Age would not mood rage : Your Heterosexual Violence interviewed

“Age doesn’t mood rage”

Your Heterosexual Violence interviewed  

LTW’s Ged Babey talks to Brian O’Brien the 67 12 months previous singer with South East London cult band Your Heterosexual Violence. Shaped in 1982, they break up in ’88, reassembled pre-Covid in 2017 and began planning to file the album they by no means acquired round to creating method again. Lastly, in 2025, because of Jemma Freeman, their first (of two) album(s) is being launched.  To my thoughts, Some Folks Have Too A lot To Say might be the final, nice ‘post-punk’ album and but sounds as contemporary and stuffed with character as the easiest present tunesmiths & noiseniks popping out of the underground. 

Coined within the early 1980’s Your Heterosexual Violence was an attention-seeking, provocative title for a band then, but it surely appears virtually unremarkable within the current day when ‘poisonous masculinity’ is a part of widespread parlance.

However this can be a band whose contemporaries included Poison Women, The June Brides, Various TV, The Three Johns, Tv Personalities, The Nightingales all of whom they performed on payments with while increase a cult following on the again of ferocious stay exhibits.

The forthcoming album Some Folks Have Too A lot To Say is out on the Trapped Animal label subsidiary Ferocious Doge in September 2025, and I’m assured it is going to be my favorite of the 12 months.  It’s a shocking debut, forty years within the making (in a method) and an astounding ‘comeback’ from a band most by no means knew existed within the first place!

Musically it does remind me of a few of my favorite bands: Various TV, Swell Maps… and sure tracks sound like songs by the Mekons (By no means Been in a Riot/32 weeks), Stooges (Wanna Be Your Canine) and Psychedelic Furs (the Sister Europe sax)…  The lyrics are surreal / personal-political, tales of affection & dying and self-discovery. There’s a darkish comedy to some: like a Mike Leigh play changed into pop-song type.

It’s each accessible and experimental. By turns, dissonant and melodic, naive and soul-searching. The songs have selection and pathos and the band, an actual character about them in some way; partly as a result of Brian’s voice and supply, however not that alone. David Dodd the guitarist is phenomenal with out being ‘flash’ as is Andi Panayi the drummer. Newer member, Hammond/Fender Rhodes participant Simon Birch provides to the sound giving it a melodic circulation and sympathetic gildings. Mega-talent Freeman on bass and extra vocals is the anchor-person.

Your Heterosexual Violence have been, I’m positive, nice back-in-the-day however appear even-better now.  It’s like they’ve been cryogenically frozen for many years, anticipated the world to have modified within the meantime and are raging that issues are literally even worse. They’re very eager to emphasize they wish to be heard as a present band. Or as singer Brian put it:

We’re not about nostalgia and we really feel it’s essential that we’re clued into the now, moderately than the then.

We definitely wouldn’t have bothered to get again collectively until we knew we may nonetheless write good new songs. If we weren’t going to jot down new ones, we’d have been similar to some form of tribute band to our former selves, which I believe particularly for a bunch of unknowns, would have been simply completely absurd.

You may say that Your Heterosexual Violence are the ‘bizarre uncle’ ghosts of post-punk, Previous, Current and Future. (Cynics could dismiss them as a South London Fall or Nightingales, however they’ll kiss my massive, fats, furry arse..)

That is Brian in full circulation, his PS, after typing away for hours in the course of a sizzling July evening, answering my questions… a number of days after Glastonbury.

I simply needed to say that age doesn’t mood rage. Your Heterosexual Violence is offended. We’re particularly offended proper now concerning the rogue state that’s Israel and specifically their totally deliberate and intentional genocide towards the Palestinian folks. We stand with Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury place and ask the hysterical media and their mock outrage to talk the reality or shut the fuck up. We condemn authoritarian regimes the world over and that features Sir Keir Starmer.  We stand aligned with the queers, the trans, and the downright so referred to as looney lefties. We stand with the vegetarians, Simply Cease Oil and the assorted local weather change warriors. We stand with the oppressed, the repressed and the dispossessed.

