{"id":16384,"date":"2013-04-28T09:00:17","date_gmt":"2013-04-27T23:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/?p=16384"},"modified":"2013-04-27T13:49:41","modified_gmt":"2013-04-27T03:49:41","slug":"richard-boucher-of-funeral-for-a-friend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maytherockbewithyou.com\/mtrbwy\/2013\/04\/richard-boucher-of-funeral-for-a-friend\/","title":{"rendered":"Richard Boucher of Funeral For A Friend"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n<\/a>\u201cI think we always like to keep our listeners on their feet *laughs* without giving too much away I think we\u2019ll always be a band that\u2019s definitely full of surprises and we\u2019ll always try and better ourselves and keep things interesting. I don\u2019t think we\u2019re complacent people at all, so keep a watch on us as you\u2019ll never know. *laughs*\u201d<\/p>\n

From Press Release: Over the course of a decade, Funeral For A Friend have remained one of the most fascinating bands to come out of the UK. Their debut album Casually Dressed & Deep In Conversation<\/em> has long been upheld as a landmark punk album of the 2000s but it by no means bred a sense of self-satisfaction for the ambitious Welshmen. The five-piece\u2019s musical evolution has been heavily documented and it has seen them arrive at the most confident, kickass juncture of their career in 2013.<\/p>\n

We had a chat with Funeral For A Friend bass played Richard Boucher to talk about the band\u2019s new album \u2018Conduit\u2019 as well as their upcoming Australian tour\u2026<\/p>\n

The album has been out for a couple of months now, how has the reaction been to it so far?<\/strong>
\nAmazing, better than we could\u2019ve hoped really\u2026 Obviously when you release a new album and have a slight directional change which we have with it, we\u2019re always looking to see how people perceive it, but the response has been overwhelming really, can\u2019t be happier.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a noticeably heavier album than your previous releases, was this planned or did the album just play out that way?<\/strong>
\nIt wasn\u2019t necessarily planned, we actually wrote the a song off an EP we released, \u2018See You All In Hell\u2019 and that was \u2018High Castles\u2019 and that was kind of like a catalyst really, for the album, so we wrote that song and sort of had a direction from that song if you know what I mean.<\/p>\n

So when you sat down to create the album, was there a specific concept you were aiming for or did it just evolve that way?<\/strong>
\nYeah it just kind of evolved from that song really, yeah.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Is there a story behind the choice of the name \u2018Conduit\u2019?<\/strong>
\nNot really, it\u2019s another song on there, the title track \u2018Conduit\u2019 and we just felt that we liked the meaning behind it and thought it was good enough, the album was short, snappy and direct and we thought it\u2019d be simple to use just one word.\u00a0 We liked \u2018Conduit\u2019 yeah we\u2019ll call it that.<\/p>\n

Has the addition of Pat after Ryan\u2019s departure helped the band in the creation of what Conduit became?<\/strong>
\nWell actually all the songs were written before Pat, we obviously re-recorded the drums with him, but definitely his sound has helped the album, it sounds a lot heavier with him playing the album, a lot faster, more direct and we were lucky to have him on board.<\/p>\n

Is that the same in the live environment?<\/strong>
\nOh definitely, all the old fans are coming to the show and really noticed that we sounded more ferocious and more intense than ever, so yeah, it\u2019s been amazing.<\/p>\n

Vocally as well, how easy or hard has it been for Matthew to adapt to Ryan\u2019s parts, has he had to pick them up?<\/strong>
\nNot necessarily, it\u2019s shared between him and Kris, Kris has done a lot of Ryan\u2019s actual screaming parts and Matt has kind of developed a whole new vocal style in the sense where he goes for a shouty hardcore screamy kind of sound which he\u2019s just kind of found natural himself just for this album I think.<\/p>\n

It must be nice to not be the \u2018new guy\u2019 anymore\u2026<\/strong>
\nOh definitely, yeah *laughs* yeah I\u2019ve been in there for years now\u2026 *laughs*<\/p>\n

When you look back at an album like \u2018Casually Dressed & In Deep Conversation\u2019 compared to \u2018Conduit\u2019 and the evolution of the band, even though you weren\u2019t a part of the earlier albums, how have you personally see how the progression has taken place?<\/strong>
\nYeah I mean I was obviously a fan and very good friends with them before that and I think the band has definitely progressed and I think time has a part as well and a large third party influence for new albums and stuff as well.\u00a0 I think with this new album as well it\u2019s kind of like a bit more of passion in it as well I suppose and that\u2019s had a bit of an effect on it as well.<\/p>\n

Is it fair to say that you\u2019re still evolving and have plans for something maybe completely different next time around?<\/strong>
\nI think we always like to keep our listeners on their feet *laughs* without giving too much away I think we\u2019ll always be a band that\u2019s definitely full of surprises and we\u2019ll always try and better ourselves and keep things interesting. I don\u2019t think we\u2019re complacent people at all, so keep a watch on us as you\u2019ll never know. *laughs*<\/p>\n

