Country Teasers Satan Is Real Again Blogspot

Oliver Cookson sits down with Country Teasers frontman Ben Wallers to talk over 10 points of entry into his extensive discography. They besides talk "shit production", Kool Keith, Pink Floyd, fear of nuclear anything and his infamous 'Spakenkreuz' symbol

Still taken from the Spakenkreuz motion-picture show

"Politics is beneath the plankton". This was one of the many rules of the White Plume Club. A "piss-taking" drinking society formed past Ben Wallers and his Edinburgh University cohorts in the early 90s, of which he was appointed Club Secretary. His task involved taking minutes by mitt equally he got progressively more intoxicated, then reading out the typed-upward transcripts at the post-obit coming together. At first glance this rejection of politics may seem juvenile and facetious. It was. Nevertheless, it'southward as well a dominion that effectively captures the complexities and contradictions inherent in the music and attitude of the Country Teasers frontman, improve known these days past his solo moniker The Insubordinate.

His music, like all forms of art, is inherently political. Information technology deals with issues of racism, homophobia, misogyny and morality. Even so, he approaches these subjects non by belting out earnest protestation songs with supposed sincerity. Instead, Wallers assumes the character of the racist, the sexist or the homophobe, satirizing these abhorrent attitudes from the first-person perspective of the perpetrator. His music is politically charged but at the same time almost apolitical. The character he plays as The Rebel is 'in a higher place politics'. He works from the starting signal that he, the artist and we, the listener are in agreement over the unacceptability of the attitudes he is mocking. Put but, "we all know racism is bad". Therefore when he, every bit The Rebel grapheme, uses certain language or seemingly revels in the distasteful elements of his lyrics, he does so with a view to undermine and ridicule human folly, and to shock the listener into taking notice.

Equally a white human being from a privileged background (Wallers attended the independent boarding schoolhouse of Harrow) his gleefully provocative lyrics and the comedy he derives from politically incorrect subject matter could easily be interpreted every bit insensitive, vulgar and past some people, as indefensible. However, in his listen, he is within his rights to practice and say these things because his satirical intentions are noble (at one betoken during our conversation he takes out his lexicon and reads aloud the definition of satire to me). He is undoubtedly convinced that his securely entrenched sense of morality and equality, his disdain for (nonetheless fascination with) white culture, and his sincere desire to "smash the patriarchy" justify his employ of bigoted language inside his art.

However, the point at which the fictional viewpoints he adopts intersect with his own personal experience and social commentary is where his work becomes particularly interesting and potentially problematic. At that place is frequently an uneasy blurring of the perspectives he hijacks and of those filtered through the privileged prism through which he views the world. This means that the listener is not only forced to question their views on 'taboo' subjects only also the limits of satire, sense of humor and provocation through art. His lyrics accept the audience right upwardly to the line of what is considered socially or even artistically adequate, forcing them to confront and cite for themselves the boundaries of artistic expression and navigating both their own moral maze and ethical stance in the process.

Having studied the corking satirists of the 20th century (Lenny Bruce, Beak Hicks and William Burroughs) from an early on age, he tells me: "Everything should be looked at with an ironic centre" and suggests that skilful fine art has a kind of in-built morality to it, regardless of its creator. In fact, he argues that the personal flaws of some of rock & whorl'southward greatest innovators (Lou Reed, Mark E Smith, David Byrne, John Lennon) were in fact integral to the creative procedure. "The more than unpleasant the person, the ameliorate!" he tells me with a glint in his eye. "I think there's a watertight argument for ignoring the fact that these guys are bastards because the art we similar as a culture is a reflection of the fact that we're all bastards. We're a bunch of wankers but nosotros accept this peachy affair, art, which reflects who nosotros are. Await in the mirror! You're evil yourself!"

When the "cleverest boy in schoolhouse" turned Ben onto The Fall via John Skin in the mid-eighties, he (similar many of his generation) was hooked. Religiously recording Peel Sessions during 'prep time' at Harrow. His discovery of obscure, esoteric music like that of Pussy Galore, The Shadow Ring and the criminally underrated Datblygu led him to a lifelong obsession with iv-track recording and ultimately inspired him to play in a countless list of similarly unusual bands. To name merely a few, these have included Country Teasers, The Male person Nurse, The Stallion, The Visitor, The Devil, The Beale and his now-solo project The Rebel.

Wallers started recording his own music in 1989 but wasn't entirely happy with the results. He describes information technology as "bedroom, downer music". Upon hearing Tammy Wynette and The Carter Family he says: "I felt state music would lend to subject area to what I was doing. You had to have verses and choruses that rhymed and scanned. It was a skilful platform to pervert. If you spill out your guts over this template, it's non quite equally indulgent". Country Teasers' sound and concept was adequately simple. It used a template of discordant, twanging country riffs as the foundation for Ben's bitingly satirical spiel. "I recall I kind of decided to get into state because it was like the nigh obnoxious angle yous could have and I would be the coolest guy in Edinburgh. Which I was!" he says glibly.

