British post-punk 4-piece CROSS WIRES impressed Turn Up The Volume‘s ears with their sharp-cutting
debut full-lengthA Life Extinct back in 2019.
Review fragment: “Not only do they deliver a series of red-hot cutting rippers but, lyrically, they unveil their loud and clear views on our society. They tackle all sorts of social injustices that still undermine and influence our daily life. Their anger-driven songs awake every nerve in your body and their energetic and in-your-face dynamism makes your blood stream faster. We need honest bands like this in these worrying times This biting team matters, this vital debut LP matters, this kind of outspoken engagement matters.
The band just announced details of their sophomore album, named YESTERDAY IN MOURNING. It will be out on 5 May (Vinyl/digitally).
About:“Yesterday In Mourning’ is an album about the love you once felt.
The milk turned sour. It’s an album about regret. About loss. An album about
the grief we carry with us and the ghosts that haunt us.”
(So far) CW shared 4 tracks.
– CAMEL BLUES-
Grand, electric
guitar/synth gem.
“I’m damaged.
Drag you down with me.
A breakdown.
Dark energy.
A shifting to another place.
Love fading.
Hides it’s face.”
. – EXHIBIT A –
An agitated fear of abandonment rush.
Band: CROSS WIRES Who: fervid post-punk 4-piece
from Romford, UK.
Single: MOURNING
The first piece of the band’s
upcoming second longplayer.
TUTV: Great news for all Cross Wires fans, including myself, out there.
Their 2nd album is finished/recorded and ready to leave its vault early
next year through Culture Wars Records. It follows the band’s album A Life Extinct. One of the most poignant debut records of 2019.
But first the lead single. Mourning is not a happy story. It’s a post-break-up cry out,
a cathartic shout out. Sixties psychedelic-sounding wah-wah guitar fuzz, alternated
with cutting six-string fervor stoke up the energy of this crackerjack all the way, along
with a steadfast drum/bass tandem, and back up frontman Jonathan Chapman‘s
harrowing confession of lovesickness. Familiar emotions for many of us, nevertheless
always heartbreaking.
“It seems like forever since you moved out of this place and
left me alone the flat we shared for 2 months, 3 weeks and
six days. I still love you, I hate to admit it to myself. I’ve only
just been able to say that out loud.
The last cup you drank from I never washed up. Is that pathetic?
There’s a book on the coffee table that you never finished.
It was almost 6 weeks before I could even venture outside.
I forgot to eat and the days they seemed to run in to each other.
You see I’ve been having trouble sleeping. I spent yesterday in mourning.
The last cup you drank from I never washed up. Is that pathetic?
There’s a book on the coffee table that you never finished.”
Last September British post-punks CROSS WIRES
played a live-stream gig in Chelmsford, Essex.
The band premiered two new songs. The skeletal live recordings,
with the help of some studio wizardry turned into two fully formed
tracks, with Jonathan Chapmann’s vocals recorded in the studio.
Last month our ears already got impressed with the impassioned and
poignant tour de force of The Death Of Dreamland. And here’s new
composition number two.
24 ROEHAMPTON STREET tells the story of a couple living out the last moments
of their lives during an apocalyptic event. A song inspired by 80s Nuclear War films Threads, When The Wind Blowsand theProtect And Survive series.
24 Roehhampton Street is a punked-up blaze. A nuclear gloom and doom nightmare
realizing that humankind can destroy itself. Remember Nagasaki and Hiroshima?
By now the superpower nations as we know them are capable of blowing up our whole planet. Cross Wires translate that fear loud and clear with intense vocals à la Joe Strummer by frontman Chapman and also a short spoken fragment by, if my ears don’t fail me, Baxter Dury.
Fiction is the new reality.
I was the drowning man
A hollow man
Waiting for the end
Eating time
I said it many times before and will repeat it again: Turn Up The Volume is
a big fan of British post-punk rockers CROSS WIRES. Listen to their debut LP A Life Extinctand you’ll find out why.
And with new their brand new single they impress once again.
Jonathan (frontman) says: “It was produced by Rory Attwell. Back in September we
played a live stream gig at Hotbox in Chelmsford, Essex. Our set on the night included
2 new songs (of which this was one) Rory Attwell took those skeletal live recordings and
with some studio wizardry turned them in to 2 proper tracks (All vocals recorded again
in the studio). We had never worked this way before but this lockdown pushed us to be inventive.”
