Hello Dan. We've been looking at what the fans have written on the internet about the video for 'Declaration Of War'. They're moderately amusing. Wden01 says: "It's gone a bit mainstream. Boo Hoo."
Is that it then, have you sold out?

When we were thinking about the album we knew we wanted to write a big pop song for it. 'Declaration Of War' is a track we've had for ages and we've always wanted to show that more melodic side to what we do. It's inevitable that's gonna be people's reaction but... yeah, whatever.

Yeah, screw you Wden01. Another internet person, called Benapickle, says: "What happened to all the rave man?"
What did happen to all the rave?

Who knows? Just a lot of hangovers and misty eyes. They should look out for the album which has probably got more ravey stuff than we've ever released. After spending a year telling people how we weren't new rave and how we weren't influenced by rave, I think James suddenly went back to his big brother's old compilation tapes and got a whole host of rave influences. There's definitely a few sounds on the album for the rave fans.

They will be pleased. Sebmxforlife says: "This makes me cum."

It is quite an erotic video; guys in pvc hitting us with batons. If that's your thing...

Did the guys in pvc actually hurt you or were they using special soft sticks?

It was terrible. The director, Dan Wolfe, said to us, "I just want to clear this with you, so there are no problems on the day, but I need to know you are up for getting a bit hurt and not be girly about it. Because otherwise it'll look crap." And we were like, "yeah, yeah..." Then, on the day, found out that he really meant it and he basically told his team of martial arts guys to let loose and go at it.

Ah, we'd assumed it was your record company inside those suits.

Yeah! "F**king sell some records, you c**ts!" No, they were trained guys and we'd be standing ready to shoot and one of them would say, "Don't worry, we're not gonna hurt you." And the director would overhear and go, "You do have to f**king hurt him! It's not going to work if you don't hurt him."

We thought James vowed never to appear in another video, yet here he is.

Yeah, he sort of changes his mind about that sort of thing every day. He's not big on being the star or the frontman. It's good. I think that kind of rockstar/idol thing is pretty bullshit. It's not what we're into. I think he'd rather be a shadowy producer, Burial-style.

That is quite shadowy. Back to the comments, H3ATHRRRx says: "Anyone know what this video stand for?" What does the video stand for, Dan?

Ha ha! I don't think there was any big underlying political subtext or metaphor. If there was, I missed out on it as well.

ZombieRCool says: "Look at how skinny their legs are at one minute twenty five."
Are you promoting a dangerously unachievable leg width to your young fans?

That is a highlight of the video. No, I think this is something that happened with the formatting; I think we've been stretched. We're actually all really short and tubby little fellas.

Finally, 6Banner9 says: "I like Hadouken! I want to have sexual intercourse with them all."

We get that quite a lot. We've got a strong bisexual fanbase. You get a lot of acts with a solid gay fanbase but we've got the bisexual lot covered!


That's good, because they don't tend to get the attention the other sexual orientations get.
Thank you Daniel "Pilau" Rice.

And you can see the band live in May at the following stinky halls:

Mon 5 Manchester Academy
Tue 6 Birmingham Academy
Wed 7 Sheffield Academy
Fri 9 Leeds University
Tue 13 Newcastle University
Wed 14 Glasgow QMU
Thu 15 Dundee Fat Sams
Sat 17 Bournemouth, The Old Fire Station
Sun 18 Nottingham Rock City
Mon 19 Bristol Academy
Wed 21 London Electric Ballroom
Sun 25 Cambridge The Junction
Mon 26 Aylesbury Civic

And have a look at some stuff at www.hadouken.co.uk