Alison and Alyson talked to Bis for the second issue running, this time at Phoenix.

How do you think it went today?
John- It went really well actually, yeah. We played Glasgow T in the Park last week and this one went down a bit better, which was a bit of a shock really coz Glasgow was excellent.

Who else have you seen at Phoenix?
John- We've kinda been dotting around because it's too hot to stand and watch one band, so we've just seen bits of Beck and all that. The first band we saw were Kenickie because they were on as soon as we got here, and er.. The Prodigy.

So, who've you liked best out of the ones you've seen?
John- Kenickie probably because I actually watched them. I quite liked the Fun Loving Criminals actually, for a brief moment. I probably would have said Super Furry Animals if I'd seen them but I didn't, so...

You played a song today that you said might be the next single; what are your plans for that at the moment?
John- Well, we've just recorded it because we're doing our album at the moment and it's going quite well and that was one of the ones that just kinda stood out. So hopefully it'll come out August or something. We want to get a single out at that kinda time, whether it's that one or not.

There seems to be lots of people who think that the concept of albums doesn't really go with the idea of bis, who are associated more with the pop single moment. What do you think of that?
John- Yeah, we don't want to be a singles band. People want an album but a lot of people probably aren't expecting it within the next year or whatever because they don't believe we can do one.

Is it going to be good then?
John- Yeah, well...( assertive) Yes. I think it's going to be expected to be 'Kandy Pop' all the way through- that's a lot of people's perception of it already.... I don't know if it is or not, but that's what I reckon. We just want to make an album that's like pop with a diverse angle on it.

What's your favourite flavour of opal fruit?
John- Ugh- I hate the green ones, which is really annoying because green's my favourite colour. The red ones- strawberry's definitely the one for me. What about yourself?
I like the yellow ones.
John- Yeah- I think the green ones give me a headache- high E numbers or something.

Do you think it's ironic that you've got songs like 'Icky Poo Air Raid' that are about standing out from the crowd and liking obscure music now bis have become bigger.... like I was thinking today when I was watching you that there's all this crowd singing along to songs about standing out from the crowd?
John- I know, there's those people that read the words and totally relate to them, and there's those people that just sing along and go "O O Icky Poo.." It's a good thing that people can just get into it no matter what it's about, because I think the most important thing is the music aspect of it anyway.

Do you know anyone who's named their cat after you yet?
John- Hey! Only me- no. Good idea, though- I'll spread the word.... I don't think so, no.

Would you ever allow your music to be used in an advert?
John- I don't know about adverts but I think we're going to be on a computer game quite soon which I think is a bit better. Adverts are like... you do a song for an advert and it becomes your song, your one song. I don't know if it would work that way for us because everyone thinks our one song is 'Kandy Pop'.. but that's just cynical isn't it, really?

You could advertise 'Kandy Pop'..
John- We've heard there's a Japanese thing called 'Kandy Pop'. They also make sweets in Japan called bis which is really weird, someone sent us them... Who knows, who knows, who knows... I'd do it myself!

John from Bis was talking to Alison and Alyson, at Phoenix 96.