Ahead of his upcoming Australian tour, nether the glow of a McDonalds sign on the wall of the basement of his current east London studio, I sat down with The Insubordinate to discuss his albums, the use of satire in his lyrics and the misanthropic acrimony much of his music seems to be venting.

Country Teasers - The Pastoral – Not Rustic – World of Their Greatest Hits (1995)

After forming in 1993, their debut LP was Country Teasers at their nigh raw and primitive. All the same, the title was Wallers' endeavor to distance the band from the garage-punk "oiks" they were increasingly associated with.

Ben Wallers: The pastoral in literature is man conquering nature, whereas the rustic is the wild and the romantic. And so the 'rustic' in the championship refers to the punks and the 'pastoral' was us, the sophisticates. It wasn't really an album with a concept though. It's definitely simplistic and I wanted it to sound a bit 'hick' but I wanted to make everything as disruptive as possible too. That'due south really important in art. If everything's really obvious and you get information technology straightaway you get bored with it, and then you have to make things difficult.

I tin can't let you get away without discussing 'Bitches' Fuck-Off'. How much of those lyrics come from genuine anger towards women and how much of information technology is satirical?

BW: Information technology's impossible for me to give an accurate respond because I wrote it and then long agone and my lyrics come out quite automatically. I don't know if I was satirizing anything. I call up I was merely capturing how I felt when I wrote the lyric. I don't care well-nigh the people that might take it completely at face up value. You shouldn't take anything at face value. The whole indicate well-nigh existence 'woke' is that you're aware of all the angles. I could be a misogynist only the problem is I'm a feminist likewise.

Country Teasers - Satan Is Real Again (1996)

On Satan Is Real Over again Wallers' lyrics began to embrace broader issues of race relations and morality as he saw it.

BW: This is the best Country Teasers album e'er made, although I detest information technology because it sounds really thin and tinny. We just had one twenty-four hour period recording and one mean solar day mixing and I think we all thought it sounded shit. That illustrates the indicate that the artist is the last person you should ask about their music. It's okay to hate your record considering your opinion doesn't actually count.

I can't remember why I wrote 'Black Change'. I never endeavor to address specific issues. The Mike Tyson reference would have just been something in the news at the time. On the title track I'm being open most having bad thoughts and existence into them. I remember writing that in a stream all at once and being quite pleased with myself.

The point at which your own opinions and those of the characters you lot create intersect is e'er interesting.

BW: Hopefully yous can't separate the two and that'due south why it'due south pleasurable and disruptive. If I'thou able to do it well then aye, I'll throw you off line by line. You'll think I'thousand horrible and so you'll think I'1000 really good. Sartre said if you believe in your morality then you'll want to prescribe it and be evangelical well-nigh information technology because you recollect that'due south the way we'll all go on best. And so plainly I do think I'1000 a good person but what's really interesting and good fun to write about is all the horrible things I call back almost.

Land Teasers - Destroy All Human Life (1999)

Their get-go studio anthology after the death of Country Teasers/Male Nurse guitarist Alan Crichton, this was the band at their most melancholic and mournful.

BW: Another album I'm very dissatisfied with the sound of. Left to my own devices I would have made them all sound bigger and heavier. Like Elastica or something!

I wrote the song 'Hairy Wine' almost Alan before he died. I remember gleefully playing it to balance of the band and the states all having a laugh at his expense because, you lot know, he was a miserable junkie! He was intolerable. Only he was a vivid guitarist and in a parallel universe it could have been cracking because he was such a potent character and he was really funny.

It is a sad record but that wasn't actually a deliberate affair. Alastair and Lawrence were in the ring and mayhap we were more like a existent state band on that album. Alastair's similar a kind of American stone hero, you know? Like a sexy man? 'Gold Apples' is our "hit". Millions of people have covered it. I don't really know why everyone loves that song and so much.

The reason I chosen the anthology Destroy All Human Life was because I was playing cricket one day and it was humid hot and nosotros were going to lose the friction match. My anger and misery crescendoed until the only way I could be satisfied in that moment was if all of humanity was destroyed by a nuclear bomb. All because of this cricket match.

Land Teasers - Science Hat Artistic Cube Moral Nosebleed Empire (2002)

In 2002 Country Teasers compiled a option of previously hard to observe or unreleased textile, as well as a number of Wallers' own iv-track recordings.

Why did you lot feel the need to compile those songs at the time?

