Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Interviews with the band, Carl McCoy and/or various band members. Transcribed and translated interviews are most welcome.

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scardwel
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Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by scardwel » Wed Feb 06, 2013 10:30 pm

http://www.hailsandhorns.com/featuresan ... jeff-lowe/

EDIT: Looks like the site has been taken down but I managed to cut n paste these bits:
--
I have to ask about your involvement with FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM, how the hell did that happen? I would just never picture a guitarist such as your self being in that band.

I was contacted by their manager as they wanted to do a comeback gig after 7 years or so. It was very important to them, it was called “The 24th Moment”. I was on one of those “low ebbs” at the time and so I needed a big gig to get my confidence back. There were auditions for the role and Carl liked what I was doing and the sound I made. We must have rehearsed 24 times for that first gig. I lost my job from taking time off for the rehearsals and got paid a total of £250 for everything!

Shortly afterwards Steve Ignorant asked me to join him so FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM became superfluous to me. Carl had these huge festivals appearances booked , 10,000 capacity shows and he had this huge rehearsal regime which would mean I’d be taking hours off from earning any money and also spending on fuel and travel expenses but he only wanted to pay £200 for each show. I respect Carl and he has created an empire that really works. He’s 100% committed but it isn’t my idea of the ideal gig by a long shot, sorry. It was one of those underpaid session gigs.

For me, FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM typically had a very slow almost labored sound. Did you have much “room” to express yourself?

When we played “The 24th Moment” show it felt exciting and fresh. After that gig the second I tried to put a tiny bit of expression as subtle as the smallest touch of a wah wah pedal and Carl would raise the roof. We got into arguments and so went our separate ways. I was never a fan of the band in the first place so I was reluctant to have this unpaid session musician role so I made an attempt to be his right hand man and for a while I was. Then it turned around and I was another faceless musician.

I heard a rumor that the band members used to cover themselves in flour to give them that dusty, straight off the ranch look. True or false?

It’s true all right and don’t forget about the hats and the contact lenses. He (Carl McCoy) forced me to wear hair extensions which his daughter Scarlet fitted and he then got me to pay her for it! McCoy arranged a photo shoot with “The band” and I knew nothing of it. He had arranged for a bunch of unknown guys to attend the shoot as “The Nephilim”. I didn’t fcuking like that move. The gigs I played were filmed but I was never allowed to even see the footage; I hate to say it but it reminds me of another lead singer I know! Basically it’s his gig and you (I) are nothing more than commodity.

:shock:
Last edited by scardwel on Thu Feb 07, 2013 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Pale Rider
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Pale Rider » Thu Feb 07, 2013 2:08 am

Yeah, interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.
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Jessica
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Jessica » Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:38 am

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squishy
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by squishy » Thu Feb 07, 2013 11:06 pm

What GB says is to a great extent self-contradictory. So why did he leave the band? So does he respect McCoy? So did he enjoy being in the band? So why did he join it? So who did he want to be when in the band?

It mostly fails to make sense, I'm afraid. Apart from the stuff that we've known about all along, of course - that GB was just a hired hand, that McCoy is the anal uber-controller, etc..
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Jessica
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Jessica » Fri Feb 08, 2013 8:57 am

You're right Squishy and also seems strange that none of the other "was forced" to put extension and lenses :twisted:
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by NorthernNephilim » Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:03 am

Did he asked Snake to wear Extensions? :lol:

interesting interview...
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Jessica
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Jessica » Fri Feb 08, 2013 11:16 am

:lol: ahah nice, but I'm afraid that in this case a wig it is required :P
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Kostas
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Kostas » Sat Feb 09, 2013 4:50 pm

interesting interview indeed. I believe him though, he doesn't have any reason to lie. Anyway this is what happens when you have hired hands in the band. That's why a "band" must be a band of comrades. Pettitt, Yates, Wright bros back in the band NOW please
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by bjornrazor » Sat Feb 09, 2013 6:05 pm

Jessica wrote::lol: ahah nice, but I'm afraid that in this case a wig it is required :P

You won't see Tim a.k.a 'Snake' again!!! Not in the Nephilim!!!!
He's also quit the band!!!!

