Hello everyone, today we're here with Burning Heads to celebrate the release of their new album, All Fired Up. How are you doing, and how do you feel about the album being released today?

Fra — Excited.

JB — Very good, completely excited, feeling great, ready to get on stage and play all of this.

The album is called All Fired Up, but even though some of the songs echo that title, there isn’t a self-titled track. I was wondering, then, what was the reasoning behind choosing this title for the album?

Fra — All Fired Up means being really fired up, being full of excitement. So, on the one hand, it's about the excitement of still being here and releasing an album that we really enjoyed composing, recording, choosing the artwork for, writing the lyrics for, all of that. So, yeah, we're a little excited, really happy.

And then, on the other hand, "all fired up" also because we're really fired up about what's going on in the world. We're showing our teeth a little bit, and it affects us to know that things are still such a mess and that they're not getting any better.

The first track we got to hear was S.O.S. 2, which echoed the first song released about 27 years ago. So, for you, how important was it to make a second part?

Fra — When Mikiss created that guitar riff and those chord progressions, the vocal hook immediately came to me, within a fraction of a second. And along with the hook, the lyrics also came into my head. And then, after a while, I suddenly thought: “Wait, Same Old Shit makes S.O.S., like Same Old Song from Escape.” And so, knowing that the subject is unfortunately the same, and that 27 years ago there was a song that was written and is still relevant today, I thought it could be interesting to make S.O.S. 2.

And it also gives a nod to the band's history. So even though I wasn't in the band at the time, what Pierre wrote 27 years ago is still relevant today, and I'm referring back to it now.

JB — Even though you weren't in the band, you were already relating to S.O.S. 2. You completely saw yourself in its lyrics back then too.

Fra — Absolutely, definitely.

JB — We've also known Fra for a very, very long time. He's not someone who just came along like that. He's been in the band for ten years, but I've known him for almost 40 years already.

Yes, it's not like you went looking for someone here or there; it was a choice you made because he was already part of your circle.

JB — It's not really a close circle. We're geographically separated anyway, but musically, yes, we were close. He played in a band called RAVI, and we played quite a few shows with them. Pierre was starting to record bands at the time. He recorded an album for RAVI, so there were already connections being made before Fra joined the band.

Fra — It's a long story.

Going back to S.O.S. 2, it was the first track from the album to be released, but it's also the first track on the album's tracklist. Was it intentional or just a coincidence?

Fra — I suggested that we start with that song because it's quite obvious, quite catchy, quite direct. Everyone was OK with it.

With labels, you have to make an album, and the album is barely finished when we're already being asked to choose a single. It's really complicated; there's nothing there yet. I think the people who are least well placed to choose a single are the band who have just come out of the studio after making it.

To be objective about it, it's really difficult. We trusted our manager's opinion, because he had a bit more perspective on it, and he thought S.O.S. 2 could be a good first single.

JB — For the same reasons, we put it at the beginning of the album.

The video for S.O.S. 2 was actually filmed at l'Astrolabe in Orléans. Was there a particular reason for choosing that venue? Does it have anything to do with the 40th anniversary coming up next year?

JB — L'Astrolabe is Orléans. That's basically what it comes down to. We've played there regularly and we have quite a few connections there. I also work there regularly. They were completely happy to lend us the venue so that we could shoot a video.

We had the idea for the video. The director had the idea for the video. We wanted to make a live video, or a full live video with the whole band. We obviously needed somewhere to do it. And L'Astrolabe was perfectly suited for it. It's really good for us to be there. It also represents Orléans.

Fra — It makes sense in the history of the band. As is often the case with Burning Heads, it's also about the human side of things. The people who work there are close to us. All of that makes sense.

When it comes to the themes of the album, there are several things that you explore. You mentioned S.O.S. 2. There's also Smombies, and so on. There are several themes throughout the album, and they're always very interesting and impactful. How do you choose the themes before you start working on the production and go into the studio?

Fra — There isn't really a choice. I'd say that the lyrics come one after another, as the songs gradually take shape. It's often the music that influences the lyrics. Even though a few bits of lyrics can exist before the instrumental song exists, the choice is to put those words on this particular song rather than that one.

But there isn't really a theme. At least, there isn't really a thought-out album concept, something planned in advance, or anything like that.

Let's say that, as the singer, it's my responsibility to think a little bit about the whole picture, about all of that. But I don't have a concept in my head.

What's happening in the world is the same, so obviously it influences us. But our personal current events too, our personal lives. There are songs that are very politically outspoken, there are others that are more of an observation of life in general, of what we can experience. And then there are others that are very personal, love songs. But we're not going to recreate rock'n'roll.

After a career of almost 40 years as a band, how do you see the French punk-rock scene today?

JB — I feel like it's been revitalizing quite a bit lately. I might have felt a little resurgence before COVID, so that goes back a little while. But obviously, with COVID, it really took a hit.

But after that, I think there has been a resurgence. There are quite a few bands. I'm thinking of bands like Krav Boca or others… Some younger ones from Bordeaux, Violent Sadie Mode, there are bands like that, with plenty of bite, that are emerging, that are really growing, bringing a new touch of vitality to the scene, and bringing quite a lot of people together around them too.

