An Interview with Keith 'The Beef' Hillyer - May 2018

1. Hi Keith.. please could give us a bit of background info on yourself?

Keith "I was born in Redruth, Cornwall. I really can’t remember a thing about that place, being just a baby and all that. Although, I did return many moons later while I was working on the roads. I've lived in Broadstairs, Kent, for the majority of my life.
This is where I went to school ( when I could be bothered) Charlie Dicks to be more precise. I didn’t really have that thing for learning in school, probably cos I hung around with the wrong end lol. I occasionally had special psychologists come to see me at school, to see why I was such a naughty boy. But still not as bad as some of my mates."
 

2. From what age did you start to become interested in music, which bands were you into?
Keith "I’d always loved music as a kid. My first record ( I’m gonna get slaughtered for this) was ‘Chirpy Chirpy Cheap Cheap!’ Middle of the Road. No bullshit. I
I remember getting that record on my birthday and playing the fuck out it. My guitar influences were the likes of Hendrix, Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppellin, bands like that, I did love bands from the punk genre too, like The UK Subs, The Ruts, The Damned and of course The SexPistols. But really anything with a good riff usually does the trick for me. I've got very broad musical tastes, I would often baffle my band mate with my music compilations."


3. When did you learn to play the guitar, and did you have lessons or were you or self-taught? What were your influences?

Keith "Playing an instrument was never a real interest for me growing up, although I did use to pretend to play the drums and even got some proper drumsticks, but this drumming was never gonna happen.
It wasn’t till the end of school I first got my hands on a guitar. At this time I had got into bands like the UK Subs and The Ruts. We were round one of my mates and he produced a guitar and started playing Hotel California. I was gobsmacked to be honest and ended up taking the guitar home with me. No, I didn’t steal it we had an arrangement. I couldn’t believe he was could play, I’d pre-judged him as a bit of a dunce.
I was left handed and didn’t even know the difference I just played on the bass note E. Jeez! I could write a book about all this.

4. When did you actually join the League.. and how did that all come about?

Keith "The League came about for me around the end of the ninetys. I was still involved in bands with Mark Edwards who was playing for the League at the time. Marks nickname was 'Razor' in the band for some reason, I never did find out why, I'll have to ask him one day. Anyway, I'd always known Mark as 'Ed'. Mark was a real pro when it came to music and songwriting, and he looked the part especially when he played for the League.
Ed had told the league that I was his lead guitarist in another project.....and The Resort of course but we wasn't really playing as a band at that time. I think Roi might have been banged up. Also, I had been Ed's guitar tech at some of the League shows, so I knew them a bit anyway.
Ed told me they had a comeback tour coming up in the states and that he wasn't up for doing it, and he mentioned they would probably give me a ring to see if I was up for it. I pretty much knew all the songs anyway by then, so I had a bit of a head start. Then a few weeks later Maghoo rang me and ask if I'd do an audition. So I did that and ended up doing the tour."
 

5. Where you a fan of The League before you joined?
Keith "No, I can remember occasionally seeing their logo on punks leather jackets, but wasn't familiar with the songs until I had seen Ed playing with them. I must admit I was pretty hooked the first I see Animal with that pointed fist thing, singing 'We are the League' that song stuck in my head for weeks and is still one of my favourite League songs.....awesome."


6. The previous guitarist for the League was Mark Edwards.. any idea know why he left?
Keith "Just because of that US tour. I don't think he was in to travelling about touring to be honest. After all, he had a lot of responsibilities at home with family and his business."


7. Can you remember the first show you did with the League.. and what are your memories of your first gig?
Keith "Phew!That was a long time ago, but my first show was in New York. The set was a absolute blinder. The gig was packed, rammed to the rafters. The crowd went insane dancing, spitting and throwing things at us. Nothing to serious though, just empty cans, with the complimentary can full of piss. This was good though, a sure sign they like you, and 9 time out of 10 the majority of the animation was aimed at Animal. I would be worried if the crowd didn't do anything, I would think they thought we were shit. But honestly, this was a very rare, this was a great line up and nearly every show on that tour was a belter."


8. What are your memories of the Pig Iron EP recording sessions? Your lead guitar work on those tracks gave those songs a 'heavy metal' feel - was that the band's intention at the time, to move towards a heavier sound? Also - Lindy Sin provided some backing vocals.. who was she, and how did she become to be involved?

