The USA (Undying Swan Act) Interview
The USA (AKA Undying Swan Act) Interview with Pete Devine of Pete’s Rock News and Views (http://petesrocknewsandviews.com)
PD. What type of band are you?
Warwick (USA). Well Pete, despite our name, we are a very English band. We are a bit left field I 
guess …and just a little bit weird, but we mean well. There is myself on guitar (Warwick Eede), Jon Parkinson (our primary song-writer and vocalist …and bass player) and the brilliant Chris Scott on drums (when we can get him) our mate, Nicky has filled in on occasion. We do a blend of punk, skiffle, folk and it tends to come out pretty much ‘alt rock’.
We do a blend of punk, skiffle, folk and it tends to come out pretty much ‘alt rock’.
PD. Tell us the brief history of yourself.
Warwick (USA). Chris and Jon knew each other as young teens in Boston Lincs, I joined up with their band ‘sherman’ (which had other members too) when I was 18 (about 1998). Jon had some touring success, and an album with another band from Boston called ‘Zero Point’ in the early noughties. The three of us got back together in late 2014 and since then we have produced two studio albums, the latest one, last month – ‘Boston Beast’
PD. Who are your musical and non-musical influences?
Warwick (USA). Initially, …back then, we were all into Mogwai, mercury rev, Arab strap, Beck and Radiohead, which we still are… but we’ve gone further back in time in adding to our our tastes of late …The Fall, Slits, Syd Barrett, Beefheart among others.
Well now, Non musically speaking, Chris is an old Newcastle fan (when they were still good😹) so he’d probably say shearer or Ginola. For me, funny men like Norman wisdom, Tony Hancock and Peter Sellers. I’m sure Jon has some Indian blood or something, so I’m gonna say ‘Geronimo’ for him.
PD. What are your dreams and goals?
Warwick (USA). Just to keep our music coming. There’s a reason we are doing it, and my wallet
knows it’s not for financial gain. We just want to offer punters who catch us live, an alternative to the predictable cover-band gravy train. They might not realise it yet but they’ve got keen musical tastes hidden in there, even if Simon cowell and the like have done their best to kill the grass roots of music, some shoots will keep coming (Listen to me, talking like cantona.)
We just want to offer punters who catch us live, an alternative to the predictable cover-band gravy train.
PD. Who writes your songs, what are they about?
Warwick (USA). Jon writes all our lyrics, although sometimes Chris or myself might give him an idea that he picks up on, but I think a lot of them are about our home town, Boston. Some are definitely about being stuck in minimum wage work situations and using his imagination to break out of the employment, food on the table, treadmill, mindset.
PD, How do you promote your band and shows?
Warwick (USA). We are not great at self promotion really, pretty hopeless eh? Seriously though… We just want to take it gig by gig and one set of punters at a time. We don’t want to end up losing our souls to the big social media arsekiss that so many willingly queue up for. We’d much rather come to someone like you, Pete, who calls a spade a spade and doesn’t broadcast on twitter every time he takes a dump, and you like the stranglers! Can’t be bad. So… in answer to your question, we know what we are, and it ain’t Duran Duran.
PD. What do you think about downloading music online?
Warwick (USA). Its great. It gives lads like us the chance to release a proper full-on album without having to shell out for hundreds/thousands of cds up front. It’s caused a mess for the industry but that doesn’t effect us too badly. Having said that…I can’t remember ever actually downloading a song. I’ve just always gone to our local indie shop.
Its great. It gives lads like us the chance to release a proper full-on album without having to shell out for hundreds/thousands of cds up front.
PD. What’s your outlook on the record industry today?
Warwick (USA). There doesn’t seem to be many radio stations/ record companies that are pioneering enough to play music that would offer a change from the norm. The regime of the panelled TV music contest has done a lot of damage to punters tastes. I really think a lot of people have actually forgotten how good music can be, and not settle for a sham dreamed up by people with capped teeth who have holiday homes in Cannes. And on a different note, I’d like to see more teenage kids developing tastes for indie rock and a bit less for grime …sorry stormzy mate.
PD. What song do you wish you’d written and why?
Warwick (USA). What, me personally? Ok, I’m gonna say frankly mr shankly.“I didn’t realise that you wrote poetry, didn’t realise you wrote such bloody awful poetry …shankly”
PD. What are some of your pet peeves?
Warwick (USA). Pop stars who call themselves ‘artists’… hello? Picasso was an Artist! Pollack, Emin?… innit marvellous
PD. What is your proudest moment in music?
Warwick (USA). Definitely the release of our new album, ‘Boston Beast’; the songs’ the artwork …everything.
PD. Tell us about your next shows and why we should be there.
Warwick (USA). 22nd of September – the church keys bar, Boston (just near the footbridge) Come and see an original act! We’ll make it worth it to you.
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