Roughneck Riot return from break in 2019

Roughneck find their anger returns

Lee Harman

The Folk-Punk sextet shocked many when in June 2018 they announced they would be taking a year off performing in 2019.

With shows planned until the end of the year, many wondered if this could be the last they saw of the band who for so long have been an important part of the north west punk scene.

“Winging it caught up with us in the end...We’re getting older and need to think about things a bit more” is the bands reason for taking a break says Accordion player Sam Bell when we went to catch up with half of the band in December.

“It was a mutual decision in the end to have a rest before we destroy things” agrees Matty Humphries, lead vocalist and Mandolin player which forms such an an integral part of the bands sound.

Matt continued: “We were just stuck in a cycle of doing the same gigs, and routine and not getting anywhere. Ryan [Taylor, Bassist] hadn’t told me he was planning on travelling for much of 2019 but had told all the others. But by that point I was trying to tell everyone I needed a break or was going to explode, so worked out nicely.”

With a break announced, it immediately lifted the spirits in the camp after signs of being jaded being on the road for so much. Many feared that any hesitation in not exploring opportunities might reflect badly on the others.

“I don’t know whether you fear letting the other five down if you say you fancy a break, but the further we were vocal about it, you realise everyone is on the same page and knackered.” Where they had previously drove themselves around, they took the opportunity to hire a van and driver for the remaining dates so there was less responsibility and could enjoy the time together.

“You wonder if you’re going to miss it or not and when you start missing it, you’re thankful.”

Guitarist Chris Green tells us he was always blindly optimistic and could never see a time where they stopped: “even if Matty himself didn’t want to do it anymore, I know for a fact he couldn’t go two years before wanting to play.”

So what did they do in their time away from Roughneck Riot? “I went to Blackpool!” says Sam. “I also did a tour a DIY with someone else around France and Germany only using public transport. It’s cheap and it works. It was nice to be able to treat it like a holiday and be more relaxed”.

Chris went on to make a few appearances singing for Hardcore Thrash band Jenkem and Matty would be able to settle down as an accomplished Tattoo artist at Bold Street Tattoo.

“Ryan is looking forward to coming back” says Matty. “Means we’re technically better than the best time off your life!”

Reflecting back on the last few months and a tricky transition to a “normal life” Chris says that the second they stopped it was a relief. “By then I was hating everyone in the band, now I only hate myself and Ryan [Laughs].

It’s massively psychological soon as we finished our last gig, yeah great, but whats happening next weekend? It was so boring. You realise just because you hated it doesn’t mean there’s anything better. Normality is terrifying and nobody ever mentioned that.

We skipped all that for 15 years and now my life has shrunk massively. From travelling around Europe in a van, I don’t even walk past work and which is five minutes away from my house.”

“Our lives have all changed and you don’t want to make certain compromises. End of day though it comes down to six mates. Do what you do. If you can only do a week in March, chill out and just enjoy it. How many Mondays have we played in a German town we can’t pronounce?”

“I actually enjoy my job” says Matty, “But I was sat there the other day and I hated not being stuck in traffic in a different country.”

Just over a year after announcing plans to take a break, they posted online details of a homecoming show in Warrington that would take place in March 2020. They would be joined at Live Bars joined by a number of bands they were friends with. An enforced move to Fat Cat Ballroom on Cairo Street would mean with 200 advanced tickets already sold, the great comeback would be sold out three months early.

There’s plenty of excitement from Chris, one of the founding members who formed the group over a shared passion of The Clash, Rancid and Stiff Little Fingers. “It’s a well good lineup. It’s sold out, just a shame we have to play. Fainted Idea, Crazy Arm, Pizza Tramp, ‘Bossmags, I don’t think we’ve ever had that line up together.”

It was clear that despite years of touring there were concerns that they were going to come back to a community that had moved onto the next thing.

For Roughneck, it gave them validation that they were making the right decision to return and towards the end of 2019 came together in their practise room for the first time in months, slipping back into things. “It was the the first time, we’d all met up together. Beforehand I sat with my acoustic guitar trying to remember the songs I was absolutely rubbish, proper stressing. As as soon as we got into that same stinking room and had the guitar amps we just clicked and played really tight.”

2020 will bring a diverse new album, their first since 2014’s ‘Out of Anger’, which will contain the fastest track Roughneck have ever wrote and also their slowest! There’s also no coincidence that any perceived anxiety in how the band was doing might be reflected in some of the lyrics.

Matty tells us these tracks are generally a bit more personal than the last one. “A bit more about going mental. Theres one about us going on hiatus. Shut up we’re still here”.

Chris tells us it’s been 98% done since 2018 but left to their own devices they have admittedly been slow to get things finished after changes to the dynamics in the group and getting a new drummer since the last album. “We’ve not got artwork yet, but almost decided on a name. For a long time it was Boiled Egg In Ashtray or something serious like Burn It To The Ground... It’s been a year, nobody is going to come into the studio and say “Ey boys I’ve sorted it, why don’t we call it feathers”.

Sam suggest perhaps they could call it ‘Back in Anger’ in reference to the last album title. Matty retorts: “Might sell a bit more in Merch!”

It is clear that in the future, the band members completed by Cait Costello on Banjo and backing vocals and John Dempsey on drums consider each other family and will be refreshed, with increased focused and determination.

“Nobody ever told us six people that we have to go and get in a van and drive around and be knackered and play songs” says Chris. “It’s mad to put that pressure on yourself but if we’re the only ones in charge, you have to make it work for you.

Why could it ever be at a point where we’re getting sick of it. If you’re sick of doing 12 hour drives, book a better tour. You realise you realise have a lot more control than you think.”

“Your mental health is so important with stuff like this, its literally based on creativity and enthusiasm. If you’re feeling bad as an individual and band making is it worse then its a self fulfilling prophecy. We have to look after ourselves mentally.”

When I ask what they would consider a successful return in 2020, there’s no grand proclamations from Matty: “If we get this album together, not rush it, get it released do a tour and enjoy the next year, without regretting it then that would be a success.” • Lee Harman

Roughneck Riot play Fat Cat Ball Room on Saturday 28th March. Tickets have sold out .