I could repeat myself all day! But Vanilla Muffins are back and I am super stoked about the fact that they are! Recently Sounds Of The Streets released the brand new compilation “The Triumph Of Sugar Oi!” that included one new song and this week Sunny Bastards Records released the brand new four track 12” maxi-EP “A Little Night Music”. Time to have a little chat with Vanilla Muffins front man and die-hard FC Basel supporter Colin about the band’s comeback, a little history and of course… football!
Hi Colin! First of all mucho gracias for doing this interview!! How have you been doing?
Well, I had a car accident in 2003 and I was suffering a long time… One year ago after an operation and rehabilitation it was a change coming back to normal life.
I find it hard to believe, but can you give my readers who aren’t familiar with Vanilla Muffins yet a brief history of the band?
Well it was like this, we recorded a couple of songs in a pop music way. But we had only a drum computer. Then we looked for a drummer through an announcement in a music magazine, only one gave us a call and he came from a heavy metal band ,we took him - of course. So the result was a kind of fast played pop music, someone told me later that it sounds Iike Oi! music.
Soon after we received a record deal from England, very quick and simple!
What was the reason for you to stop performing and recording with Vanilla Muffins and to form The Sexmachines?
My two other band colleagues couldn’t go on together anymore, the friendship ended up cause of a girl and I wanted to change something.
But now you guys are back! How does it feel to make new Vanilla Muffins songs again? What made you guys decide to make a ‘comeback’?
Well it was just that I was missing something in my life…
Recently a new compilation, “The Triumph Of Sugar Oi!”, was released that included a brand new song. And next month there is a new 12” EP coming out with 4 new songs! Are you excited about these new releases?
Hm no, I always think one week later why have I done the arrangement of the song Iike this, and I would Iike to start from the beginning again…The strange thing was the new song "Radio" which is in German. It’s the first time that I sing in my native language. Good experience, I'll never do it again!!
On the compilation the new song is “Sugar Oi! Jive”, it might be a different than your previous work, but I was hooked from the first chords! What direction do you want to go in with Vanilla Muffins in the future?
Just the same pop Oi! music , I won’t change our style. That's fine that way. You will never hear a song of us about violence, war ,politics… Other bands can do that shit.
And what can we expect of the 4 new songs on the upcoming EP? Do you think they can live up to the expectations the fans have of new Vanilla Muffins material?
The same like before ,fast pop music, one song is in German, going back to sing-along , simple songs with cheap Japanese keyboards. I just want to bring a smile to the people who listen to a song of us. Real pop music, fast played , nothing too serious, Iike in the 80’s!!
One of the new songs on this 12” is the track “Modern Football Sucks”, do you still hold a seasonticket for your beloved FC Basel?
Yes I’m still a season ticket holder, and take my daughter to the matches, that is the only serious thing! Football!
What are your expectations for the upcoming season? Both in Switzerland and in Europe?
Football is the last big theatre in the world… I guess the football in Europe will stay the same. Money, new players coming and they going away when they can get a better deal for their career which is normal…. I think Football in North America has the possibility to explode. They are doing better and better.
Do you ever go ‘groundhopping’ and visit other teams in other countries? If not, do you follow FC Basel through Europe? What are your favorite places to visit?
No I don’t have the money. I travel to all matches in Switzerland and that's fine. I don’t Iike to leave Switzerland, even for just a couple of days. My favorite place I guess is Tottenham Hotspurs to visit, but I am not English, so I am just a football tourist. I am Swiss and not English and that is good!
My team is Feyenoord Rotterdam, in “Blue Red Forever” you sing you could take us, but we haven’t been in Europe in a while... What do you know about my club?
No no that was just that we had to find a rhyme at the end of the song. No Feyenoord's army is difficult to beat, very difficult, but it was just to provoke… Again nothing serious.
If we are talking about crossing the borders… is Vanilla Muffins going to perform live again?
Maybe, but Iike I Said , I hate to travel. I was on the road from mid 90’s till my accident in 2003.
What are your future plans with Vanilla Muffins?
Making music… going to matches , writing sing-along songs.
Okay, I think this is it! If you have anything to add, feel free to do so! Thanks!!
Come on Boys it’s Sugar Oi! time, just what we did since 1995 ;-).
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