When Platform had the opportunity to see brokeNCYDE play a pub in Southend, we couldn’t turn it down. To those of you who’ve never been, Southend is a seaside town on the edge of London, combining candy floss, salt air, and pebble beach with cockney nuts who are into punk and watch Quadrophenia everyday over their bangers and mash.
While we were waiting for the gig to start we sat on the beach, inhaling Southend breeze. Looking up to the sky, we pondered the meaning of life and asked the eternal questions. Then we heard the sound of teenage girls tripping over the rocks and howling to each other like Smirnoff bloodhounds. Their conversation went something like this:
“DON’T CLAIRE”
“Shurrrup, it’s fine”
“NO SERIOUSLY…OH FOR GOD’S SAKE”
“I don’t care, whatever”
Claire then pulled down her tracksuit trousers and knickers, and stood on the seafront, the neon glow from ‘New York’ (an amusement arcade) lighting up her grey bum. The weirdest part – she wasn’t even peeing, or mooning, but just clearly felt like removing the clothing from her bottom half. Then, as soon as it had begun, it was over, as three teenage boys came into view at the other end of the beach. What followed was a bizarre courting ritual of the girls refusing the boy’s advances on the basis that “you ain’t from facking London”, yet clearly still enjoying the attention, their flirty conversation screamed across the pier. At that point a few more eternal truths became clear – some girls pull down their pants to attract boys in a weird baboon mating ritual, the pizza we’d eaten in the pub was about to make us really sick, and any band who played Southend must be pretty fucking brave.
brokeNCYDE have created a unique genre of music - Crunkcore and are in/famous for their mix of hardcore screaming and tight beats. They have over 204 000 on Myspace, but are well aware that not everyone is into their sound - their new album is entitled ‘I’m not a fan, but the kids like it!’ Platform had a chat with band member Mikl before their gig, and was kind of liberated by his lack of interest in what anyone other than their very loyal fanbase thought of what they were doing. Touring constantly, they are ridiculously dedicated to playing for the kids who like it, which is actually pretty admirable.
While we chatted in a mock tudor pub, the rest of the band played pool.
Hey Mikl. So on your video blog you said you’re the sex symbol.
That was a joke but yeah. I had just got back to the studio, we were recording, and they turned a camera on me and told us to say a bunch of crazy stuff. That’s the way we are. But yeah, I’m just the sex symbol. No big deal.
Do you like to have fun with the way people see you?
We’re fun people, we joke around non-stop. We’re 21 plus, but we’re just fun. That’s why we do our kind of music – we just have fun.
Well you’ve created a whole new genre
We respect every band out there, to the max, but at the same time we wanted to do something different.
You really look out for your fans
Yeah! We don’t care about money or fame, it might come with this, but we do this for people. Before I did this…you know sometimes you’re sad, or life is hard, but when you go to a show that is all gone. So to be able to give what I’ve always thought is cool – it’s amazing that’s possible.
What did you listen to growing up?
When I was little I was listening to Disney soundtracks like Lion King, and singing along in my kitchen. And then growing up and listening to Screamo and RnB - alternative stuff. Even Techno. We all listen to everything.
Do you have a background in Hip Hop?
No, Se7en does though. He used to do straight up hardcore hip hop before he did this. We used to have an Alt screamer but he quit for a girl, so Se7en taught himself how to scream.
He quit for a girl?
Yeah. I’ve never told anyone that in an interview before. That’s weird.
Did he get the girl pregnant?
No, and he’s moved onto another girl. We brought him back to do screaming but he thought he was better than that and that we were just using him.
You know your single Blue Steel, is that from Zoolander?
Yeah, we wrote that song just after the film came out. We thought it was awesome. We were gonna do a follow up called Magnum, but we’ve just been so busy.
Do you love Ben Stiller?
He is amazing. Every movie he does is just amazing. Even Along Came Polly. Like I said, we are fun guys, we act retarded most of the time. You would think there is something wrong with us. We’re just naturally weird.
Since you started have you noticed other bands forming to do a similar thing?
Yeah, like when there is something new people will catch on. But nothing major yet. I respect it. I give them a thumbs up and I would want them to keep on going with it - to keep this whole different genre of music alive, and if that doesn’t work out to move onto other kinds of music.
Do you think you’re gonna move onto another kind of music?
I don’t know. Anything can happen, but as far as brokeNCYDE goes, Se7en and I are in it all the way. Even if my brother doesn’t want to go on. Phat J just had a kid…
How old is Phat J?
22
What’s the kid called?
I don’t know, I forgot to get the name actually. He told me but…
What’s it like being on the road with you guys?
A lot of laughs. A lot of guys things happen – farts, burping. Antz and Se7en always wanting to have sex.
With each other?
What? No. Girls. Here in the UK girls are more respectful of themselves, well they have been so far. In the states Antz and Se7en usually find that [snaps fingers] they get someone. Here it’s different. But they are cool with that, they’re like, “whatever”.
Have you had any weird run-ins with fans?
No. It’s a blessing and we love all our fans. It’s crazy how many people support us. I try to be cool and be friends with fans, but it breaks that divide, so we keep everybody the same. We love all our fans. I met my girlfriend actually like that, she used to be a fan.
What does she do?
She usually sells our merch. She’s not on this tour, it was too complicated with passports and everything. We are on the road so much, we barely have time to sleep. This is our first time ever outside the country though.
How are you finding it?
It’s amazing. It’s beautiful – the people are one of a kind.
What do you miss?
I miss our food, stores being open late. I am getting used to the pubs, in the states it’s 21 and up to drink, so it being younger here is kinda weird.
Who would be a good collaborator for Brokencyde? We were thinking T-Pain.
That might work. We just did a song with e-40 called Booty Call. So, who knows. There are so many ways we can branch out.
What do you think of English music in general?
We love a lot of the musicians in the UK, like Portishead, Muse - I love Muse. To see them live is one of my all time greatest dreams. I saw them on You Tube, and just the crowd they had at Wembley – it blew my mind.
How long have you been touring for?
About two years solid. We have a break every now and then, like a week, but it’s never for very long. We’re always having to do interviews, so it’s always something busy.
[Then the rest of brokeNCYDE turned up and sat at the next table, saying “beer” in an English accent]
Hey bro. See how much louder it gets.
How do you have time to write music if you’re on tour so much?
We have one month off, and then for that whole month we’re recording. Se7en writes all the music, and once he hears a beat he tries it out. He just has something that works.
How often do you change your set?
If we get bored we change it, we’re gonna have to change it now because the new album is going to drop.
I think that’s everything. Oh, do you have the crunk pig on tour?
Actually no, the guy who does that couldn’t make it over. But hopefully, next time.
