Exclusive Interview: Bad Family Talk Manipulation, Hip Flasks + Their Distaste For Donovan

credit: Charlotte Patmore

For those who haven’t heard your latest track “My Body Pines”, how would you describe it?

Its all about the frustration of loving someone who is physically and emotionally at a disconnect with you. It’s Slow, it’s a little Sad – hints of Morricone and cinema noir in the arrangement – and for the first time we used a film sample of sorts.

It’s definitely an interesting blend. Your debut EP EP1 was released on November 25th. What makes it stand out from other pop albums out at the moment?

I think EP1 is pretty honest in everything its talking about. I think a lot pop music these days has these sugar-coated sentiments of ‘Everything will be alright in the end’ or ‘look at my man, isn’t he great to me?’, when I think for most people that isn’t the case. It’s a fantasy, a daydream, for a lot people are exposed to perverts and misogynist’s, alcoholics and drug addicts, women who use sex to manipulate and bully some men. It’s all pretty fucked up. And I think with Bad Family in general we find it much more interesting to write about that kind of stuff as apposed to the safe bubblegum guff.

Have there been any live performances over the course of your career that particularly stands out for you for being crazy/eventful?

It wasn’t with Bad Family, but I was playing a show in London a few years ago now. 3-4 days before that show I had broken my ankle in Scotland, so I was in a cast, on crunches, and I had to sit on a tall bar stool on the side of the stage as if I was in bloody Boyzone or something. Alas, the standing up into key change, sadly, never came.

We have to ask about the name. Where did it come from? Did someone have a traumatic childhood?

Our Drummer, Simon, came up with it after misunderstanding somebody telling them their new band name, which was actually pretty much miles away for Bad Family. We sat with it for a day or two and realised that it was actually quite fitting. We’re all so close that we bully and berate one another constantly, but would jump in front of traffic for one another if it came down to it. So, in lots of ways we are like a family, just not a particularly good one.

It’s confession time; what are your guilty pleasure tracks?

We’re all such big fans of pop music that I don’t think we feel guilty about any of it. I think we’d all quite happily find enjoyment listening to Girls Aloud on a road trip maybe not as much as listening to Arcade Fire or Blur, but there would be a little tickle there. I for one am not ashamed of that. Donovan on the other hand can fucking do one with that call me ‘call me yellow mellow’ bullshit. Please excuse the language.

credit: Charlotte Patmore

We love new music, what three acts would you recommend to look out for at the moment and why?

The Magic Gang  – They seem to be writing some of the most exciting offerings of pop music at the moment and doing it completely in their own way, and even better succeeding in that. Too many bands get caught up jumping on folkey band wagons in this town, its lovely seeing a band stick that sticks to what they do best, our collective hat is off to them.

Blake Mills – not exactly new, but new to me. Again cause he’s great!

Whitney – Cause they’re great. Simple.

We have a tradition of asking bands which 3 items sum them up (it can be as weird and wonderful as you want; some bands include food from their homeland, items they take everywhere, things that sum up their sound, it can be anything) what would your 3 items be and why?

Easy… Hip Flask, Lube, Stanley Knife.

…And we’ll leave the rest to your imagination. You can check out Bad Family’s latest track “My Body Pines” below.