Posted on Mar 8, 2007 by Tom

The least you can say about French skapunkers P.O.Box is that they have a turbulent history. Changing members as fast as I go through a set of razors, there has been a lot of rebirths and metamorphoses in their sound leading up to their latest "... And The Lipstick Traces", their first debut album that should put this bunch on the European map once and for all. Questions about their deal with Big D, their insane touring schedule and particular view on music are answered below!

Please tell us who you are, what your function is in P.O.Box! If there’s anything else about yourself that you’d like to share, or that people might not know, knock yourself out and let us know!

Well, we started as a team of 8 musicians ; today we’re a team of 9 people : Jay is the guitar player, Olive plays bass, Seb is the lead singer, Yul plays trumpet, Jaws plays trombone, Hugo is the drummer, Tchin and Balag are our roadies, and Vince deals with the sound. The main idea is the one of a “team”, the singer not being more important than the roadie for instance.

Usually, the singer stands in the middle of promo pictures and is THE « voice » of the band on stage. The vocalist is the main element in “rock” music, as the singer is usually given that role of a “leader”; and with this idea, bands create order… We just try to destroy this order.

You recently celebrated your 5th anniversary as a band. How important of a milestone is it, and how do you look back on those early days?

Well, still being around after 5 years is in a kind of way something we didn’t really expect when we started the band, as in our “early days” we were just like “oh, come on, let’s play in a band, do some rehearsals, give some gigs from time to time”… We didn’t really expect what happened to us.

When we started the band, we didn’t know how to play any instrument… So what happened to us today is the result of extremely motivated people. We weren’t thinking of touring, going abroad, recording Cds, sharing the bill with bands we were listening to. But those 5 years have been absolutely amazing! And I guess I can say on behalf of the band that we are extremely glad of what we’ve done until now, as we never thought it could happen. We remember the words of a friend of us who is a musician when he listened to our first demo-cd “Fartcore”: “Guys, to be honest, it’s badly recorded and… it sucks. But it’s awesome to see such motivated people, so keep on playing!”

Over the course of these five years, the band has been plagued with an almost constant going and coming of new members. How much of a struggle was that at times? Did you ever think about throwing in the towel altogether at some points?

Yeah, there has been several going and coming of members (about 1 a year I think). But remember we’re a lot of people, so this things are more likely to happen than in a 3-piece band… And that is due to the fact that, as I told above, we had no real goal at the beginning of the band. But days flew by, and we got more and more shows and tours, people got more and more interested in our band, and as a consequence, we had to dedicate ourselves to that band more and more… Some former members weren’t ready to do that, or weren’t willing to do it. So they just left the band. But these former members are still good friends of ours! There hasn’t been fight or whatever, it’s just that they didn’t want to go on with the band, because it was too much for them.

So well, we had to find new members, those one being absolutely dedicated to the band, and knowing how it was to be in that band. It has sometimes been a hard time, because finding someone who wants to play in a touring band (which means no holidays, not a lot of time to spend with his/her boy/girlfriend, friends and family) without getting any money is kinda difficult, but no we never thought of throwing the towel and left everything we had built up day by day, minute after minute. P.O.Box is way too much in our veins! A couple of weeks ago, Damian, who has been with us since 2003 decided to call it quits as well, as he couldn’t deal with the 3 jobs he has and the band at the same time… So we have a new drummer, Hugo, who’ll be playing his first gig with us at the end of march.

How was the anniversary show in Nancy?

It was absolutely amazing! We gathered on stage all the P.O.Box former members, we played almost every single song we had, we invited our friends from Smoking Monkeys and Another Guardian Angel to play on that gig, there was a video projection of our 5 years spent on the road, some 300 people shown up and basically all of our friends, some people came from Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany… Yeah, it was wonderful!

A lot has happened in these five years of course, so how have your ambitions as a band progressed since the early days?

As I told you, we had no real ambition at the very beginning… And we still do not have any particular ambition. We are only giving everything we can to this band, because this is what we love. We love what we are doing, and we are still having fun, so I guess we’ll go on until the fun will be gone.

As you grow older, how difficult is it to focus on a career in music, as jobs and family related matters can get in the way of a lot of band related stuff as opposed to being a student?

