Following Plastic Toys’ UK tour in January with My Ruin and Die So Fluid, frontman Jon Plastic and drummer Ben Coley chat to Kay Weston about what they’ve been getting up to…
-How did the band come about?
Jon: Well the band took a while to fully form, finding the right people, finding our sound and direction all took time. I’d say we’ve been going properly for about two and a half years. I have been in one band or another with Si (Jackson, guitar) for ages, then when we needed a bassist we found the right one easily as I used to go out with Kitty (Brooks) and she’d just left her previous band DNA Doll. We had a drummer called Mike who was with us then, but he decided about a year ago to do his own thing and we found Ben wondering around Salisbury aimlessly. Since then it’s been non-stop Plastic Toys every day.
-You were originally signed to Dreamcatcher but decided to release through your own label. Why was this?
Jon: Well the Dreamcatcher deal was with my old band Karmic Jera, but it was lessons I learned there that prompted a self-release this time around. We got offered a pretty huge deal, but after negotiating a contract for a year, and the company changing the goal posts all the time, you just get pissed off and wanna play. Our only goal was to have an album out we were proud of and to tour it, so it made sense to self-produce it and self-release it. This way no ‘industry experts’ could sign us then try and change who we are and release an album we no longer liked! In my old band I learned that you have to trust your instincts and play what feels right for you, have promo photos the way you like them and do everything on your own terms. Any other way and I just can’t sleep at night.
-The band’s been compared to Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails, but what would you say your influences were?
Jon: NIN are a huge influence on me. I’m really into bands where there is one real vision behind the music and an independent, ‘going it alone’ vibe. Trent Reznor doesn’t seem to give a f**k what other people think and I admire that. Everyone has different influences in the band, but for me I can’t get enough NIN, White Zombie, Rob Dougan, White Stripes, Dandy Warhols, T-Rex and Black Sabbath. But everyday I hear little things that get my imagination going.
- What do you think makes Plastic Toys different to the other bands out there?
Jon: I have no idea…if there was some magic formula then I’d have used it years ago! We just play the music we love and try not to let anyone who isn’t involved directly with us interfere in the creative process. Plus we’ve been out there gigging, paying our dues and it makes you more humble and a more authentic band.
-Do you have a personal favourite song from the album?
Jon: Probably ‘The Tragedy’, it just felt so easy to write and turned out better than I’d hoped. I love playing it live and it’s one of the few from the CD I’ve not heard so many times I’m sick of it!
- How much input did you have in the recording process?
Jon: We had total control. I have a really small home studio where we did everything except the drums. So it was self produced in it’s entirety. I mixed 90% of it then a friend of ours, Andy Gray, who has supported us from day one, mixed a couple of songs too. Again this whole decision was taken because we’re yet to meet a producer who really gets what we’re trying to do, so until that day comes we’ll just do it ourselves.
-How was the tour with My Ruin and Die So Fluid?
Ben: Amazing. We had a really good time getting to know the other bands and playing decent venues to decent crowds every night. It was a great experience as well as being a lot of fun. And we’ve had consistent great feedback from lots of new fans, which is great too.
-You also supported Trashlight Vision, who split in November. You’re quite similar musically and image-wise; do you see yourselves filling the void TLV left behind?
Jon: Well TLV were a great band and there are similarities, but I don’t think we’re close enough to just step into their shoes. They had a balls-to-the-wall rock thing going whereas we’re more electronic and have a lot more mellow moments, but that said a lot of their fans do seem into us.
-Is it all sex, drugs and rock and roll now you’re rock stars?!
Ben: Hahaha not quite! If you call sitting in the back of a van for hours and hours, living out of service stations and being skint all the time the ‘rock and roll’ lifestyle, then yes, we are definitely living it up!
-You’re doing a lot of touring to promote the album. What would you say were the best and worst things about life on the road?
Ben: You get to see places you wouldn’t have got to see otherwise. It’s really good exploring England- people seem to see the country as being boring, and that you need to go abroad to really travel. But there’s some really nice places here, right on our doorstep. Touring lets you see it. It’s also great playing gigs every night, doing what we love and meeting new people. On the downside, you’re constantly living out of a suitcase, eating crap and sleeping on people’s floors. But it’s the price you pay, and it’s all part of it.
-Do you have plans to play gigs in Sheffield soon?
Jon: At the moment we have no dates booked, but we’re trying. We plan to play Sheffield a lot more times and we’ll let you know as soon as we have something sorted!
-What are you hoping to achieve in 2008?
Jon: To tour with some great bands all year. Write the second album and sell enough of the first that we can keep on rolling. We don’t have illusions of grandeur, we just want that chance to prove ourselves.
For more information on Plastic Toys visit their website; www.plastictoys.co.uk
Or check out their Myspace profile: http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=9608294
March 21st, 2008 at 4:33 pm
Nice interview Kay!! But it doesnt say that you’re the one who wrote it!?