BW: Sorry only it wasn't my thought. Information technology was Larry'southward from In The Red. He wanted to release all our difficult to find singles and 4-rails stuff that I thought would never see the light of solar day. I much prefer the audio I get on my 4-track tapes because I work really hard on those so obviously that's what I like. I was really happy that he wanted to release that stuff. There's lots of stuff on there that I wasn't attached to at all though.

In that location'southward an Water ice Cube cover on that record. How into hip hop are yous?

BW: I ever feel guilty when I talk about beingness into hip hop because I feel like a white tourist going out on safari in my jeep. I believe the rap I like is the best but I hate all these cunts I meet in the fucking newspaper like fucking Jay-Z! I fucking detest him! Almost as much as some of those white motherfuckers! When I heard Ice Cube's The Predator I was like: "I can't believe how good this is!" There are lots of discordant sounds and the drums are and then skillful. Only Kool Keith was the real thing for me.

The Rebel - Prawns (2005)

Subsequently a handful of self-released tapes and CDs under The Insubordinate moniker, Prawns felt similar Wallers' outset existent mission argument outside of the Country Teasers' brand. Its cover is emblazoned with his infamous Spakenkreuz symbol, a defaced swastika with a "broken arm".

BW: I'k then proud of the Spakenkreuz. To me it means an identity. I used to draw swastikas everywhere, equally we all exercise, because information technology's then fascinating and it's kind of a sex thrill isn't it? It's evil and it has some intrinsic beauty to it. I'm an anti-Nazi but I honey the power of the swastika as a symbol. Non the Indian peace one but the horrible one. When punks were going around wearing that, I agree with that attitude. It's like: "Fuck you lot grandpa, I'm a punk! Your society is shit!" So, beingness able to subvert it similar that is like a flim-flam where I get to be able to draw something like a swastika but it's a broken swastika. It'south like I've got the Nazis and I've broken their arm, so in that location we go, fuck the Nazis. Simply information technology also looks similar someone running in terror so that'south me and that'southward humans every bit well. It conveys everything. I can't believe someone hasn't offered me a load of money for information technology!

The sound on Prawns is very distinctive of The Rebel. It's touching and sentimental in parts but completely deranged at times.

BW: I can do that more with my solo stuff. When information technology's a band there'due south no time to do that. When I get a really nice sound and a vibe, information technology happens through the long and very involved procedure of recording on your own, when you become into that mini-universe in your headphones. The great masters (men and women) can do that in the studio because they've got the conviction, know-how, time and money. We never had that in Land Teasers.

Country Teasers - The Empire Strikes Back (2006)

The Empire Strikes Back is Country Teasers at their most refined and polished. Lyrically and musically it feels like a crystalisation of their manifesto and ethos.

BW: The masterpiece! I think we were all at the peak of our game then. I play 'Points Of View' live now which proves that I must recall it's a good song. The beat is from 'She'southward Lost Control' by Joy Division and I must have worked quite hard on the lyrics. The opening line is definitely an example of me not knowing what I was writing. I'chiliad only lucky that I happened upon that lyric instead of the really bad ones I wrote the first fourth dimension around. I do believe in God in a manner because I didn't brand all this happen on purpose and I make lots of mistakes. It'southward all just luck. Sometimes I experience frightened of a parallel universe where I fabricated another set of decisions and Country Teasers are a really pop, crap band and I'm actually happy and rich and able to take every bit many drugs as I wanted to and take prostitutes everywhere. You can't see this readers only this gaff is just fabricated for drugs and prostitutes!

The 'Empire' in the title is the British Empire. At the time it was obvious to me that that was what had caused the world's problems. That book on the comprehend is a existent volume. Information technology was well-nigh English language people objecting to clearing in the 70s. I'm patently a huge Star Wars fan so I couldn't believe it when I establish it. The anti-Englishness on the anthology is me expressing my guilt about being English and being at the eye of the empire that'due south caused all these problems.

The Insubordinate - Northern Rocks Bear Weird Vegetable (2008)

BW: I think this is a good album to talk near because information technology was like the next Country Teasers album. It was recorded in the studio with the band playing live. That tracklist would have been a State Teasers live setlist if we'd been agile at the time only we couldn't keep doing it considering we weren't all living in the same place anymore.

Nuclear annihilation is a topic that crops upwardly on a lot of your records. Is that something you fear or do y'all welcome it with open up arms?