The Death Of Dreamland It’s a fervent tour de force that stands out, sonically
and lyrically. An impassioned eruption going forth and back, poignantly and
emotionally, like haunting mood swings. And when the goosebumps finale
kicks in you know that a confused soul and an inflammatory heart is at play
here. A highly captivating performance.
I didn’t see it coming on. I didn’t notice til it got close.
I didn’t know it was the end. Until I felt it’s hands around my neck.
You’re a prisoner of your own dreamland.
Crushed by the weight of another let down…
They care about the people in need and suppressed, they care about an equal and social world, they care about those who did an awesome job in this very strange 2020, and they care about music. All this and more is what post-punk influenced crusaders CROSS WIRES write songs about. Last year’s excellent debut album A Life Extinct was a strong reflection of the band’s huge potential and new music is just around the 2021 corner. Before talking with their heartfelt frontman and songwriter Jonathan Chapman let’s turn up the decibels for their new single Hall Of Mirrors…
. Debut album A LIFE EXTINCT turned 1 early November. What are the most
vivid memories about making and releasing this excellent record?
“We’d rehearsed those songs so much in the year or so running up to recording that it all came together really quickly. We recorded it at a great little studio called Kluster Rooms in Limehouse, West London. Unfortunately it was badly flooded recently so they’ve had to move to new premises. The album launch at Flashback Records in Bethnal Green was a really special night for us. To release the album on Vinyl was something that was really important to us. We had an after-party at a pub a few doors down from Flashback with
all our friends and families. That night will stay with me forever.”
A bit out of the blue came new single HALL OF MIRRORS. Is it a lockdown song?
“It was recorded in our rehearsal space ‘The Control Rooms’ on the studios portable
mixing desk. It was written and recorded in 1 day then sent to Rory Attwell to mix and master it. I wrote most of the lyrics on the train on my way to the studio. We are planning to write/record and release a number of tracks like this over the coming months but it’s not possible at the moment because of the second Lockdown in England. Once we can get back to the studio we will do some more of these type of tracks leading to an EP sometime next year. They will all be written and recorded in a day.”
. What did you feel the moment the fall of Trump was announced?
“How can any decent person react to that news with anything other than complete joy. When it became clear he wasn’t going to be re-elected he, and his supporters, reacted exactly as I knew they would. Vile. Trump being gone obviously won’t fix America or the world’s problems but I fear for what would have happened had he won again.”
How’s life after four years of Brexit?
“It’s hard to say at the moment because COVID is dominating every single aspect of life.
I think if we had the vote again tomorrow we would remain. People were lied to and I
think a lot of people who voted to leave didn’t vote for what they are going to end up with. Unfortunately, the shadow of 2 World Wars looms so large over the country still and I think it’s used to manipulate people with this weird Blitz spirit mentality. No other country in Europe acts like this. It’s very, very strange.”
Suppose you were asked to rewrite and put new music to the British Royal Anthem. No restrictions whatsoever. What would be the outcome, in sound and vision?
“Well it certainly wouldn’t mention saving the Queen and it’s definitely wouldn’t mention God. Maybe it would just be a song about queuing. Queuing and tea (ha).”
How hard was/is it to survive as a musician in these surreal times?
“We are all very lucky that we have day jobs and we haven’t lost them during this pandemic. Unless you come from money already I don’t know how you could do this full time now. It’s almost impossible for working class bands to make any real impact in the industry and it’s going to be even worse now.”
A lot of musicians came up with a cover of another artist’s song
during these bizarre times. Which one would you pick to cover?
“We very rarely do covers although we did play a short covers set at our guitarist Pete’s wedding last year. Including a version of Beastie Boys ‘Fight For Your Right’ (To Party) that
was fun.”
What was the best track and album you heard in 2020?
“I really love the last Protomartyr album. They don’t seem to put a foot wrong. My favourite track of the year was ‘Desole’ by Gorillaz. One of my favourite things Damon Alban has released In the last few years. Fatoumata Diawara’s vocal on that song is amazing.”
Prick of the year and hero-ine of the year?
“Prick(s) is/are easy. Every single member of this cold-hearted Tory Government, this
year and every year. The Heroes are every NHS worker, People working on Public
Transport, In supermarkets. They are heroes. People having to home school their
children while working from home. Teachers who had to keep teaching key worker children. People who have lost their jobs because of Covid and have to put food
on the table.”
What made you laugh crazily and what made
you cry your eyes out the past 12 months?
“Being able to get back in the studio with the guys. That always makes me laugh. I think our shared sense of ridiculous childish humour has kept us together for so long. There have been so many heartbreaking stories during this pandemic. People scared and dying alone in hospital. The situation in Care Homes, People not being able to attend funerals of people they love. I can’t imagine what they must be going through.”
