WE ARE THE PHYSICS are a band that like to play music and it makes my heart glad that the music they play is not too bad. Based in Glasgow, Scotland they sound like fireworks from outer spaces. Their live shows, of which they do many of, are exhilarating spectacles of spitfire guitars, rattlesnake drums, racing car vocals and rodeo hand claps.

In their own words, WE ARE THE PHYSICS are not bad at music, and they are not too bad at interviews either, as Alasdair Rothin finds out.

Members, and what you do in the band
Michael M, bass & vocals
Michaeldrum on drums & vocals
Michaelguitar on guitar and vocals
Chris on guitar and vocals

Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Formed: 2005

What have you been listening to/reading lately that you’d recommend?

We’ve been neglecting new stuff recently. Although, we’ve been enjoying the last A-Frames album and the Needles album.

Which is your favourite of your own tracks and why?

Michaeldrum likes Bulimia Sisters because he gets a wee rest during it. Our favourite song of ours changes all the time, we mostly like our older stuff because it’s rubbish and easier to play.

Where did you get your band name from? Do you like it?

We used to be called WE ARE THE PHYSICS CLUB AND THEREFORE EVERYTHING WE SAY IS FACT, but it was too long to fit on posters and it made less sense if we shortened it. It’s a terrible name, none of us like it, but at the same time we enjoy it just because it’s so bad. We wanted the name to be a wee inconvenience as much for us as for other people and the fact that there’s a similarly named band floating around just makes it all the more awkward. We were quite fed up with easily packaged, convenient band names where your popularity is dependant on how well you can sell your band’s brand.

Which has been your favourite and least favourite gig you’ve played?

We played in Edinburgh once and there were very few people there, but the ones who were there just stared at us the whole time in a bemused fashion. They didn’t clap, or boo. But we opened for Polysics in Glasgow, who are one of our favourite bands, and it was really weird to meet them given that they don’t speak much English. We also played with Ratattagg in a 50’s style bowling alley in London where people bowl as you play. It was amazing, but every now and again we’d hear a cheer mid-song and we’d assume we’d just busted a tight manoeuvre, but it’d be someone getting a strike on the lanes. We’re playing a rollerdisco in Sheffield next week.

What do you think you sound like, and how different is that from what other people have said or written about you?

The Metro said we were ‘unginged’, we’re not sure what that means, but it’s probably true. We’ve found that describing ourselves to taxi drivers is the hardest part, so we usually just say ‘guitary stuff’. One review said we sounded like the Stranglers, whom we never thought we sounded remotely like.

How important is MySpace to you?

As a band, MySpace is amazingly helpful. Practically everyone has one and if they like you, they’re more likely to check you out on MySpace. Plus you can keep most people updated with what you’re up to rather than have them sign up for a mailing list. I think it’s become a bit of a trend to rip into MySpace like it’s some high camera-angled pose-fest, which I suppose it might be, but for a band it’s pretty much invaluable. You find that the people who slag it off the most are doing so on their MySpace blogs.

What do you miss most – Brookside or Data Panik?

Maybe if Jimmy Corkhill was in Data Panik, it’d make everything a lot simpler, soft lad.

What are your favourite films?

Collectively, the rubbish we watch in the van like Return Of The Living Dead and Magnificent Butcher. The other day we watched Critters, Critters 2 & Critters 3 in a row and every single one of them was terrible. We’ll watch Critters 4 tomorrow. I think there are few films we all agree on liking apart from Ghostbusters and The Cabinet Of Doctor Caligari.

If you could be in any other band for a night, who would you choose?

The Pinheads, Marty McFly’s band in Back To The Future. He just turns up and starts playing, the rest of the band had set everything up and soundchecked for him.

Who is your hero?

Our hero is Rob Thomson who drives us places. We like punctuality and he always gets us there on time, even if we’re late. He’ll moan at promoters for us and is everywhere at the one time, he’s like the Kwisatz Haderach.

What is your favourite useless fact?

All facts are unprovable assumptions. Fact.

What makes you laugh?

This joke – why can’t Lenny Henry fly? It’s impossible.

What’s the best crap thing you’ve seen or found on the internet?

We saw this photo taken by a guy of his wife giving him a handjob, but they had the tv on in the background and they were watching Turner & Hooch.

When you aren’t We Are The Physics, what do you all do for fun?

We are always We Are The Physics, but Chris likes the golf.

If you were to be a monster in a B movie, what would you like your back story to be?

Monsters in b-movies were always resultant of a cultural fear at the time of the movie like atomic radiation, weren’t they? So if we were to be in one made today, it’d be some sort of weird mutation due to climate change, or an ASBO. A big ASBO creature who has played music next door so loud that its legs have become sheer shell-suit. Terrifying!

More information:
www.myspace.com/wearethephysics
www.wearethephysics.com

Records we can buy:
Less Than Three CD/7″ from One Records