Earlier he informed me concerning the 30 years when he and guitarist Dave  …drifted out of constructing music and fell into the curse of full-time employment  Dave working in psychological well being and native authorities, and me at Residents Recommendation. Exterior of labor and household/youngsters stuff, a scarcity of musical focus left us each with loads of time for getting stoned, having a great learn of the Racing Submit and watching the outcomes of our speculations within the pub.

Making music once more and the reception the album has been getting appears to have fully revitalized him.  He comes over like an over-confident younger gun a 3rd of his age at instances:

Should you don’t have complete religion in your band, in the event you don’t assume you may have at the least one all time basic album in you, then what the fuck are you doing taking part in in a band? That’s how I’ve at all times checked out it.

I at all times knew that leaving Your Heterosexual Violence was my massive remorse. I at all times believed in us and it niggled and vexed me for thus a few years to consider our unfinished and untold story.

Carrying on from the place I left off after I final wrote about  Your Heterosexual Violence I requested Brian for the complete story of the band, (Strap your self in. This can take some time…)

Why there was such a ridiculously lengthy hole, could be very troublesome for us to totally perceive ourselves. It’s not as if we ever fell out with one another. Me and Dave have been greatest mates since we met in school in Crewe again in 1974. We met Andi in 1980 or ’81 after we all turned actively concerned within the really wild anarchism that was the Greenwich Efficiency Collective (GPC). It was our involvement with the GPC that set off a realisation in me and Dave, that we wanted to get our personal band collectively. We weren’t even all that younger then actually.  Properly into our 20′s.

It’s a theme. We’re the nice procrastinators. We discuss doing one thing, give it some thought rather a lot, discuss some extra…Andi’s the identical.  I consider procrastination is a neurodivergent indicator.  None of us would have identified something about that within the 1980’s, as you’ll be able to think about.   Nevertheless, enlightening conversations and observations from our Jem within the few years I’ve identified them has woke up in me, the realisation that I’m fairly fucking ND. As for Dave and Andi, I couldn’t presumably say!

So, Your Heterosexual Violence was born out of the GPC in 1981 or ’82 (we’re garbage archivists), initially with simply Dave on guitar and me on vocals. We didn’t have many songs to begin with (however we did have Home outdoors the World!), and we have been throwing in covers from the likes of Jefferson Airplane, Final Poets, Ricky Nelson, Echo and the Bunnymen and no matter.

We have been joined briefly on drums by our previous pal Paul Simmons, however Paul couldn’t actually drum. It was a little bit of a catastrophe, at our first ever paid gig (The Brockley Jack, £2 and we have been simply delighted to be paid!), that culminated in Paul’s departure and in got here each Andi on drums and Thom Currie on sax (Andi and Thom had been in an excellent band referred to as Winter Timber, however as they fell aside, me and Dave, in uncommon show of fast-paced decisiveness, invited them over to our place).

We gigged fairly a bit with this line up, from most likely late ’82 for about 3 years, primarily round South East London with the occasional detour to random locations like Bedford and Retford.

Then Thom left, to go to Manchester Uni.

Thom, was changed by a beautiful man referred to as Tom Scott, an actual jazzer, and Tom, reckoning rightly sufficient that we may do with a bass participant, had the audacity to simply deliver Paul Hood together with him at his first rehearsal with us, and we simply went together with it.

We additionally introduced in Dave’s accomplice at the moment, Janet Salisbury, on percussion and bv’s.

It was positively the suitable choice so as to add bass and with Paul’s tendency for improvisation, we turned very jazz/punk.

Once more, we did a great run of gigs with this line up, and a recording session that sadly, sounded sterile, and so it wouldn’t be despatched to Peel and no matter labels, in spite of everything.

There was a special vibe within the band. Paul and Tom have been/are nice guys, however they didn’t come from a spot of pre current friendship like had been the case with me, Dave, Andi and Thom.

And yearly, Paul would go to see his Mum within the States, for 3 MONTHS! The band would simply go on maintain for 3 bloody months. Then, in ’88, simply as Paul was due again, Andi introduced that he was off for 3 months for some form of as soon as in a lifetime journey to the Bahamas, I believe it was, and I simply thought WTF…what’s the fucking level. So, I left, the band dissolved, and…regrets, I’ve had a number of!

