Duo Riggots to hit the road

Two-piece Riggots will be touring the UK and heading for Europe this spring in support of debut album In Joke.

Despite the name the gigs promise to be a serious business as the band, made up of guitarist and vocalist Martin Battle and drummer Rob Fairhurst, show off their furious, high-octane sound influenced by the likes of Refused and Black Flag.

The duo will tour the UK in March supporting New Zealand act Hollywoodfun Downstairs before heading across the Channel for 10 days taking their furious, technical grooves to audiences in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland and Italy.

Drummer Rob said: “It’s the first time Riggots has been to Europe but I toured with my old band Gunpowder Plot and we had an amazing experience over there. It’s a great thing to do.

“The day before we go we’re playing Manchester Punk Festival and then it’s going to a mad drive back to Wigan afterwards as the day after that we’re playing a festival in Liverpool.

“We’re also looking forward to touring the UK with Hollywoodfun Downstairs.

“Our record label put us in touch with them and we like to help out bands as much as we can, so we’ve ended up on tour with them.

“They’re a good band, they play a kind of post-punk music.”

Riggots are gigging in support of the 13 tracks on their debut album which mix up heavier and slower grooves while using Martin’s varied vocals to cover subjects ranging from the delights of Wigan’s nightlife to corruption in politics, all laced with a typically northern sense of dark humour.

Rob said: “As the album title suggests there’s an element of humour we’re trying to put across, although our sense of humour is perhaps quite obscure.

“The songs just deal with our lives in Wigan.

“The first track The Duchess is really about the British establishment, as I think that’s something that relates to everybody.

“There’s also songs about the state of the town’s music scene, ones about my own experiences with alcohol issues and recovering from that, and one about King Street.

“I don’t think I can say the full title of that, though.

“We’re also both Everton fans so there’s a song about the club called Be Resolute.

“We have got a video for that too.

“Our influences are very diverse. Martin comes from more of a metal background and I’ve come from punk.

“We both listen to a wide range of music and we try to put that across in our music, although sometimes the influences are not completely obvious.”

Released last year through Liverpool-based label Anti pop Records, In Joke has already received positive reviews from websites covering the extreme music scene such as Louder Than War.

Wigan fans will also get to hear many of the album’s tracks when the tour with Hollywoodfun Downstairs hits town for a gig at The Boulevard on April 1.

The duo are concentrating on live outings to promote In Joke but Rob says they have started writing a follow-up which should be available next year.

To find out more visit www.facebook.com/riggots/