Firstly, the name; Lee and I were in the attic of my step-dad's house in Kent with my eldest brother Stephen who later died in his burning flat. We were probably playing Street Fighter 2 at which Lee was pretty much unbeatable. While we were discussing the formation of a band, Stephen suggested it be called 'French Car' in a poor attempt to make fun of Lee's surname, Citron. I was sold. We wanted to use French Car as the headlining name like "Johnny Kid and the Pirates" because of the irony in the attention going to the bassist. And inspired by my bulimic school friend Southy, the rest rolled off the tongue.
The acquisition of Julius Naidu (the Jools), our drummer, was difficult. Like Lee's parents, Jools' mum was acutely wary of drugs, rock music, and anyone who might encourage them. On top of this, he lived in the south-west, miles away from us and arranging days we could bunk school and meet up became impressively complex strategic affairs filled with suspense and deception. The phone was a great tool. When we were allowed we spent hours on it.
I also played drums in the band Stony Sleep, formed a little earlier, and my elder brother Ben was the singer/songwriter. Stony Sleep charged forward with the benefits of older members and a lot of support. By early '95 we were signed to Big Cat records (who homed pavement, dirty three, shudder to think and grandaddy). At the end of '95, we recorded our first album "Music For Chameleons" and life began changing in strange ways with music videos, press and the like.
Era 2: 1997-99
The last school year was slow musically because GCSEs and Stephen's death, amongst other things turned my life upside-down. I left my dad's in Islington and moved in with my mum in Pimlico. When we all finally left school it was a riot of love, parties and hallucinogens. Lee replaced the Stony Sleep bassist, and jools was the band muse. It was at this time we recorded our second album "A Slack Romance" at Wessex studio in Highbury.
FCATBW rehearsed at leisure and with the recent comprehension of music like Mr Bungle and Radiohead's' "OK Computer", we were ecstatic with creativity. We soon enlisted Daniel Parmenter (Bishop) as lead guitarist. There were serious problems with dynamics though because there was too much noise, so we let him go.
Slowly but surely, drugs became more and more important and music less so. The scene dissipated and Jools left the band. Stony Sleep lost momentum and also we did some great tours, the structure fell apart. This was due also to the exceedingly late release of 'A Slack Romance' and the subsequent collapse of our record label Big Cat.
Ben began building Serafin, while Lee and I dove separately as far as we could into heroin. Lee became a full blown junkie, while I was happy just smoking it. At the end of '99 we met up again to form the brief experience of Flying Mango Attack. This consisted of a month at a music haven in north Wales (the Laurentic Wave Machine) owned by childhood friends Lee had re-met (the Birkin family). The result was "Karmageddon", a beautifully original and varied album that seemed to come from nowhere.
At the start of 2000 I realised I needed to sort myself the fuck out, and with the financial support of my step-dad, I went travelling around africa and central america. This decision influenced the metamorphosis of FMA (Flying Mango Attack) into KJD (Kicks Joy Darkness). Their new drummer was an Italian called Alberto, and their new sound was darker and more discordant.
Era 3
By late '01 I had satisfied the traveller in me and Jools had become a clergyman in an Exeter church. KJD were thriving and recording in Italy. Lee's grandmother had recently died and I was welcome to move into her flat which was more of a tip than any squat I have ever seen. While I was there, Bishop and I re-vamped our friendship and together renovated the flat industrial-punk style.
We waited in anticipation for the return of KJD but instead received some surprising phone calls. First I was told just Anno the singer was dead and this immediately reduced me to uncontrollable sobbing. Later we learned that Lee, Alberto and Anno had all died in a vehicle crash driving into Milan. Initially this brought everyone in our circles together which was amazing to see but a very lonely and sleepy period followed.
In September '02, a promising musical act reared its head and I started playing drums for the then nameless Razorlight. We got signed in an impressive 9 months but not before Bishop and I got together to record FCATBW 1: "Refuse to Believe" in March '03. Largely due to mutual dead loved ones, we were able to record this in the mystical isolation of the Laurentic Wave Machine.
