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Shooting At Unarmed Men

'Imagine Babyshambles getting a pummelling by a ten foot Mark E Smith. Or drinking four pints, vomiting and then getting into a hot bath.'

This is how Jon Chapple describes his band - the latest noisiks to, quite literally, shoot straight outta Cardiff.

Chapple used to play bass in acclaimed noise-mongers McLusky. He formed his own outfit back in 1999 but, he says, they only had time to 'rehearse three times a year.'

Now, with McLusky laid to rest, Chapple has been busy in the studio recording with Shooting At Unarmed Men ('nothing to do with recent shootings in London' he insists on the subject of the band name) since January this year.

The result finally surfaced this month in the form of debut full-length LP Soon There Will Be..., a record that's direct, simple and somewhat riotous. 'We're inspired by simplicity,' concurs Jon.

'Bands like The Fall and Shellac...we're inspired by the simplicity by their popiness,' he pauses and begins to smile, 'most people might think that Shellac don't have a popiness but it's all very simple.'

Lyrically, the songs veer from ejaculation (Pink Ink), to a 'cod-political chant for anyone who likes wearing hoodies and shopping at the same time' (Taking Care of Business), girlfriends and how they get under the skin (No-One Can Waltz) and being picked on at school (Four Eyed McClavvie).

'It's about growing up a taller than average bespectacled ginger bloke. It's very easy to pick on someone like that at school….very easy,' deadpans Jon, who just happens to be a...tall bespectacled ginger bloke.

And what's the ultimate aim of the band - critical acclaim? getting played on the radio? global domination? In keeping with his band's philosophy Jon's response is direct and to the point: 'We'd take it for all its got, sell out and go and live somewhere less shitty than Cardiff.'

It's hard to tell if he's joking or not.

Soon There Will Be... is out now on Too Pure Records.

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