I.T. live on the 'Horse Drawn Stage' for a 'punx breakfast' (IG PIC)

The last time we interviewed I.T. we talked quite a bit about the European squat scene being better that the UK gig scene, hence their spending more time the other side of the channel than in dear old Blighty. Anyone that has been paying attention though will have noticed that they have been playing one or two gigs in the UK lately; in fact they have been turning up everywhere. “It was a good 8 years ago we spoke about that” J tells us “and things have changed a lot since then. There are loads of gigs springing up all over the place and more young live music fans getting involved. The UK underground scene is getting stronger all the time. That said we made a conscious decision a couple of years ago to play more gigs at home. We’ve been pleasantly surprised at how wicked it's been pretty much everywhere from Rhyl to Milton Keynes and beyond.”

They never do anything by half measures this lot. As we type we are looking at the current gig listing, they are almost constantly on tour for the next seven months. Surely that is more gruelling than fun. “To be honest with you its both! I’ve been on the road for so long now I don't know how I’d do without it. There are a lot of hard times and you're constantly out of your comfort zone, but basically I can't think of a better way to see the world. Everywhere we go we're always invited and welcomed, we meet loads of good people and make them dance! Our whole life is about being creative and expressing ourselves. It’s got to be the best job in the world hasn't it?” Well we would not dispute that. It’s the job of a fit man though, drummer Paco’s health has not been the greatest of late but he has gone through several major operations recently. “Paco is fitter than he has been in 10 years and yes he will be playing every gig. Personally I used to cane it loads every night and end up pretty ragged, but I’ve learned to pace myself more these days. People sometimes ask me why I don't slow down and I always think the same thing, I’ll have plenty of time to slow down when I’m in the ground... until then lets HAVE IT!”

The Kopi, Berlin

One of the gigs they have lined up this summer is at the legendary Kopi Squat in Berlin, which is under threat from developers. The living and cultural centre, "Köpi" has been in existence for 17 years, and the land next to it (travellers site), were both sold at auction in May 2007 - even though the inhabitants and sympathizers strongly protested against it .The gig will be part of a weekend of protests to try to keep it open. Is the European squat scene as healthy as it was 8 years ago or are many of them under threat in the same way as the Kopi is? “All of fortress Europe seems to be heading towards the right wing and that doesn't help where the squat scene's concerned. There was a period where more left wing councils and mayors would quite often be ok with the youth running their own cultural events and centres. That trend is changing and the backlash will be full on. It’s getting to the stage where all places that undermine the establishment and the money are under threat. The squatters in mainland Europe won't take it lying down though, it will be war!”

After years of gigging they have pretty much Europe and the UK in the palm of their hands. As yet though they have not played outside of fortress Europe, this my well be changing soon. “We are working on a US release of the last album "X" with a Boston label called Rodent Popsicle and planning a 12" 45 split with one of their bands, Mouth Sewn Shut, so a tour over there will hopefully happen later this year. Apart from that there's talk of Japan and maybe even Guadeloupe in the Caribbean! We’ll see what happens”.

Following a recent trip up North the band got ripped off by someone that they had thought would be a friend. Once word had spread the local DIY scene rallied around and justice was done. “On the whole I’d say it's the best scene going. There are occasional benefit gigs where no one is really sure where the money is going, but I’d say that’s the exception rather than the rule. You’re more likely to get fleeced and disrespected at an overground ‘do’ if you haven't nailed a guaranteed deal. We do have the odd person trying to blag the merch now and again or someone who resents the fact that its more than £1.50 on the door, but I don't blame them too much...that used to be me when I hadn't really thought about it! As for thieving, I went to see the Pogues at Brixton academy in December, £3.50 for a can of shit beer, £35 for a hoodie and a paralytic front man. That’s what I call proper thievery”.

I.T. Live at the Okupational Hazard squat gig, Sarth Landan 2005 (IG PIC)

Inner Terrestrials are quite militantly opposed to the music ‘industry’ and are flag bearers for the ethos of DIY music. This does not have an impact on the quality of their releases though. “It used to be that we couldn't afford enough time in the studio but now we have our own place in Brixton it's not an issue. The main problem with those expensive industry studios is that record labels are the ones who pay for the sessions so they end up owning the material instead of the band. Also we've never wanted a producer, we've always done it all ourselves so the idea of doing what we're told is pretty alien. The thing is that these days we have all the equipment we need to produce a good sound in our own gaff, we're spoilt really!”