Since about 1984, me and Dave had been in one other band referred to as The Dispossessed. The road up had me on guitar, Dave on bass, and Dave Cranium, who produced the art work for the internal sleeve of our album, on vocals (he’s an unbelievable lyricist), and Colette McGibbon (RIP) on drums. The Dispossessed actually is a complete different (fairly mad) story, however after the YHV breakdown, me and Dave’s musical focus was purely on The Dispossessed, taking us as much as about 1994.

Each YHV and The Dispossessed appeared on the legendary-in-certain-circles, double stay Talk!!! Reside at Thames Poly compilation  launched in 1986. They share needle-time with a tremendous record of bands together with Sonic Youth, Mark Riley and the Creepers, The Membranes, Tv Personalities and the Ex.

Minimize to 2013, and Simon decides to create a GPC Fb web page and a great deal of the previous guard started speaking with one another once more while posting previous GPC flyers, previous tracks, new tracks and so forth. I acquired a name whereas at work at some point. It was Andi. “Simon’s been down at The Amersham Arms and has booked a GPC Reunion all dayer. We’re taking part in Brian. You’re popping out of retirement”.

We rehearsed each bands, Your Heterosexual Violence and The Dispossessed (now with Andi on drums over there as effectively), with Paul, who we’d kind of misplaced contact with, again in on bass too. So, 4 originals I might say (Andi, is our unique drummer minus about 3 gigs, and Paul was the one bassist we’d ever had), however with Simon on keys as an alternative of Tom (or Thom!) on sax.

The gig went nice for each bands and each needed to maintain going. So, we talked about it, considered it rather a lot, talked some extra, and we finally managed to play at The Montague Arms (RIP), an excellent gig in Salisbury, and that was about it, till 2017. The continued procrastination was very irritating to me, however I used to be as responsible (if that’s the suitable phrase), as anyone else.

Approaching 60, for me anyway, had me enthusiastic about how valuable life is as a result of let’s face it, time’s beginning to run out. I do know Dave felt the identical method.

We began to turn out to be a bit extra targeted as from 2017 and that’s after we correctly acquired all the way down to writing new songs. Work and basic life drama’s have been nonetheless getting in the best way however we performed a smattering of native gigs, did a Resonance FM stay session and began to really feel a bit like an actual band once more for the primary time because the 1988 collapse.

In 2018, we took the choice to focus our nonetheless restricted time and sources on a significant recording mission. We’d file all of our greatest stuff, each previous and new, correctly, in first rate skilled studios. We would have liked to get these songs on the market, bodily, on vinyl and CD.  We recorded a pair, at Pressplay Studios with Stereolab’s Andy Ramsay on the controls (his Studio), after which Paul left!

This blow had the potential to knock us proper again. Nevertheless, we had simply requested Jem Freeman, who we’d first met at a gig we performed on the identical evening because the radio session, to return to the studios to do some backing vocals and a few solo bits. Little did we all know on the time, that Jem would additionally show to be our most fantastic new bass participant.

With no disrespect to Paul, Jem tightened us proper up, helped to rearrange a few the previous songs, and introduced in a way of professionalism which we’d by no means been launched to earlier than.

Then, Covid Lockdown 1 occurred. We get again to Pressplay after which it’s time for a Stereolab world tour. We’re then out and in, relying on lockdowns and Andy’s touring commitments and the entire mission took a lot for much longer than anticipated (over 2 album’s price although, not simply the 12 on this album), however fortunately, it wasn’t all the way down to our earlier procrastination tendencies…this consciousness that point is now not on our facet appears to have caused a correct sense of urgency to us all.

We did truly handle to get a really restricted version lathe reduce single out in 2019 courtesy of Teabar Information which is run by our pricey pal and high supporter, Bertie. That was an enormous thrill, however Berties label is all about restricted vinyl runs, nothing on-line, and realistically, it was by no means going to do a lot to up our profile (a good on-line interview with Steve Topple from The Canary, who warmed to a monitor referred to as Pauper’s Funeral, which is about suicidal ideation caused by the DWP’s nose to nose assessments for illness profit claimants).

I informed Brian may hear so many ‘influences;’ or possibly simply ‘similarities’ in YHV’s music –  Punk, yeah – however bands like Various TV, Determined Bicycles. The Mekons, The Slits/Raincoats ? Bands that have been self-taught /non-musicians on the time of conception?

