No, the Coopers were turned away because they'd submitted individual visa photos in which the band members competed to see who could pull the craziest face. "Because we went to high school together, we've still got the same juvenile mentality," says singer Ben Gautrey. "We were quite stupid with our visas this time, too," says bassist Didz Hammond, referring to their recent stateside trip for New York's CMJ Music Marathon. "We made ourselves look like terrorists."
Happily, the Reading sextet have matured, at least musically, on their second album, Kick Up the Fire, and Let the Flames Break Loose. "Promises Promises" is a big-riffing mosh-pit anthem, while the ten-minute closer, "Written Apology," explores the previously uncharted territory between Pink Floyd and the Chemical Brothers. Each member contributes to the songwriting, which could get messy, but their school ties help maintain perspective. "We're not sensitive to each other," says Gautrey. "If someone writes something shit, we tell him it's shit."
