Roaring guitars, slick outfits, cheeky lyrics, IC1's are loudly becoming one of England's most talked about bands. With people like Mani of Primal Scream, Alan McGee of Creation Records all in their corner, rock and roll is very much alive in the UK and IC1's are keeping it that way. We featured the band as our May Rising Artist and they have not disappointed. We caught up with singer Daniel Coburn aka "DC" and guitarist Jesse James aka "JJ." Take a look at our interview in which we discuss the band's acclaim, coming to America and their interesting name.In just a short amount of time you managed to gain so much attention and buzz around London, how did it come about?
DC: Things have changed nowadays, networking is a pretty important. You can say you are the greatest band going to people on your Facebook status but people show up and you get found out. People show up to our gigs and find out that it won't be long until they are back again, I guess that's how it comes about?
JJ: Yeah, there's that. You gotta work your bollocks off in the studio and be willing to play live anywhere at any time, play to a room of two people where the barman is sweeping up the empty dance floor, play to a room of two people and you got two more fans
With the likes of Alan McGee, Mani from Primal Scream and others praising your work. How do you feel?
JJ: Its amazing to have someone like Mcgee singing your praises and talking about you. Its the stuff dreams are made of
DC: Yeah, I know Alan a little bit and I can tell you hes a top, top geeza, he knows his stuff and he was the man behind Oasis and Creation Records, that is enough for us.
The name of the band is pretty interesting it sounds like “Icy Ones,” where did it originate?
JJ: You guys in America might not understand what it actually means, by definition it means White Caucasian which can be a bit of an issue when four Jamaican women you used to work with turn up at a gig and ask what it means!
DC: Of course, its nothing racist if anything its quite the opposite, we've used it because we hate the way its used to separate people in society rather than bring people together as equals.
You are very straightforward with your approach to your music. Even going as far as saying “If you don't like it, you know where the fucking door is,” on your Facebook page. Is that your way of responding to the harsh critics?
DC: Its not a response to any critic what so ever, its the way I live my life to be honest, I am in it for me and the ones I love and at the end of the day you find people in life that want to bring you down and try and change you, that's not me, boy.. if you don't like it, you know where the fucking door is.
JJ: To be honest, we haven't had any yet. The Sex Pistols, Oasis... they had that 'bollocks', I suppose its influenced by the bands we like, but its true, if you don't like it, the door is over there, simple as that really.
With so many bands popping out of London these days, how do IC1s stand out from the pack?
JJ: Well.....everyone else is shit.
DC: London at the moment is dry, everyone wants synth, people are forgetting where rock and roll came from and the potential for the city but its being wasted. The charts are full of Simon Cowell, he's American isn't he?
There is a big Britpop influence in your music, did growing up in the Britpop boom of the 90’s make you want to be in a band and inspire your work?
DC: Yeah, I saw Oasis 26 times. Liam is the reason I became a front man and Noel the reason I started writing songs. I think its the closest Britian got to Beatlemania again and I was glad to be part of it, now even more so... we want to be at the forefront of the next one....handsome-mania.
Are you working on a full length now? If so, when can we expect it?
JJ: Well we've got a single coming out on September 15th on Gary Powell (The Libertines) new label. Once that is out there, we are looking to start doing a record at the end of this year.
DC: If the album sounds anything like it does in my head, the history books will be re-arranged.... that might be a line from one of a our songs, 'Never The Now', that'll be on the second album.
Hailing from London, has the city had a big impact on your style and sound?
JJ: Of course, yeah its a massive influence on our sound, it made us swerve away from sounding like all the other bands, fuck that.
DC: For me, London is the greatest city in the world, there is a buzz about it and everyone else around the world wants to be there!
The name of the band is pretty interesting it sounds like “Icy Ones,” where did it originate?
JJ: You guys in America might not understand what it actually means, by definition it means White Caucasian which can be a bit of an issue when four Jamaican women you used to work with turn up at a gig and ask what it means!
DC: Of course, its nothing racist if anything its quite the opposite, we've used it because we hate the way its used to separate people in society rather than bring people together as equals.
You are very straightforward with your approach to your music. Even going as far as saying “If you don't like it, you know where the fucking door is,” on your Facebook page. Is that your way of responding to the harsh critics?
DC: Its not a response to any critic what so ever, its the way I live my life to be honest, I am in it for me and the ones I love and at the end of the day you find people in life that want to bring you down and try and change you, that's not me, boy.. if you don't like it, you know where the fucking door is.
JJ: To be honest, we haven't had any yet. The Sex Pistols, Oasis... they had that 'bollocks', I suppose its influenced by the bands we like, but its true, if you don't like it, the door is over there, simple as that really.
With so many bands popping out of London these days, how do IC1s stand out from the pack?
JJ: Well.....everyone else is shit.
DC: London at the moment is dry, everyone wants synth, people are forgetting where rock and roll came from and the potential for the city but its being wasted. The charts are full of Simon Cowell, he's American isn't he?