You’re right. Right now, 3 of us are still students, the other half is working. We are dedicated to this band, so we make everything we can to make it work. That means having no holidays at all for some of us, skipping lessons for some others… As for the family/friends related thing, it’s tough not to see your girlfriend that often, or not to see your family and friends for a long time. But lucky us, they know how much this band means to us. But all in all, we forgot a long time ago about the “rockstarism” myth, we do not expect to make a living out of our music. For sure if that happens, we’ll be more than happy, but being realistic we know it will probably never happen. So we’re just enjoying our time, as a band, doing everything we can to make it go on.

You just released your first debut “… And The Lipstick Traces”. Why the long wait before throwing that first full-lengther before the lions?

We didn’t “release” this album yet. Matt from Craze Records lent us the money so that we can make it and then make some hundreds of send outs to magazines, webzines, radios, booking agencies, labels and so on. So yeah, it hasn’t really been released yet. But about this long wait before recording a debut-album, I guess we wanted to go step by step. First have a demo out (2002), then a split-cd (2003), then an EP (2004)… And after all that only, a real album. But there was also a problem of money, as going into a studio costs a lot.

Also, too many bands just go in the studio after 6months or a year, and I guess the result isn’t what they expected. And it lacks something… Something which is absolutely needful in our opinion: having been on the road, having experienced what it is to be a band, with the good aspects of it but also (and maybe the most important) the bad aspects. Some people call it “to come to maturity”… If that must be called so, well let’s say P.O.Box waited to come to maturity before recording that debut-album. But do not take my words wrong: we didn’t come to maturity; we have still many things to learn, many things to do, many things to experiment. And we’re a live band, we rather do gigs than Cds, so yeah we decided to take our time to release that debut-album.

So yeah, we took our time cause we wanted to be happy with the result: taking some time to work on the songs, on the artwork… All of that is needful so that your CD doesn’t appear as a simple consumption good.

What are your expectations from the new CD, and how have the initial reactions been so far?

The initial reactions have been great until now. Some reviews have been done, and they all converged in the way that we did something we love, that it is what comes from our veins, done with our heart. We got interests from some major music magazines (RockSound, PunkRawk…) as well as some major webzines (Metalorgie.com, Punkfiction.com…) and so on.

What we expect from this debut-album? Well, we do not expect anything particular except the fact that we would like it to be distributed in as many places and countries as possible! But we’ll see what will happen: we are not doing that for something particular, we’re doing it cause we love it. We got interest from some major music magazines, webzines, radios… And we just signed on Long Beach Records Europe, Übersee Records and Guerilla Asso for Europe, as well as on Unattractive Records for Japan, who will release our album. So for us that’s pretty great: Long Beach Records Europe and its connection with Long Beach Records USA and Skunk Records means a lot to us, as being on a branch of the label who released Sublime CDs is something awesome and something we didn’t really expect. Übersee Records is one of the main ska label in Europe and we are extremely happy to be working with them as well. Guerilla Asso, home of Guerilla Poubelle, is French finest DIY punk label, and are working extremely hard! So all in all, we’re more than happy with all those people/labels working with us.

How have you experienced that first time in the studio?

We’ve been claiming for years that we’re not musicians. We play badly, we know it, and claim it. So going in a real studio was kinda frightening us, because we knew it wouldn’t be easy both for us and the sound engineers. But we met awesome people, Guillaume André and Sébastien Langle from Loko Studio, who did a great job, were very patient, gave us everything they could, encouraged us…

The only sad thing is that we never succeeded in gathering all of us at the same time in the studio. It was pretty far from our hometown and due to jobs/universities, we didn’t manage to find the perfect spot for all of us.

The CD was released in co-operation with Craze Records. Why did you decide to side with the very small French label, and how do you hope Matt can add extra weight to a band that has gotten where it is by carrying the DIY spirit high in it’s banner?

So as I’ve told before, Craze Records didn’t “release” the album. Basically, Craze Records helped us by giving us what lacks to an indie band: the money… Matt used to live in our hometown, he was there at our first shows, became a friend, then move to Paris. When we recorded “…And the Lipstick Traces”, we wanted to release it before our European summer tour… But we had no money. So Matt told us “guys, you need the money? I got it!”. So yeah, he paid for the release of the Cd, and is doing some promotion for us in France. In return, he put the logo of Craze Records on the Cd and we have to pay back what he gave us. It’s that simple. We have no deal with Craze Records, it’s more a matter of friendship and help between Matt and us than a label deal. Matt is passionate, and is willing to help us, so we couldn’t think of not “working” with him. We believe in DIY and in friendship… Matt has been around us since the very beginning, he’s a part of the family as well!