BW: That fear was very big for people of my generation. Information technology's funny though because I don't feel it now. I exercise sing nearly information technology gleefully on 'Islamic republic of iran's Nuclear Threat'. The glee is in saying to the human race: "HA! HA! Y'all got what you deserved! You're all expressionless at present. You blew yourselves up, you dicks!" When I was a child I was really scared of the man race ending. I'm semi-serious at present when I say it would be better if the human being race ended because information technology'due south not all well-nigh u.s.. When we're gone the earth is going to really flourish. And so, I am semi-serious when I say: "HA! HA! Nosotros're all going to die!" But when I was little I actually earnestly didn't desire there to be a nuclear war. I didn't want the human race to end and was very sentimental about that. At the time I would have given Threads a fucking wide berth!

The Insubordinate - The Race Against Time Hots Upwards (2010)

With Country Teasers temporarily shelved, Wallers focused on his work as The Rebel more and more.

BW: I tried really hard on that one. On the anthology before that I was deliberately going for really obnoxious, long songs and stupid tricks and making it really difficult to heed to. On this album I wanted to do nice proper songs with proper lyrics that scanned and rhymed with proficient product. In those days I was recording in the garage of the flat where I lived and I had a drum kit. I could practise a shell and loop it on a mini disc. Then I would get to Scar Studios in Camden and record it kind of nice. I was trying to be honourable and make a proper record with proper songs!

You lot're known for lifting melodies or lyrics from other songs and sources. On 'To The Hereafter Or To The By: Greetings!' the lyrics are all readings from George Orwell'southward 1984. Do you share Orwell's bleak view of the future? A kicking stamping on a homo face up forever?



BW: I place with the feeling just I don't think I'one thousand as contemptuous equally Georgie. Out in that location there'southward a lot of humanity stamping on each other'due south faces but await at this right at present, you lot and me. George Orwell was very political and passionate and I'k not. I am sometimes simply by and large I'g just spooky, man! Building Lego and listening to The Fall. Most of the time I'k just fascinated with life as I'm living information technology so I'm non every bit cynical as Orwell only I know what he's maxim there is truthful.

The Rebel - KROT (2014)

BW: I'm very proud of KROT. Monofonus Press wanted me to do some other tape with them so I said: "Make me an offering I tin't refuse." They put me up in a shipping container on their lot in Austin and I gave them a shopping list of everything I wanted. I had bass guitars, iv-tracks, pulsate machines, keyboards, everything! I lived at that place and recorded 24/7. There'south bits of KROT where I'm non really hitting the notes vocally just I actually like the album. It's got a nice drum audio.

That sounds like an ideal state of affairs for yous but on the album you audio really depressed and yearning.

BW: Things were really dour and confused in my life at the time. Although I'd stopped drinking and taking drugs, everything else was actually hard for me. I don't know if I should go into my personal life or not. Is information technology private or what? My lyrics accept got more than personal over fourth dimension. There'southward a thrill near beingness honest in music and exaggerating your life and beingness clever with it and codifying it in certain ways.

The Stallion - The Night Side of The Wall (2017)

In recent years Ben and fellow Country Teaser, Alastair Mackinven set out on the herculean task of covering Pink Floyd'due south epic concept album The Wall in its entirety.

BW: Alastair and I started The Stallion in well-nigh 2000. We were DJing state music at The Blood-red King of beasts in Shoreditch. We were drinking a lot and having lots of fun. So we started playing live at The Mother Bar. Nosotros had rules like we'll merely play audio-visual guitars and only practice covers of the Carter Family unit or Leonard Cohen. Information technology was suicide! Just totally wrong for that oversupply! Then nosotros'd DJ after, which was the relief. Like: "Thank fuck we made it through that!"

Then a couple of years ago Alastair said we should cover The Wall. He's an artist and that'due south the kind of leap he'd make, from being in this country ring to covering The Wall. Obviously I love The Wall. I could listen to it for the rest of my life. Take the needle off and get-go again. Nosotros had GarageBand on his estimator and some mics and guitars. I wanted to practise it quite faithfully and Alastair wanted to really fuck with it. In the end nosotros but did whatever the hell we wanted.

I can't speak for Alastair but I don't recollect I'chiliad poking fun at the pomposity of that album. The Wall for me is burned into my hard drive. I can't not like it or expect at it objectively. People tell me the lyrics are embarrassing but I notice them hilarious and angry. When I got into it I was thirteen and I didn't know anything about anything. I mainly liked the sense of humor. Part of our whole approach to life is taking the piss out of things. Zero is sacred and Roger Waters is proficient to take the piss out of but I don't call back we're taking the piss on that tape.

Any departing words?

BW: These are the wrong questions, Ollie. Why don't y'all enquire me what my favourite color is? Brown. Or why I think that Seven and the Ragged Tiger is such an underrated Duran Duran anthology?

The Rebel will be playing his second annual residency at Brixton's Windmill in June this yr. He is currently on bout in Australia

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Source: https://thequietus.com/articles/24032-ben-wallers-the-rebel-country-teasers-interview

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