Interviews: Healthy Junkies

On this new occasion, we had the opportunity to interview the Punk band Healthy Junkies 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 did it just come out like that?

Nina came up with the name. Nina and I were partying hard when we first met (still are sometimes!), at the same time I was cultivating a Japanese mushroom health drink called Konmbucha which I drank daily and still do as well as always eating healthily. It was a bit of a joke to start with but as time went on the name took on a deeper meaning, especially during the pandemic health scare. Nina always says she likes the idea of having 2 opposing words together- an oxymoron. 

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

We did not set out to be genre-specific and we are still not, Our early demos and tunes were in fact slower and more grunge than punk. At one of our first gigs in London a guy from Manchester called Steve Iles, who has since become a great friend, told us he could get us a bunch of gigs in the North of England which he did. Things just kind of went on from there. We got asked to support iconic punk bands such as the UK Subs, GBH,  and The Rezillos, along with countless other lesser-known punk bands and this influenced our own music a great deal. We have always played the music we wanted to play regardless of the genre. In fact, at times we have been told we are not punk enough for the punks and too punk for the Indie rock crowd. Talk about not fitting in!

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

Nina and I met in 2008/9 but only wrote a song together for a year or so. We both had separate bands at the time. Dave and David, bass and drums, have known each other since school days. They first played in a band together when they were 17 years old.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Nina: Nirvana

Phil: David Bowie and spiders from Mars

Dave Whitmore: Ty Segall

David Gaut: Red hot chili peppers

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

In the early days, for the first 5 albums, Nina and I wrote all the songs with one or 2 exceptions where they originated from band jams in the studio. For this new album, all of the songs have originated from rehearsal studio jams. Nina records them on her phone then she and I arrange them, decide what they are about, and write the lyrics. Then the band re-learned them and we recorded them properly together. Musically it is all about the energy of the moment. Lyrically we write about what we see, hear, experience, get angry about, etc. Being exposed to such a lot of info online which includes chaos, division, mental health issues, etc gives you plenty to write about.

6. Where was your last gig?

The Water Rats, Kings cross-supporting goth band from the 80s Rose of Avalanche.

7. Where would you like to play?

David G: Would like to play Wembley Stadium.

Phil: Shepherds Bush Empire or The Forum in Kentish town. Nina would like to play in Paris at The Bataclan.

Dave W. Australia. Loads of excellent bands have come from there in recent years. Reading Festival, The Royal Albert Hall.

8. Who would you like to support?

Nina: Idles, Amyl, and the sniffers`

Phil: Bauhaus. The psychedelic porn crumpets. Also, Charlie, bass player with White Lies, tells me that The Kings of Leon are a great band to support despite being warned that they are not!

Dave: The Oh sees, The Garden

David: Red hot chili peppers.

9. Who not?

David (Drummer) says he wants Oasis to support us! (TheGallager brothers had better make friends again first)

Noir desire: Well known (in France ) French band, The singer brutally murdered his beautiful young actress wife. He is now out of prison, with a very short sentence due to the French crime of passion mitigating circumstances, and prancing around the stage, looking for adoration as if nothing happened! Look up this story. It is horrific. The singer is called Bertrand Cantat. The Smiths ( No comment!)

Dave W: Taylor Swift, Harry Styles, Becky Hill, and Abba. That said if we did get asked to support any of those who would really say no?

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

I used to suffer badly from stage fright. I would get so worked up that I was ill after every single gig. My face broke out in sores etc. There is only one thing that can help you: Preparation. Knowing your songs better than you already think you do. I think it is also about mental preparation. Being able to focus fully on your music is not always easy with so many distractions at large.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

We are all massively inspired by Nirvana. This actually helped bring the band together. We are also all inspired by music from the '60s, '70s, '80s (often underrated), and of course the '90s. That said, Dave Whitmore (bass) has brought a whole bunch of current (post-2005) artists onto our playlists. Bands like Bass drum of death, The oh sees, Ty Segall, King Gizzard and the wizard lizard, The psychedelic porn crumpets, Idles, Fontaine DC. We also love Amyl and the Sniffers, ProtoMartyr, and ..Nina and I recently got to see the post-punk band 'White Lies' play, which was awesome.

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

David G: A fan once asked him why he has a beard and no hair!

David W: Someone asked at a gig in Paris why I don’t speak French because they spoke English. They asked for a cigarette and then ran off.

Phil: Someone in Blackpool once asked me if they could buy my shoes. ‘But what will I wear’ I answered. At which point they produced a pair of white slippers, the type you get at a spa.

Nina: We play a cover version of the song 'These Boots Are Made for Walking'. One guy always asks me to walk on him in high stiletto boots during the performance.

13. What do you think of your fans?

We love our ‘fans’. We tend not to use the word fan though. We have always been the sort of band that hang out with the audience and the other bands and thus we have developed friendships with many people all over. We see it more as a community. This is especially true of the punk community who really do look out for each other.

14. What do you think of our site?

Very cool. Obviously, a great deal of time and work has gone into Breathing the core. The diversity of styles appeals too. Plus giving new acts a chance is always welcome. We appreciate you taking the time to include Healthy Junkies

15. Something to add?

Come and see us play live. It is always a crazy, unpredictable, mad night out. Anything can happen at a Healthy Junkies gig! The Water Rats, Kings Cross at our 3-day festival will be a good one. We play on Saturday, September 14th. The festival is called Punk and Roll rendezvous, we started hosting it 10 years ago, but that is another story. See you out on the live music front line.