Can we expect new CROSS WIRES music in 2021?
“Almost definitely an EP of songs recorded in the same way
as ‘Hall of Mirrors’ and possibly album 2.”
Which song will you play on 31sdt December at midnight?
“Well I’d imagine I’ll be at home with my girlfriend so it will more than
likely be her choice as she says my song choices are always depressing.”
Name three things you really want to see happen in 2021
“An end to this pandemic, the return of live music and West Ham United to finally win something.”
Thank you Jonathan, thank you Cross Wires.
Have an unforgettable 2020 Xmas and
a new music loaded 2021.
Hello, all music junkies out there.
If you missed the band’s rad debut LP
last year, don’t miss it this year.
Band: CROSS WIRES Who: Post punk driven quartet from the UK.
Guilty of making one of the best albums of 2019
with A Life Extinct.
Album: A Life Before What: Demos/Ep tracks/outtakes/Live recordings
straight from the dusty archives.
The band says: A demo history of varying quality.
TUTV says: The band is too modest. What you get here is an authentic document of
an authentic heart & soul punk spirit. No special effects, no fake arty farty pretensions,
no bullshit. Instead you’ll hear anxious screams from basements, razor-sharp racket
from garages, fuss and buzz somewhere from a stage and embryos of songs from
a broken 4-track cassette-player. This record is for real, this band is for real, their
caring mindset is for real, this life before is for real.
Read all details/stories of all tracks on the band’s Bandcamp-page.
Five reasons why Turn Up The Volume loves London’s post-punk band CROSS WIRES
1. They write killer tunes with killer lyrics as they showed
loud and clear on their debut album ‘A Life Extinct‘
2. I share their political and social views totally
3. They’re for real, not poseurs
4. They wear their committed heart in the right place
5. They like the same bands as I do, and they like a few
drinks just like I do
Enough reasons to learn a lot more about this rousing four-piece by talking to their passionate frontman and songwriter Jonathan Chapman. But first some music
with one of my favorite Cross Wires crackers ‘Paradise Club 1953…
1. What triggered you guys to form a band and when/how did it happen?
“Ian (drums) Pete (guitar) and I all knew each other from drinking in a pub
called The Golden Lion in Romford, East London, and pretty much came up with the
idea for the band there. I think the original idea was to make songs that sounded like
they could fit on Singles Going Steady by Buzzcocks. The three of us wrote a bunch of pretty rubbish songs while we were looking for a bass player. Pete (bass) had been playing as a singer-songwriter and had never played bass before he joined us. We were introduced
to him by a friend. I don’t think he really had any interest in being a bass player but liked drinking in The Golden Lion as much as we did, so he said yes when we asked him. We borrowed a bass from a friend for him.”
2. What’s the story behind the band’s name?
“We are named after a song by XTC” (note: check it out here)
3. Which track would you play as an introduction
to your music to people who never heard of you?
“At the minute I’d say Distraction Technique because people seem to have
connected with that song more than any other from the album.”
. 4. The lyrics of your excellent debut album ‘A LIFE EXTINCT’ read like critical comments on the grim times we live in. Is Cross Wires a political band?
“Not in the way that bands like The Clash or Manic Street Preachers are but politics
definitely does influence my writing. I try not to be too preachy. Not much in life is
black or white but I also don’t want to hide my views. Before last year’s election, we did
a Labour Party fundraiser gig with The Blinders in their For The Many Tour. We are all
from working class backgrounds. It’s pretty obvious what our political leanings are. I
don’t want to say I’m 100% right and you’re 100% wrong unless you have far-right
views. When I started writing the lyrics for ‘A Life Extinct’ the idea was a ‘break up
album influenced by the sixth mass extinction on earth’”.
5. How’s life in Brexit England?
“It definitely brought up some pretty ugly stuff on both sides. It’s crazy how tribal it’s become. Romford was one of the only London boroughs to vote leave. That was extremely upsetting. I moved away from Romford to Bethnal Green not long after we started the band. It’s easy to forget not everyone has the same views as you, when you’re surrounded by like-minded people. I wanted to remain but many people obviously didn’t agree. I don’t think branding all those people as racists helped at all and it absolutely killed Labour’s chances of winning the last election.”
6. The LP’s front sleeve is quite intriguing. What inspired the image?
“It was a photo taken by our guitarist Pete on his honeymoon in Santorini. I knew it would be the cover of the album as soon as I saw it. I think it’s such a striking image. Everyone asks about it.”
