Interview: Gaz Openshaw

The Antics are a Midlands-based indie quartet who claim to specialise in “proper music”.  Robin James Kerrison caught up with the band’s frontman, Gaz Openshaw, who will be performing on the Secret Stage at this year’s Summer Party.

Boar Music: Hi Gaz, how are you?

Gaz Openshaw: I’m very well, thank you very much.  I’m enjoying the beautiful British summer, although it is windy.  I’ve got long hair, which doesn’t work in this wind.

BM: Ah, yes, I remember I had a long hair phase when I was fourteen or so; got it cut because I couldn’t play tennis.

GO: I play tennis!  I have to wear a headband.

BM: Oh, there we go!  That’s what I didn’t have, then: a headband.  So what have you and The Antics got planned for the coming months?

GO: We’re actually working on a debut album; we’re just locked in a studio.  But I’ll be keeping busy myself, because I need to learn songs to play for my acoustic show at the Summer Party.  It’s not really something I do that often.  I’ve probably done it about three times before, so I’m actually really looking forward to it.

BM: Excellent!   Seeing as it’s very different from what you’ve played before, are you excited to play here?

GO: Yeah, absolutely.  I don’t have the option to rely on the rest of the band if things go wrong, so I’ve got to make sure I’m well prepared and the songs are stripped back, but I am looking forward to it.  It’s such a wicked line up this year, and I’m really excited about trying something new.

BM: That’s good!  I’ve listened to your music myself and it sounds a little like Elbow.  What would you say your influences are?

GO: Yeah, I’m a massive fan of early Elbow.  Asleep In The Back is one of my favourite albums, but I don’t know how much The Antics look at Elbow as an influence.  We tend to listen to bands like The Rapture and Primal Scream: that mixture of electronics with guitars, to make it as upbeat as possible.

BM: That’s great to hear.  You mentioned earlier that you’ve got an album on the way; is that the big priority for The Antics this year?

GO: Yeah, we’re probably going to spend the rest of the year recording it, to be honest.  We’re working with different people to try and create a decent sound throughout the album, so we’re spending quite a lot of time on each track – about six weeks each.  So, if we’re looking at making an eleven- or twelve-track album, it’s probably not going to be finished until early next year.

If I was a building, I’d like to be The Shard, because I’d like to look down on everyone in London.

BM: That’s definitely something for us to look forward to.  Now, it wouldn’t really be a student newspaper interview unless I threw a curveball question in there…

GO: Fire away! [laughs]

BM: Gaz, the usual one of what’s your favourite cheese isn’t quite good enough.  You can give us an answer to that if you like, but also: what, if you could be a building, would you be?

GO: A building?

BM: A building.

GO: Wow.  As in a building that people know, or just any kind of building?

BM: You can be specific or you can go for a generic type of building.  It’s up to you.

GO: Well, I’d like to be The Shard, because I’d like to look down on everyone in London.

BM: I imagine the views from up there are quite incredible.

GO: I can imagine they are.  I think I’d just like the fact that I’m above everyone. [laughs]

BM: [laughs] That’s a wonderful sentiment, Gaz.  Thanks very much for speaking to us; is there anything else you’d like to mention while you’ve got the opportunity?

GO: I’d like to support two of the Leamington bands playing at the Summer Party: Coves and Cowboy, I’d like to advise people to catch them because they’re both absolutely brilliant.  I’ll be down the front, so everyone get down there early, and hope the weather’s nice.

BM: Fantastic; I think I’ll check them out.  And Gaz, The Antics are based in the Midlands: where are you from, originally?

GO: Leamington.

BM: You’re originally from Leamington itself?  That’s exactly what we want to hear!  Well, thanks very much to speaking to us; we look forward to seeing you at the Summer Party.

GO: Absolutely; we’ll have a drink!

The Summer Party takes place on 23^rd June 2013.  Further details can be found here.