Burn The Fleet

Introducing: Burn The Fleet

If you’ve ever seen Burn The Fleet live then you will have first hand experience of the energy and hype that this local quartet can create. If not, then it goes a little something like this… Frontman/bassist/lead singer Andrew Convey steps forward, raises a hand, to which the crowd responds to by bellowing "Prepare The Sails", kick starting the first line of the song ‘Nautilus’. From that second on, Burn The Fleet have the undivided attention of everyone in the room. Elaborate post-hardcore songs resonate with great musical prowess and very little effort, as brooding intricate melodies are sliced with forceful breaks, as Convey and Swabey’s voices dual in harmony. The crowd echoes their lyrics in a choir of voices, and eventually take over for their final song ‘Handfuls of Sand’; a mass sing along that has the floors trembling and your arms goose pimpling, as every hand is raised and every voice cries in A Cappella; ‘I beat my hands against my chest, I beat my hands against my chest, and sing I’m alive.’ [Mo’Live - Friday January 22, 2010]

I gave the boys from Burn the Fleet a camera to play interviewer and interviewee during band practice; here is an insight in to the complex minds of Andrew Convey, Jack Spurway and James Swabey. (Ross Barbour was in the studio editing the bands exclusive cover of Cheryl Cole and Will I Am ‘Three Words’)

Jack – Hello Guys.

Andy – Hi.

James –Hi.

Jack – I guess a good question for bands is what bands have you grown up listening to? What bands influence you? Where are you from musically? What is your heritage?

Andy – I pretty much grew up listening to what everyone else listened to, when I was 15, 16, Nu Metal and stuff like that, so like Limp Bizkit, stuff that got you in to the heavy rock end, Incubus, whatever was on Kerrang TV.

My music heritage comes from my Mum and Dad who were really in to Mo-town, Billy Joel and Fleetwood Mac.

James – Mate can I answer you in a bit? I honestly can’t think.

Jack – Just carry on.

James – Well I’m going to have to say Sikth.

Jack – Really? What did you listen to before Sikth?

James – Mate, I can’t I’m so unprepared.

Jack – Okay, Okay, Okay.

Local Southampton Band Towers are practising in the Room next door.

Andy – They cut out a song.

Jack – Have they?

Andy – This bit is too early.

Jack – Right…okay James, what do you think takes a band from being a good local band with decent plays and good professionalism, but what takes them to the next stage. What do bands need to do to get that boost from a local stage to a national stage?

James – I’d say it’s who you know, basically to start touring to get the word out is the next step I think that’s the only thing to do.

Jack – Andy?

Andy – I think you have to become popular in your own area first and then gradually move outwards, sort of thing, playing out of town shows that’s going to help. Once you’re in a comfortable enough place, where you have fans that will travel that.

Jack – As musicians and as you’ve gone to a sort of national playfield, what equipment to you guys trust? What brands do you use?

Andy – I’m personally a Fender Guitar person so like I use Fender Bass’ and then Ernie Ball strings, I’ve grown up using the stuff. And Ampeg Amps - good reliable stuff. For pedals I’d go for makes like Boss and MXR.

James – I think due to our different sounds as a band, we’ve all got different set ups, well mine is kind of like, I don’t know if you’d say lead guitar.

Jack – yeah it’s lead innit James.

James – Yeah I guess its lead…

Jack – Go on take it, take the baton.

James – …So it should cut through the most, I use an Orange head, which isn’t too gainy, it cuts through just how you want it.

Towers enter the room.

Jack – Hello friends.

Tom George (Towers) – What are you doing?

Jack – We’re doing something for Bethan, she wanted James and Andy to do an awkward gay scene. What would happen if two men were in a band and they fancied each other, but it was elicit an they weren’t allowed to tell each other…Nahh were doing an interview.

James – Me and Convey have just had the camera pointed at us, we don’t want to do it yet, we’re a bit frigid.

James puts on a pink cowboy hat.

Jack – Just to be a bit more heterosexual than you already are.

Dan (Towers) – Anyone care for a carrot cake?

Andy – I would but I’m being good.

Dan – Everyone is so f*****g anti-carrot cake!

Jack – I’ll have one.

Andy – I love them!!

Brief intermission for food munching, and general band banter before Convey takes the camera.

Andy – Jack! Who are your top bands for 2010?

Jack – Lets go with, erm, who have I illegally downloaded recently and not paid a penny for?

Andy – Karnivool?

