Last week Jeff Hendry caught up with Alex from Fightstar for a quick chat about the band who are about to join Funeral For A Friend on their national tour as well as release their album 'Grand Unification'. Read More to check it out. [Please note the previously mentioned Sydney sideshow is no longer happening]

G'day Alex, first up let us know who Fightstar are and what your music sounds like.
Well, we are a band (From the UK) that believes in being ourselves at all times, our music is just something that shows our influences and interests really, you could say we put a lot of our own passions and emotions into it which would definatley influence what we sound like.

Your debut album 'Grand Unification" is coming out really soon, what are some of your favourite tracks on there?
Yeah it is, umm personal favourites on the album are probably 'Sleep Well Tonight' and 'Building An Army'.

What's the general feel in the group about the end result of the album and the work you guys put into it?
I don't know really, umm we are all really happy with it and I think we did a really good job. It's a well rounded sound and we had a great producer, Colin Richardson, who was great he helped us with everything and really help make it what it is. It's different from the EP in the way that we didn't really know what we were doing when we recorded that, we were just trying to get in our comfort zones and I think we really found them on the album.

What can we expect from 'Fightstar' on their first Australian tour with Funeral For A Friend come March/April?
I don't know, we are just going to rock it out, we have been friends with FFAF for awhile now so I think it should be interesting to see what will happen on stage

Is there anything you especially want to do when you come down?
Well we have to take 7 flights in 9 days so its going to be really busy and tiring for us, sure there are things we want to do, but whether we get to or not is another question.

So then who are some of your interests musically? and name for me 3 people, dead or alive, that you would want to come to your outback bbq.
'Jeff Buckley' for sure he is amazing.. umm 'Silverchair' would definatley have to be up there and probably 'The Deftones' but I also like bands such as 'Pantera' and 'The Explosion', I think they are really cool. and for a bbq dead or alive... Jeff Buckley, a sober Jimi Hendrix and probably Chino from 'The Deftones'.

You guys covered one of the Deftones songs, "Minerva", why did you choose that song?
At the time when we recorded that we were choosing a lot of B side tracks, we didn't really have a sound just yet but that song sort of fit perfectly into our style and we really liked it so we stuck with it

Ok, so the name, "Fightstar", is there anything behind that? Have you guys been in many fights before?
Haha, nah we haven't really been in that many fights, umm well Charlie came up with the name, first we started off thinking of things such as Starfights or Even Star and then I think it was just drunken talk from then on we were Fightstar, so there really isn't that much behind it.

So then who would you say was the coolest band you have had the chance to share the stage with so far?
oh wow, id have to say Taking back Sunday, they were a really cool bunch of guys and we had a lot of fun", also "Yourcodenameis: Milo" were a really good band to play with.

Well id like to thank you for your time this morning, (Almost midnight in the UK), and like to wish you guys good luck with your upcoming tour and album release and we look forward to seeing you soon!
No worries at all, thanks a lot and cant wait to hit your shores. BYE!

FIGHTSTAR "Grand Unification", out 3rd April through Island / Universal.