It’s been a while since the last I.T. release, but they have not been idle. “We’re in the studio next week recording our new album "Tales Of Terror" due for release spring/summer 2008. We’re also working on a something which will include a DVD, live album and book full of interesting stuff (not named yet). The book will have the lyrics of every inner terrestrials song, loads of photos going back over the last 15 years of gigs, protest sites and all sorts of old flyers and propaganda. Lots of cartoons and artwork by band members also some articles on things like pirates, permaculture, how to build benders and tie walkways for example and lots of info and contacts, musical, activist and other stuff. As I said we'll be doing a split 45 with Mouth Sewn Shut that will probably be a dub thing. We do have a lot of unrecorded material so now that Paco's back there's nothing to stop us releasing it”.

I.T. live at the Big Green Gathering 2007 (IG PIC)

It can be hard work ‘keeping it real’. If something is seen to be popular, someone always comes around and tries to take over and shape it to fit their own purposes; whether it be punk, rave, football terrace culture, skateboarding, downloading music, vegetarianism, fanzines or what ever. The terms ‘underground’ or ‘indie’ music have been absorbed so much into the mainstream that they have virtually lost their original meaning.

Politics are not exempt from this, Bob Geldof and gang jumped on the G8 protest bandwagon, the SWP have come up with 'Globalise Resistance' and 'Stop the War' and even the Tory party are trying to be green. It could be argued that raising profile raises awareness, but it could be argued that the message gets diluted in the process. J is uncompromising in his thoughts on the subject. “First off I can't stress enough the contempt I have for Bob Geldof. Basically working for the multinationals and cosying up with the leaders of the western world wanting to globalise and exploit the poorest regions of Africa for the profit of the few under the guise of helping them. TRAITOR! I feel sorry for the good people who are duped into supporting that kind of propaganda thinking they are doing the right thing”.

“Another good example of what you are talking about is Sea Shepherd vs Greenpeace” J continues, as he gets into his stride with one of his favourite subjects. “Whales die whilst Greenpeace wages a propaganda war against the people who are really trying to make a difference with direct action (see the blogs on sea shepherds myspace and prepare to be upset and horrified). It has always done my head in that cynical people jump on the band wagon to further their own ends, on the other hand everyone HAS to think green to have a chance of survival in this world, even if they are lying Tory scum. Still after years of denial about issues like global warming I kind of felt the death knell when politicians recently started admitting it was happening, it's a difficult issue and one we will all have to be vigilant about, the problem is that we are constantly duped into forgetting the real issues by manipulative people and organisations”.

There could be several reasons for ‘mainstream’ politicians taking on ‘radical‘ ideas. Perhaps they genuinely think the ideas are good, it may be that they are trying to win the votes of the radicals or maybe they want to marginalize the people that came up with the ideas in the first place because they are scared of them. “I reckon they do see it as a threat and rightly so. You’d have to be clinically insane not to try and undermine their way of thinking in my opinion. As for the mainstream embracing the idea I’m sure they would if they could but it can't really happen in terms of the g8 can it? They all ask how high when the money says jump, even the greens would have to do as they were told if they ever got in and wanted to spend more than 5 minutes in power. As for anti immigration I bet the capitalists are screwing about it really, although a lot of their key right wing supporters are well up for a bit of xenophobia, it would suit them to have cheap labour to exploit for ever if they could. There are a lot of issues that "mainstream" society seems to be concerned about these days such as the environment, global warming etc, but ultimately if someone started threatening their luxuries and living standards a lot of people would soon show their true colours”.

I.T. live at the TJs, Newport, 2008 (IG PIC)

With the mainstream trying to embrace radical ideas is there any danger that anarchism will be able to break out of the activist ghetto? “I don't see how it can be absorbed into mainstream society as it is without large scale devolution. States that control 60 million people can't really be an anarchist society, it's hard enough for 20 people to agree on the same point. The system we have now in my opinion will never work, no matter what changes. It’s too fundamentally flawed. The laws we have now were set up by war lords in order to protect their wealth and power...it'd be like trying to polish a turd. It means that there's no point striving for an anarchist society that administrates 60 million people at once because in my opinion that can't work. As I said we would have to move towards large-scale devolution, then it would have a chance. Otherwise it could end up just like the communists in Russia did, controlled and enslaved by their own gargantuan administration. But lets get real here, these people are never going to willingly give up their privilege so this idea of the existing nation state as it is becoming an anarchist one aint going to happen”.

J may be realistic enough to not be dreaming of an anarchist utopia, but it does not stop I.T. flying the flag of anarchism, and while they are at it they are planting seeds of resistance wherever they go. Now that the team are back to full strength and match fit, you can expect them to be planting seeds near you in the future. If you are not sure what ‘underground’ means anymore, check ‘em out and be enlightened.

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