It needs to be said that Kiss My Acid are enjoying themselves hugely at Rebellion. They played on the introducing stage last year and the festival decided to invite the Irish trio back for a second stint. Gary Trueman spoke to two thirds of KMA Freda and Rick about their new album, Guiness vs Cider and whether a childrens TV show dog was called Kipper or Clifford. Some alcohol may have been abused before, during and after this interview.
Would you like to introduce yourselves and what you do in the band?
Rick: “I’m Rick, bass player”
Freda: “I’m Freda, I’m a professional fuck up.” (Freda plays guitar and sings)
A professional fuck up that played the introducing stage last year and they’ve had you back. How was that?
Rick: “It was cool.”
Freda: “I don’t know why they done that but yeah, cool.”
You have a new album out too.
Freda: “Yeah, we have an album out and we’re just off our tour in the UK which was 25 dates and then we done a few dates in Ireland but fuck Ireland.”
What’s wrong with Ireland?
Rick: “A lot of the punk scene in Ireland is very pretentious. A lot of the punks in Ireland are very elitist. I love Ireland but the punks are elitist.
Freda: “You play in England and you get a fookin mosh pit, you play in Ireland and everyone’s folding their arms”
Rick: “England has a better scene. People in England care more about music than they do in Ireland.”
Does that include people who play fiddles?
Rick: “I rarely see a fiddle”
Freda: “I fiddle with my willy. There’s actually a really good music scene for all of that shit but not punk. I mean we’re punk but we’re not oi oi oi. We just play what comes naturally. You write the songs then you can define the genre. We don’t have any oi stuff in our shit. Fuck it I’m going to write an oi song.”
You’re kind of from Dublin but outside of Dublin. How do the politics that you see portrayed in England differ from what you see, is that a topic where you’re from?
Rick: “It’s more a Northern Irish thing. They’re all basically the same shit (political parties). We’re not a very political band.”
Freda: “I don’t know what’s going on in the world. It needs some oi.”
Following on from a discussion at the bar earlier about childrens TV shows, so is it Kipper or Clifford? Seriously….. Kipper?
Rick: “It’s Clifford the dog.”
Freda: “I thought it was Kipper the dog.”
Rick: “Clifford is a big dog. It’s red.”
Freda: “Where’d I get Kipper from?”
Rick: “It’s because you’re a fruit isn’t it.”
Freda: “A fruit? A fucking fruit cake.”
[ Editors note: It turns out it’s both Clifford and Kipper so it just goes to show that Freda is the font of all knowledge when it comes to childrens TV]
So back to Rebellion. Who are you going to go and check out?
Freda: “Maid Of Ace are one of my favourite bands.”
Rick: “I really want to see Hands Off Gretel. Paranoid Visions too. They’re a Dublin band you have to go and see them.”
When you’re not watching bands what else will you be doing?
Rick: “Smoking hash and playing retro video games.”
Freda: Rick and Rennick (KMA drummer) are like soul mates they’ll just smoke hash and hang out together. I’ll go and get pissed and go and see more bands. We’re playing at Tache (nearby rock club) too at like three in the morning with the Healthy Junkies. I love Nina (Courson, Healthy Junkies vocalist). I’ll be trashed…. What time is it now? Fuck!”
Rick: “We are professionals”
Freda: “I’m a motherfucking professional. Is anyone going to read this? As if you understand us. Haha”
And finally. Guiness or cider?
Rick: “Guiness” (Seconded by KMA drummer Rennick who’s just appeared)
Freda: “Cider”
Rick: “Fucking Guiness woman.”
Freda” Cider (shouting). CIDER, CIDER, CIDER”
And that was where the interview was ended. In a debate of beverage preferences that ended in a draw with the Kiss My Acid guys voting for the black stuff and Freda and the Devolution interviewer opting for the apple based product. The last thing heard was Freda still chanting “CIDER” at the top of her voice on her way back to the bar.