20 Questions with: Underground Railroad

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We caught up with Raphael and JB from London based trio Underground Railroad whose new album Sticks and Stones was released this week via One Little Indian. What did we discover? Well, they have a thirst for Guiness (good boys), think Bullseye is one of the greatest TV shows ever (amen to that) and they enjoy the odd game of Scrabble (who doesnt?).

1. Describe your sound in 3 words.
JB – Loud, Melodic, Pounding.
Raph – Noisy, Melodic, Edgy.

2. What was the first record you ever bought? And where did you buy it?
JB – Sadly – Ugly Kid Joe in a small record shop in Paris.
Raph – I was 10 years old, I bought that Smashing pumkins double album after hearing ‘Tonight Tonight’ on the radio.

3. What’s the best cure for a hangover?
JB – Ginger Beer.
Raph – The Cure.

4. What’s on your rider?
JB – One bottle of Jack Daniels.
Raph – In the UK, we have no rider, promoters don’t like to give food away. In Europe, we have Jack Daniels and cult triangle sandwiches. Sometimes fruits. Sometimes a hot meal. We’re not fussy.

5. How do you get ready for a live show?
JB – Pint of Guinness.
Raph – We turn up, soundcheck and wait. If the sound on stage is comfy, then we’re ready.

6. What’s your favourite song to play live?
JB – ‘New Variety’
Raph – ‘One More Hit’

7. What’s your guilty pleasure?
JB – Bullseye with Jim Bowen.
Rap – I am a saint.

8. Who would win in a fight, a stoat or a goat and why?
JB – The stoat would grab the balls of the goat.
Raph – I don’t know those animals so well. I never came accoss any of those.

9. Who’s your favourite new band at the moment? Tell us a bit about them.
JB – I really like Deerhunter.
Raph – Great voice, great melodies, psychedelic pop music. Check ‘em out.

10. Who would play you in a film based upon your life?
JB – Jean Claude Van Damme.
Raph – A friend of mine called Tom – he looks just like me..

11. Dead or alive, what 5 acts would you have play with you at a festival?
JB – Blue Oyster Cult, Breeders, My Bloody Valentine, Black Sabbath, The Stooges.
Raph – Beastie Boys, Liars, The Cure, The Doors, Nirvana.

12. If push comes to shove, what is your all-time favourite album?
JB – The Breeders Pod.
Raph – The Cure Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me.

13. What’s your most memorable on the road story?
JB – Berlin, supporting Dinosaur Jr.
Raph – We drove from Innsbruck in Austria after a gig to play the next day in Koln in Gernamy. After 10 hours driving, the gig was cancelled. I’ve got more stories like that.

14. If your life flashed before your eyes, what would be the highlights?
JB – Maybe the best is yet to come…
Raph – The band, family and friends moments, travels.

15. What’s the best piece of advice someone has ever given you and did you take notice?
JB – I need to think about it.
Raph – We used to practice in that rehearsal space near Paris. It belonged also a collective of people (Association) who organised gigs. He told us if we ever wanted to play music (successfully) we have to work our asses off (DIY)…we still do this.

16. If you had to leave a body part to science, what would it be?
JB – My hair – to help cure baldness.
Raph – My fingernails.

17. What’s the best book you’ve read and film you’ve seen in the last 6 months?
JB – The World Beard and Moustache Championships and Paris, Texas.
Raph – I’m a slow reader. I read Lullaby by Chuck Pallaniuk recently. That was great. I watched No Country For Old Men. Brilliant.

18. What three things could you not live without?
JB – Bass, Burger, Sugar.
Raph – Food. Clothes. A house.

19. Tell us a fact about yourself we probably don’t already know.
JB – I am a Scrabble wizard.
Raph – One day I borrowed my cousin’s jumper.

20. And finally, we’d like you to make us a mix-tape. Pick five tracks with a theme of your choice.
Raph – The theme is long dirty hair:
Sepultura – Roots
Black Sabath – Iron Man
Nirvana – School
Alanis Morrisette – You Learn
Ricky Martin – 123 (if he had long hair)

Underground Railroad on MySpace