Interview: Funeral For A Friend

When one talks about the modern Welsh music scene, youÔÇÖd be hard pressed to avoid mention of Funeral For A Friend. Over the past twelve years, FuneralÔÇÖs emotive post-hardcore has inspired multiple generations, both in Wales and beyond. Tom Connick caught up with Gavin Burrough [guitar] and Rich Boucher [bass] ahead of their homecoming show at Cardiff UnionÔÇÖs Great Hall 2.

Welcome back to Cardiff! Obviously, youÔÇÖre quite local boys ÔÇô what does the Cardiff scene mean to you? Is it nice to return?
Gav: Yeah! ItÔÇÖs where we were all brought up, listening to music. I lived in Bridgend and we used to catch the train up, or cram into peoplesÔÇÖ cars and go and watch bands ever since I was allowed ÔÇô ever since my mam would let me!
And this venue in particular, IÔÇÖve watched a bunch of bands here. I think the first band I watched here was Deftones, when they were doing ÔÇÿAround The FurÔÇÖ [1997 sophomore album]. So itÔÇÖs always quite nice and nostalgic.

Have you got any other fond memories of Cardiff gigs ÔÇô whether your own or other bandsÔÇÖ?
Rich: Clwb Ifor Bach, I saw Circa Survive in there, which was a fantastic show. Must have been a couple of years ago now. IÔÇÖm not normally much of a singalong kinda guy, but I sang along with every word and found myself just being lost in it. And thatÔÇÖs not usually like me!

Many of your early shows were dictated by the ÔÇÿBetween Order & ModelÔÇÖ EP, which youÔÇÖre now repressing on vinyl. What sparked the decision to return to that EP?
Gav: It was actually the idea of the guy who mixed it. He brought it to us and was like ÔÇ£IÔÇÖve remixed the tracksÔÇØ, and basically the intention of the record label who released that first release was to re-release it as their final release, cause theyÔÇÖre about to throw in the towel or whatever. So we decided that would be a brilliant idea, and also with this tour we can commemorate it by playing the EP in full, which I donÔÇÖt think has been done, especially in order, since the band started.

Are any of the band vinyl collectors themselves?
Gav: I donÔÇÖt, but Matt [Davies-Kreye, vocals] loves vinyl ÔÇô youÔÇÖll find a plethora of vinyl at his house. I havenÔÇÖt got the room sadly, but itÔÇÖs all on the iPod now!

So like you say, youÔÇÖre taking the opportunity to go back and play through your first EPs on this tour. As newer members of the band [Gav joined in 2008, Rich in 2010] how do you guys feel about looking back to the early days? Were you fans before you joined?
Gav: It always feels like I was part of it, because Kris [Coombs-Roberts, guitar] and Ryan [Richards, former drummer] are very good friends of mine. Me and Kris grew up playing guitar together, and Ryan was in my old band Hondo Maclean. I remember them showing me the ideas for the songs, when they were first recording and listening back. So I always felt almost part of it ÔÇô very connected to it. So when we were rehearsing the songs to play them live, it didnÔÇÖt feel we were trying to replicate anything, you just feel like youÔÇÖre part of it.

YouÔÇÖve experimented quite a lot with your sound across the twelve years youÔÇÖve been a band. Do you feel youÔÇÖve found it now, or will you keep experimenting?
Rich: ItÔÇÖs hard to say, that.

Gav: Yeah, it probably stems from everyone being a little bit different in the band. MattÔÇÖs musical tastes are probably a lot different to, say, KrisÔÇÖ musical tastes, and thatÔÇÖs where that kind of friction comes from. We never really tried to do anything, it just sort of happened, so sometimes we wouldnÔÇÖt get it right. But it feels right at the time. The next album might be a rockabilly fuckinÔÇÖ thing!

Rich: Ill dust off the double-bass

Gav: I think the softer material is not really Funeral For A Friend. I think thatÔÇÖs probably something that we will stay away from.

Not particularly fond of Tales DonÔÇÖt Tell Themselves [2007 album] anymore then?
Gav: The way Matt and Kris feel about it, and itÔÇÖs probably the way I feel about it as well listening to it as an outsider is that it doesnÔÇÖt really sound like a Funeral For A Friend album – it sounds like another band. We all think itÔÇÖs a really good album, but it definitely didnÔÇÖt represent what the band had done before that, and with Conduit (the last album) and Welcome Home Armageddon, weÔÇÖve tried to take what we think our bandÔÇÖs good at and stick them back in so itÔÇÖs more similar to the earlier stuff.

You say you all feel itÔÇÖs a good album – would you ever like the opportunity to explore that sound under a different moniker?
Gav: I think maybe at the time thatÔÇÖs probably what should have happened! [laughs] But yeah, we donÔÇÖt play any songs at all off it any more.

One thing I always find interesting about Funeral is your transparency when youÔÇÖre evolving. With things like The Young & Defenceless [2010 EP, available to online ÔÇÿpledgersÔÇÖ] and the Your History Is Mine [2009 ÔÇÿgreatest hitsÔÇÖ compilation] youÔÇÖre always very clear about where youÔÇÖre going next. Is this something thatÔÇÖs important to you ÔÇô rather than jumping from album to album, trying to keep a constant flow of evolution in the sound?
Gav: You donÔÇÖt know where youÔÇÖre really going to go with things, so people bring ideas and then when something connects itÔÇÖs like ÔÇ£oh yeah, thatÔÇÖs where weÔÇÖre going!ÔÇØ, so thatÔÇÖs what happened with the two EPs you mentioned.
The last album, it was High Castles [single, first seen on 2011ÔÇÖs ÔÇÿSee You All In HellÔÇÖ EP and later featured on 2013ÔÇÖs Conduit] that was the first song we wrote for it, and that set the wheels in motion then of writing a heavier album.

As well as trying out different sounds, throughout your career youÔÇÖve also utilised different label structures. YouÔÇÖve self-released things in the past, and worked with both independents and majors ÔÇô is there a method you prefer? What does each offer to a band of your level?
Gav: WeÔÇÖve always had complete control over everything, even when the boys were signed to Warner. It wasnÔÇÖt the case ÔÇô like some people think ÔÇô that they tinker with things. We were allowed to do what we wanted to do musically.
But I suppose with an independent, itÔÇÖs a lot closer. ThereÔÇÖs less people working in the company; you know everyoneÔÇÖs face. Whereas in a bigger company, where thereÔÇÖs a lot more people involved, the control of everything else is taken out of your hands.
Now, particularly, weÔÇÖre really happy with how weÔÇÖre doing things with Distiller Records, because every decision thatÔÇÖs to do with the band, we make it.

Conduit [latest album] has been really well received, with a lot of people saying itÔÇÖs a step back in the right direction. What is that direction? WhatÔÇÖs next for Funeral For A Friend?
Rich: ItÔÇÖs hard to say really ÔÇô weÔÇÖve just started writing for the new record, but who knows! WeÔÇÖre all about just playing to our strengths, and thatÔÇÖs writing big, catchy songs, that are heavy but have a great sense of melody. ThatÔÇÖs what Funeral For A Friend is, and thatÔÇÖs what it should be.

Check out our review of the show here. Big thanks to the band and to Orchard EntertainmentÔÇÖs Gregory Barton.