Rebels without a cause

Bursting onto the NI music scene just over a year and a half ago, armed to the teeth with an arsenal of adolescent anthems, Derry’s General Fiasco have been kicking ass and taking names since their inception. At the moment the three-piece featuring singer/bassist Owen, guitarist/vocalist Enda and tub thumper Leaky (who needs surnames when you’ve tunes that most bands would sell their eye teeth for?) are having the year of their lives, and the next few months are only going to get better as they record their untitled debut with NI’s knob twiddler of choice Neal Calderwood at his Manor Park studio.

“We’re recording the album and shortly going to do our first headline UK tour,” Owen enthuses. “We’re a bit nervous, but looking forward to it. It’s mad because we can already tell which gigs are going to be busy and which mightn’t be as packed from our myspace, but I think it’ll be a great experience regardless just knowing people are paying money to come see us and us only.”
While it’s taken for granted that recent limited-edition slab of wax ‘Rebel Get By’ will feature on the album as well as the mighty ‘Ever So Shy,’ Owen is sadly remaining tight-lipped about what else we can expect from the effort.
“If people are aware of what we do, it’s like that times ten,” offers the softly spoken singer. “There are a few tracks that are left of centre, but we’re not messing too much with people’s heads. It’s sounding very promising, we’ve quite a few songs that we’ve been playing for a year and a half and we’re also trying to get some new stuff in just to keep it fresh.”
On March 9 General Fiasco release their first single proper, ‘Something Sometime.’ If the success of ‘Rebel Get By’ (which saw the band receive daytime radio play on BBC Radio One alongside the likes of teen queen Miley Cyrus) is anything to go by, then the trio should expect to capitalise on the huge buzz currently following them wherever they go.
“We’re very thankful for the universal praise,” smiles Owen. “We think it’s great and hope it keeps up. Everybody seems to be giving us really good opportunities and people are getting behind us. Everyone who’s fit to help us seems to be helping us.”
Ever the shit stirrer, Hot Press feels the need to ask whether all the accolades of the last six months have caused some unwanted pressure in the band.
“Nobody hates each other just yet,” he laughs. “We always get on and arguing is never an issue in General Fiasco. The past six months have been great and we just want to do everything we can to make sure it continues. We’re very ambitious. We want to be successful, we want to become as huge as we can and continue to make songs we’re proud of.”
While General Fiasco learned their craft playing venues like the Bunker and the Stiff Kitten in Belfast, it was their Oxegen appearance last year that made the rest of Ireland sit up and take notice of their sugary sonic assaults. Originally they were booked to play during the day, but when the fickle finger of fate stepped in, the boys saw their chance and took it.
“We got booked initially because we had a bit of a buzz about us,” recalls Owen. “The Oxegen organisers came to see us to have a look and they signed us up to play in the middle of the day on the Saturday. Because we were just driving down, we were pretty flexible. There was a band called Royworld who were the second headliners but they were also doing T In The Park on the Sunday and they had to swap with somebody or else they couldn’t do both dates. It turns out that everyone else was tied up too because they were big touring bands on schedules and we were the only ones who were flexible, so we moved from fourth band on to second headliners which was amazing. It was sheer luck that brought us there. At the time loads of bands had finished, there was nothing going on and when we came out we were playing to a full tent. It was surreal and it’s by far my favourite gig.”
These days General Fiasco and big stages are no strangers after triumphant slots at both Belsonic and Belfast’s New Year’s Eve bash where they appeared alongside the likes of Supergrass and the Pigeon Detectives.
“New Year’s Eve was a strange show because we were playing to thousands of people who don’t normally go to gigs and there were people there purely for the Pigeon Detectives and Supergrass and didn’t care about us, but we seemed to have a good core who knew our songs and were singing along. It was a massive stage and we were well treated so I can’t complain.”
In a touching show of solidarity, Saint Gary Lightbody from Snow Patrol has asked the band to support them at their Odyssey Arena shows in March, so it looks like Owen better get used to the VIP treatment.
“It’s going to be amazing,” he concludes. “I went to see Snow Patrol in the same venue a couple of years ago and it’s weird to think we’re on the same stage with them this time. It’s so surreal playing in such a massive room and I think it’ll definitely be a highlight of my 2009.”

General Fiasco’s ‘Something Sometime’ is out on March 9, and gets an airing when they play Belfast supports with Snow Patrol in the Odyssey (March 21) and The Answer in Mandela Hall (April 20)