TWISTED – CHARMING

• 27th Sep 2005

“Well I (Nathan Doom) [*vocals and lead guitar*] have been together with Dominic Cole [*drums*] for 23 years. He's my brother you see, and he's 23 years old. We rescued John Dave [*bass*] from a life of petty crime. He used to hang out on our local high street benches with the local hard nuts. His ambition was to become a junglist rave DJ, but we persuaded him to become an art-punk instead.

I met Luke Georgia [*sax*] when in London through some chick I worked with in the library. We have been together for two years altogether.”

Nathan Cole is a man of a fantastically many personifications. He's got the glitter with little gold and he's got the tunes but bad tech. He's got the personality, online. In person he is adorably shy; on the internet disgusting and arrogant. You'll like the disgusting and you'll love the arrogant.

The interview begins, “I can take or leave dress sense but inner style is vital. Bukowski said, 'Cats have style in abundance'; it's true! We wouldn't be doing this if we didn't believe in ourselves.” It would appear rightfully so. London Scene (1-2-3-4 Records) is an attribute to their very own creation; ladies and gentlemen, the art punk scene – no mullets, weird make-up. The music: huge build ups of intensity, wild saxophone lines, piss take vocals accenting some weird as fuck lyrics and they're flying. Nathan dubs it “Energy and abandonment.”

The interview streams on and Nathan becomes a little insecure on the topic of his home town, “Hell on earth; a town called Rusden in Northamptonshire. It's full of brain-dead children, it's lifeless and it's soulless. We all live in London now, North London of course.”

*”How did you get started?”*,* *one ponders. “You know, natural progression, arsehole!” Finally! They've broken the boundaries of common courtesy and we're beginning to get a reaction. One then moves onto some more challenging questions in an attempt to provoke Nathan into a gnarling rage. One is vaguely pleased with the results

*”Best band of all time?”*,* *”There is no such thing as a best band of all time. Bands represent their time. So there could be a best band of each decade. Let's go for; sixties – Silver Apples, seventies – Can, eighties – Fall and the nineties – Sonic Youth.” Nothing rash there, so onward Christian soldiers and onto the quick fire questions (note: this is an email interview, so it's not really, but you get the idea).

*Sex is…* “Best uninhibited and animalistic”

*Drugs are…* “For kids”

*Rock can…* “Be nice at the seaside”

*This interview was…* “…conducted by someone who likes it up the arse! Print that baby.”

This isn't going to print, and that's all there is to it.

Victoria McNaught-Davis