Exclusive Interview with THE BAD SHOTS

Alt rock newcomers The Bad Shots are set to be the next biggest band in the world – or at least that’s what an inebriated punter from one of their concert’s once mumbled. The British-French trio got together after a chance meeting at a dive bar in Paris where they bonded over random flaming beverages. Their music is a jumble of power chords, pogoing rhythms and singalong choruses. The band’s confrontational performance style and musicianship have fast made them a thrilling live act. The group consists of Duncan (Lead Vocal & Guitar) from Northwich, UK, Stef (Bass & Vocals) and Adrien (Drums & Vocals), originally from the suburbs of Paris. Check out the exclusive Interview below:

1. How did The Bad Shots get together?

Dunc: I saw this scruffy looking guy doing shots in a bar in Paris, pretending to play the drums with his fingers. It was Adrien.

Adrien: Dunc, who’s English, came up to me and spoke in really bad French. I couldn’t understand a word but he had a NOFX T-shirt on, so figured he wasn’t a prick.

Steph: Adrien told me he’d met a guitar player but has no idea what he says. I was basically invited to join the band as a translator.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

Dunc: I spent hours learning John Squire and Jimi Hendrix riffs as a kid and pretty much any song by The Beatles, Bowie and The Charlatans.

Adrien: No formal training. Dunc is my teacher.

Steph: Yeah, Dunc teaches Adrien drums even though he’s never played drums.

3. Why the name ‘THE BAD SHOTS?

Steph: Let’s just say one of us reacted badly to a drink one night and it gave us an idea.

Adrien: Let’s not discuss that night. But yes, too much booze

Dunc: We’ve had lots of names… Fused, Urine8, Doctor Milburn and his Foot Fetish Academy. So The Bad Shots seemed like an improvement.

4. How would you personally describe your sound?

Steph: Eclectic pop punk-tastic rock piano ballad stuff.

Dunc: Drum beats with guitars over it.

Adrien: Fresh expensive rosé mixed with hot, cheap beer.

5. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles?

Steph: It depends on the song and the mood.

Dunc: I sometimes write political lyrics. But if it doesn’t rhyme then I just blurt whatever words comes out and we end up singing about Ketchup Cocktails.

Adrien: Songs are a moment that create feelings on universal subjects and sometimes there is a magic that touches people and opens our collective human consciousness, emotionally and spiritually. Namaste.

6. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it?

Dunc: We’d love to gig more. That’s the main thing for me – we want to do more live shows.

Adrien: And record more. We have dozens of songs to record.

Steph: And you want more groupies.

7. Could you describe your creative processes? How do usually start, and go about shaping ideas into a completed song?

Adrien: It can start from jamming, from a lyric, from a set of chords. There is no one set way for us to write a song.

Dunc: I listen to Burt Bacharach songs and add distortion.

Steph: The creative process involves a lot of: “no, don’t do that – do this!”

8. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

Adrien: Artistic differences. I have strong opinions on music and Dunc and I often disagree.

Dunc: I thought we’d agreed that I was right and you were wrong?

Steph: The most difficult thing? Spending hours locked in rehearsal rooms with these two.

9. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general?

Adrien: Most people who hear us, tend to like us. We fuckin’ rock and we want to share our joy.

Dunc: We haven’t had too many naysayers so far, other than my mum.

Steph: Tell critics to fuck off.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

Steph: Releasing our EP Powder Keg!

Dunc: Available in all good record shops for people with immaculate music taste.

Adrien: No it’s not. It’s basically only on digital.