Introducing: Fat Actress
Posted on 20th Oct 11 by Mike McGrath Bryan | 
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Drop-d had a wee chat with Ian “Mini” O’Callaghan of Fat Actress, to talk ripped-up bibles, the songwriting process, and their new Bandcamp fanbase…
Fat Actress. Where did that one come from? What happened to the name Ephialtes?
Well originally our mate Costello (Slugbait) was on drums and he was the one who came up with the name Ephialtes so without him in the band we couldn’t really use that name (also he said we weren’t allowed). Ephialtes was an awkward name anyway, that few people could pronounce, less could remember, and almost no one liked. Overheard one girl call us Elephants. I’m not actually sure who came up with the name Fat Actress, probably Cian (guitar) though. It sounds like something he’d come up with. There were a shitload of names floating about before we settled on it, The Horse Dentist, Dentists, Obesity, AluMANIA, Jack the Stripper, Mature German Anal, The Mayors Office, Hot Pink, etc. Fat Actress is the best of a retarded bunch. Am I right?
How did it all come together? What were the influences and inspirations?
Hard to pinpoint exactly when it started really. Myself and Shane (guitar) were jamming down in the bandcans with our mate Vinny (Overhead, the Albatross) on drums and me being really shit at bass. Vinny moved to Dublin so we jammed a while as a 2 piece but I was equally bad at drums, so some night on the piss in the Brog we asked Costello to join. Cian joined soon after, we played one gig as a 4 peiece and then Mulligan (bass) joined. Around the start of last year Costello left and last November Jamesey joined on drums. Barry left for Canada in September and Eamonn (Mordant Soul, Dolph Lundgren’s Dungeon Party) joined. Not really sure where to say along that timeline the band started.
I don’t know about influences or inspirations, myself and Shane just wanted to support [r]evolution of a sun really. That was our only aim. We have almost no bands that we all like so I couldn’t say we have any particular influence. Except Limp Bizkit, I’m in no way joking either.
As mentioned earlier, ye spent some time as Ephialtes, in the process supporting Freddy Madball. He must’ve been sound.
He seemed to be, for some reason, the day of that gig when we arrived for sound check, there were ripped up bibles everywhere. We couldn’t really give a shit about that kind of stuff but I think he was a tad annoyed by it, so they spent most of the night in their van. They didn’t check out oursleves or Ghost of Medina. Probably for the best, I get nervous shits at the best of times. Let alone in front of Madball. They were unreal though, Shane convinced Eamonn‘s bird that the big Mexican looking lad playing bass was from Clonmel, that was a highlight for me. That and when Freddy took a sip of Guinness and the crowd started chanting “chug”, he said something of along the lines of “I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do.” So NYHC, like!
Yer live profile has built up incredibly quickly too, supporting [r]evolution of a sun, among others. How is it for ye that it’s come along this way?
Supporting [r]ev was amazing though, if at some point in the future we can make a crowd go as spastic as they do at a [r]ev gig I’d be delighted. We also supported Rest who we’re massive fans of. Shardborne were playing the same night too. There were more than a few nervous shits that night.
How does the creative process work in Fat Actress, given everyone’s in different bands and life generally might get in the way?
Usually Cian or Shane write a good bit of a song at home and then bring it to practice. Then everyone feigns interest in it and we scrap it for a few months. Then we’ll all be sitting around a few months later and someone will say, remember that riff that goes dadadaDUHDUHdadaDUH, Squeeeeel. DUHDUDUH!! And then we might use it somewhere. Seems to be how it’s worked so far anyway. Except for Diabetes, Shane just made that up on the spot after a day of working with some fat lazy prick. We’re planning to put aside some time for writing after Friday’s gig. Getting well sick of the same six songs. Even if they are absolute masterpieces. Am I right?
The first thing that catches the eye about the E.P. is the cover. Where on earth did ye dredge that up from?
I typed, fat girl toilet into Google Images with safe search off. Simple as. I’d like to say that I did it as research for the cover but I can’t. Just a happy coincidence. Am I right lads?
You’ve had quite the interest from unlikely sources on Bandcamp. Care to comment?
Oh ya, it seems that Indian lads, much like myself and Cian are a fan of the larger ladies. Am I right? Not talking obese like, lets just say we like a voluptuous woman. No skinny bitches. Am I right? Anyway, Indian lads keep ending up listening to us instead of jerking it to a fat lass. That said, listening to us will probably get him off just as fast. Am I right?
What do you make of the Cork scene at the moment? Who catches your eye/ear?
I suppose in Cork metal there’s the usual 3 that everyone mentions, Face, [R]ev and Rest. I don’t know shit all about black metal or thrash or most other metal genres so I can’t really comment on any other local bands, not without looking like a prick anyway. I heard the singer from [r]ev’s new band jamming up in Blackpool and they sound crushing, heard the lads from Knock ‘em Dead jamming some new stuff too, wasn’t completely sold on their old recordings but this stuff sounds tits out heavy. Emigra are good lads too, well able to write a tune. Hope to play a few more gigs with them in the future. That’s all I have to say on the Cork “metal scene” anyway. As for Irish metal, check out Ilenkus and Shardborne, they both rock my freckly cock live.
Personally, for you, between FA, Slugbait, Dolph Lundgren and everything else, how do you manage it all?
There were a few weeks there alright where Slugbait and FA both had a few gigs lined up that I was fairly up the walls. Throat took a good shitkicking too. That’s calming down now though, with Fat Actress and Slugbait both taking breaks to write for the winter. The Dolph stuff is all Eamonn, he writes and records all the stuff and then comes to myself and Kev Cummins (Mordant Soul, Seven Scars) to do the vocals, so that’s no great chore. I am unemployed and as of 2 weeks ago living with my folks I suppose, not like I don’t have time.
What’s next for Fat Actress?
We have this gig Friday with Ilenkus and Christians vs Lions in Fred’s then we’re taking a break to write some new songs. Should be back gigging in January or February. Unless we’re offered some great gig in the meantime. It’ll take a lot to get us outta hibernation though.
Tags: An Cruiscin Lan, Cork, Ephialtes, Fat Actress, Madball, Mini
I love that photo so so much. My favourite thing (besides Mini’s thighs) is the can of galahad.