Safari Interview: "He is disgusting. I cannot tolerate him. He’s out..."

It went a little bit like this: one pub garden, two of amazing new electro-band Safari (Ian and Sim - the others were off having dinner), one Robot, one Pigeon, one interview. We asked some questions. They gave us some answers. It's just the way these things work you know?

Topics discussed included their amazing debut single 'Quicksand' (in a publicity style manner there will be a link to buy it at the end), the band's relationship with J from 5ive, what smells make them feel physically sick, and which member of the band is most likely to pass out in the shower. All of which you are about to find out...

Hello Ian and Sim. Tell us five basic facts about Safari and we will count them off on our fingers.
Sim: Do you mean like “we’re vegetarian”.

No. About the band, not about your eating habits.
Ian: There’s five of us.

That's one.
Ian: What do we need people to know? We’ve got a single coming out. Oh no, it’s actually out. I’ve been used to saying for so long it’s coming out...Now it’s actually out.

Excellent PR.
Ian: Three people get to go and have burgers, two don’t.

Good.
Sim: We used to be another band.

Four...
Sim: That’s why we chose the name Safari because it means ‘journey’. The whole thing's been a big journey for us. That should be an important fact – what our name means.

Congratulations, that is five moderately interesting facts. Tell us a bit more about this old, dead band.
Sim: We were a band called Model Horror about a year ago. We did a few tours and stuff. We recorded an album whilst we were that band and once we’d finished recording it decided to change everything up to a different sound.

And now you sound like your single ‘Quiksand’.



What is ‘Quicksand’ a metaphor for in the modern world?
Ian: These guys (the band) don’t know this...It’s about a guy in my work who does I.T and he always puts his foot in it and ballses up the whole show. I had a dream about him at the bottom of this hill fucking everything up. He’s saying “I’m burning dry wood” – I’m making a balls up. If he reads this he’ll know exactly who he is.

It’s the final series of Big Brother at the moment. If all five of Safari were in the house who would be evicted first and why?
Ian: That’s a harsh question.

It can be for being a bad cook or something.
Sim: We argue a lot. When we write we argue a lot. Id’ probably go for Rob.
Ian: Ok. (Pause) Actually, definitely.
Sim: We went on tour and he’s not the guy to be around, butt naked every night, strolling around.
Ian: There were these showers at the back of a venue, you wouldn’t actually think to go and use them they looked like something out of Hostel, I heard a tccchhhhhh and thought ‘who the fuck is that’ and Rob’s sitting there in the shower with glass broken around him everywhere.
Sim: He is disgusting. I cannot tolerate him. He’s out.

Safari are now looking for a new guitarist then?
Ian: He’s wearing trousers with lion print on tonight. That sums him up really.

What smells make you feel sick?
Sim: Rob Hardy.
Ian: There was a smell where we recorded our album. It was like Weetabix and cold porridge. It was a dead fox or something, and when you smelt it you couldn’t stand up.
Sim: I was going to say coffee on a hangover.
Ian: No, dead fox.

TV show Glee has featured several artists' music prominently. If there was a Glee special on Safari next series what message would your music give viewers?
Sim: Being optimistic, living in the moment I guess. We’re just going for it. Is that a message? Enjoy yourself?
Ian: A standard 'church' message.

Hmm. Have you even seen Glee?
Both: No.

Who is your favourite MP?
Sim: Boris Johnson. I like people with a sense of humour.
Ian: Who got kicked out because he punched someone?
Sim: The BNP guy?! You can’t say he’s your favourite!
Ian: (sarcastic) Yes Nick Griffin is my favourite. No, someone spat at him and he absolutely lost it. It was ridiculous.

We get what you mean: you were intrigued by the incident rather than the politician?
Ian: (again with the sarcasm) Yes, I like seeing people get punched!

When you play shows do you prefer polite clapping or a drunken, vomiting, riot?
Ian: If people have had a few it’s always more fun. You don’t want a whole group of people pissed ‘cos they’ll never remember you. We played a club night a month ago and we were on at midnight. It was one of ‘those’ nights. We wrote our names on people’s hands. We’ve actually got some cards done now.
Sim: Little business cards for all the drunk people to put in their purse.
Ian: Last week in London I was just putting cards in people’s bags.

You played at a rather trendy ‘pop up’ venue recently. How was it?
Ian: It was a really good night. We got a mention in NME, Mathew Horne DJed.
Sim: Properly.
Ian: He’s absolutely sick!
Sim: J from 5ive tuned up as well for a solid five minutes. Until he realised he was in the wrong place…

Did you put a Safari card in his handbag?
Sim: No but I got a picture with him. Me and J from 5ive.

Were you a big fan of 5ive?
Sim: No, and I told him that.

Boring old Thom Yorke recently said “music is dead” and warned new bands to stay away from the industry. Does this worry you?
Ian: It’s quite a statement. The label we’re with, we’re the second band on their books, we’re not too worried.
Sim: It’s nice to work with indies ‘cos they’ve got that energy about them. He knows what he’s talking about, I appreciate it very much, but you wouldn’t want to admit that being a new band. You might as well quit now if that’s the case. We’re very much alive thank you Thom Yorke.

We second that. And if you want to prove Thom Yorke wrong, and help Safari continue to make wonderful new music that isn't an 8 minute warble on bringing down the government, you should go:

HERE to buy Quicksand
AND HERE to become all manner of social media friends with Safari.

Thank you Ian and Sim off of Safari.


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