Fight Like Apes.

 

'We've got some amazing apple juice...... and bread' jokes Fight Like Apes front woman MayKay 'Apple juice and bread. The day has been good.'

I've met up with her and band mate Pockets to discuss being hated, being liked and violent tendencies.

2008 was a fantastic year for the Irish foursome who barely went home in the second half of the year. They became everyones support act of choice, joining bands such as the Von Bondies, the Ting Tings, Prodigy, We Are Scientists and Kasabian...

Pockets: 'Kasabian didn't really work because...'
May Kay: 'The band are really nice but the music is like so different it's unbelievable.'
Pockets: 'We were just lucky to get out with your lives every night!'
MayKay: 'It's the first time I've ever felt we could get bottled during a gig! They just looked so fucking angry that we existed! We all hugged each other afterwards and told each other how great we were!'
Pockets: 'You kinda have to give more because get it into your head “Right, they really hate me, lets see how much they can hate me.” To see that stare turn into a death stare, they actually would murder you!'
MayKay: 'Yeah, Kasabian fans are more, like, to the death fans. In a situation like that there were many moments when I felt like just leaving the stage and then I just thought “Fuck it”, I'm not going to bother – it's more effort to try and explain that kind of thing than it is to stay on for thirty minutes and just fucking do it. We didn't sell any merch at those gigs! I think we sold like a t-shirt'
Pockets: 'I think that was used, you know, to cover up someones bloody hand!'

 

 

Despite joining big names on tour and playing major festivals the band are still unsure as to their status:

May Kay: 'I don't know... [did we] break out? I don't think so. We've been so busy we don't have time to read stuff and the only way of seeing how it is going is obviously the gigs we do ourselves which are great!
Pockets: 'We had no gage of how well it was going and then you see people coming back to gigs and you wonder if it's just a fluke, We always get surprised when people seem to know out stuff when we're playing
MayKay: 'I often point at them which is really naff!'
Pockets: 'We haven't quite grasped the concept that it is very easy to hear bands now-a-days.'
MayKay: 'You kind of assume people come to see you because they know you, like I'm so tight I can't afford to go to gigs anymore on whims because so I find it surprising when people do but it does restore your faith a little bit that people do take a chance on bands which is nice!'

However, while MayKay enjoys her fans opinions she, like many artists, stays firmly away from reading reviews.

MayKay: 'I don't read reviews or anything'
Pockets: 'I do! I just think they're very funny. I've noticed people either love us or absolutely hate us – there is no in-between! People can really take a hatred to us! I just feel sorry for them because at the end of the day I would hate to carry around that much of a chip on my shoulder!'
MayKay: 'I think he always does read them for entertainment reason.'
Pocket: 'Yeah, I'll be laughing and going “May, May, May, gotta hear this!” “No I don't!”
MayKay: 'Yeah I never read anything, an odd person, like if it's a journalist that I like I'd be interested to see how they took it but other than that... There are too many anonymous shitty little bloggers in the world that would make me angry.'
Pocket: 'Exactly – everyone's now got a licence to be a journalist. Ihatemusic101's view on a forum is now valid.'
MayKay: 'Some people are doing it so well; who write for themselves on their own blog and have built up something respectable. Some people are just...'
Pocket: 'Twats'
MayKay: 'There to rile you. If you hate something fine, but don't just fucking hate it because you want to.'

 

 

In an industry drowned by indie bands and formulaic song writing Fight Like Apes are the breath of fresh air that is needed. Their energetic live shows and kooky lyrics make them something new and something special. 

No matter what the Kasabian fans try to tell you it's their shows that steal the limelight. They are just four people who take to the stage and have the time of their lives. As MayKay and Pocket summarise:

MayKay: 'Our shows very unpredictable and I'm not trying to sound cool. I've been injured a lot. We never try to plan what we do on stage.'
Pocket: 'It can end in disaster.'
MayKay: 'It's ended in tears!'
Pocket: 'It genuinely can end badly because....'
MayKay: 'You're a violent man.'
Pocket: 'I'm a violent man. I'm not scared to throw a few digs...'
MayKay: 'And I'm very defensive. You put a crate in the face you're going to fucking get a foot in the face!'

Fight Like Apes debut album ‘Fight Like Apes and the Mystery of the Golden Medallion’ is out now.

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