Freaks like them: Hot Press meets ControlFreak

By the time you get your mitts on this latest issue, St. Patrick’s Day will have been and gone, thrilling some, torturing others. An event which often polarises people, Dublin-based, punk-infused two-piece ControlFreak joined the debate recently with their latest single ‘We Wanna Be Sedated’. It's a timely take on the Ramones classic ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’.

“Whenever we release a single we want it to mean something,” begins the band’s singer/guitarist Paul Chaney. “For ‘We Wanna Be Sedated’ the subject is the binge drinking culture in Ireland, the way a national day, which is supposed to celebrate culture, actually promotes alcohol abuse. Anyone that lives in Dublin knows there’s a heavy atmosphere that day which isn’t pleasant. You read the happy fluffy pieces about Paddy’s Day. You don’t see the drunken violence, sexual assaults, the huge increase in numbers in A & E.

”When it came to picking a tune to get their point across, the 2010-formed outfit looked no further than kindred spirits The Ramones.

“The thing about The Ramones is they’ve some really dark themes. They’ve a Roy Orbison vibe in that there’s a deep sadness to everything they do.”

Anyone who's heard their tune-stacked 2013 debut Disgraceland will be aware the duo aren’t shy about tackling touchy topics. Homelessness, suicide, clerical abuse and questionable politicians are among the issues discussed in their songs.

“We weren’t prepared to be a band that buried our heads in the sand and only talked about rainbows and fairy tales. Not when all this heavy stuff is going down, from homelessness to suicide to questionable politicians and their motives. Not many bands talk about serious things that affect real people. We wanted to incorporate that in our music – and not in a ranting way.

“It’d be fantastic if musicians talked about real issues,” continues Paul. “Who knows, one of those bands could become the next U2?”

‘We Wanna Be Sedated’ is available for free via controlfreaksex.com download