“I’m here because I deserve to be here- it’s got nothing to do with my fanny” / Interview with Bang Bang Romeo

“I’m here because I deserve to be here- it’s got nothing to do with my fanny”

Interview with Bang Bang Romeo

“My favourite man is Thom Yorke from Radiohead. But when asked my favourite thing about him, I don’t say his dick! ‘God, I love Thom Yorke’s dick- great ball sack! Great, great ball sack!’ No. I say I love his song writing, Thom Yorke’s performance. That’s what you say about music. I think it’s a big perverted thing of the music industry to focus on genitalia”.

It becomes clear when I talk to Bang Bang Romeo frontwoman Anastasia Walker (or rather, ‘Stars’) that her analogies, jokes and tongue do not hold back. Her endearing personality shines through much like a star (pardon the pun) and despite her loveable exterior, Stars has a LOT to say on important topics.

Her views on a festival 50/50 gender split are not something that one would expect from such a bold voice of the female community however, her words bring wisdom and consideration. We sit down above The Joiners prior to yet another sold out night of their headline tour and discuss everything from empowerment, Pizza Express with Example and, as you just read, Thom Yorke.

“I think it would be devastating that a male band could not get on a line up who were absolutely astonishing and the reason they couldn’t play is because that 50% has already been filled. That’s shit”.

Stars has had her fair share of judgements and knock backs being such an outspoken female member of the LGBT community however, this has not stopped the band from great things in, what seems like, a whirlwind of success. Their debut album A Heartbreaker’s Guide to the Galaxy has just dropped and Stars admit they were becoming perfectionists when it came to the production. She states they were obsessed to the point that they had to stop. “Changing that guitar sound for the sixth time is just being picky. We had to just let the songs be the songs”.

The Doncaster trio have recently released track, ‘Love Yourself’ with pop icon Example. “I mean yeah, he’s a talented man and has number 1’s,” Stars begins.“…but most importantly, he got us Pizza Express”. The song’s ethos is everything Bang Bang Romeo stand for despite them agreeing that the ‘stereotype smashing’ brush they have been tainted with is coincidental. 

“[The song] is about believing in yourself and being all powerful. I’m a bigger woman. I’m not your average pop rock singer and I’m part of the LGBTQ community. In all respects, we’re supposed to be the underdog. So that’s the message we want to give out. If you’re an underdog, you’re more than welcome to join the BBR army but if you’re going to stay, you must learn to love yourself.”

The band’s success may seem like it’s all happened over night with the new album coinciding with the band’s recent tour with P!NK and their collaboration with Example however, Stars believes that this is their hard work finally paying off.

“I’m a strong believer in what my Dad says to me which is ‘talent alone is simply not enough’. I think a lot of people say ‘lucky break’ or ‘the right place at the right time’ but that is NOT a thing. That simply does not exist. You have to have worked your arse off to get into that place to begin with, to have been there at that ‘right place”.

We agree that one of the biggest frustrations for females in music is the topic of being a ‘female in music’. “My vagina has nothing to do with my music,” Stars blurts. “What if I had a dick? No one would know! Why does that matter? Do I have to start putting my bra size on the back of my album? What do I need to do? Do I have to stop shaving my legs and stop shaving my armpits to be less of a female-fronted band? It’s a gimmick. I’m not you’re stereotype to fill; I’m not your box to tick on your festival. I’m here because I deserve to be here- it’s got nothing to do with my fanny”.

We continue to discuss whether a 50/50 gender split at festivals is a step in the right direction for the music industry. However, Stars resumes to suggest that it’s not the solution.

“We need to do better at promoting women in music. We need to do better at inspiring women in music. We need to open more doors. We need to be more welcoming and less patronising. By introducing a 50/50 split, it no longer becomes about the music and that’s why we’re all here, right? I want more to be done. I want more women to play festivals. I don’t think this is necessarily the right way to go about it”.

Despite the confidence behind her every word, when we discuss the new album she becomes slightly bashful.

“Coming off the P!NK tour and our debut album coming out are words I never thought I’d say. Now I’m like…everyone’s gonna hear it. It’s daunting to think, ‘Was I too honest about that?’. Or, ‘Is my mum going to know that’s about her? Will my Dad?’ I can only be honest in my music and if you can’t see or hear that you may as well scrap the album. It’s like stepping off a ledge in the dark. I know the album is fucking great…but will other people?”

Well now you can decide for yourself and listen to Bang Bang Romeo’s debut album HERE

You can also keep up to date with their shows HERE

Image by Jordan Corrin taken from the BBC website