Interview with Mike Trevor, vocalist
So, after a 30 year break and then COVID getting in the way of the reboot, Uncle Dave’s Biscuit Barrel finally got into the studio in 2023 to record the long awaited debut, “Goes Apeshit in Your Laundry”!
Well, for a band that originated in the early 90s, it was really exciting to get started with this release – not only because it has been 30 years in the making, but also getting to make great music with friends is an absolute blast. When Dave (drummer Dave Allon) first floated the idea of a reboot we weren’t exactly sure what it would look like. UDBB was “unfinished business (particularly for Dave), as the band came to a premature end in the 90s, and I was immediately on board with the idea. It was always going to be a challenge to get the whole band back together, Chris (lead guitar) now lives in the US and Ady (bass) has family commitments, so Dave proposed adding close friend and axe-legend, Drew Lowe to the project and UDBB was reborn!
The idea was to put some of our old tracks out there, but also to add some new material – “…Goes Apeshit…” is a brilliant blend of the old and new. Writing in UDBB had always been more or less collaborative, and the chance to work with Drew on both the old and new tracks was a pleasure. We are all good friends, so writing together is fun. Whilst we are all firmly metal devotees we all bring different musical influences to the process, and I feel this really ups the creativity. That and there is a lot of laughter and stupidity – but these are both essential for a comedy thrash band.
Having been away from music for many years, I was really surprised about how relatively easy the recording process was. We put down all the drum and guitar tracks at Dave’s home studio – a real bonus of waiting 30 years to record your debut E.P. is the technology that is available now! To ensure we got the best quality sound, we used Wooden Heart Studio near Andover to record the vocals and then it was over to Drew to mix it. We were all really happy with what he managed to achieve with the mix, it was just the sound we wanted – recapturing the legacy sound from back in the day but also bringing it up to date. With the mix complete, we were really happy with what we’d produced, and as such we wanted to do it justice. With this in mind, Drew approached Romesh Dodangoda of Long Wave Recording Studios about mastering it for us. We are delighted to say that he was happy to do so – Romesh is a master of his craft, having worked with the likes of Motorhead, Sylosis and Brind Me The Horizon – this is a guy who really understands the metal sound!
We were over the moon with the end product, and decided to put out two of the tracks as singles – the first was the new track, “Monkey Spank”, followed by the classic track “The Bishop of Bath And Wells”. The response to both of these releases has been amazing. It’s not just the old fans either, we have picked up loads of new fans that weren’t there in the 90s – for us, this is the best we could hope for. Entertaining as many people is possible is what this is all about!
We have also been amazed at the positive response we have had from the industry press too – from you guys at Backseat Mafia (thank you!), through to the E.P. getting 8/10 in Power Play magazine and 7/10 in Metal Hammer, who also stated that we are “A new candidate for ‘Most Batshit UK Metal Band’”!
The great thing for us is that we are having huge amounts of fun doing this – “Goes Apeshit…” is the first of many releases and we are now planning to take Uncle Dave’s Biscuit Barrel back out on the live circuit. There’s definitely interest out there in what we’re doing and we would all love to get the Barrel back on stage. Watch this space for your chance to get involved in the mayhem!
Track by Track
The opening track is a perennial favourite from the back catalogue. The Bishop of Bath and Wells is a heavy stomper of a tune and a fitting hommage to the outrageous character from the BBC’s Blackadder II – a man who describes himself as “a colossal pervert” who will “do anything to anything”. I think we can all relate. No? Just me then…
Yellow Peril
Track two on the EP has been waiting in the darkness for 30 years, biding its time for a chance to emerge. Don’t be fooled by the soft, sweet goodness of custard – beneath that placid exterior lurks a Lovecraftian horror that threatens all mankind! Yellow Peril is a beautifully crafted masterpiece that was written just before things came to a halt 30 years ago. At the time, no lyrics had been written (only the title and music) and it had never left the rehearsal “shed”. Fortunately, an old rehearsal recording was found and lyrics were written just prior to lockdown, enabling us to finally put this merry little ditty out there!
Mr. Ed’s Glue Factory
Mr Ed’s Glue Factory is a breakneck experience – aggressive and energetic, it was a band favourite to play live back in the day! This track is a metaphorical punch in the face for the wholesome banality of 1960s shows Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, Flipper and Mister Ed. Fortunately, UDBB has a solution. Pack ’em off…
This is a new track from UDBB, written as an ode to everyone’s favourite solo pastime. Featuring a face-smashing metalcore-esque main riff, this track is sure to get people into a groove. It also features top shredding action from Drew, who really gets the chance to let loose – and with a catchy chorus, this one is sure to be a favourite at live shows. This track was awarded Single of the Week in the Sunday Sport!
James Dean is Dead
The final track on the EP takes us right back to where it all began. The first track ever played by UDBB, this tune remained a favourite with the band and fans alike. A showcase for Uncle Dave’s vocal mastery, this song reveals a universal truth that none can deny – James Dean is, in fact, dead. For this release we have an extra special treat as it features the original lead guitarist, the legendary Rob Sutton, on bass.
Check out the bands track Monkey Spank, below:
Find out more via the bands Website or Facebook
Read our interview with the band here
