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 !!! interview and session
 to access audio and video on collective you need real player.New York’s finest funk it up. Are you susceptible to the beast in music? The bit that makes your body move involuntarily, the bit that trances you out? Not the clever melodies or the virtuoso strumming, but the groove, the funk, the bass, the rhythm, the dirt. If you occasionally long for a bit of that then !!! are here to help.“Seems like in the 90s everyone just stood around, arms folded, going like yeah, cool man. We were really bored with that,” says drummer and vocalist, John Pugh. “It wasn’t our idea of a fun show or a party, or a way to spend your life. So we just started a party band, something for us and our friends. We made a lot of friends.”  That was back in 1996. Since then the seven-piece has been brewing up their various influences (Krautrock, early US house and techno, 80s electro, punk and 70s funk) into a potent style all their own. The underlying themes, though, are clear. “It’s a matter of the eternal quest for the groove. For the funkiest, fattest thing you’ve ever heard.” proclaims lead singer Nic Offer in his characteristic Bill & Ted drawl. There’s also the desire to push things forward. “All respect to the past but we’re not interested in recreating anyone else’s spirit,” says John. “We’re just interested in finding our own thing and pushing it as far as we can.” So far so good. 2003’s nine-minute monster single, Me And Giuliani Down By The School Yard (A True Story), sent UK dancefloors into a frenzy and was hailed as single of the year by dance mag Jockey Slut (now sadly deceased). This success in clubland is an effect they owe, in part, to their UK label Warp. “We were fantasising about finding a label that understands dance music culture and could get us an entry to have DJs play us. We wanted a record that would do to people in the clubs what we do to them live.”  And if you’ve watched the gig video (linked to above) then you’ll see what they mean. Their hard funkin’ approach and sheer brutal energy is infectious. People properly dancing at a gig? Whatever next? So, suppose I’ve convinced you to seek out the album, Louden Up Now, at your local record store. What should you ask for? “The name is three !s and you make it up. Whatever you want. Pow Pow Pow, Nah Nah Nah, Chk Chk Chk, whatever,” scoffs Nic, implying it’s not the first time the ‘name issue’ has been raised. “What’s a better-named band out there currently? Now that Born Against have broken up.” Fair enough. The music speaks for itself after all, if you’re that way inclined.
Alastair Lee
!!! play Fabric in London, 17July 04, and Reading/Leeds Festival, 27-29 August 04. Louden Up Now, released 07 June 04 on Warp Records.
Zongamin: “He comes up with some really good shit. Some of his best stuff is remixes. He can take a dull track and make it, like, what the f**k!” John Pugh.  conversations
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