you can meet them in the front rows during concerts, recognize them in the street with a T-Shirt or a badge from their favourite band, signed up to the band’s newletter, following any facts related to it, these are the fans!.To each of them belongs a part of the band story, they have a lot to tell, they’ve seen the band from the outside and reflect it in some ways. I find music fans fascinating, by the devotion they have for a band and all the stories they can tell with so much passion. I’ve met Daniel (a.k.a. Dan_the_man) a fan of New Model Army (NMA) and decided to ask him some questions about what it’s like to be a fan:
G: When did it all start between you and NMA?
D: I’ve been into NMA since 1992 (aged 17) and been going to gigs since 1993. They’ve been going since about 1980. I know it seems like a big deal to most normal people 
but it is fairly common amongst New Model Army fans. For example, someone I know went to her 300th NMA gig last week. Ok, so that is a little extreme, but in excess of 30 is common. They have a very loyal following that would travel long distances for their fix! To be honest, one of the main reasons that going to NMA gigs is so fun is the other fans.?
G: How many concerts of them have you attended?
D: About 45; 14 in 2007. Quite tame really compared to many of my friends. Number of gigs isn’t really a good measure of anything important though.
G: Have you ever met them personally? Would you like to?
D: Had passing words and smiles with most of them at some point but nothing more. I’m not interested in them personally. I’m a lover of music and hater of hero worship.
G: Do you owe all their albums? Any rarities?
D: I’ve got all the albums, but that’s not just true of NMA. I’ve picked up loads of bootlegs along the way but again I’m not anally retentive about this sort of thing, and rarely listen to them. Often the unreleased tracks, obtainable only on bootleg, are naff – which is probably why they weren’t released. I actually don’t listen to the albums much, except when a new one comes out.
G: What is the craziest thing you’ve done for that band?
D: Slept in some interesting places! Travelling all the way up to near Harrogate (256 miles/412 Km) for a 30 min set then back again the next day was a bit mad. I got a season ticket for the most recent tour – 12 gigs in two weeks is a bit stupid when I think about it!
G: Are you a member of some kind of fan club?
D: I don’t do “fan clubs” anymore, and nor do they. I was a member of the NMA fan club in my youth but hopefully have grown out of that bollocks now.
G: Do you play any instrument? Does the band influence the music you play?
D: Used to play guitar. They weren’t a big influence on my playing. I’ve always fancied being in Led Zep, Black Sabbath or Fugazi more than NMA!
G: Does the passion you have for this band has/has had consequences for your private life (good or bad)?
D: Nope. I have a number of passions in life, my family being the biggest. As I’m sure you know, getting the right balance in life is important and I don’t do a bad job at this so I’m told. I must say though, that I have been feeling extremely unenthusiastic about life since the tour. I suppose it is a bit like a drug – i’m going through the withdrawal! Christmas break will sort that out [the interview took place before Christmas]. Of course there are some people whose lives revolve around New Model Army, or other bands. Sad bastards, if you ask me. As with any band, NMA could pack it in tomorrow. Life will go on and I’ll keep listening to music and going to gigs.
Thanks a lot to Daniel for this interview. Knowing him a bit I must say that he’s a “normal” person, and as the interview shows, he’s quite a moderate fan, not one of those thinking everything else in music is rubbish. The exchange could last for hours with even more stories to tell.
If you’re a fan and feel like telling about how your life is influenced by the band, just drop me a message.
