YMC chatted to Freyed Knot at the Plugged in Yorkshire gig.
YMC: We're backstage at The Cockpit with Freyed Knot who just played an absolutely fantastic set, did you enjoy that?
YMC: We're backstage at The Cockpit with Freyed Knot who just played an absolutely fantastic set, did you enjoy that?
Freyed Knot: Yes it was great, to say it was such an early gig
YMC: Can you just introduce yourselves and say what you do in the band?
FK: I'm XP and I rap. I'm Nick and I play bass, I'm Rach and I play bari sax, I'm Ben and I play guitar, I'm Jonathan, I play drums. I'm JD and I also rap. I'm Tom and I play alto sax
YMC: With seven people in a band is it difficult to co-ordinate, all get together for practice, is it a logistical nightmare.
FK: Well we've been together for about three years now, well some are newer than others, but we're all good mates, so its not so much of a problem because its not just a professional outfit its more a bunch of friends having a good time.
YMC: Who were the original members?
FK: It started with me (XP) and JD and then we decided we needed a band and we got in touch with a mutual friend who had friends which were Nick and Jonny who were at Bradford music college and some others joined, and that was the original band and then we've gone through a few metamorphosis until we've arrived at what we've got now.
YMC: Do some of you write the music and some do the rap parts?
FK: We generally just try and thrash it out in band practices really and see what we come up with, someone will present an idea musically and it becomes something that everyone's done.
YMC: Are you from Bradford, Leeds?
FK: We're from Bradford, Leeds and Manchester and Scotland and Aberdeen and somewhere down South
YMC: What do you think of the Bradford scene at the moment? Are there enough venues?
FK: JD was on a documentary for Bradford Music saying it was dying a bit and it kind of is. Bradford's dying a bit as a city coz the council haven't been very responsible especially in creative arts and they're not very respectful of the bands who are trying to push themselves so that can be a bit of a pain. People are there, they're just under the surface but its the same for everyone making independent music right now, if you don't have a bundle of money behind you its hard to get known.
People don't like booking rap bands, they think its knife crime and urban, we got booked for a gig by an undisclosed Leeds venue for Christmas and then they unbooked us because the manager found out we were hip-hop, never listened to us before - but said we were too urban for Christmas! But when we played there, we rocked it - everyone went crazy and it was rammed. But because we're hip-hop we're violent people!
YMC: So do you play mostly in Leeds then?
FK: Yes, quite a lot in Leeds, 3 of us are based in Leeds so its easier to get around, then its West Yorkshire and beyond! wherever really just to make our reputation grow.
YMC: Do you think some cities respond better to you music, do you pick that up from audiences?
FK: Festival are usually quite good, we did a festival in the summer called Rough Beats and it was epic. It was in North Yorkshire.
YMC: I can see you going down really well at a festival
FK: Yes we did.
YMC: Well the next band are just starting so we'll have to leave it there.
FK: Bye!
Find out more about Freyed Knot on www.myspace.com/freyedknot