The new CD features heavyweights of the international (Big D and The Kids table) and French (Les caméleons) skapunk scene. Those sort of co-operations is not something we see a lot from French punkrock bands, so tell us how exactly that came together?

As simple as 1+1=2. We met Big D when we put on a gig for them in our hometown some 4 years ago. They stayed at our place during 3 days because of days off. Then 2 years ago, while they were on tour in Europe, someone booked us in Belgium with them. We met again, they asked us to do that “Lil’Bitch” video, we talked, we had fun. Soon after, our former label from Luxembourg Winged Skull Records booked us and Big D… And we supported them on some UK gigs! We defeated them at soccer, they defeated us musically speaking. And we became friends, talked a lot, shared opinions… And kinda the same story is to be found for Les Caméléons. We got drunk with them in Germany some 2 years ago, and then played a bunch of shows with them. They became friends as well.

When we recorded that album, it appears as something natural to us to ask both Big D and Les Caméléons to perform on the record. We appreciate those bands as hell, musically speaking, but also as human beings and in the way they remain independent from any kind of things. And they were willing to do that for us, as a proof of their friendship.

Do you think their involvement might finally pierce the weird fact that you aren’t that well-known in France as opposed to its neighbouring countries?

To be honest, I don’t even think many people in France know who are Big D & the Kids Table… No, we didn’t put Big D and Les Caméléons on our record for that reason. I mean we didn’t think it would make things easier.

How would you explain that fact? Does it have something to do with the skapunk genre, or the state of mind that reigns in the French scene?

Well, maybe France is more into metal or hardcore or rap or r’n’b nowadays. France is not that much into “rock” music anyway… Maybe it’s because we sing in English and not in French. There aren’t that much ska-punk bands in France, right. And more than that, there aren’t that much touring ska-punk bands… And ska-punk is something you have to experience live I guess. But the reason why P.O.Box isn’t that “well known” overhere reigns in the fact that the French scene is kinda weird: to play you have to be known, to be known you have to play… Simple isn’t it? People are not coming to shows if they do not know the bands, which is absolutely different in Belgium for instance, where people go to a show because they like this or that kind of music. So as a consequence a French promoter will not book an “unknown band” because he will loose money as people won’t turn out. BUT! Many people are really active in France, many collective and bands are working hard to build up something here, I’m thinking of Guerilla Poubelle and Guerilla Asso especially.

France is about the only country in the world, together with Holland, that provides subventions so artists can try and live solely off their music. How do you think that has affected the relationship between those bands and DIY bands like yourselves, and the state of the French scene in general, as it appears to be pretty much self-centered to me?

Yeah, thanks to our government and this cultural priority the French governments have, there are subventions for artists, which enable them to get some money from the government every month. But let’s go back to reality: there is no way for a band like us to get those subventions… We would need to get 1.500euros for every single gig we do, and make 43 gigs a year getting those 1.500euros.

So yeah, for us, it’s more the DIY ideal that we’re living with everyday.

There’s no denying P.O.Box’s connection to Eastern Europe, as the last three or four years you’ve made a habit of returning there for a few weeks in a row to tour. What drives you to re-visit those countries time and time again, as from a financial point of view I can imagine it’s not the most attractive places to tour time and time again?

For sure we aren’t getting that much money over there… But is the money worth when you know that people in Eastern Europe are waiting for your gigs? The first time we went there, in 2004 in Lithuania to be precise, the promoter told us “well, it’s a weekday, there should be about 30 people at your show”… 300 people attended our gig! And something like 80 of them knew our lyrics! Since then, we “felt in love” with Eastern Europe. Not that we don’t like Western Europe anymore, not at all. But we get many emails everyweek asking us when is our next gig in Ukraine, Russian, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania and so on… And it seems that right now we’re getting more proposals for gigs overthere than in France or Western Europe haha. Eastern Europe kids do not have many gigs, so when there is a gig they go crazy. And we’re touring Western Europe the whole year, so when we have the possibility to tour Eastern (which is during the “long” tours we do), we cannot skip those places. Also, touring Eastern Europe gave us the possibility to discover new countries where we would maybe never have been if it wasn’t with the band; it enabled us to discover a new culture, to revisit history, to meet new friends and understand our society in a better way.

