Wonk Unit are one of the UK’s best DIY punk bands, known for shoving their observations about life through a blender of silliness and bullish attitude. Their latest album, 'Mr Splashy', drops at the end of September and lead singer, Alex, explained what’s going on with such a ridiculous title.
“I’m Mr Splashy,” he admits, “it’s something my mum always used to call me because when I would have a wash because I’d get water everywhere. I think it’s because I’m quite tall and when you’re tall you have to either bend down to reach the tap or you have to bring the water up to your face.”
Previous Wonk album titles were based on nicknames Alex was given. The last one, “Nervous Racehorse”, came from something his wife called him because of his demeanour. “She said ‘you’re like a bloody nervous racehorse’. She meant it as a cuss but I thought ‘aha, I can use that,” he chuckles.
Before that, there was the ironic “Muffy”, so-called because he’s a 6ft 3, gold-toothed ex-hooligan. Clearly, there’s a pattern forming.
Alex describes the album as typical Wonk Unit fare, with lyrical themes stemming from his life but he highlights two songs in particular: “Silly Voices” and “Old Trains”. The former should resonate with anyone who’s ever had a long-term relationship.
“It’s about me and my wife and sitting around watching Bake Off, eating pizza and having Netflix on. When you get in a new relationship you have that period of just madly shagging each other but then you get to a stage where you start using silly voices with each other and pet names. It’s really about that domestic bliss,” he says.
“Old Trains” shows the other side of the coin. It’s a big departure for Wonk that deals with Alex’s addiction and experiences being a drunken teenager commuting home to Croydon. In place of crunchy guitars and bouncy drums, there’s haunting cello and a real lament over the past. It’s not alone on the album but it’s certainly an indication of a much darker approach.
“From the age of 16, I worked in Soho and would get the train home drunk every night,” he begins, “I’d always fall asleep and have to spend my nights on benches or police stations down on south coast seaside towns, waiting for the milk train home in the mornings
“It started becoming all too frequent, so on the 17 minute journey from Victoria to East Croydon, I’d hang my head out of the window with the wind in my face to keep awake. I’d watch the trains coming at me and kinda play chicken with my head, pushing my nose as close as I dared to the thundering blur whizzing past my face.
“I smashed my fingers a few times. I was pretty fucked up,” he concludes.
I’ve seen addiction first-hand and have to commend Alex’s battle with it. My understanding is that it’s not something you get over or “cure” but something you learn to deal with. He agrees:
“The first five years of being sober I hardly went out. It can seem quite selfish but you have to not put yourself in situations where there’s alcohol.”
For him, writing songs was his form of AA and a way of coping with his problems and he tells me that music has done him a great service.
We move on to discuss Wonkfest, the annual London festival he organises that curates some of the great new UK punk bands. Alex explains that it’s there as a showcase and isn’t about putting on big names. I press him on some of the best he’s seen:
“Slaves are good. Pizza Tramp are a great hardcore trio from south Wales. I’m not really a fan of hardcore punk but they’re really good. In Scotland you’ve got the Kimberly Steaks who are the best pop-punk band at the moment. You’ve also got The Murderburgers and Fraser [Murderburgers singer and guitarist] is just such a supporter of the Scottish punk scene.”
Alex seems to take pride in selecting bands who work hard and perform regularly gigs, something he does himself with Wonk Unit. He’s proud and appreciative of the fact that, at 44, he’s still playing regularly and enjoying himself.
The release of “Mr Splashy” will come with another round of tours across the UK and Europe, from November.