Sean Forbes
Rough Trade/Hard Skin
When he’s not being a punk rock star, Sean Forbes can be found working at Rough Trade West, where he basically knows everything there is to know about new bands. He makes sure that the shop doesn’t just rely on reissues of Pixies LPs, but keeps on seeking out the best new independent music for adventurous listeners like yourselves. He’s a very important part of our world.
Hi Sean, thanks for talking to us. How would you describe your job at Rough Trade?
Mostly it’s to shout and scream that things aren’t done correct. Or to roll my eyes that no one has heard of the Inflatable Fckers, who are the current buzz band in the Bulgarian ambient scene. To put the bins out on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. To have a never-ending amount of people coming to hang out in the back room and talk about going to see the Chronic Outbursts in Leighton Buzzard in 1982. To eat the pastries and sweet treats labels bring in to bribe us to sell their terrible bands. To moan that the Placebo LP was sold in as Purple, actually says Mauve on the sticker and amend information so that men (it’s always men) don’t moan about it being the wrong colour. To talk about non-League football to anyone that will listen. Make dreams come true.
When streaming first became a big thing did you worry that it would lead to the death of records and record shops? Do you think it still could?
Honestly it doesn’t worry me at all. In fact I’ve never been on Spotify to listen to something. The only thing that will kill shops and records is the over-pricing of vinyl. Some new LPs cost 35 pounds and there is nothing special about it. Also the constant re-releasing of an album on a different coloured vinyl is crushing.
Rough Trade West, although it’s pretty tiny, has seen some amazing live performances. Which ones stand out for you?
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Not sure what year it was but one RSD we had Fontaines D.C. play outside the shop. The moment they set up to play, it started hailing. It was biblical and surreal, especially in April. Also Iceage did an instore early on and put a full PA in the shop and I had a real moment where I thought I was seeing the future of music. I was wrong, but it really felt special.
Because of your membership of Oi! outfit Hard Skin (Sean is on the left below), people think of you as the hardest man in London. Is that an accurate description?
Fucking hell I am so weak it’s untrue. Just cause I have short hair and am quite chunky chips, people think I’m hard. I’m not. Another RSD we had Sleaford Mods playing and Adam Ant and his tour manager was upset that Adam would be so close to his adoring public (basically a couple of hundred older middle class ladies). I told him hold on, I’ll come out and help - when he saw me, he kept winking that it’s all OK, as I was such a big unit. Obviously, nothing kicked off and just as well, as I’m a weak streak of piss.
You seem to hear about new bands before anyone else. Do you have spies in all the main UK cities?
The irony is I’m one of the last people in the world without a mobile phone. So I’ve no idea how I’m still slightly on it. Luckily I still think I have a good enough ear to notice talent and I like to help bands in the early years. When someone does really well, and you’ve helped - it makes you feel like a proud parent.
You have been supportive of punk bands, but also of indiepop bands, including bands that some people would dismiss as ‘twee’. Personally, I think that a lot of those bands are punk rock too, they just express their anti-establishment feelings in different ways. Do you think ‘punk’ is a useful word any more? If so, what does it mean to you?
Honestly I don’t care what type of music it is. If I’m feeling it… bring it on. If it has a political edge then even better but I also love soppy shit with pure emotion, like Meat Loaf, Keane and Embrace. In fact, if I did Stars In Their Eyes - I’d probably be Meat Loaf, but might need a bigger and better hankie. Of course there are lots of punk indie pop bands. Punk is an attitude. Lots of people who say they are punk - are the most conservative of them all.
Are those gigs in December of this year really the end of Hard Skin? What are you going to do with your evenings?
I’m going solo after Hard Skin. Those other two clowns have been getting in my way for 30 years of being a stand-up comic. I have a lot of my poetry I want to read on stage. I’m going to write an autobiography. Potentially I’m looking to get a drug habit. Become a full-time pimp. Teach yoga. Failing all of that - I’ll probably sit on my sofa and watch more football and reality TV.