Interviews: Bison Face

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Rock band, Bison Face, from the UK. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

Ernie: It was a name I’d had knocking around for years, it was a character I used to draw and then became a nickname for my cat. When I brought it to the table it was the only one we agreed on that was interesting and unique, so it stuck. I’m glad it did, it’s got a lot of personal history for me.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Ernie: I think the genre we are has just come about from the music that I and we all grew up listening to. Guitar music has always and will always be the center of my taste, I cut my teeth on Nirvana, Zeppelin, Hendrix and the Stooges, so when it came to songwriting, the sounds in my head naturally had stemmed from that ether.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Ernie: I’ve known Alex for a while from school and being in a previous band together, so we go back a long way. He grew up on the same road as Jonny and they both attended BIMM at the same time, so I must have met Jonny just about when we started the band in February last year. Arthur has only been in the band since the start of this year, and we met him in our local just prior to that, after he overheard Alex saying he was going to start bassist hunting!

4. Each band member favourite band?

Arthur: Hoops/Kevin Krauter. I love that shoegaze sound that they have adapted from a load older British bands. It’s a little “Americanized” but I think they have smashed it, every song has a rough and ready vibe, you can really hear that they are having a great time playing.

Ernie: God that changes all the time. At the moment I’ve been going back over Pixies discography a lot. They’re just one of those bands that did everything they do just before it got big and haven’t been topped at it yet. Doolittle and Surfer Rosa are both ridiculous.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs? 

Ernie: I write about a lot of different things lyrically, touching on mental health, personal experiences, pop culture. Most of my lyrics start as thoughts or feelings I have that I scribble down as lines or poetry. Random words can spawn a whole idea. But I’m inspired by everything - nature, literature, art. It’s good to immerse yourself in a lot of stuff I think.

6. Where was your last gig?

Ernie: We played at the Horn, in our hometown St Albans. The show was with Fangclub and El Moono. Seems like an absolute age ago now, it was a total blast.

7. Where would you like to perform?

Ernie: I’ve always wanted to a huge road trip tour of the US, but at this current moment I am longing to gig literally anywhere. The lockdown scuppered a load of our plans for this year so we’re just itching to get stuck in again now.

8. Whom would you like to perform with?

Ernie: Any band who do it for the right reasons. Dinosaur Pile-Up would be a bucket list band to tour with, just because I’ve followed them for so long and seen them slog it out. They’re the real deal and they are absolutely killer.

9. Whom not?

Ernie: Any band up their own arse I just don’t have time for. We’ve all met a few in our time and it’s such a negative way to approach creativity. That or just a band we’d support and everyone would be annoyed by it. Like Kraftwerk. We wouldn’t do well with a Kraftwerk crowd.

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

Ernie: I used to get it and dealt with it by smoking and whiskey. That doesn’t really work long term, but once you can come to terms with that nervous feeling you can channel it into a positive. You can use that feeling to make you more confident once you’ve gigged more regularly.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Ernie: Nirvana were the band that made me want to be a musician, and really kindled my love for music in general. Muse and Hendrix made me appreciate the guitar, Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine made me embrace the weird. Radiohead inspire me to just do whatever, to make your band whatever you want it to be. They’re proof you can explore the depths of music and not become contrived. 

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Jonny: In a previous band someone asked to tie my hair up in exchange for me selling her one of our t- shirts.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Jonny: Subhuman scum.

Ernie: Hahaha

14. What do you think of our site?

Ernie: It looks great, a good mix of a load of different genres and scenes. Nicely laid out. I also rate the Koala, I think that’s your Spotify cover? Koalas are top-notch.

15. Something to add?

BF: Just big up and thankyou to everyone that’s streamed ‘Ladybird’ and we can’t wait to play shows again soon!