Now then Bart, Thanks for taking the time to do this with me. The first time I heard your music was at Wistful Festival last year, and have had a 'Bad Guys' earworm ever since.. I haven't found a cure yet, not sure I want to just yet! The 'Star Botherers' are a very popular music duo at festivals and a lot of people enjoy your songs.. I always find myself singing or humming one of your tunes!

 

Firstly, How did you come to get the name 'Star Botherers'?

It was Dave that came up with it, back in 2011, I tagged along with Ferocious Dog to Beautiful Days festival. I spent most of the weekend with Dave as I’d travelled down with him in my old campervan and felt somewhat obliged to drink with him all weekend too. Once the bands had finished playing Dave and I would go backstage to ‘bother’ the ‘stars’ for a photo with them, you should see our cheesy grins having met Mick Jones from The Clash.

 

As a musician, you must get asked this question all the time, but when and why did you start playing and writing your own music?

I bought my first guitar about 20 years ago, and like most people who buy musical instruments, I attacked it with gusto for at least a week before it got the better of me. That same guitar then sat gathering dust for about 15 years in the corner. One day our young ‘un came home from nursery school really excited telling me someone had visited their school to sing and play guitar for them, she sang the song back to me, which I googled, (I didn’t know it). So I scrapped 15 years’ worth of dust off the guitar and sat and learned ‘Tell me ma’ to impress my daughter.

I think anyone that learns how to play an instrument dabbles with song writing. You know the adage ‘everyone has a book in them’. Songs are no different, they’re just short stories.

The first song I wrote, (Black Dog) I took round to Ken’s to get his opinion, it was a rubbish song about someone I know, but Ken was honourable enough not to tell me how bad it was, but hey I’d wrote my first song.

 

How did Dave and yourself meet? And when did you both decided to do music together?

I’ve ‘known’ Dave for years, but the first time I’d had a conversation with him was on our way down to Beautiful Days in my old camper for the FD gig. The following year FD played a festival up in the Yorkshire hills, we were sat around the campfire in the early hours playing some drunken tunes, Dave mentioned he was starting an open mic night at his place (The Black Market), and I should pop along. It went from there I suppose. I don’t think we decided to start a band, we just played a few Johnny Cash songs together at the open mic, and then I started writing my own stuff and now I can’t get rid of him.

 

How would you describe the type of music you write?

Tough question, I’m not sure myself to be honest. It was Alan Fisher that described us as hard to describe, and I get that. Dave always says they’re poems, and I get that too. Someone once said it was like country music with rap in…..( wait a minute, C – rap) … I’m certainly influenced by rap music, and I think it shows in some of the songs I write. I love Public Enemy, NWA , Big daddy Kane and Eric B and Rakim , I like the use of words and phrasing in rap, I find it really clever.

 

Who influenced you to get into music?

Everyone likes music don’t they? I suppose some are happy listening, others watching and others playing... I’ve always said I love and loathe music in equal measures. I do enjoy playing though, Ken has always been very supportive and Dave too. I always feel as I’m winging it with 3 chords and dodgy vocals.

 

If 'Star Botherers' had to have a slogan, what slogan would you use?

Aim to spell the name wrong and you’ll probably get it right.

 

What has been the most bizarre thing that has ever happened to you whilst you have been performing?

Dave was on time and I remembered all the words…

 

Is there any other interests or talents you would like to share with us?

Interests, I’m a big fan of the Simpsons. I’m also a trade unionist and I’m passionate about it too. I hate seeing anyone done down, bullied, harassed or intimidated. It takes up about 50% of my working week, (the gaffers love me) so I go up and down the country to various consultations, grievance hearings, investigations etc.. it’s something that’s rewarding one day and frustrating the next. I would urge anyone that’s not already done so, join the union. This current government is chipping away at workers’ rights the anti-trade union laws are divide and conquer tactics, and sadly it looks like it coming.

 

Music is quite influential on both young and old. If you could give any advice to the youth of today, what would it be?

Do your own thing, write your own stuff, sing your own stuff and take influence from everything you love and everything you hate, there’s a song in just about anything and everything.