There is a big Britpop influence in your music, did growing up in the Britpop boom of the 90’s make you want to be in a band and inspire your work?
DC: Yeah, I saw Oasis 26 times. Liam is the reason I became a front man and Noel the reason I started writing songs. I think its the closest Britian got to Beatlemania again and I was glad to be part of it, now even more so... we want to be at the forefront of the next one....handsome-mania.
Are you working on a full length now? If so, when can we expect it?
JJ: Well we've got a single coming out on September 15th on Gary Powell (The Libertines) new label. Once that is out there, we are looking to start doing a record at the end of this year.
DC: If the album sounds anything like it does in my head, the history books will be re-arranged.... that might be a line from one of a our songs, 'Never The Now', that'll be on the second album.
Hailing from London, has the city had a big impact on your style and sound?
JJ: Of course, yeah its a massive influence on our sound, it made us swerve away from sounding like all the other bands, fuck that.
DC: For me, London is the greatest city in the world, there is a buzz about it and everyone else around the world wants to be there!
Each one of the band members seems to have a nickname, is this your on-stage alter ego persona?
DC: They are the only nicknames we can put into print... theres not alter egos, its hard enough work dealing with the egos that we already have!
JJ: It's just banter in the band, that is what this band is about, massive banter and massive tunes.
You have played with a slew of people in the last year, people like The Cribs, Tinie Tempah, Proud Mary, The Charlatans, Buzzcocks. Who would you love to play with now?
DC:..myself? Take me back a few years and we could be here for a few hours. I'll put it this way, there are only a handful of bands that I think IC1s could support, Kings Of Leon, The Rolling Stones and U2 and without coming across as a complete dick, apart from them three, everyone else should be supporting us.
JJ: Amen.
You are going to play SXSW and it will be your maiden trip to the US. How do you feel to play the US?
JJ: SXSW is one of those festivals that bands go out to early on when they are going somewhere, to get on the bill there is something in itself, haven't even thought about the rest of it yet, but buzzing about it.
DC: Its as simple as... I can not fucking wait! The American people are different to the English, the Americans show as much enthusiasm as they can and the subject deserves, whereas you can play infront of a full crowd of people who are into that style of music and they will tap their foot and judge you, but I'll let the Americans be the judge of that.
Is making it in the US a big deal for you?
DC: Yeah it is a big deal, massive deal. I'll never forget watching the videos of The Beatles touching down in American, They'd made it before they had even got there. America is the promise land, and I promise we'll be landing there in a big way.
JJ: I hear American girls love English guys, that's a silly question...
Where do you want IC1s to take you?
JJ: We are still early on in our careers, a year isn't a long time and things are just starting to take shape for us now, so I don't think any of us can see further than our noses , we just want to get out there and make something of IC1s. We all joke about acting careers and aftershaves, the IC1s fragrance would smell like victory, I am not sure if you can bottle that, can you?
DC: Its not about where IC1s can take me, Its about where IC1s can take everybody else, I am already there.. plenty of room at this inn.
DC: They are the only nicknames we can put into print... theres not alter egos, its hard enough work dealing with the egos that we already have!
JJ: It's just banter in the band, that is what this band is about, massive banter and massive tunes.
You have played with a slew of people in the last year, people like The Cribs, Tinie Tempah, Proud Mary, The Charlatans, Buzzcocks. Who would you love to play with now?
DC:..myself? Take me back a few years and we could be here for a few hours. I'll put it this way, there are only a handful of bands that I think IC1s could support, Kings Of Leon, The Rolling Stones and U2 and without coming across as a complete dick, apart from them three, everyone else should be supporting us.
JJ: Amen.
You are going to play SXSW and it will be your maiden trip to the US. How do you feel to play the US?
JJ: SXSW is one of those festivals that bands go out to early on when they are going somewhere, to get on the bill there is something in itself, haven't even thought about the rest of it yet, but buzzing about it.
DC: Its as simple as... I can not fucking wait! The American people are different to the English, the Americans show as much enthusiasm as they can and the subject deserves, whereas you can play infront of a full crowd of people who are into that style of music and they will tap their foot and judge you, but I'll let the Americans be the judge of that.
Is making it in the US a big deal for you?
DC: Yeah it is a big deal, massive deal. I'll never forget watching the videos of The Beatles touching down in American, They'd made it before they had even got there. America is the promise land, and I promise we'll be landing there in a big way.
JJ: I hear American girls love English guys, that's a silly question...
Where do you want IC1s to take you?
JJ: We are still early on in our careers, a year isn't a long time and things are just starting to take shape for us now, so I don't think any of us can see further than our noses , we just want to get out there and make something of IC1s. We all joke about acting careers and aftershaves, the IC1s fragrance would smell like victory, I am not sure if you can bottle that, can you?
DC: Its not about where IC1s can take me, Its about where IC1s can take everybody else, I am already there.. plenty of room at this inn.