The Moonlandingz lurched into life as a fictional band from a fictional town featured on the Eccentronic Research Council’s 2015 concept album Johnny Rocket, Narcissist And Music Machine… I’m Your Biggest Fan.
But as we strap ourselves in for 2017, the group have made the leap into the real world, claiming to have come up with the first great record of the year, with their much anticipated Interplanetary Class Classics.
The band is the Eccentronic Research Council’s Adrian Flanagan and Dean Honer in cahoots with Fat White Family’s Lias Saoudi (aka frontman Johnny Rocket) and Saul Adamczewski. So expect deranged analogue electronic experiments shackled to more unhinged rock'n'roll styles, straight from the gutter.
They recorded the album with Sean Lennon at his studio in upstate New York with a range of collaborators including Randy Jones the Cowboy from The Village People, Rebecca Taylor from Slow Club, drummer Ross Orton, bassist Mairead O’Connor, Phil Oakey and Yoko Ono.
With the album due out on Trangressive Records on 24 March, the group will also be showing what they’re all about with a UK tour from 22 March. View the full list of tour dates, listen to first single Black Hanz below and discover more about the band’s colourful history with Adrian…
How did the band get together?
We met on the dance floor at a lesbian ‘titty tassle’ bar in Barnsley.
Interplanetary Class Classics is your forthcoming record - what is the album about?
It's the opposite of what Coldplay’s last album was about.
Could you explain a little about the creative process for the Moonlandingz? How does it work?
Step one: wake up around 2pm. Step two: go back to sleep. Step three: wake up and eat raw sausage. Step four: go to boozer and wait for inspiration to strike. Step five: do something humiliating. Step six: sing own words over the hits of the Carpenters. Step seven: sober up and try and rip off/recreate the songs from the night before using a banjo and a pair of spoons: Step eight: put on a smoke machine and marvel at our genius.
How did you find working with Sean Lennon?
With a metal detector.
How was working with Yoko Ono? Was it intimidating to work with such an avant garde figure?
It was just another beautiful day in the office. And no more intimidating as working with Mairead O'Connor.
Randy Jones from the Village People is also on the record - what did he bring to the music of the Moonlandingz?
He brought the KY Jelly, I brought the jump leads, Johnny Rocket brought the orifices.
Are there any new artists you’re tipping for success in 2017?
Cabbage. But not that Cabbage.
Johnny Rocket is the alter ego of Lias from the Fat White Family - what’s the difference between these two big musical personalities?
One is a fictional narcissistic ego maniac. The other is a narcissistic ego maniac.
What does the future look like for the Moonlandingz?
*Holds up picture of Donald Trumps genitals*
2016 was quite a turbulent year - have you any predictions for 2017?
Everyone else you love dies. Bread bangles in Top Shop.
Have the Moonlandingz any advice for new pop stars wanting to ‘make it’?
Tuck yer shirts in and get a proper job.
moonlandingz.com
The Moonlandingz have been supported by the PRS for Music Foundation.
Listen to Black Hans below.
But as we strap ourselves in for 2017, the group have made the leap into the real world, claiming to have come up with the first great record of the year, with their much anticipated Interplanetary Class Classics.
The band is the Eccentronic Research Council’s Adrian Flanagan and Dean Honer in cahoots with Fat White Family’s Lias Saoudi (aka frontman Johnny Rocket) and Saul Adamczewski. So expect deranged analogue electronic experiments shackled to more unhinged rock'n'roll styles, straight from the gutter.
They recorded the album with Sean Lennon at his studio in upstate New York with a range of collaborators including Randy Jones the Cowboy from The Village People, Rebecca Taylor from Slow Club, drummer Ross Orton, bassist Mairead O’Connor, Phil Oakey and Yoko Ono.
With the album due out on Trangressive Records on 24 March, the group will also be showing what they’re all about with a UK tour from 22 March. View the full list of tour dates, listen to first single Black Hanz below and discover more about the band’s colourful history with Adrian…
How did the band get together?
We met on the dance floor at a lesbian ‘titty tassle’ bar in Barnsley.
Interplanetary Class Classics is your forthcoming record - what is the album about?
It's the opposite of what Coldplay’s last album was about.
Could you explain a little about the creative process for the Moonlandingz? How does it work?
Step one: wake up around 2pm. Step two: go back to sleep. Step three: wake up and eat raw sausage. Step four: go to boozer and wait for inspiration to strike. Step five: do something humiliating. Step six: sing own words over the hits of the Carpenters. Step seven: sober up and try and rip off/recreate the songs from the night before using a banjo and a pair of spoons: Step eight: put on a smoke machine and marvel at our genius.
How did you find working with Sean Lennon?
With a metal detector.
How was working with Yoko Ono? Was it intimidating to work with such an avant garde figure?
It was just another beautiful day in the office. And no more intimidating as working with Mairead O'Connor.
Randy Jones from the Village People is also on the record - what did he bring to the music of the Moonlandingz?
He brought the KY Jelly, I brought the jump leads, Johnny Rocket brought the orifices.
Are there any new artists you’re tipping for success in 2017?
Cabbage. But not that Cabbage.
Johnny Rocket is the alter ego of Lias from the Fat White Family - what’s the difference between these two big musical personalities?
One is a fictional narcissistic ego maniac. The other is a narcissistic ego maniac.
What does the future look like for the Moonlandingz?
*Holds up picture of Donald Trumps genitals*
2016 was quite a turbulent year - have you any predictions for 2017?
Everyone else you love dies. Bread bangles in Top Shop.
Have the Moonlandingz any advice for new pop stars wanting to ‘make it’?
Tuck yer shirts in and get a proper job.
moonlandingz.com
The Moonlandingz have been supported by the PRS for Music Foundation.
Listen to Black Hans below.
