Introduce yourself…
I'm Tommy thanks for showing interest in our band.
How did the band start?
Just something to do really we were awful but why the fuck not.It gave us a channel for our teenage angst.But i did not think it would take this long to get it out of my system ha ha.
How did you come up with the name?
The name was made up by the original drummer and basssist started off as a bit of a laugh but somehow the name just stuck.They had been drinking in a local bar at the time.We had all agreed to try and find a name that was different.It has proved cumbersome but there comes a point in any bands history that after building up some following it would then be hard to change.It does cause a few problems we have been billed as the Bongos,Dragons,Rongoes,Ron goes to Europe!!!! A Drongo is a Aussie term of abuse for a idiot!
Who would you say are your influences are?
My older sister used to listen to a lot of early Bowie, Roxy Music, TRex. Trojan Ska, Tamla Motown. I suppose that was different to the norm pre punk.
I loved The Adverts TV Smith is a awesome songwriter. The Clash. 999, The Ruts, some local bands really inspired me you know anyone can start a band.
What was the punk scene like in the UK like in 1979?
By 1979, a lot of the fashion punks had fucked off and the scene from where I come from anyway was more working class kids from rough estates. Most of the first wave of bands had gone as there was no money to make forgive me for being cynical but a lot of wankers were in the scene to make money out of it good riddance. I'm so tired of these documentaries with the same old faces and bands its like nothing happened after 1978. To me it was just getting started.
The scene was vibrant could be dangerous at times used to get a lot of shit back then for looking different. It was exciting though never a dull moment. Punk rock seemed so sexy i still love the punk fashion punk girls are the best. Margaret Thatcher had just been elected as Prime Minister which spelt hard times for the working class it almost bred Defiance and a sense of revolution in the air.
How do you feel it has changed?
Of course its different now to then. The whole world is totally different.I think we are all so much more informed about world events.
Back in 1979 not many people had phones in their houses my household included it was a real luxury item then it was not uncommen to go and ask a neighbour if you could make a call.
A lot of early Drongo gigs were set up from the call box at the end of my my moms road, no wonder we were not that busy back then it was hard. Not like now we have the wonderful internet!!!
Describe the song writing process…
We still got plenty of subject matter to write about the world is even more fucked up now!
Dek the bassist is prolific with coming up with new tunes he is so dedicated and puts in so much effort to this band it is greatly down to him we have achieved so much in the last 10 years or so.
Usually he has a tune. Dave will quickly come up with a guitar riff Danny will join in and do what he does. Then I will start screaming blue murder and ruin it all, ha ha. I try not to get too anal about the lyrical content but it's the first thing I will check out when I buy a new album. So they are important I'm not going to change the world or maybe someones opinion but maybe inspire someone to have one!!!
You released your first your first single in 1981 'Hope and Glory', tell us about the EP...
Oh I can remember recording those songs I just did not have a clue what to do I think it comes across like that too. I can listen to it as its got a rawness that I can obviously identify with it's totally relevant. The best thing about it, it was D.I.Y. we just done what we could afford to do. We had to stick the covers together ourselves by hand I think I still got that glue smell up my nose. It was cool that they would not fit into a standard 45 record box so if you got a copy the edges will be all folded up (marketing genius it stood out for all the wrong reasons).
We still play HOPE & GLORY usually as our last song at most gigs.
You then released two classic EPs, 'Deaths a Career' and 'Eternity', tell us about the EPs...
The next EP 'Deaths a Career' loved the songs think it shows we had moved forward and we were more comfortable with the recording studio set up. But I got to say when I first saw the cover i hated it.It was a ok picture with me the drummer in the background with our old backdrop loved the picture but they cut me out and discarded the background.It was to late no way would they waste money on changing it back(thats what happens when you let others take control and do what they think looks good looks like i got curly hair im so vain HA HA.
Eternity next was kind of written about my old girfriend Pauline but not really a love song.
Lars (rancid) told me he bought the ep just coz he loved the cover, never heard of us before, but loved it, managed to lose it.Then found and bought a copy in Australia when he was touring .
British Summertime was written about the Handsworth rioting ealy 80s.
What do you feel caused the band to split 1985?
I think we just run out of steam we never had any real backing we were not that lucky maybe we did not help ourselves a bit lazy .I went to live in Germany for a couple of years.
Why did you guys decide to reform in 1988?