Gives a bit of weight to Gizz's interview?
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Jessica » Sat Feb 09, 2013 6:43 pm

bjornrazor wrote:
Jessica wrote::lol: ahah nice, but I'm afraid that in this case a wig it is required :P

You won't see Tim a.k.a 'Snake' again!!! Not in the Nephilim!!!!
He's also quit the band!!!!

Gives a bit of weight to Gizz's interview?
I'm sorry he'quit, I'm sure of the fact that Carl is a difficult person, but it's hard to believe that he can force someone to do something. It seems strange that Gizz's the only one to be forced to do something. I'm not saying he's lying, but that his point of view seems a bit distorted. Maybe it's easy to think that Carl is a despot, maybe he is, but the he is FOTN, I think it's his right to choose what to do with his band. :wink:
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Ngie » Sat Feb 09, 2013 7:48 pm

Jessica wrote: I'm sorry he'quit, I'm sure of the fact that Carl is a difficult person, but it's hard to believe that he can force someone to do something. It seems strange that Gizz's the only one to be forced to do something. I'm not saying he's lying, but that his point of view seems a bit distorted. Maybe it's easy to think that Carl is a despot, maybe he is, but the he is FOTN, I think it's his right to choose what to do with his band. :wink:
It's more likely forcing the hand I suppose. From what Gizz Butt said he'd probably felt in an unconfortable position if he'd refused to pay afterwards for something that had been done for him even he'd not ask for it but was asked by Carl. Carl's daughter probably didn't know about that. Wishing not to argue, GB like most people do in those kind of situations accepted and said nothing at the time, although he didn't apreciate the practice.
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by bjornrazor » Sat Feb 09, 2013 7:54 pm

"It seems strange that Gizz's the only one to be forced to do something. I'm not saying he's lying, but that his point of view seems a bit distorted." :roll:

The day Gizz and co were at the hair salon getting there hair dyed blond for the astoria 24th moment gig - Lee the drummer
done a runner and went home!!! Totally true.

Gav King HAD to wear a beret, he must have felt like Frank Spencer!!! :lol:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff98 ... pencer.jpg
which is probably better than resembling Windy Miller *whistle*
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/610 ... trmptn.jpg
Gizz Butt has given his account which is just as credible as anyone butt you won't beleive? *whistle*
Force could well mean pressured which seems to be the case here?
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by markandre13 » Sat Feb 09, 2013 11:08 pm

Western style hats would've been far more important.

Hair... I wonder whose idea it was for the hairdo in the Sumerland video.
Kostas wrote:Anyway this is what happens when you have hired hands in the band. That's why a "band" must be a band of comrades. Pettitt, Yates, Wright bros back in the band NOW please
*notworthy* *notworthy* *notworthy*

Who knows for how long we will still walk this earth. Make it zoon!!!

200£ per musician per gig... We should be able to get 1000£ together!
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Jessica » Sun Feb 10, 2013 9:28 am

bjornrazor wrote:"It seems strange that Gizz's the only one to be forced to do something. I'm not saying he's lying, but that his point of view seems a bit distorted." :roll:

The day Gizz and co were at the hair salon getting there hair dyed blond for the astoria 24th moment gig - Lee the drummer
done a runner and went home!!! Totally true.