I think there are youth movements that really connect with this kind of music, and that are starting to come through, and we're starting to see them a little bit at our shows, maybe less than at others, but I think there is a resurgence, maybe a revival of punk-rock, at least.

Fra — In any case, guitar music isn't dead.

Very good! I'm talking about punk-rock, but it's true that you have quite a few influences, even within the album. On the last track, there's also a bit more of a reggae atmosphere. Why did you choose that song to give it those colors?

Fra — First of all, there's practically a reggae song on every Burning Heads album. It's kind of a compulsory exercise. This song is about getting away for a bit, and that's also why it's towards the end: it's about taking a step back from current events, from the general gloom, escaping all of that a little bit, with the help, of course, apparently, of some illicit substances.

There's a good time to be had, basically, trying to turn off the TV, turn off the Internet, and refocus on yourself. That's kind of what it's about. Needless to say, it's also a theme that's often used in reggae.

JB — I would classify our music as punk, hardcore, reggae. A mix, a crossover of those three styles. I think that's what you find on the album.

I pretty much agree. I feel like this album brings together influences that you've had throughout the band's journey. The Astrolabe in Orléans, S.O.S. 2… I feel like it brings together some of the things from the band's career.

Was that intentional, with the band's 40th anniversary coming up, or was it more of a coincidence?

JB — I don't think there really has been a plan. And in this case, there wasn't any intention behind it. As Fra said, we didn't give ourselves any particular direction when creating the songs.

So it just came about like that. Maybe, in the choices of the lyrics, there were some intentions to bring back things that existed in other lyrics and songs, to create a sense of continuity throughout the band's whole history. But other than that, there is no plan. It's a bit like the raw state of things speaking through all these songs.

Fra — There was one thing we said to ourselves before we started writing last year: we wanted to have something a little rougher, a little more abrupt, with faster tempos than on the previous album. That was clear.

That's also why we chose to change producers, to record the album somewhere else, in a different studio, to get a new colour. That was clear, we had said it to ourselves. We wanted something without necessarily saying it, without necessarily putting it into words. But maybe the idea was to get closer to what Burning Heads could have sounded like 25 years ago.

Everything else is pure coincidence, even though there are no coincidences. The words come one after another, the songs come one after another. We made some choices: we had a good twenty song ideas in the works, we chose 14, we recorded 14, and there are 13 on the album.

After that, it's about making choices for the sake of coherence, to make an album that can be listened to from beginning to end without any pauses, weak moments, or anything like that. As JB said, there was no career plan over these 40 years, not really a plan, and no concept either.

It's simply that there are a lot of things to say, both about the environment and what's around us, but also about life.

As for the album artwork, what's the story behind it and, in your opinion, how does it reflect the album?

Fra — He's a friend of mine who was originally a comic book artist, and then became a tattoo artist. We had asked him to work on the artwork for the 45 tours, which came out before Torches of Freedom, at the end of 2020, beginning of 2021. His name is Karl Beley, and Karl also worked on the previous album, Embers of Protest. He was the one who did the artwork, and we asked him again to do the artwork for this one.

I gave him a little presentation text, and he came up with several proposals, until one day he made this drawing. Then we started thinking about the colour of the background.

We wanted something quite punchy, quite simple, which matched a little bit what we wanted to do musically. But in any case, we think it's pretty cool to have both this sort of Burning Heads vocabulary –it talks about fire, flame, embers, torches, all of that, for at least three albums now– and also to have a visual identity with the same artist doing our artwork, where you can really recognise his style. All of that makes sense too.

The album is out today, but there's a release party planned for March 20th, 2027 at La Maroquinerie, from what I've seen. What can we expect from that date?

JB — We're a little bit in the dark about that date. There will be guests, bands that will be invited, but it's not completely defined yet. It will be a big party anyway, and it should be a good night.

Fra — The good thing is that it won't be our first show, so we'll have played plenty of shows beforehand to warm up, practise and be ready.

The album has only been out for a few hours, but have you already received some feedback?

Fra — Let's say that our label does pre-orders. The pre-orders have been available for a few months already, so the people who pre-ordered the album received it a few weeks ago, or even a few days ago. So yes, we're starting to get some feedback, and then there are all the fanzines and magazines, which have obviously listened to the album.

JB — There are some really good reviews, yes. This morning, I already got four messages from people who listened to the album as soon as it came out and sent me messages to say that it was really great. So far, every time, we've really had good feedback on the album. So that's nice.

Well, that's great!

This will be my last question. Do you have a message for your fans?

Fra — I think people should come and see us. Don't hesitate to come and see us after the shows, don't hesitate to talk to us. Social media is great.

Obviously, we can use it because sometimes we're geographically quite far apart, so it allows us to stay in touch. But the best thing is still being face to face, looking each other in the eyes, and saying what we have to say to each other. Sharing as much as possible like that. Take care of the people close to us. And stay on top of everything that's happening in the news for the future.

JB — It's October 16th, it's the release of the album, but tomorrow is October 17th, so everyone needs to be out there too. And not just tomorrow!

Well, thank you very much for taking the time to speak with me today.

Fra & JB — Thank you.