NME like making up stories on how they met, middle aged ladies mistake members for Nicky Sixx on the street, they DJ with Har Mar Superstar, opened for Ladytron and The Rapture, and Dazed and Confused Magazine has given them an award for one of the best new acts of 2003. They’re described as “Glamtronic” and in their own words “Psycho Pop”. Jerky guitars, a drum machine, beautiful hair and looks that seem like they’ve been time warped from, well, the bizarre… you get the picture. Don’t be mistaken though. They’re NOT fashionable, so, Electroclash Scenesters - stay away scum! There’s no Irony here… this is Leed’s Black Wire. (From here on, Cord Magazine's questions are in blue. Artist responses are in grey.)

Who are you?

TOM: I’m Tom and I play bass.

SI: Si. Guitar.

DAN: Dan and I sing.

Where did you meet?

Si: Well Dan and I have known each other since we were like eight years old. We grew up in Middlesburgh so we knew each other in school and then we moved to Leeds to go to university, and then we met Tom. Yeah, it depends on who you’re asking. If you ask NME they’ll tell you a completely different story apparently. We didn’t like Tom at first…

Dan: Who?

Tom: Yeah.

Si: But then we ended up living together.

Well maybe you didn’t get along well because your astro signs didn’t mix well. What are they?

Tom: I’m Aries.

Si: I’m Sagittarius.

Dan: I’m Cancer.

Tom: I remember because I read your stars at the beginning of the day. It’s a sign of a good relationship (Smiling).

What was it like growing up in Middlesbrough?

Dan: What was it like? Um, terrible. Naw, it’s like there’s not much to do and it’s very industrial and quite scary. They don’t like people with long hair or any ideas.

Si: Drink underage, get drunk, and sex really. Like 35 girls out of my year at thirteen got pregnant.

Dan: Cheapest heroin in the country as well. It’s, like, got a thriving drug scene! (Laughs) It’s like when you’re sixteen there’s no good bands or anything like that so you’ve got to create your own entertainment. Luckily, Si started playing guitar and that has led to this… so, without Middlesburgh there’d be nothin.

What inspired you and your music?

Dan: It was like when we moved to Leeds and Si being in a band I used to go with him and everything like that, but I used to always, just like, stood in the wings watching. But I wanted to be in a band but I didn’t think I could or anything, but then I started singing and it just kind-of stuck.

Tom: (Affirmatively) Yeah.

What about the Dazed and Confused Award?

Si: Oh, for the Dazed and Confused Award we put some demos together in my bedroom and, uh, we hadn’t started the band we just started messing about together, put a few tracks together and then sent it off. And then we became second in like "New Music”.

Dan: We sent it out on the last day as well! It was the deadline as well. We only did it because we had the music. Why not send it off to this competition? It just happened at the time. That was in February?

Si: Yeah. January (or something) 2003.

How do you think your audiences perceive you?

Tom: I dunno really. It’s changed quite a bit recently.

Dan: Yeah.

Tom: At the beginning they thought we were like a fashion band, and then Electroclash because we have a drum machine.

Dan: But then that died out and we stuck around.

Si: There’s nothing really fashionable about our music, nothing really fashionable.

Tom: No.

Si: If it were fashionable we’d probably sound like The Ordinary Boys.

Tom: Yeah.

So people thought you were doing the whole 80’s ironic thing?

Tom: Em, I don’t know. When we started I think they did, but, um, no - there’s no irony in Black Wire what so ever.

Why Black Wire and not, er, Blue or Green?

Si: Black’s just cool really.

Tom: Something dark! (Laughs) Don’t say that!

Are there any places or scenes you’d like to check out?

Si: Um, certainly not New Cross.

Where’s that?

Tom: We don’t know.

Si: Somewhere in London. South of the bridge?

Tom: Yeah, everything seems to be “New Cross” at the minute.

Dan: I’d like to go to Japan, and I’d like to go to New York again just cause it’s the best place probably.

Have you been?

Dan: Yeah, yeah.

What did you like about it?

Dan: Um, just everything about it, except the weather because I went in January and it was like snow. But, like, it just felt exciting and like things were happening and stuff there. I hear it’s strange now. I went a few years ago.

I’m sure you’ll tour there.

All together: Hope so.

Si: I’m happy to go anywhere really! (Laughter) The farthest I’ve been is Belgium and there was dog shit everywhere. Horrible. (More Laughter) I’ll go anywhere really.

What influenced you?

Tom: Um, we’ve all got the same things: The Specials, The Cramps, The Cribs, Eighties Matchbox B line Disaster, Sex Pistols, Clash, Dexie’s Midnight Riders.

Dan: The Band.

Tom: Yeah, cause you’re a hippy.

Are there any albums in your record collection that you’ll always come back to?

Si: The Specials I recon. Definitely.

Dan: Uh, apart from that, The Jam “In the City”, I’ll always love that.

Si: “Transformer” – Lou Reed, as well.

Tom: I dunno “OK Computer” by Radiohead.

Dan: I’ll bet you never listen to that!

Tom: Yeah well, bloody “Transformer” or whatever you said! (Laughter)

Si: Yeah, but that’s like quirky.

Dan: Yeah, it’s real.

Tom: Well does it really matter? No. Right. Good! Next question!

What’s your knowledge of Canada like?

Dan: Avril Lavigne is from there.

Tom: Lots of mountains and stuff. Bears.

Dan: “Aboot” (Laughter)

Tom, how’d you get the name “Greatorex”?

Tom: Em, from my mom and dad. It’s my real name.

It’s your real name? That’s your last name?!

Tom: Yeah, I’ll show ya (Shows his National Insurance card with, indeed, Greatorex as his last name).

Wow!

Tom: We found out where it came from, it’s Scandinavian, from a bunch of miners.

How would you describe you own music?

Dan: Psycho Pop.

Tom: Yeah, that’s a fair description.

Si: Came up with that in the car, “Psycho Pop”, that’s what we’d call ourselves.

Tom: Schizophrenic pop.

So are you signed to anyone at the moment?

Si: Well no because singles sell quite a bit independent.

Dan: (Sarcastically) We didn’t want to make any money! (Laughs)

Si: It’s like, bands who get signed to a small record label lose the deal within six months and it seems a bit, well… we’re trying to build up a reputation first.

Tom: Take it with us than move to a major label. It’s less work for them to do which they seem to like, so it will be easier.

How often do you look of into the far off future?

Tom: Take every day as it comes! (Laughter) Dan: Everyday is a new hand.

Si: Probably September when the albums done.

Together: Yeah.

Elsewhere

By Amy Hanson
Photos : Amy Hanson
Published : September 7, 2004.