much
DeClunk recommends for you the following albums. Tongues by Tanya Tagaq, Braindrops by Tropical Fuck Storm and PF1 by Pill Fangs. Your turn.
A great Irish band, “girlfriend. – To Be Quiet”, loud and beautiful melodies written with an Irish wit, by an extremely vulnerable and fierce voice genuinely makes me proud to be Irish, this album.
Do any of you have any hidden talents away from music? Maybe one of you is talented at origami or brilliant at making balloon dogs, for example.
Ben is a Swiss army knife of talents, he makes our videos and our artwork, good at football, amazing artist, a gardener, its an honour to know someone with such a incredible outlook on the world.
When you get to England perhaps you might be making a new video. I wonder if you need an old man, sitting on a rocking chair, on a beach, knotted hanky on head, trousers half rolled up, drinking beer from a bucket you might consider me!
I think you have just given us the idea for our next video !
Can you see yourselves playing gigs at 80 years old? You know, like the rolling stones, McCartney, Dylan and so on. What do you think would be on your rider?
I can see us playing to 80 for sure, there willl be enough future drugs to keep us going just like the Rolling Stones, they will still be going by then too. I think those future drugs will be on the rider to be honest..
My friend and I go fishing overnight a couple of times a year. It involves copious amounts of beer. A two-man disco breaks out around 11pm. This involves two blokes, in wellies, throwing shapes in the dark. What would be on your playlist for a drunken bankside disco?
Where were you – Mekons
This is a song that you have to drunk dance to, swaying side to side with your best mate.
Many thanks for taking the time with DeClunk. Loving the sounds and hope to see you in action this year (Carlisle, maybe?)
DeClunk 