We do not negotiate with terrorists
Encyclopedia
We Do Not Negotiate With Terrorists is a band founded and fronted by vocalist/guitarist Ross Downing, originally from Salford
in the UK, now based in Gothenburg
, Sweden
. The band self-released their debut 'Bombing the Underground' EP in Summer 2007. Featuring guest artists such as Be The Bear, Jacques Labouchere
& Oholics. Despite being a categorically ‘underground music
’ act, the band has received commercial attention such as regular radio airplay in Leeds, Greece, Salford and Manchester including the BBC. Musically the band's genre has been described by BBC Manchester as "Manchester-influenced pop punk" which Natalie Shaw head of the record label One Bird Records also commented as having "the fuzzy grey skies of Manchester in their music".
During a 2008 interview for Italian magazine 'Trouble', the band was again accused of sensationalism. Ross responded:
on bass and drummer Pontus Jordan from the bands The Fume signed to EMI and Horisont signed to Rise Above Records.
As of September 2011 a new line-up was formed with Sophia Axelsson (accompanying vocals) Oskar Lissborg (lead guitar), Robert Dramountanis (bass), and Steven Sarasini (drums) also from Manchester. The band are currently recording a single entitled 'Neutral' at Loud Attic studio. Ross is also featured on Albin Boman's solo project "Bowman".
City of Salford
The City of Salford is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It is named after its largest settlement, Salford, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Eccles, Swinton-Pendlebury, Walkden and Irlam which apart from Irlam each have a population of over...
in the UK, now based in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The band self-released their debut 'Bombing the Underground' EP in Summer 2007. Featuring guest artists such as Be The Bear, Jacques Labouchere
Jacques Labouchere
Jacques Labouchere is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist living in Göteborg, Sweden.-Biography:Jacques is a singer-songwriter of the anti-folk, New Weird Sweden movement, who was born near the foot hills of the Appalachian Mountains in the northwest corner of Connecticut, USA but moved...
& Oholics. Despite being a categorically ‘underground music
Underground music
Underground music comprises a range of different musical genres that operate outside of mainstream culture. Such music can typically share common values, such as the valuing of sincerity and intimacy; an emphasis on freedom of creative expression; an appreciation of artistic creativity...
’ act, the band has received commercial attention such as regular radio airplay in Leeds, Greece, Salford and Manchester including the BBC. Musically the band's genre has been described by BBC Manchester as "Manchester-influenced pop punk" which Natalie Shaw head of the record label One Bird Records also commented as having "the fuzzy grey skies of Manchester in their music".
Comparisons
A substantial portion of the media coverage of the band have made reference to a surprising variety of genres and comparative bands, with the BBC calling them "a mashed-up myriad of music". Bands that the Terrorists have been compared to are so numerous and wide-ranging that it warrants mention: from Sham 69, The Strokes, Television Personalities, The Clash, Stone Roses, The Specials, The (International) Noise Conspiracy Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, and The Fall.Provocational
Manchester Music was one of the first publications to criticise the band's politically incorrect appearance.
"The Terrorists choose their basic thrust on a range of ideas borne out of sensationalism - Complete with London Underground styled logos, this may cause concern in some quarters as to whether their message justifies the use of such attention grabbing logos and words - but the songs themselves seem to be full of stuff that's more about shouting from the terraces as opposed to anything relevant to the complex affairs of both domestic and world order."
During a 2008 interview for Italian magazine 'Trouble', the band was again accused of sensationalism. Ross responded:
"Fair enough, I knew I was provoking people with the band name and the CD title also played on that, maybe taking it a bit too far. But people have said that there is a lot of hype around the band because of it, which is bull. I have never gotten any coverage for the band because we are politically provocative, often the opposite- people have just said it was bad taste and told me to go away. Which is fair enough, but they just didn't understand what I was trying to say."
Band Members
The original line-up incorporated members of Stay Moriarty namely Albin Boman bass/backing vocals, Aaron on guitar and Per on saxophone. Then followed a period with Jacques LabouchereJacques Labouchere
Jacques Labouchere is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist living in Göteborg, Sweden.-Biography:Jacques is a singer-songwriter of the anti-folk, New Weird Sweden movement, who was born near the foot hills of the Appalachian Mountains in the northwest corner of Connecticut, USA but moved...
on bass and drummer Pontus Jordan from the bands The Fume signed to EMI and Horisont signed to Rise Above Records.
As of September 2011 a new line-up was formed with Sophia Axelsson (accompanying vocals) Oskar Lissborg (lead guitar), Robert Dramountanis (bass), and Steven Sarasini (drums) also from Manchester. The band are currently recording a single entitled 'Neutral' at Loud Attic studio. Ross is also featured on Albin Boman's solo project "Bowman".