Funeral Suits: “We Only Attack Ourselves” Video

Irish alt-rockers, Funeral Suits, very kindly gave me the video for gentle track “We Only Attack Ourselves” and, after watching it once, it had me crying harder than that time I watched the first twenty minutes of Up! (WTF Disney, why so brutal?) They also handed it over with a very eloquent run-down of the visuals:

“We worked with Jonathan Irwin on a video for another song called ‘Florida’ an age ago. We were talking about doing another video for ‘Stars are Spaceships’ with him but that changed to ‘We only attack ourselves’ pretty early in the process. Its maybe the most stripped back track on ‘Lily of the Valley’. Me and Brian recorded the first demo of it in the bathroom of a house i used to live in and never changed it to much from then on. Jonathan Irwin approached us with a treatment that just blew us away. He, Michael Donnelly and Piers McGrail shot the video in 2 1/2 days in Dublin. We spent pretty much the entire budget on the shoot, leaving a grand total of zero Euro for post-production. Jonathan completed all the effects, animation and comping over 3 months. We love working with different people on things like videos and art. We see it as a chance to collaborate on similar interests and just to be involved and inspired by other creative people.”

But, naturally, I wanted to ask them more important questions. Like how spending Valentines in a hostel isn’t so bad. Romance!

HEY! So, again, why is this video great and what was the concept?

It’s hard to sum up in a couple of words and the other questions you gave me will make me look like I’m taking the piss if I answer seriously. It’s about a robot who is having a dreadful time. It’s great because it looks exceptional. I dunno, watch it, that’s the point.

Favourite thing on your iPod right now (can’t be an audiobook)?

The Holy Bible by The Manic Street Preachers, just put it on yesterday for a flight. Reminds me of being a fat teen.

Most annoying music question a journalist can ask (can’t be anything we’re about to ask)?

Where did you get the name, it’s so “random”. (These questions are grand man, you’re alright.)

Please can you make up a dramatic story about how you got into music?

I was so sad about my dog dying and I couldn’t find any popular song or verse to portray my gloom, so I started writing my own trumpet based pieces to get over my loss.

What do you think you’d be doing if you had a proper job?

Jesus, something so mundane, I dunno, organising how many paper clips a medium sized office needs. I have no real skills you see.

Can you sum up your music in a haiku?

No. As I was given ten minutes to do all these answers and I don’t have the time to make something up and pretend I’m “mad deep”. But fuck it…

Vast and roaring,

Our music flows like a raging ocean,

That brings life to the land.

What’s the best thing you’ve been in fancy dress?

A battery. That’s a lie.

What would your death row meal be?

53 baked potatoes, I’ll do the job myself.

Do you fold or scrunch?

I force.

What did you get your mum for Christmas?

I can’t remember but I got my dad a calculator once, he uses it sometimes.

And what did you do for Valentines day?

I can’t remember, tried to get a girl to like me I think. Slept in a hostel. It was a grim night, it worked though so fuck it.

What’s your favourite memory of public transport?

Seeing a heroin addict vomit her yoghurt drink ‘cos a group of young lads set off some stink bombs.

Who’s your favourite person on Twitter?

Charlie Dimmock.

Strong choice. THANKS!

You can catch Funeral Suits at the below dates:

July 5th – British Summer Time @ Hyde Park, UK

July 6th – Lubstock Festival, UK

July 13th – Phono Pop Festival, Germany

July 20th – Longitude. Dublin, Ireland

July 26th – Circolo Andrea Doria, Rome, Italy

July 27th -LA CABINA ’56 Festival, Napoli, Italy

Aug 20th – Malmo Fest, Malmo, Sweden

Sep 1st – Electric Picnic, Laois, Ireland

Sep 28th, Berlin Independent Night, Berlin

Oct 9th-13th – Culture Collide, Los Angeles, USA