1 – It’s been just over a year1 – You’ve said in the past that any reformation of the Instigators would have to be done right – why reform now? since your latest album, ‘Circle of Stone’, came out. How have the Blaze Bayley fans reacted to it?
Andy Turner – Correct. We wouldn’t have done this if it hadn’t been as good as we wanted it to be. So, the three guys up north started rehearsals just after Christmas and started nailing 3 songs a week until I got up there in February but until that happened we still didn’t know for sure if this was happening. And as you can see it’s all coming together. And why now? – Basically the planets aligned this time. We’d been offered Rebellion before but things didn’t work out. The time was right
Simon Mooney – We’re closer to death than we used to be and I mostly loved being in the band back in the day. Also, we found a drummer up for it and more than capable.
2 -What has been the response from your fans since you announced reforming?
AT – Super positive but I’m sure there was a lot of people who spat their tea out. WTF, after 32 years, where did that come from? And when Rebellion was first announced other offers started coming in which is good to know and after we’re done with these four shows we’ll be seriously looking at some of them for next year
SM – I’ll still be amazed if people turn up. Suppose we’re guaranteed a bit of a crowd in Blackpool but after that… I’m pleasantly surprised by the supportive comments online but I remember one from a few years ago saying ‘please never reform’.
3 – There have been lots of musicians involved in the Instigators over the years – what’s the lineup this time?
AT – Again we were bombarded by people wanting to know who was going to be involved but we wanted to keep a lid on that to make sure we were all fully invested in this and it was working. So now I can tell you it’s Simon Mooney – Guitar, Gary Jackson – Bass, Dan Le-Billon – Drums and Andy Turner – Vocals.
SM – Well I was in the band from school though I had a bit of a holiday at the end of the 80s. Gary (the bass player now) replaced me on guitar once when I was late one night in Belgium (he was a roadie) and then more permanently when I finally left the band, er, during a tour in Milan. He’s been very helpful remembering some of the parts I’ve forgotten. Dan, the drummer, has been a revelation and didn’t know the songs at all. He’s done a remarkable job and the two sets we’ve been rehearsing have started to feel really comfortable.
4 – You’ve released a re-recording of ‘Full Circle’ – why did you choose that song?
AT – Again, it wasn’t long after we announced those shows that things started moving quickly. Our rehearsal space is set up like a proper studio so from day one the lads were recording tracks and sending them down. The video I think you’re talking about right? Well that ties in with a re-issue of our Full Circle / The Sleeper 7” from 1987 that Sanctus Propaganda (who are doing the Borderline Festival in Poland) wanted to put out. That morphed into a 12” featuring those tracks and 3 new recordings
SM – I thought it was a Sanctus idea to release Full Circle. It’s one of my favourites so I was happy, though we have tinkered with the Sleeper we’ll play live as it never felt right to me.
5 – Do you have plans for more re-records?
AT – As I said there’s Full Circle, The Sleeper and Suicide Investigation team on that 12” plus Safety Pin mag asked us for a track on their free 7”. We gave them Tricked And Abused and Suspect Device mag wanted a track for a cassette they’re doing so they got Dark And Lonely. It’s great we have the luxury of being able to record at rehearsals and we did a couple more videos too which should be ready soon
SM – Gary also works as a sound engineer and has so much gear. The rehearsal space is pretty much equipped as a recording studio and it’s been massively helpful to have recordings as we’ve progressed. They have a great quality in sound and feel so I wanted to release some of that if we had the opportunity, which we did.
6 – Are you writing any new material?
AT – We’ve not had time to think about that while we get ourselves in shape nailing 24 tracks from 1984-1988. If there’s any interest then that could be something to look forward to.
SM – I record loads of guitar ideas on my phone so if Andy has any words we could give it a go. I always liked the idea of the means of production being available to people like us and there’s so many more options available today.
7 – Do you have plans to get back out on tour?
AT – We’re all up for doing more next year for sure. I’m more about interesting places over long weekends but Mooney has already said he wants to tough it out in a transit for 8 weeks. Let’s see what offers we get
SM – I was going through the tours we did for a photo book and think there’s over a dozen. The long ones were hard, as we roughed it most of the time, but I’d like to do that again and see if I could cope with it 40 years later. The short trips, like a weekend in Berlin or four days in Holland might be more like it.
8 – If someone had never heard of the Instigators, what 10 songs of yours would you suggest they start with?
AT – That’s a tough one. For me they change all the time and just from throwing songs into the proverbial hat for these sets there’s been some curve balls which maybe didn’t work at the time but definitely work now. I’d say check out the two re-issues out now on Boss Teenage (Phoenix and Shockgun)
SM – Gary had quite an input on which songs made the set(s), it was useful to have a more objective view. I’d pick five from the set – in chronological order: Ignorance Is Bliss, Old Is Sad, Computerage, Full Circle and Cry Freedom.
9 – What advice would you give to the next generation of punk bands?
AT – Go for it. Follow your dreams because if you don’t, even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll regret it all your lives. With money tight in punk world learn to do everything you can yourself. We were super DIY back in to day but those “skills” we learned we’ve taken with us through life. And don’t leave it 32 years to get back together!
SM – Take photographs.
10 – Finally, what 10 songs have influenced you the most?
AT – Impossible to answer I’m afraid even if you said 100 songs. How long do you think I’ve been listening to music for?
SM – As a guitarist: Sex Pistols – Bodies, UK Subs – Plan Of Action, Subhumans – Rats, Iron Maiden – Wrathchild and Slade – Gudbuy T’Jane.
