Bonded By Blood.
The Blood Idols play the Gabba Hotel on Friday and the Miami Tavern on Saturday. Then they break up.
“We're splitting because we feel that we have reached the end of the road. We've taken the band as far as we're ever likely to take it. And equally got further with it than we ever thought was possible,” starts Blood Idols bassist Paul as he explains why Brisbane's horror rock ‘n’ punk band The Blood Idols are calling it a day.
“We're all still friends so it was very mutual decision; we hung in there for as long as we could, times change, people change and sadly bands change too... after seven long years it's time to stop and put it to rest. We'll soon join a long list of local bands of the sadly departed.'”
What's something that you'd like The Blood Idols to be remembered for?
“Good energetic live shows and if you where there, you where entertained. I think most people thought we rocked... even if we sucked... we still rocked though...”
If The Blood Idols were buried in the cemetery of great now defunct punk rock bands (as we all know they will be), what would your tombstone say?
“We came, we saw, we rocked it's ass!”
So what's next for all you guys? Will your other band Roshambo be your full time band now?
“It sounds wanky to say I'll keep my options open, but sure Angus and I are both playing in Roshambo and maybe that will be enough or maybe I'd get involved with other bands but for now I think a break is needed... other things to do.”
Will any of the ex-Blood Idols / Bantha Fodder members be joining you on stage for your last show ever?
“No most of them have scattered to the far corners of the earth; over half would be quite difficult to gather in Brisbane this weekend for the final shows. So we're just going to end with the final line-up as a three piece.”
What can people expect to see at the last shows? Got anything exciting planned?
“Basically just going to attempt to play through the back catalogue without overstaying our welcome, attempt a lot of old songs we haven't touched in years, could be tragic... but always fun... be very interesting from our perspective.”
What was one of the all-time most memorable gigs that The Blood Idols / Bantha Fodder had ever played?
“I'd say supporting Green Day at the Brisbane River stage, Botanical Gardens is a definite highlight. The sound of 10,000 people all clapping politely makes you feel like ‘they love us, they really love us’. It was just a fantastic night from memory.”
Tell us about one of the gigs that you would rather forget? If there were any?
“Plenty of them so many I'd say I have truly forgotten them already, something along the lines of when the planets are not aligned correctly, everything goes wrong, the crowd hates you, you hate them, you hate the band, you hate yourself and question why you are doing it and constantly putting yourself through the torture.”
Is there anything that you feel that you guys have achieved with Blood Idols?
“Playing at a good level of competency i.e. we learned our instruments and that lead to a certain reputation which in turn led to some good shows, good supports and good times. The rock 'n' roll dream was certainly tasted once or twice.”
Why didn't The Blood Idols ever release a recording? Will there ever be one?
“We're slack basically, we did do some demos at one stage, that looking back with 20/20 hindsight we should have just released it, but we didn't so it's sort of lost momentum and by then we where just happy to play live like we always did and then we decided to split, not a very good plan as you can see.”
Is there any chance of a reunion show in about 10 years time a-la-Sex Pistols style?
“I can't say no and I can't say yes, look us up in 10 years on the RSL circuit.”
Any famous last words you'd like to leave your fans with?
“May the Force be with you... always...”