Wouldn’t you agree that for a band that has certain ambitions, returning to those countries, despite the great feedback you get, does little to take your career to that next level? How difficult is it to balance on that line between what you would like to achieve as a band and what is currently feasible with your means?

No, because we’re not doing it for the fame. We’re not a band which wants to go to the “next level” if we have to make concessions. We’re doing what we love. We’re doing it because we want it. Going East or going West is the same for us: there is no priority. And we will never prefer money to people. So if someone wants to see us perform, no matter he’s from the West or from the East, we’ll make it.

You’ve always been a politicaly/socially engaged band, what with the song about Da Pen and all early in your careers, but the title of the new album and songs like “Music Has taken a Backseat To Haircuts” hints at a band that is more than frustrated and is, more than ever, ready to deal with some critical issues. What experiences have driven you as a band that plays in a genre that is widely regarded as being “festive”, to write these type of songs?

We are human beings, and being human beings we are witnesses of what happens in our society. We’re not a political band, but we’re socially engaged. We do not want to tell the people how to act, but want them to keep an eye on what’s going on in our society. Is ska-punk “festive”? I guess not necessarily. But year, we’re writing about what we experience…

If you come to see us at a gig, you’ll see we’re having fun on stage, we’re happy to be playing… But we use this stage and microphone we have to point out some things which mean a lot to us.

For instance, we do not hesitate to criticize dresscodes in our scene, scene which was created to fight against this dresscodes at the beginning. We launched the project of a Cultural Piracy: we aim at create a piracy of a economic and cultural system in which people manipulate and condemn at the same time the consumption society and goods, and in which image is becoming more important than reality. So we’re trying to break into as a virus.

P.O.Box has always been a very busy band on the touring front, so what plans do you have in store in the coming months to promote the album in live fashion?

Well, we’ll be touring almost non-stop in 2007: we did a 10 days tour in the UK in February, we’re doing a 2 weeks tour through Europe in April, have plenty of shows in May and June, a 4 weeks tour through Europe (probably East ;) in July. And between those tours, weekend shows almost every weekend from January to June. Busy busy!

What are your ambitions for the near future? Anything specific you’d like to achieve?

Haha, some countries are still missing on our European map, so we would love to complete that…I’m thinking of Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Austria, Switzerland, Finland and Norway. And we would definitely love to tour Canada and Japan someday.

Time to get a bit acquainted with your personal preferences then: What song that is currently on the radio do you shamefully admit to liking?

I guess you probably never heard of it but Elodie Fregé’s “la Ceinture”. She’s from the French Pop Idol…

Yul would say Cali, and Kyo (French song writers)

What’s playing in your stereo at the moment?

The Arrogant Sons of Bitches, Disappointment at the Taco Bell..

Everyone has this one CD they listen to when they want to get away from everyday life's worries. Which record would that be for you?

Right now, 4 of them: The Flatliners “Destroy to Create”, The Arrogant Sons of Bitches “Three Cheers for Disappointment”, and Big D and the Kids Table “From Boston to Beijing”, and NOFX “The Decline”

www.myspace.com/theflatlinerstoronto

www.myspace.com/arrogantsonsofbitches

www.myspace.com/bigdandthekidstable

Anything left you want to get off your chest? Famous last words?

Well thanx Tom for this interview, and for everything you’ve done for us: remember you’re THE man who brought us to Belgium! Also, check us out on www.pobox-band.com, www.myspace.com/pobox, and spread the word about us around you; we definitely need it!

“Without you it has no sense!”

Taken On:

March 6th, 2007

Interviewees:

Seb - Vocals
YUl - Trumpet

Related Links:

• www.pobox-band.com

Band Profile

Band Of The Month November 2006

Album Reviews

	... And The Lipstick Traces Oct 18, 2006
	Rock My Reality Jan 31, 2004
	Demo Dec 31, 2001

Interviews

Mar 6, 2007