The Pro Fighters

Rip It Up, Issue 79, 1 February 1984, Page 30

The Pro Fighters

The Joßoxers aren't hard to spot. The cloth caps, the Braces,Tthe, trousers, the image. They sprawl l , under the awning of their tent backstage to avoid the sun. They're , bemused by three different weathers in one day. So r far. They've f a long time to wait till their scheduled 12.30 am start and look like seasoned pro musicians. Which they are.

. Back in 1982 four-fifths of the band were swinging it behind London crooner Vic Godard as his Subway Sect. Keyboardist Dave Collard squints from under his cap and remembers.

"We had a fairly loose set-up as club band at the Club Left backing up just about anyone who sang there but mostly Vic. We played fairly cool bob and swing and wore bow-ties and cocktail smiles. One . day . this guy (points at sprawling Dig Wayne) turns up : from New York, played a set with us, and as we were a bit sick of Vic not turning up for gigs and such

like, we decided to give it a go." You've got a reputation as a hot live band.

"Well it's more fun than doing interviews." A surly Dig Wayne springs to life. "It's what we do you know. Live I think we're seen as

pretty tough and they say I'm a brawler but I'd like to think that live we get across the subtleties in our music as well. You know there's more going on than basic hooks and dance steps." So how do you like your first studio album Like Gangbustersl "Hey, are you the guy who reviewed it in your magazine?" More Dig Wayne charm. "What's your name again?" Irish drummer Sean McLusky soothes in.

"Yeah, we think it's pretty much us. The studio is possibly less fun than playing live but we had quite a bit of control on what was recorded. Like Dig says the music is more intricate than first listening gives away and I think the album captures that." Your image and perhaps your music could be seen over here as linked with ska and suchlike. Any connection?

"We’ve toured with. Madness but that’s about all. People say these clothes are an image thing but we're | not stars. You know critics say we've had our 15 minutes worth already but this flitting from fad to fad is crazy. You just turn your back in London and there's something new. Gospel music was supposed to be the next big thing but there's been only one song to my knowledge. You've just got to keep doing what you're doing, keep up the commitment, keep up the live energy. You know, you might think we're blown away to come across the other side of the world to play here but it just comes with the job you know."

A comment like that and you know these guys, average age 23, have played the traps and won't be giving this'game away easily. Quietly spoken bass player Chris Bostock sums up.

"1 don't know if there's more success in store for us. We're writing lots more songs and the ones we have now are going over well in concert. We've played you know like to four people during our career and there's thousands here tonight. It doesn't make any difference to us really. The music will keep us going."

We talk of a few technical things, then of the girls in Newcastle and then of New Zealand beer. Dig Wayne even smiles. I leave intact. Mark Everton