7. One of my favorite tracks is PARADISE CLUB 1953. What’s the song about?
“Thank you. It’s about a man whose dreams are haunted by an ex-lover he thought he
had long since moved on from. When he’s awake he never gives her a second thought but when he’s asleep they meet in the Paradise Club in 1953. It’s a completely fictional place. I don’t know why I chose that year. In my head, it’s a smoky room with red velvet curtains. It’s funny as that’s exactly how the guys in the band also imagined it. This song was built around Pabs brilliant bass line.”
8. You just released a brand new EP called ‘Distraction Technique’.
What can we expect?
“We wanted to find a way to keep pointing people back to A Life Extinct without just putting out Distraction Technique as a single. We came up with the idea of putting it out as part of an EP. The other 3 tracks on the EP are from various Demos we recorded at a studio called Soundsavers in Homerton, East London a few years back. Unfortunately, it’s closed down now. It was part-owned by Mark Jasper from the band Witching Waves with a lovely guy called Alex Clegg who produced our demos. Mark is actually offering a great pay what you can afford mixing and mastering service for bands during this pandemic. You’ll probably be able to find out more on their Twitter account.”
. 9. Suppose you were asked to play a movie, that expresses your music visually,
on a big screen behind you while playing a gig which one would it be?
“That’s a good question. I’m not sure I’d want to tie our music to somebody else’s art that has already been established for a number of years so much. I quite like the idea of what The National did with their last album and film. Something like that could be fun. Either that or ‘Dunston Checks In’. Hahahaha”
10. Your favourite band to tour with?
“I know for a fact that each one of us would have a different answer, so I’m going to choose a festival and say we’d love to play at Glastonbury. I’ve been quite a few times and there’s just something special about it. I know people think it’s become too commercial but it’s still magic. A great example of that was Idles set on the Park Stage last year. Once in lifetime stuff for a band.”
11. What song or album did you hear so far this year that
made a huge impression on your ears?
“Lots of stuff. Loving the new Strokes album. I’m really looking forward to the new Protomartyr album. They are probably my favourite band of recent years. I’m gonna give a shout out to my pal Luke’s band False Heads. They’ve made a really great record called ‘It’s All There But Your Dreaming’, and I’d also like to mention a band I discovered called Bugeye. They’ve got an album coming out on a great label called ‘Reckless Yes’. A band called Hunt Ushave put out some exciting stuff. A sort of folk spoken word post-punk. Hope we get to play with them at some point.”
12. Next step for Cross Wires?
“We’ve got about half of the next album written and it’s sounding really promising. I’ve got a theme for the next album worked out but don’t want to say too much until it’s finished as I could well easily end up hating what I’ve written. Hopefully, we will be able to get out there and play live again this year. We have a couple of gigs booked for Autumn which I really hope go ahead.”
Thank you, Jonathan, for this interview.
May the road rise with Cross Wires!
CROSS WIRES are a committed and socially caring post punk band that released their splendid debut longplayer A LIFE EXTINCT last November. Not only do they deliver a series of red-hot cutting rippers but, lyrically, they unveil their loud and clear views on
our society. They tackle all sorts of social injustices that still undermine and influence
our daily life.
Their anger-driven songs awake every nerve in your body and their energetic and in-your-face dynamism makes your blood stream faster. We need honest bands like this in these worrying times This biting team matters, this vital debut LP matters, this kind of outspoken engagement matters.
Sound: This is a band that tackles the grim times we experience with a biting potency
that triggers every tense nerve in your body and awakes your troubled mind with their nervous, fanatical and burning dynamic that cuts like a brand new Swiss knife. This is a band that cares, a band that roars about what they care, a band that matters, a band on the top of its hot-tempered game. This is a record about 2019. This is non-stop edginess! This is a bang on debut! Without a shadow of a doubt one of the best of the year!
Back in December 2017 British post punks CROSS WIRES released a selection of their first thrilling recordings on a mini-album, titled Living In A Radio City, but soon they’ll unleash their proper debut longplayer ‘A Life Extinct’, out this Autumn.
Early August the group launched the furious lead-single. A two-faceted killer stroke called Paradise Club 1953 and here’s new cut number two. The weirdly named ‘HOW TO DETOX SMOKERS LUNGS’ has the band’s signature tone too. That nervous, fanatical and burning dynamic that cuts like a brand new Swiss knife. Yep, here’s another cutting corker that will make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
