Stunts Performed At Altitude: The Return Of Cult Noise-Rockers Mclusky

Photo: Damien Sayell

Mclusky’s Andy Falkous is many things. As anyone who has seen the cult noise-rockers or their sibling band Future Of The Left play live will know, he is extremely talkative. In fact, he is a joy to speak with. Falkous answers questions like his life depends on it, although not in a verbal diarrhoea sort of sense. He simply treats an interview with respect and wants to carefully explain himself and his music in the most in-depth and uproariously funny manner possible.

Initially active from 1996 to 2005, the formerly Wales-based Mclusky first reunited in 2014, as ‘mclusky’, then a year later as Mclusky*. The band have, following several international tours and signing with Mike Patton’s Ipecac Recordings, gradually shed these grammatical hesitations and are now back with their first album in 20 years, with Falkous supported by drummer Jack Egglestone and bassist Damien Sayell.

Its title, ‘The World is Still Here and So Are We’, captures their current mood and is a sentiment that many will have felt in these weird, imperilled times. When faced with the relentless chaos of 2025, repeating those words can be an effective mechanism to stop yourself going insane.

Ahead of the LP’s release and a short tour, we sat down for an extensive conversation with Falkous to talk about writing during lockdown, changes to his famous sense of humour, complex feeling towards the Welsh music scene and so much more.

To what degree does the finished article resemble or not resemble the thing you imagined when you were writing and recording it?

“I didn’t really have a sense of what it might be or not be, as long as it didn’t disappoint us. What we do is that we’re friends that go into a room and whatever happens, happens. I don’t mean sexually. The only thing that can surprise you at the end is the coherence of the whole thing. I thought it might be difficult to order, because all the songs sound very different, but it flows really well. Not as well as ‘…Do Dallas’. One of the strengths and weaknesses of that album is that it all sounds the fucking same.”

I read that you initially found it difficult to ‘get the tone of the album right’. Can you elaborate on that?

“We had to make sure that it sounded like a Mclusky record, whatever the hell that means. At first it was good, but not quite there. Even with experienced musicians, sometimes you can hear the gears grinding. Ultimately, the secret, not to making a great album, just to not going insane, is to acknowledge that the pressure you’re putting on yourself is a good thing.

“I have certain beliefs about rock music. One is that, unless you’re a really technical band, you can over-rehearse. I barely want to know our songs, so I can be excited about them. Maybe that’s smug of me, because I’m the singer and guitarist, so I have leeway to go a bit off-piste. The rhythm section can’t just go into a samba beat.”

How do you guys write, is it all three of you or do you lead it?

“We tried to start writing the album in lockdown, by sending bits back and forth. It didn’t really work. Stuff can sound great recorded alone, but when you put it into a room with three people smashing the fuck out of instruments it can sound a bit meat-and-potatoes. Quieter songs are a bit different, but most of our music is all about the strut and being in the moment. It’s stunts being performed at a high altitude, that’s the way I look at it. For me, the same thing happens with Mclusky and Future Of The Left; the songs are the sum of the people in the room.”

I know you don’t always like explaining lyrics but is it fair to say that, on this album, there are more socio-political references than previously?

“I don’t know is the simple answer. What’s been funny is that, over two interviews, I’ve come to realise that some of the songs are about things that I hadn’t realised. Chekhov’s Guns started off as a joke; as in Chekhov’s biceps. But, by the end, on a subconscious level, I realised that I’d written lyrics that were all about how signifiers are all very well, but let’s just get to the fucking point. So, yeah, you speak to some people and realise, ‘Huh, I guess I am a poet’.

As the world has changed in the last 20 years, have you consciously or unconsciously adapted your sense of humour?

“There have been lots of healthy and interesting developments in the way humour has changed in that time. For example, if you look at things that were acceptable to be said 25 years ago, you don’t even notice words slipping out of use until you hear someone use it in the wild and realise that we don’t say that any more. But I don’t remember anyone coming around with a clipboard and saying that we don’t say them any more. It’s an interesting question. People often say that when it isn’t interesting or they’re trying to stall for time. I don’t really know how to answer it.”

It’s not that you ever said ‘bad’ things, just that, because the world has become, rightly, more sensitive with how we use language. I wondered if you’d felt any pressure to be more careful with the things that you say?

“There are people who deliberately say things to earn them edgelord status. But I’ve never set out to offend people. I’m a big believer in being polite to people. I’m horrified if any one has ever had an impolite interaction with me. You treat someone with respect until they give you carte blanche to be able to have a bit of fun with them, such as calling them a cunt, or something more imaginative. 

“As I am but a small boy caught in the wave of these times, I probably have adjusted my behaviour over the years. With age, you gain some perspective. Back in the day, I used to slag off the Smashing Pumpkins because I hated their music. Now, I fondly mock them. But I don’t really hate them, it’s just some words. Generally, I don’t feel much of a responsibility, because it’s not that big of a thing. Say if you’re in a band like Idles, then you’re a borderline public figure.”

I can’t imagine how hard it would be to be in their position.

“I’d absolutely fucking hate it. Those types of bands, the amount of shows they have to do, the amount of interviews. For us, it’s a pleasure to do interviews, there are things left to say. For example, the question you just gave me. Although for Future Of The Left we’d get questions from people who’d clearly just been given the assignment and they’d say ‘so what’s the future of Future Of The Left?’. Come on, think of another question.”

I found an article from 2009 where you were complaining about the amount of people who ask you about working with Steve Albini.

“A lot of people wanted to hear about that. Some were genuine, some seemingly didn’t have access to the countless YouTube videos out there. He was a very nice guy. What are they expecting, that he took potshots at us all day with a crossbow?”

I also found a 2019 article where you said, ‘I’ve just moved from Wales, and I’m still slightly traumatised from the experience’. How much of a connection do you still feel with Wales?

“I love Wales and I miss Cardiff. I lived in Cardiff for 24 years and never had any problem with being described as Welsh. I’m from the North East of England and, I don’t know if anyone wants to hear this, but it’s basically the same place, only there’s marginally more rugby than football. They’re the same in terms of class, industries wrecked by Thatcher and the vagaries of time.

“I have a dislike-slash-hatred for the Welsh music industry and the way we were regarded as a band. We didn’t get our dues. I remember, in 2002, we’d be playing the same sized venues as bands like Biffy Clyro. They’d sell out two nights at Glasgow’s Barrowlands and we’d play to 170 people in Clwb Ifor Bach. We weren’t the right kind of Welsh. In 2018, we did a Future Of The Left show at Tramshed for PRS, just before Julia [Future Of The Left bassist] and I moved to London. Half the audience of Welsh industry people left when we played. I don’t expect plaques of us, but I’ll speak to young musicians in Brooklyn who know more about us than young musicians in Wales.”

Mclusky’s ‘The World is Still Here and So Are We’ is out on May 9 through Ipecac.

Mclusky Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:

Thu May 08 2025 - WREXHAM Rockin Chair
Fri May 23 2025 - MANCHESTER Gorilla
Sat May 24 2025 - LEEDS Brudenell Social Club
Thu May 29 2025 - LONDON Electric Ballroom
Sat May 31 2025 - BRISTOL SWX

Compare & Buy McLusky Tickets at Stereoboard.com.

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