Liverpool pop-punk band Queen Zee Head to Think Tank? Underground, Newcastle this month so Lee Allcock caught up with them to talk about their debut album, record labels and Iggy Pop.
Your live shows are known for being raucous affairs, so can we expect your debut album to be just as energetic?
You should expect no less. Queen Zee is all about creating chaos. Now, that might not always be in a traditional punk format, but the energy, the vibrancy, the explosion of it should always be there; it should be a rainbow Godzilla kicking the shit out of you.
Why did you decide that it was better to release your record on your own label (Sasstone Records) rather than work with a label?
We had a few label offers but nothing that made us feel at home. I’m very particular over making sure everything we do is to the absolute highest standard. As we’re all perfectionists, we felt like we could do it better ourselves on this one and it has set us up to work with a label in the future.
You’ve recently finished touring with Dream Wife. What was that like? And did they give you any advice?
It was like a boot camp – I learnt from them every night. They really know how to marry joyful energetic music with a powerful message which is harder than it seems. Very often being overly political is a bit of a turn off as people want to escape from the depressing nature of it all, yet Dream Wife have made their music so fun and colourful that you want to scream the words in opposition to all the bullshit you face.
Iggy Pop has declared that he’s a fan of yours. That must feel a little bit surreal?
Totally surreal as the guy is a legend. He was friends with David Bowie, he hangs out with The Ramones, and he’s been there and done it more than anyone else. For us to measure up enough to make his record collection is something pretty special.
And finally, what is your take on British guitar bands at the moment? Do you feel that there’s been a decline in recent years in terms of both numbers and quality?
There’s definitely no decline as there are loads of bands. Technology is making it easier to exist but it’s just slightly harder to “do it” in the same way bands used to. By that I mean there’s an overpopulation of guitar bands than people who want to listen to it, so people are less likely to give you a shout. You’ve got to be really good, work really hard, be original, be fresh, be the best of the best and most importantly open minded – but just enjoy it. That’s what I do; I love Queen Zee, our record, our shows and all our fans.
Queen Zee head to Think Tank? Underground, Newcastle on Thursday 21st February. Tickets, priced at £7.70 (including booking fee), are available from seetickets.com.