You are heading back to Australia in May, what can we expect to hear this time around?<\/strong>
\nA god mix of old and new songs, what we think is our favourite tracks off \u2018Conduit\u2019\u00a0 and we actually haven\u2019t ever been over to Australia for club shows, only ever been over for festivals and stuff, so we\u2019re absolutely so excited to get into the club scene over there and play a good number of shows. I think we\u2019re probably more excited than our fans are. *laughs*<\/p>\n

It\u2019s your biggest tour here yet, what do you this it is about the Australian audiences and their connection with your music?<\/strong>
\nIt\u2019s hard to say really, I think Australia in general is a nice place, the people are great, and that translates to the shows as well, if the people are really cool and nice and friendly then the shows are as well. It\u2019s a great place to be when we come down to Australia, so it\u2019s going to be fun. Also we have a hardcore band \u2018Relentless\u2019 with us which are pretty cool as well, obviously we\u2019re all big hardcore fans and yeah it\u2019s been really positive so far, can\u2019t wait to get out there.\u00a0 Let\u2019s just hope the weather\u2019s going to be great *laughs*. We just got back from Russia and that was -17, so I\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s going to be warm.<\/p>\n

Being cooped up for most of last year recording, what are your, I dare say touring plans for the remainder of 2013?<\/strong>
\nBasically just touring, we\u2019re really excited with the record we\u2019ve just written, we want to get out there, get across the world. We\u2019re going to a lot of new places we don\u2019t get to very often, ie like Russia and Scandinavia and stuff. Then coming over to Australia and doing club shows and it\u2019s all about getting out there and making a big effort on the touring side of things, so just basically as much touring as we can really\u2026<\/p>\n

How do you go when you get to a new territory like Russia, are you going over with any expectations?<\/strong>
\nYeah, I didn\u2019t know what to expect, the band had been over there before with Linkin Park as supporting, but going over there and now headlining, you kind of don\u2019t know what to expect. We actually played Moscow and St Petersburg and the two nights were fantastic, everyone was singing a long and going crazy and it was quite surreal really being that far away from home and having people know who you are and excited to come to the shows, so you just never know what it\u2019ll be like.<\/p>\n

Essential Information<\/span><\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n

From:<\/strong> South Wales<\/p>\n

Band members: <\/strong>\u00a0Matthew Davies – vocals, Gav Burrough – guitar, Pat Lundy – drums, Kris Coombs-Roberts \u2013 guitar \/ vocals, Richard Boucher – bass<\/p>\n

Website:<\/strong> http:\/\/www.funeralforafriend.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Latest release:<\/strong> Conduit (out now)<\/p>\n

Catch Funeral For A Friend at the following dates:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Wednesday 8 May \u2013 The Rev, Brisbane (18+)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: destroyalllines.oztix.com.au<\/a> 1300 762 545 & Oztix Outlets
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nThursday 9 May \u2013 Surfers Paradise Beer Garden, Gold Coast (18+)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: destroyalllines.oztix.com.au<\/a> 1300 762 545 & Oztix Outlets\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nFriday 10 May \u2013 The Cambridge, Newcastle (18+)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: yourcambridge.com<\/a> & The Cambridge Hotel
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nSaturday 11 May \u2013 Manning Bar, Sydney (18+)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: manningbar.com<\/a> & 1300 762 545
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nTue 14 May \u2013 The Basement, Canberra (18+)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: moshtix.com.au<\/a>, 1300 438 849, destroyalllines.oztix.com.au<\/a> & Oztix Outlets
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nWed 15 May \u2013 The Corner Hotel, Melbourne (18+)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: cornerhotel.com<\/a> 1300 724 867, the Corner Box Office & Fist2Face
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nThu 16 May \u2013 Pier Live, Frankston (18+)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: ticketmaster.com.au<\/a>\u00a0136 100 & Pier Live on (03) 9783 9800 or pierlive.com.au<\/a>
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nFri 17 May Fowlers Live Adelaide (Lic.AA)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: moshtix.com.au<\/a>,\u00a01300 438 849, & Venue*Tix on (08) 8225 8888 or venuetix.com.au<\/a>
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nSat 18 May \u2013 Prince Of Wales, Bunbury (18+)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: heatseeker.com.au<\/a> 1300 762 545, Heatseeker Outlets &\u00a0destroyalllines.oztix.com.au<\/a>
\n\u00a0<\/strong>
\nSun 19 May \u2013 Amplifier Bar, Perth (18+)<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Tix: heatseeker.com.au<\/a> 1300 762 545, Heatseeker Outlets &\u00a0destroyalllines.oztix.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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