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and, like me, are you delighted this isn't being done face to face

Joe says: Just sitting in my house now

Yeah, I'm not exactly the most coherent in person

Rigsy says: i'm just not presentable today, not ready for human consumption

Joe says: I've already consumed anyway, it's all good

Rigsy says: ha

so would you consider yourself the public spokesperson for PB and if so why....

Joe says: well, I'm usually at any interviews but that's mostly because I look good. Savage would normally be the spokesperson but he's busy with his non-music job I don't care much for those

Rigsy says: so you're wasted in an interview in which folk can't see how awesome you look. what a nightmare

Joe says: I've plenty of photos up on here

Rigsy say: Ìýhow many of youz is there these days?

Joe says: ah, well 9 officially

Rigsy says: is it hard getting you all together ?

Joe says: extremely

Rigsy says: especially if people have, like jobs and stuff

Joe says: we practice quite a lot these days because most of the time they're only part pratcices what with some people being at work, but we manage those full rehearsals sometimes! don't forget the babbies!

Rigsy says: what about staff nights out? like morale boosting get togethers you'd need THREE taxis!!

Joe says: oh yeah, plenty of those. we have quite an entourage too but we make sure they have cars. a few of us were out at Lavery's on Saturday night

Rigsy says: it's all or nothing with you guys tho?

i mean all nine of you would probably have a pretty equal role live....

Joe says: It does lack a certain something when we're not all there yeah. I think each part is as integral as the next. having 2 trumpets and 2 sax is essential to the harmonies

Rigsy says: absolutely. i'm all about the trumpet man, played one for years

Joe says: as well as the mixture of several different shouts. It's never dull I've been playing since I was a kid and I've never looked back. Joining the band has made it even more amazing

Rigsy says: you ever be chatting to some wee kid

Joe says: plus, it beats having to lug a tonne of drums

Rigsy says: who's complaining about having to go to music lessons or play an intstrument at school or whatever and you get to tell them how much fun it is being in a band

Joe says: yeah, I get that quite a lot actually

Rigsy says: i can imagine. great message to be passing on though so whats the nearest equivalent to PB in this country?

Joe says: We're actually playing an all ages show in the Oh Yeah centre this Saturday so we'll have plenty of young aspirations in the room!

Rigsy says: is there one?

Joe says: I've seen a lot fo large groups, if that counts. As for the type of band...

Not exactly although it's good having fellow groups like Team Fresh who are essentially party music. I think that's similar

Rigsy says: if a similar sounding band with the same live set up came along would you welcome it or be secretely raging i mean look at ASIWYFA - lot of bands around with a similar style. wonder if they've got the rage about that

Joe says: a bit of both I think although, I'd probably be slightly proud I reckon ASIWYFA love it

Rigsy says: ha ha, glad you can admit you'd be even a tiny bit annoyed

Joe says: I reckon it adds to the stage, a bit of schoolboy rivalry it's always good craic to have somebody similar to be knocking around always a chance of a gig together.

Rigsy says: so i've seen you guys 3/4 times this year. For someone who wouldn't necessarily be really into the type of thing you do, I've still always loved it. why do you think that is?

what's so welcoming about what you guys do, that just washes people along?

Joe says: in my opinion... Anybody that 'doesn't like' this sort of thing, has been treated badly by the rest of the genre. We do what we do but we do it slightly different. We've got quite a few heavy riffs and loads of horns skanking is always good craic, everybody loves a good oul dance. And we have a laugh with the audience.

Rigsy says: i don't see how anyone could actually dislike the genre or the sound though?

Joe says: We try to make it as fun for the crowd as it is for us. Yeah, a lot of people say they don't like ska or ska/punk

Rigsy says: still think even if you don't listen in the house, live it's just the most craic ever

Joe says: But as we all know, it's easy to get turned off by a label when you hear it. We've been about for so long we've knocked that idea out of people's heads!

Rigsy says: on that note

the gigs coming up, which will be plugged below, so don't worry about that, what do people see when they walk into a room full of pocket billiards?

Joe says: Aye and we're releasing a vinyl of the album soon with some bonus tracks

Rigsy says: talk the readers through it

Joe says: It's a melting pot of different peopleÌý,Ìýwith different yet alike music minds. we usually look like a small house party, throw a few horns and guitars in there and then you get a crowd which is also mixed. I think we have a little bit of something for everything. Even if it's just for the craic...

Rigsy says: house party vibe = megaWIN

thats cracker about the vinyl as well, it's an album thatÌýdeserves to be on vinyl! Will you be getting that bad boy framed?

Joe says: I haven't thought about that personally. It's a good idea! We're going into the studio this month to lay down one of the bonus tracks. Really looking forward to recording again!

Rigsy says: always thought having an album on vinyl...such a big deal....such a class thing to have when yr old right well our time is up! Last question. Have you ever got pocket billiards and pocket promise mixed up like i've done a couple of times and...i dunno...played a gig with the wrong band or something? or put trumpet all over a pocket promise track in the studio, by mistake

Joe says: haha, well to tell the truth I haven't made the mistake myself but I have gotten confused reading the name on Fastfude a few times.

I think our old drummer has a brother in the band too. I think there used to be a few other Pocket somethings kicking about too

Rigsy says: too many, not easy when you're an idiot radio presenter anyway, good luck with the gigs, peas

Joe says: Peace !

****

Pocket Billiards play Animal Disco at Auntie Annies this Friday (December 3rd) ahead of an all ages show at The Oh Yeah Centre the following day.

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