On returning to Britain got the band back together with original members Swaineybass Steve Devlin guitar and a new drummer. Again though we found it hard to push on and had a very unproductive time lots of rehearsals sort of lost our way a bit no one pulling in the same direction.I only ever wanted to play punk but others had other ideas.I definately or so i thought at the time had had enough not so much of being in a band but who i played in a band with!!
You guys then split again until to reform again in 1999, what sparked this?
That was 1995. I had remained friends close friends through all this time with Dek we still hung out a lot together. 1999 he met Jock GBH and they discussed Drongos doing a one off gig to mark the Millenium.We thought we would give it a go and from that initial gig with GBH UK SUBS we spluttered back into life.
After the gig we received more offers of gigs.
We talked about it we even invited the old members to contribute but they were not interested then.
We discussed what we wanted to do it was not just to become some nostalgic trip but we wanted to record a album first and get out to do as many gigs as we could.Write new stuff.
In 2003, you released your first album 'Barcode Generation', tell us about the album...
BARCODE GENERATION owes a lot to Simon Bishop who engineered it i love that album mainly because it took so bloody long to do you know we did not rush into it he he. 24 years oh my!!!
How do you feel 'Hotline Hiatus' differed?
HOTLINE TO HADES i like the songs but the production has a different feel Fish who engineered it is a guitarist im not knocking him at all but guitars are his babys respect to Fish.
Your most current release is 'Cage the Rage', tell us about the album...
CAGE THE RAGE. I think shows a lot of emotion was not a great time for me as i lost my Mom June 2009 just before we started recording.July 2008 we lost a close mate TROGG bassist with Contempt who we had done a lot of touring with.Dek had had his health scare.Thats life it throws shit now and then but its how you deal with it that counts.
Again Simon Bishop engineered the album i think he manages to get the best out of us somehow.
Have you released anything else?
Check out the ANGRY SCENES COMPILATIONS or the PUNK SHIT COMPS wich we feature on.
Tell us about the current lineup...
Current line up.
Tom Farrell 1979-1984,1987-1995,1999-present
Dek Baker 1981-1984.1999-present.
Dave Ohmes 2007-present
Danny Arahall 2007-present. (DANNYS COUSIN IS COLIN GBH INTERESTING BUT BORING FACT)
Where have you toured?
Great Britain, Most of europe, West COAST USA with Defiance and Toxic Narcotic( had fun great bands) and East coast around HITS 2001 Stone Pony.
Who are some of the bands you have done shows with?
I think our first proper gig at a bar was with GBH.1979.
Crass.PoisonGirls,Dead Kennedys,Exploited,Vibrators,Steel Pulse,The Beat,Dead Wretched,Varukas, early 80s
Toured with;CONTEMPT,SENSAYUMA,DEFIANCE,TOXIC NARCOTIC,ANGELIC UPSTARTS,VIBRATORS,DEADLINE,MIDDLE FINGER SALUTE,CRASHED OUT,HOLY RACKET,THE ADICTS EASTFIELD,RESTARTS,DUN2DEF,DEMOB,ONEWAYSYSTEM,INSTANT AGONY,SKEPTIX,3CR,KINGS OF DELMAR,BILLYCLUB.GBH.SICK ON THE BUS.SEPTIC PHYSCOS,UK SUBS,
THATS JUST A FEW OF THEM.
Is there a favorite band you like to do shows with?
I got favourites UK SUBS,GBH.
Is there a favorite place you like to do shows at?
BIRMINGHAM UK SHOWS ARE ALLWAYS SPECIAL. BECAUSE THE PEOPLE ARE ALL SPECIAL HA HA. GERMANY.
What do you see is the future of Drongos for Europe?
I TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED IM LUCKY TO STILL BEING ABLE TO DO THE BAND.I STILL HAVE FUN PLAYING LIVE SO WHY STOP?
How can people contact the band?
WE HAVE MYSPACE, FACEBOOK.
MY EMAIL is mondodrongo@hotmail.com
Support your local punk scene as best you can or lose it.We are fans first and support local gigs when we are in town.We occasionally promote gigs too when we get the time.
Again thanks for showing interest in DRONGOS FOR EUROPE.
Quick shout out to all the people who have put us on put us up and generally been jolly good eggs kepp the faith PUNK ROCK TILL i DIE>
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