TW ENTY QUESTI ON S WITH...
FRANK CARTER YES. WE KNOW THIS ISN’T HOW 20 QUESTIONS REALLY WORKS, BUT STFU, OK? THIS MONTH, FRANK CARTER RUNS THE GAUNTLET OF OUR RANDOM, STUPID QUERIES.
1. HELLO. HOW ARE YOU? I am well, nine shows into an eleven show sold out tour of the UK and playing in Brighton tonight so I’m feeling good! 2. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO TODAY? Just recorded a session for John Kennedy at Radio X this morning and now on our way down to Brighton. 3. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE THING ABOUT BEING A MUSICIAN? Travelling and performing. I feel really lucky to have a job that allows me to travel a lot and I was born to play music so performing is where I feel strongest. 4. WHAT’S THE BEST CHRISTMAS PRESENT YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED? My daughter was born in 2014 late November so every year seeing her get a little bit older and a lot smarter and funnier is pretty much the best present there is... and one year my wife got me a rifle. That was pretty awesome. 5. WHAT CHRISTMAS PRESENT WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO RECEIVE THIS YEAR? World peace. Equality for all. Failing that, a pool table. 6. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU BROKE? I got sent home from Berlin in a wheelchair two months ago. Docs thought I had cracked a vertebrae. Luckily I had just torn a muscle and was on the mend pretty quick after some R&R. 7. WHICH DEFUNCT BAND WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO REFORM? None, I’m pretty happy working on Rattlesnakes right now. Future with the snakes is getting brighter and brighter. 8. WHAT’S THE BEST
9. WHAT IS YOUR MOST TREASURED POSSESSION? I try not to get too hung up on possessions but I have some great original artwork in my collection. A few earlier works by Matthew Palladino and also I was very lucky to be given an amazing scene of characters from Hell by Jake Chapman. 10. HAVE YOU EVER DRESSED UP AS FATHER CHRISTMAS? No. 11. WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT? Rattlesnakes is my biggest career accomplishment so far. We took an uncompromising punk rock record and put it in the Top 20 in the charts and then started selling out tours. The band isn’t even two years old and it feels like we are really resonating with people. I’m looking forward to next year. 12. WHO’S YOUR FAVOURITE NEW BAND? I like Thee MVPs, God Damn and Strange Bones. All great new bands flying the flag for UK rock music. 13. WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER WATCH, STRICTLY COME DANCING OR X FACTOR? I’d rather eat my television. 14. WHAT’S THE SCARIEST THING YOU’VE EVER DONE? Become a father. I wake up every day and I’m still not sure what I’m doing but I’m just trying my very best to let her know she is loved and safe and teach her that the world belongs to her. 15. DO YOU LEAVE OUT A MINCE PIE FOR FATHER CHRISTMAS? We haven’t yet as Mercy is still quite young but maybe we will start this year. 16. WHAT DID YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP? A musician, a tattoo artist or a professional basketball player. Two
PAGE 40. YOU WHAT? QUIZ ANSWERS: 1. IZZY, BLACK HONEY. 2. MATTIE, VANT. 3. IAN, CREEPER. 4. JULIETTE, THE BIG MOON. 5. NATTI, FICKLE FRIENDS. 6. WILL JOSEPH COOK. 7. ALICE, DREAM WIFE. 8. ED, TOOTHLESS. 9. HARRIS, BLAENAVON. 10. SARAH, NIMMO
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CHRISTMAS SONG OF ALL TIME? ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ by Slade.
out of three ain’t bad I guess. 17. WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE CHRISTMASSY FILM? Elf or Jarhead... don’t ask me why. 18. WHAT STRENGTH NANDOS SAUCE DO YOU ORDER? Lemon and Herb all day, every day. 19. HOW PUNK ARE YOU OUT OF TEN? Punk isn’t about numbers, it’s not about fashion or style, it’s not about the music you make or the clothes you wear or the bands you listen to. Punk is a mindset. You either have it or you don’t, and the people that do have it certainly don’t stop at 10. 20. ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A NEW YEARS RESOLUTION FOR 2017? My New Years resolution is more family time. I’ve been a little bit busy this year and it’s been tough for all of us, so next year it’s going to be our priority. Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes’ album ‘Modern Ruin’ is out 27th January.