Music Q&A: False Heads

What informs your music and songwriting?
On a personal level? Happiness, misery, pain, alienation, feeling disillusioned and a glimmer of hope – there’s always a glimmer of hope… sometimes. Generally? My distaste for religion and authoritarianism, sometimes the death of journalism and discourse, and how social media politics and relationships are bleeding over into our reality and I find that terrifying. The world is decaying in a weird, bizarre, chaotic manner but everyone wants to see all of the problems in black and white, and I find that extremely worrying and morally stupid. So it’s a mix of personal feelings and issues on the bigger picture. At the same time, my lyrics aren’t overly obvious. I like the poetic nature and symbolism you can create with lyrics. It’s good to make people feel, instead of telling them how to make them feel, you know?

What are you up to at the moment artistically?
We’re just about to put out an EP, Less is Better, and we’re thinking about the album. We’re doing a fair bit of writing at the moment.

What’s on your rider?
Ideally — Jack Daniels, honey, Guinness, John Smiths, some decent lagers and a bit of decent grub. We aren’t too fussed as long as it keeps us fed.

Tell us your most embarrassing or surreal experience.
Most surreal experience was just having a smoke with Josh Homme before we supported him at A Peaceful Noise, but that wears off pretty quickly, to be honest. He was a cool guy and it’s only surreal because you’re only used to them being like on TV or famous or whatever but really once you sit and chat to someone like that, you realise that they started out as passionate about music as you did and became successful, and it inspires you even more, if anything. Like, I really ain’t a starstruck person. That wasn’t what was surreal. It was more like, we can do this, you know? Self-belief and determination and some talent – hopefully – and you can do it. Most embarrassing? I honestly don’t know. There’s probably too many to mention. I don’t get embarrassed that easily but I do go red sometimes, for absolutely no reason. Although ask Jake and Barney and I’m sure they can give you a list of embarrassing things I’ve done.

What song do you wish you’d written?
The Times They Are A Changin’ – Bob Dylan

What’s your worst lyric?
From a new song, Steady On Your Knees. “I’m going to turn them, I’m going to turn them and burn them.” Luckily that hasn’t been released yet so after I write this, I’m going to change it, haha. Thank you very much for having me.

Their tour includes dates in Stockton, Blackpool, Leeds, Hull, Liverpool, Stoke, Sheffield, Manchester and Preston