Jack – Karnivool, definitely. They’re Australian.

Andy – They’re playing Joiners soon.

Jack – Don’t plug Joiners Andy!

Andy – Err they’re playing on the 14^th March, £8 advanced ticket. Fantastic.

Jack – Erm…. I don’t know now actually, I see what you mean when you get put on the spot.

James – Exactly you can’t think! So you can piss off. He can f*****g piss off Bethan!

James zooms the camera in on Jacks face as he eats a sloppy Sheppard’s pie.

James – Look at his f*****g mutt features. *Woof*. Look at that tiny f*****g Sheppard’s pie… tiny little man hands handling it. That pathetic little… mmm, look at that, the tiny little hairs on its chin, that s**t eating grin. There it goes, look at the s**t in its mouth.

Tom George (Towers) – I don’t think Bethan knows what to expect when she gives these boys a camera. She’s not going to get any questions at all. Let alone answers.

Jack – That was the worst question ever asked; we got nothing from that, nothing, nothing!

Andy – Jack, who’s your top bands of 2011?

Jack (confused face) – I’m going to go with, oh f**k I don’t know. Well blatantly people like Protest The Hero are going to release really good albums. Deaf Havana are probably going to do really well for themselves. (Sarcastic grin)

James – Shut the f**k up!

James – Mate don’t say that. That’s not going in the interview.

Jack – We are the Ocean are really good, really unique, I’d get married to that s**t.

Andy – Okay answer this; is there anyone in the music world that you look up to?

Jack – JLS

Andy – JLS?

Jack – If I’m being honest.

Andy – Congrats

Jack – Anything else?

James – You’re a piece of s**t.

More consumption of food and jack taking back the camera.

Jack – Do you guys think that selling out is necessary to make a career out of being in a band?... Anyone? Anyone? I know your all saying yes in your head, but no one is saying it.

James – Not if you’re individually good enough to make it big on your own. For example Brand New haven’t sold out really have they? But they’re like doing great. Emphasis on great.

Jack – James they just broke up.

James – Did they?

Andy – No I thought that got rumour-milled.

Jack – What, are you in Brand New?

Andy – No, it got announced…

Jack - F**k you mate.

Andy – All right.

Tom George (Towers) – Does anyone want a pitta bread and hummus?

James – Shot gun.

Tom George passes pitta and hummus to James.

James – Really? You’d do this for me?

Jack – Tom, what food do you live off on tour?

Tom George (Towers) – Lucozade, pitta bread, and fish - just tuna. But Tuna’s not really a good idea if you haven’t got a fridge.

Jack – Okay I got a question, what would you say crosses the line between good and bad stage banter?

Andy – Try not to be drunk, try not to insult the crowd, remember where you’re playing, that’s a crucial one. Don’t say any racist things unless it’s at the appropriate gig.

Tom George (Towers) – What like a BNP gig?

Jack – Here’s another question Andy, if you had the chance to play a 10,000-cap venue, but it was a BNP gig would you do it?

Andy – Yes…for the Dollar.

James – So going back to the selling out question. Yes. Every man has to.

Andy – Eventually.

James (whispers in Andy’s ear) – Every man has his price.

Burn The Fleet has teamed up with Walnut Tree Records in order to give their revamped and re-mixed five track E.P 'The Mistress' a proper debut in to society.

To celebrate this release Walnut Tree is offering a limited number of special edition copies, which feature a handmade booklet containing a lyrics sheet, song meanings and special edition artwork. These limited copies will only be available on pre-order from www.WalnutTreeRecords.co.uk.

Scheduled for release on April 5th. [It is expected that pre-orders will ship well in advance.]

Track listing:
1. Conduits
2. Nautilus
3. Fictional Children
4. Confessions Of A Justified Sinner
5. Handfuls Of Sand

Whether you’re in to rock music or not Burn The Fleet have a way of drawing you in. It could be the intricate melodies and solos from guitarists James Swabey and Jack Spurway that lick and wash over your ears, or the caressing of Andrew Conveys voice, which is occasionally shattered by Swabey’s raw and unrestrained counter vocals. Or the pounding rhythms of Ross Barbour on the drums that resonate in your mind long after you’ve finished listening to the music. It could be the lyrics that skip and tumble over poetry that not once mentions the cliché themes of love or girls.

I think it’s because this is one of the most talented unsigned acts of this year with the ingredients to be phenomenal. Watch this space.