I’d need to say you’ve acquired that bit flawed …about our feeling any specific affinity to bands who couldn’t actually play after they began out.

I’ve been speaking to Dave about our influences and he rightly makes the purpose that our influences pre date punk by fairly a method. Me and Dave are each 67 and in 1967 we have been 10 years previous which I believe is simply concerning the age that you simply begin discovering your individual music. We have been being uncovered to loads of psychedelic sounds which naturally excited us each and is an inevitable affect.

Bowie and The Velvet Underground could be massive influences for us all. English people music for Dave and Irish people music for me.

Dave, cites Ravi Shankar and Richard Thompson as main influences on his guitar fashion. Dave was already a bloody first rate guitarist after we first set out and when Andi joined we felt we’d simply nabbed the very best drummer on the town, bit like The Beatles with Ringo!

I might say sure, The Picture has Cracked, the first Various TV album was a giant hit with me and Dave, and I can bear in mind, method method again in our earliest days, a pal saying to me “very Mark Perry” and I positively took that as a praise. The band we’ve been in contrast with most frequently is The Fall, and we get that and type of assume effectively, yeah, honest sufficient, and all of us completely love love love The Fall, however now you say it, it might be that we’re extra ATV than The Fall. What now we have in widespread with each although, is these influences that return a lot additional than punk.

In the end, what comes out is what comes out. We solely know learn how to sound like ourselves.  “Influenced by everybody, copying nobody” is about as succinct as we will be concerning our influences.

I’ll be sincere although, and say that I at all times thought we have been an absolute high notch band… then Jem arrived. Jem is what we wanted. Earlier than, we have been sensible however flawed. It’s like Jem noticed the little holes within the ship, plugged them, and now, I reckon I can go all motormouth about how nice we’re and nobody can argue.

It’s like what Chas Hodges stated, proper on the finish of a Chas & Dave documentary…I’ll paraphrase…in the event you don’t like Your Heterosexual Violence, you’ve acquired one thing flawed with you – that you must get your self checked out.

I’m so flattered that the individuals who have heard the file to this point and are making constructive noises. Nevertheless, I actually ought not be shocked. After all it’s a bloody sensible album. We wouldn’t have made it in any other case!

Brian O’Brien is the one most delightfully un-edit-able interviewee since Wreckless Eric. He talks for England and Eire however is stuffed with allure and enthusiasm for the band and offers plenty of credit score to Dave Dodd, the guitarist who additionally wrote a whole lot of the lyrics within the early days, drummer Andi and organist Simon. His respect and admiration for and gratitude to Jemma Freeman is big. Jem in-turn is heroic in recognising the depth and inventive greatness on this bunch of previous geezers and spending useful time with them after they have their very own band to run as effectively.

Have to say Maris Peterlevics who performs violin on two songs on the album, it seems like he’s becoming a member of us for gigs on a extra everlasting foundation… we love Maris. 

I’ll give him a point out Brian – however I’m positive there’s a sax participant nonetheless uncredited…

Steve Hamilton, session participant is on three songs. Unbelievable, the folks he’s performed with. Aretha,  Stevie, U2… all kinds. We acquired him through Andy Ramsay as he’s additionally performed with Stereolab.

The album isn’t launched till 26 September 2025. Two-thirds of the songs have been ‘conceived’ within the 1980’s so it’s arguably the longest gestation of any artworks, ever.

On the remaining edit stage I instantly realised that the album title is considerably ironic given Brian’s chattiness: Some Folks Have Too A lot To Say.  However Brian is the exception as a result of he’s saved quiet for too lengthy and it’s time the world heard what him and his band need to say.

It’s an empty place I stay in
No aid for the stressed males
Who’re ready right here
Biding their time
Ready for one thing…

Pre-order the album: all codecs

Bandcamp

Hyperlink Tree

Your Heterosexual Violence 2025 Reside Dates deliberate to this point:
13 Sept 2025 – Deptford – Endeavour
5 Oct 2025 – London – Lexington (matinee)

All B O’B’s phrases organized and framed by Ged Babey for Louder Than Battle

Picture by form permission of Suzy Corker.

A second Your Heterosexual Violence interview is deliberate so I can discuss to Dave & the others too. (GB)