Interview: Napalm Death

February 2, 2012
Alex Swadling

Usually when I’m subjected at length to a thick Brummie accent I find my teeth start to grit, but Mark ‘Barney’ Greenway’s is treacle. Vegetarian socialist Barney has been Napalm Death’s frontman since 1989, and Napalm certainly aren’t treacle. Napalm don’t just make my teeth grind, but they spit out frustration and anger felt by every single person who’s ever given a fuck about anything. Even that kid in Skins with really bad hair. Barney used to have terrible hair, but I’m not sure this explains much. Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s Napalm did several recordings as part of John Peel’s BBC Radio 1 sessions, and with Peel repeatedly playing their 4-second track ‘You Suffer’ on his shows; his backing has allowed them to infiltrate the unsuspecting mainstream. Like, say… on an E4 angstaphon of a show (that’s long outstayed its post-coital welcome), on which Napalm appeared last February. Or more recently, you may have seen Barney’s cameo in the Never Mind the Buzzcock’s infamous identity parade in November. “We’re obviously a serious band, but we’re not just gonna stand around po-faced” Barney smirks, as we sit discussing the guy who looked like Wolverine from the line-up (but nothing about his own questionable coiffure catalogue).

TV appearances like these are usually symptomatic of a band well past it, but Napalm are still thriving. Thirty years since their conception, Napalm Death are still one of the most influential and best British grindcore bands around and in 2003 were also the seventh best-selling ‘death metal’ band in the U.S – a fact easily proven by 14 studio albums and habitual worldwide touring. A month after returning from their extensive tour across Canada, Napalm are in York to kick off their 9-month European tour.

“You’re used to touring in unusual places aren’t you?” I gush, knowing full well that Napalm were the first band to play in South Africa with the ANC back in ’91. “Yeah we do, the thing is what a lot of bands don’t understand is there are other things to do out there other than Europe and America […] Don’t get me wrong, they’re nice places, but part of being in a band is the experience of seeing the world and actually getting out there, because sometimes everyone can have a very blinkered perspective” Barney explains. “The good thing about our band is we’re not going to get put in the venues that are on the swanky side of town, so we get to experience what is the reality of certain places”.

Napalm are very familiar with darker realities. The band’s name is an anti-war statement itself, referring to the devastating use of napalm bombs in warfare. Growing up in Thatcherite Britain, Napalm are weary; Napalm are angry; but they’re also passionate and fearless in their politically left-leaning expression. “[Touring in South Africa], it was quite dangerous at points. There were couple of extreme Afrikaans who weren’t at all pleased with the things that we were saying when we were down there, know what I mean?”

Barney asks me if I know what he means a lot. That sounded flippant. What I mean is, he doesn’t preach or lurk all leaflet-y on doorsteps – he simply spells out what is unfair. “It’s not a political motif, it’s just a human thing to do” Barney clarifies when I begin to recklessly suggest political persuasions. “I’m an observer. You can be in a band and go through the motions and just not murmur.” Relentlessly fast and chaotic and with the contradiction of their violent sound and peaceful theme of the lyrics, Napalm certainly don’t murmur and as a listener you’re never allowed a break. Because life doesn’t have breaks, duh. But no, that’s important, they recognise how difficult it is to be heard.

“People aren’t listened to when they say, you know, life is fucking shit. My life is shit; those people’s lives are shit; do something about it. Nothing gets done. They get ignored. I don’t condone violence, but there is a pressure point.” Barney sighs, as I ask him his thoughts on the summer rioting across the UK. Go to a Napalm gig and you’ll experience that brutal pressure. Napalm don’t just tell frustration, they really make you feel it and be moved by it – often that movement is my head becoming lodged in someone’s armpit, but that’s not the point.

Unsurprisingly, their latest album ‘Utilitarian’ is no different. Barney tells me more about the album’s title which will be released later this month.

“There are a couple different meanings to it actually, but [the album] is about the philosophical concept, which is actually pretty complex. What I’m doing is contextualising it and thinking about the effects of our actions. Like, when you go to shop and buy something, who’s that gonna effect? Whose life is it gonna fucking ruin or whose is it gonna make?” He continues. “When you think about that sort of stuff, you do think, are all my efforts making any difference? And you become quite dejected at points. But, I guess the conclusion is that you should persevere, because every dissenting voice is one more dissenting voice; it’s one less person who has been shaped by the government and a very conservative media. It’s one more person saying, no, I’m not accepting this.”

Napalm’s voice can be heard loud among them – a voice which has gone all over the world and deserves to be listened to. “We could’ve quite easily died a death but we stuck through it,” Barney smiles.

‘Utilitarian’ is released on 27th February through Century Media Records and playing at Hellfest 2012

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