Gav King HAD to wear a beret, he must have felt like Frank Spencer!!! :lol:
http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff98 ... pencer.jpg
which is probably better than resembling Windy Miller *whistle*
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/610 ... trmptn.jpg
Gizz Butt has given his account which is just as credible as anyone butt you won't beleive? *whistle*
Force could well mean pressured which seems to be the case here?
No, no I believe, I just say that if you don't wont to do a think you have the option to say no instead of complaining later.
Many bands have a dress code... however, the beret is cool :mrgreen:
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Kostas » Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:09 am

Not completed related to the interview issue, but - since it came up - I' d love Nephilim band members to wear flour,dust or lenses because they really like it themselves, not just because it's the "job requirements" ....If you ask me, Carter was a true Neph type. He should be in the band (but first I'll go for Pettitt,Yates, Wright bros *cthulhu* )
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by angry bob » Sun Feb 10, 2013 3:32 pm

"I was contacted by their manager as they wanted to do a comeback gig after 7 years or so. It was very important to them, it was called “The 24th Moment”. I was on one of those “low ebbs” at the time and so I needed a big gig to get my confidence back."

That clearly explains why he joined the band doesn't it? Playing with legendary name, presumably sold out gig at the london venue of 2000 capacity isn't bad idea of reminding about oneself... even if you gonna get shitty money or be asked to do couple of odd things regarding the image.
The other guys that've been doing this with McCoy for last 6 years must be well aware there is no band, but they just wanna rock and have bit of fun playing across europe. Important factor is that there is no, let's say, emotional relation between 'em and McCoy. They were new to the Nephilim and events like WGT or Meraluna. Now imagine any of the old members being asked to join again for 250 quid per night. They wouldn't even piss on McCoy with offer like that.

FOTN is Carl/Rob's brand to make few quid from gigs, t-shirts, bullshit announcements about new material coming out, and mediocre trip to the past called Ceromonies :?
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by Enoch » Sun Feb 10, 2013 8:27 pm

Besides the rather uncofortable, however not unexpected, image-pressure and sad payment, there are two things which I think are a shame from a listener's perspective:

- From what little I've heard of that lineup, I do think Gizz Butt could have brought some fresh feeling into the sound of the Nephs

- Snake quit? Oh no, please no :( He had that sound pretty well nailed - best bass player in all the post-Pettit Neph lineups :/



Regarding the image-thing: it's damn hard to have a band with a certain appearance, replace all its members while still calling it the same band, if it consists of different members, sounds differently and looks different as well... There's one thing that's relatively easy to control, and that is the looks. Anyway, all the band could end up is something artifical and forced, and it's not handled well.
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by EatKnuckle » Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:15 am

Any more information abut Snake quitting?

If true, get back Tony *smoking*

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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by squishy » Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:06 pm

So Snake's out? Well well well. Not good news, I suppose. Can't say I'm really arsed, though. Now anymore. Although he was a jolly good bass player...
Kostas wrote:interesting interview indeed. I believe him though, he doesn't have any reason to lie.


He may have every reason in the world to smear any person dead or alive. Human beings are hardly rational. And what he's saying doesn't add up in the end. Still, any part of it may be true.
Kostas wrote:Anyway this is what happens when you have hired hands in the band. That's why a "band" must be a band of comrades. Pettitt, Yates, Wright bros back in the band NOW please
Making FotN into a band again - yes please.

Old line-up reunion - no thanks, I'm afraid. As far as I'm concerned, you can't reheat the scrambled eggs you cooked two decades ago. Or rather you can - but such dishes are very seldom edible. Usually it's better not to even sniff them. I'm still scarred and bruised by the Stooges reunion album.

On the other hand, miracles sometimes do occur (looking at you, Anastasis)
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Re: Interview with Gizz Butt (ex-FoTN)

Post by squishy » Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:15 pm

angry bob wrote:FOTN is Carl/Rob's brand to make few quid from gigs, t-shirts, bullshit announcements about new material coming out, and mediocre trip to the past called Ceromonies :?
I disrespectfully disagree.

Ceremonies is a very good live album.
Also, we've got no idea what FotN's raison d'etre is.

On a side note... I wonder if 250 quid is really so offending a sum. You know, FotN are hardly a best selling-act these days. They do headline this or that every now and then, true, but I wonder if it's because they sell so well - or because they're a legend that, say, German organisers do respect a lot. For the sake of the good old times, etc.

Just thinking aloud.
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