Meanwhile, Ben's band Serafin had signed a large deal with Columbia Records and were bringing their debut together "No Push Collide". After a colourful year at the industry grind-stone, Razorlight finally completed their debut 'Up All Night' and it was at this time I left them: 04/2003.
The whole experience was becoming unnerving and I detested the direction the band was going in both musically and commercially. On top of that, FCATBW needed time of its own, and Razorlight was going skyhigh. I am proud to say that between April '04 and April '06 I had recorded four albums and Razorlight none. Coincidentally, Carolyn Bannister (Moniker), left her band My Vitriol because of chemistry problems with their singer and she was integral in the making of FCATBW 2: "Religion is Good For You". Recorded in August '04, also at the Laurentic Wave Machine, and featuring a singer called Jack Burns (the Victim) who was an old friend of Anno's and used to jam with him.
Era 4
Meanwhile, Serafin had fired their manager and their drummer and I needed a job, so I joined. We spent a good few months working at the new album after a couple of shocking gigs, and it was recorded in March '05 (To the Teeth). By this time, Bishop and I were clashing intensely and we went our separate ways, socially and musically.
In summer '05 I wrote FCATBW 3: "Born Addicted", and Ben and I recorded it in his bedroom immediately. This album featured Su, who fronted self-destructive pop act Superior; John Roberts, bassist of Carnival of Souls and Oil on Canvas; and Benji Morris (Velociraptor), who stemmed from 'Violet' and then 'Afterlife' before his singer stabbed a mutual friend in the neck.....
......we had no money and very little room but decided to go ahead without drums or any serious amplification.i had been listening to alot of soundtracks and ben had been spending alot of time trying to work his limited computer programme.the result was very interesting.i feel that parts of the album were not fully expressed but on the whole it is a beautiful and relaxing album that achieved alot.we managed to print about 90 which was 30 less fcatbw 2 and 40 less than fcatbw 1.it was very satisfying finally using some of lee's old drawings.
so the new chapter begun and i decided to go up to manchester to catch up with a friend from my teens:tara.it was great to see her and meet all her northen flatmates, who i got on really well with although it was a very difficult time for me,i stayed there for a few months,occasionally going back to london for serafin rehursals.when i wasn't walking around or listening to music i was philosophising with one of the flatmates.soon though social hell broke loose as tara ended her relationship with one flatmate with one flatmate and announced her love for another,who requited it promptly.in most cases i would find this hilarious but there was alot of pain in the house and i had myself become deeply infactuated with her.it is difficult to understand why and how i stayed there for so long with mine,amongst the many bleeding hearts.the new loves kindly refrained from romance until the situation was quite well past although i think it took me nine months to fully get over her and i dare say her ex-boyfriend of four years will take alot longer than that.
for many reasons i felt what i have heard in many manchester bands;a northern heartache and a stark lonelyness.when i left manchester i went to my mother's house in kent where i astonished my self by writing an album in two weeks-'sister of art'.i was so excited by it i was at exploding point until recording three months later.meanwile i formed a new band with benji morris,john roberts and oscar challenger who re-appeared into our social circles after a 20 year gap.we were called 'the kessel run' and if you have our one e.p or you were at our one gig at the g-lounge then you are one of about 30.
because of benji's severe manic depression and multiple drug addiction he was almost impossible to work with,as well as the worry and extra work-load,his musicianship suffered so we called it a day. at the end of '05 i got a back-payment from razorlight songs so i began organising fcatbw 4.the laurentic wave machine was under-going treatment so we returned to the challenger's country house where the kessel run was recorded. now i had a rythm section i could rely on,many new oppurtunities arose.it was produced with grace by natty who engineered 'up all night' and i knew we would get on with.also joining us was the jazz saxaphonist chris williams of the new telepathics, jub,a veteren of the double-bass ,and various others.