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The Fighting League are a five piece punk band from Canberra. They have been kicking around for the last couple of years, best known for their outrageous live show and charismatic lead singer, Dominic Death. A few weeks back we had the chance to ask Dom some questions about tropical punk and their long awaited debut album. This is it, totally raw.

WHAT IS TROPICAL PUNK? HOW DO YOU KEEP IT TROPICAL?
Although many bands may claim to be tropical we are the only true tropical Punk in existence although even as we speak young boys and girls are forming tropical bands and experimenting with tropical sex positions as a reaction to the bad taste in their mouths that has been left by simply accepting absolutely everything that has been handed to them by every single non tropical liar in the world. Keeping it tropical is embracing the tropical weather that we have been blessed with in Canberra and not taking for granted the clean streets that have been provided for us. We max fun and max energy to create tropical flavor that all people can enjoy.

WHAT KIND OF RESPONSIBILITIES COME WITH BEING KING OF CANBERRA?
Some responsibilities to both ourselves and people who listen to our music pure tropical is pure truth if we are caught lying I accept the consequences. My main responsibility as king of Canberra is to keep it as tropical as possible and reminded every single person in the world that Canberra is the capital of the world. It was not something I asked for but I was born into this role. Every year at the multi cultural festival we have a big tropical parade that I lead proudly last year someone tried to assassinate me by beating me to death but my wooza stepped in and gouged the mans eye out. It was an absolutely terrific affair.

I HEARD HALF OF THE FIGHTING LEAGUE SURVIVED A CAR CRASH A WHILE AGO?
Yes they were driving home late after attending a major guttural affair in Sydney as Andy had just obtained his stunt driving license he decided to jump the ramp on the way home but he hit an angry kangaroo and on impact their car spun over 7 times in the air Andy easily made the landing though and it was a very funny affair that everyone involved laughed at for hours whilst their car was engulfed in flames. Andy describes it as better then the time he benihana’d the spine at Weston I of course know that he never once benihana’d the spine so I’m not sure they even got into a car crash.

WHATS THE ALBUM AND WHEN IS IT HAPPENING?
Our first album will be entitled Tropical Paradise and we have finished recording all the songs we just have to do some mixing and then its finished. We recorded it with Bruce ‘cub’ Callaway, owner of broken knee studios who played with The Saints and Bo Diddly and produced Ed Cooper’s first album. Every single member of the saints and Bo Diddly is appearing on our album. We will have a big party when it’s released and everyone who lives in Canberra is welcome. Those who have moved need not attend but may express their regret privately.

WHAT DO YOU EVEN DO IN CANBERRA?
That is a great question and I have been asked this question many times before especially from extra cool Melbourne or Sydney gutterbabes. I simply reply that all we do is sit around all day wishing we were them because they are so much cooler and more real than us because they have heaps more restaurants and bars where they can serve food and play heaps of cool music in and sit around and talk about it in bathhouses. So in response we just hang out be cold and wish we were dead. We do lots of exercise so were always ready for the forthcoming invasion of yuppies and pussies who come to Canberra to get a tropical vibe then steal our sound and bail. We must be very careful of these spies they can be charming and very attractive we are always ready to defend our capital no matter how many hot meals they try and bribe us with.

WHAT DO YOU DO OUTSIDE OF THE FIGHTING LEAGUE?
Well I mainly sit at home and google myself- I have a large influence on really cool people. Joel is salt of the earth and he is a farmer or something i’m not sure what he does but his clothes are always dirty and he wakes up early I try my hardest not be involved in working class affairs I do know for a fact however that he has been blessed with large equipment . Carey works at a local cinema and sometimes the movies break down and he acts them out himself it’s actually a very trendy thing to do in Canberra to see a Carey mash up, the prime minster has visited. Andy plays in a fighting league cover band and you can see him from time to time playing our music with a very roots feel to anyone who will listen he’s actually playing at the folk festival this year under the name “The Fighting League- a journey of spirit and folk love”. The city news describes it as the most passionate Fighting League cover band performance they ever heard. Alejandro is a mysterious person who I don’t know anything about. I heard he once ate an entire live duck when I asked him in science classed he replied everything but the beak. He is quite odd he but also very good at slam poetry. It’s quite thought provoking him and Carey sometime team up for movie mash ups. There rendition of Avatar brought me to tears.

WHO IS MORE BADASS, YOU OR TV COLOURS?
That is a very easy question TV Colours of course because he once got arrested when he was thirteen and then his parents sent him horse riding camp for three years. I am tropical pure of spirit. To be bad ass is to rebel i don’t rebel however because absolutely everything I do is cool and right.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR SONGS ABOUT?
Our songs are about three things: NUgz, Chilling and Grindige

ANYTHING HAPPENING WITH YOUR SOLO MUSIC?
Any solo music is a desperate cry for attention you will hear it when i am lonely.

WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON FOR THE FIGHTING LEAGUE?
The only thing on the horizon is the big tropical sun. Keep it tropical.

Tropical Paradise will be released this spring/summer on Dream Damage Records.

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Download – Pizza Man