The Whip are ready and raring to get onstage at the House of Fun Weekender, but Butlins also holds a deeper connection with the band which goes beyond music. Take a look at our interview with them below and find out about childhood memories, the 'trunked slide' and their thoughts on retro sports stars!
How are you and where are you right now?
Just djing and listening to new tunes in my attic, there is some good fresh meat out there and it's quite loud up here.
Will you be visiting the pool during your stay at the House of Fun, and what is your best swimming technique?
Other than the musical entertainment on offer, the pool will be the highlight of my visit to the Madhouse. I usually pack a pair of Swimming shorts when we are traveling with the band and try and squeeze a dip in the hotel pool in somewhere. However, Butlins is next level on this front, I'm defo going to get the guys to pack some trunks and get wet. The slides look pretty cool and we have to take advantage of that! It's too easy to sit in a dressing room and be moody, I'm off to explore this beast!
So my best swimming technique will be the 'trunked slide'. I'm going to do the bumper cars too, hot wheels.
Do you like to be beside the seaside?
The great British seaside is a national institution, my Grandparents lived in New Brighton so I was brought up with weekends of cold windy beaches, sandy socks, deck chairs, crabs, fair grounds and general faded seaside glamour.
I like to be 'inside' Butlins though, I visited Butlins lots as a kid, we holidayed as a family at Pwllheli, Ayr and Skegness. So Minehead will be another one ticked off the box! I've seen both the Krankies and the Chuckle Brothers have audiences in the palm of their hands inside these Butlins walls and now here we are treading the same stage, magic. I remember walking about Butlins and checking out the girls in Glitter Wigs, I really liked the Glitter Wig look on women at the time, it was a popular look.
I also watched the England v Germany 1990 World Cup semi final at Butlins so all together there are a lot of emotions being brought up with this return to the holiday camp.
Would you prefer a stick of rock or a nice ice cream?
Ice cream without a doubt. I'm a dairy man all the way, rich and creamy goodness. Though, a stick of rock is an endurance to eat but it does have its merits as a wonderful memento or gift for a loved one and boasts the magic writing within the treat itself.
I treat my ice cream with excess; I'm a double or triple scoop man with all the sundries and extras, toffee sauce, 100's and 1000's and more. I respect the cone though and insure that the ice cream is pushed within the cone so every last bite has an ice cream treat within.
Serious stuff, I want one now.
What was the first Madness song you heard?
Our house, they used to play it at our school discos, it was a highlight of the school dj's set and a good opportunity to bust a move and impress the girls.
Who’s your favourite darts player?
Eric Bristow all the way, there's something beautiful about 80's athletes that seems to have been lost in a lot of sports today and he was one of the kings of that time. Where are the Gazza's, Daley Thomsons, Vinny Jones' and people like that these days? There are a lot of finely tuned machines out there these days in the sporting field but the stars of the Darting arena seems to have regained that cool down to earth vibe, so respect to the world of darts.
What will you be doing to make sure the House Of Fun is lots of fun when you’re on?
It's our prerogative as a band to try and get people dancing and having a party in front of us so we'll do our best to add to the Mad carnival atmosphere.
Would you rather be an acrobat or a magician?
I like watching magicians but they are teasing you at the end of the day and I'm not good at lying. I'd go acrobat, I'm a big lad but I like a physical test. It's quite heavy on the lycra look too and I felt quite comfortable wearing a lycra skeleton suit on stage the other week at the Koko Halloween ball even though it was a bit tight between the legs (the suit was too small, the meat was average).
I remember buzzing off a trampoline at school and spinning from the top of the box was magical in itself.
Are you a secret pool hustler?
Not really, I always end up too pissed to be any good at pool. I get uncomfortable with the whole silent, calm, competitive thing. I'm more of a table football man or real football. In fact I remember getting football coaching from Scotland keeper Alan Rough at Butlins, good times again.
Tell us a joke
I never remember jokes, sorry. I like laughing though and generally having a good time.
The Whip will perform on Friday night at the Weekender, do not miss them! Visit their website here, and see them performing in Leeds below!
