Who's Who in The Fighting Cocks this week

MATYI (vocals, guitar)

Matyi is renowned both as a visionary producer and a man not to cross. His long-running blood feuds with about several dozen record industry figures are legendary. Together with some Hungarian immigrants, he formed the cult band Széki Kurva, which imploded spectacularly at an Asian Dub Foundation gig. From the ashes of that dark night came The Fighting Cocks. Sort of like a phoenix, really. Except it can’t fly. When all is said and done, though, Matyi is still the Essex market trader he used to be, and continues his main career of T-shirt printing and design. (Matyi, is, of course, a pseudonym, given to him by Márta Sebestyén). Recently he has had to take out £200,000 insurance against turning into a wolf, and his main ambition is to appear in the Hungarian magazine that shows pictures of dead people.

DJ ASSASSIN (mystery turntable selecter and programming)

DJ Assassin is an expert in live mixing and Turbofolk sound systems. Like Matyi, he's proud of his English Gypsy roots, and a bit of an Essex boy. He specialises in Drum 'n' Bass and Hip Hop, and works from a secret loft studio in an opium den. Here, The Fighting Cocks keep their cutting edge by running Sound Systems and programming new material, using just turntables, a laptop, an Amiga, and a mixer.

ANNA (vocals, choreography)

One minute Anna was belting out These Boots Are Made For Walking at Steve Lamacq's Punk Rock Karaoke, the next she was in the band. Makes sense though, dunnit? Anna is a qualified Swedish nurse (stop it), and first came to the UK as an au pair girl (I said stop it). Also here as choreographer and details girl, i.e. in charge of pom poms, tambourines, stage setup, and the band's vast array of toy guns.

ILARIA (vocals)

Leggera come il vento, rapida come un fulmine, sempre pronta a colpire, Ilaria e’ in movimento costante. Quando scatta l’allarme, pero’, la risposta e’ immediata: Fighting Cocks chiamano e lei arriva, pom pom in spalla e microfono in mano. Canta, balla, strilla, urla e se ne va, alla conquista di nuovi territori.

HILLARY (vocals)

The other Hillary in the band (apart from Ilaria) is a pink-styled powerpuff girl who apparently used to be in a famous grandcore punk band (TM) and collects My Little Ponies and electronic gadgets that hoover up data from the internet. She shoots from the hip and doesn’t let her makeup slip. Watch this space for more!

and are aided and abetted by:

• THE MAN LIKE GRANT (production and engineering)
• GEORGE DEATH (guitar, sarcasm)
• MATTY H (sound and light and insecurity)
• MR RIVERS (international financier and blues guitar licks)

Now go to the Photos page to see real actual pictures of US! (like this one)

(us, yesterday)