(FESTIVE FEATURE) THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS No.3 GRASS HOUSE

MAD MACKEREL’S TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

For our first ever Festive Feature on Mad Mackerel, we asked twelve of our favourite bands and artists of 2011 to answer twelve questions and we will publish them over the next twelve days taking us up to Christmas Eve.

MM's 12 Days Of Christmas: 3 Grass House.

Grass House first appeared on our radar in 2010 with the brooding, lyrically sharp Cockroach from their debut EP Plough More Sky. Since then we’ve been continually impressed with each subsequent single release as the band have matured without compromising their sonic ideals and apocalyptic leanings. This year we’ve had the menacing A Cradle A Short Breath and the dusty desert rumble of Faun to savour. Make no mistake, this is proper, take-no-prisoners stuff – Grass House have their foot firmly on the throat of the twitching carcass of twee, indie jangle and mercy isn’t anywhere in their repertoire.

1) Three iconic clashes. Who would you vote for in each of these?

a) The Velvet Underground or The Doors

Velvet Underground

b) Bob Dylan or Neil Young

Bob Dylan

c) The Sex Pistols or the Clash?

The Clash

2) What has been your personal highlight of 2011 (and why)?

Revolution!! People care, that’s good to see.

3) What was your low point of the year (and why)?

The execution of Troy Davis, the arrest of Ai Wei Wei and 99% of the stories that filled the press.

4) You can give one single album from 2011 to just one person for Christmas. What would you buy and who for?

PJ Harvey – Let England Shake for absolutely anyone.

5) Give us between two and five songs from 2011 that you’d recommend as the best of the year.

Pass.

Mad Mackerel Music Blog Free and legal download mp3 6) Do you have a favourite Christmas Carol – why?

Every Christmas is special to me and don’t call me Carol.

7) Imagine you are snowed in and stuck in an isolated house in the woods for Christmas with no way out. Wolves and bears are prowling outside.You need to recommend the following:

A classic song to impress an ultra cool, know-it-all, teenager

Dynamo Hum – Frank Zappa

A song to terrify Grandma

Leona Lewis – Hurt

A traditional song to help send Grandad to sleep

Benjamin Britten – Billy Budd the Opera

A song for someone just waking from a five-year coma

Matilda – Scott Walker

A book to frighten the children

Moravagine – Blaise Cendrars

An unforgettable film to watch

Satantango – Bella Tarr

8) What is top of your Christmas list this year? Why?

World Peace, cause I’ve already got an Xbox.

9) What is the worst Christmas present you’ve ever given and/or ever received?

World Peace, cause I really wanted an Xbox.

10) Will you be making a New Year Resolution? If so can you share it and will you keep it? What is the stupidest New Year resolution you’ve ever made?

Maybe. Last year’s was to avoid Hollywood, the previous year I tried to walk faster over zebra crossings, both 90% successful.

11) Imagine you’re headlining a Christmas Concert at your favourite venue. You can share the stage with three other artists or bands (past or present) for the final encore of the night. Who would they be and what would you play?

Pass.

12) Can you write us a Christmas themed limerick?

In the Christmas tree massacre; Winter
Stood idle and twiddled his fingers
For we chopped and we chopped
Called a forest a crop
And left a dying tree covered in tinsel

Here’s some extras for your own amusement…

At Christmas, with all of the trimmings
We’ll invariably eat all our feelings
And those waif like rock stars
Will balloon twice as large
And spend the new year depressed and re-slimming

This year we will have a blue Christmas
Where an angel called David will fleece us
So lets fuck with our mouths
And fucking die out
And leave the world with just nature upon it

There was a young man named Jesus
Whose birthday took up a full season
And a time to behave
All debauched and depraved
For if you don’t you’ll be threatened with treason

You can buy Grass House releases here.

Watch the video for Snowcones.