Keith "All the lead guitar work for the Pig Iron EP was just what would come naturally to me while we rehearsed for the EP. Normally, I would just improvise until I'll found bits I liked. Some guitar part are right of the cuff and just stuck. The heavy metal feel was just how it come out. As for Lindy Sin I'm not sure how she got involved you'd have to ask Animal."


9. The band also had a new song entitled Pig Iron around this time.. which oddly enough didn't appear on the Pig Iron EP (!).. any reason for this?

Keith "No, I haven't got a clue to be honest. Maybe 'Pig Iron' the song was written after the EP had come out. Animal wanted to call the EP Pig iron anyway, hence the cover."


10. The Flogging A Dead Horse would prove to be the final recording to include Winston on bass - do you know why he chose to leave?

Keith "I honestly think he'd had enough of touring and doing gigs. He obviously had a life outside of the League and maybe thought that was his priority. I've  been doing gigs abroad for various band for years, so I could relate to him leaving. With Winston I'm sure it wasn't a band row or anything like that, I think it had just run its course sadly."

11. Did you socialise with Nick, Magoo, Winston outside of work?

Keith "No, probably because I lived in Broadstairs, and they all lived around the Tunbridge Wells area. I also didn't drive back then, this proved to be a right bollock ache to be honest. One night I had missed my connection train at Canterbury and ended up trying to sleep in a bank doorway like a tramp, and It was pissing down with rain all night......rock and fuckin roll eh!"


12. Do you have any favourite shows.. whilst you were in the band.. any particularly memorable/standout gigs?

Keith "That's a great question there were so many. The one show that stands out for me though was a show in New Jersey, a club called 'The Stone Pony' We were supporting the 'Dead Kennedys' that night. In fact I'm sure Bruce Springsteen owed that venue. We played a belter of a set, my guitar was just bellowing out that PA system and being outside made it even more special. I felt invincible blasting my guitar at this manic crowd. When we came off stage I heard one of the Dead Kennedy's say "How the fuck do you follow that" that just summed it all up for me.
Then, to cap that off the crowd decided to go on a rampage and smashed up the hotel, us and half the crowd were staying in. The old bill, or fuzz out there were swarming out of control trying to regain order, it was nuts."


13. In 1997 the excellent SCUM album was released - what are your memories of the recording? Were the songs all written whilst you were in the band, or had they been written prior to you joining? What was your contribution to the song writing process?

Keith "I do remember the recording the SCUM album but can't think for the life of me think where. I think as far as the writing goes, Animal and Maghoo wrote all the songs. I had gone to Maghoos house to learn the songs with him. I'd obviously put my own slant on the songs as far as guitar work goes. I even remember some of the songs being written in the studio, which sometime can pay off and in this case it did. Animal had a great vision for seeing what he wanted to write about. He'd just shut his eyes and he'd come up with something to fit an empty guitar riff."


14. With the SCUM album - some of the songs, especially 'The Great Unwashed', 'How Does It Feel' & 'Have you ever Tried.. suicide'.. feature some of the 'heaviest' riffs the band has ever come up with. Again, was this your influence? (Interestingly the remainder of the album's songs were more 'classic punk' in feel.)
Keith "Like I've said previously,I never wrote any of those songs, that was just the way they came out. As for for the heavier sound that would probably be the style of the riffs and my sound being more towards the metal sound."


15. Are there any unreleased tracks... demos that you recorded with the League?
Keith "Not that I'm aware of."
 

16. Do you have any anecdotes to share.. happy memories etc?
Keith "Just playing in The Anti Nowhere League was an amazing. I really felt we delivered the goods when we performed. Animal was by far the greatest frontman ( in my opinion) in the punk world anyway, he was just awesome."

17. When & why did you leave the ANWL? It seems as though the whole lineup disbanded at that time.. what happened?
Keith "Don't know mixed opinion."


18. What are you doing nowadays on the music front?
Keith "As far as bands goes I'm having a break lol. I recently left The Last Resort who I'd played for for the best part of 30 years. No regrets though. Like the League, I've been all over the world with that Resort and have a lot to be grateful for. I'm still gonna carry on writing, maybe another book and may even get in teaching guitar if my patience allows it.
As for the League, I really think they have a great line-up with Tom Hunt on guitar who is a fantastic player and looks the part which is important playing for a band like the League. And now Barnsy is playing bass (I think)who has stood by the Animal and the League, helping out and stuff since I had joined many moons ago, he thoroughly deserves it, good on ya mate."