Conor Ferris and Chris Driscoll have big plans for the future with clothing line Stop, Drop, Rock! and with their determination and mind-set, it seems it won’t be that long in the near future until these plans are complete.
The clothing line was set up by Conor Ferris who wanted to find a way to become more involved in the whole music scene and it turned out Stop, Drop, Rock! was the way forward. He had been putting on his own events for a few years and recently adopted the name ‘Stop, Drop, Rock!’ as an alias for them. At just 18 he thought having his own clothing range was a unique and different project to take on for someone young.
The name of the company luckily just popped into Conor’s head one day, originating from the fire safety routine of ‘stop, drop and roll’. By switching the roll for rock it made sure the name would tie in with his ideals and plans for the future.
We caught up with both Chris and Conor about the clothing line, plans for the future and learnt a bit more about the faces behind the company.
Where do you originate your design ideas?
Chris: The designs come from our own ideas and thoughts but also young designers we know, so they are drawn from all parts of the gig life.
Conor: We try to design everything ourselves and this kind of thing has resulted in so many late nights for us both. As Chris said though, we recently drafted in a young designer who is also a musician for one of our designs!
Chris: Another important aspect for us is that it isn’t just our own stuff we are selling, but we are supporting and working with other clothing labels and designers, so creating a whole range of brands and design styles so there is something for everyone.
Can you tell us a bit about the new designer then?
Conor: He’s a good lad called Jonny Thaw, about the same age as me (just turned 18) and from Wales. He has a solo music project called Electric Skyline and recently played a sold out show with his friends in Room 94 (for whom he does some designs too). You can check out his music at http://www.myspace.com/electricskylineuk.
Chris: He also played a sold out show with Room 94 under my promotions company last year at Camden Barfly.
So do you currently endorse any bands and if not, who would you like to?
Conor: I’ll let Chris handle this one, he’s the promotional genius!
Chris: haha genius? He’s only being nice to me because your here haha!
Chris: We are working on our endorsement scheme at the moment as it happens. We are picking some of the hottest new bands out there to really work with and not only promote what we are doing, but also what they are up to. We will work very closely with them, doing Stop, Drop, Rock! gigs, tours and CD’s. We also have a blog which keeps track of what the bands are up to and any news they have, so people on our site can learn some more about them.
Conor: This should be good fun for us as well, because of our other work we’ve done before, we’ve established good working relationships with many bands on their way up in the UK music scene and their management.
Chris: Today we confirmed our first new endorsement. but we can’t give any names out just yet!!
Conor: You’ll have to keep your eyes OPEN for this one…
At this point the fascination of Skype takes place…
Chris: haha I just noticed if your typing a message and you delete it the pencil goes back and rubs out, easily pleased
Conor: Really?
Conor: I’ll have to try it, did it work? Sorry, we’re like the little kids! haha
Chris: Haha!
I’ve never noticed that before either!
Conor: That’s what we do, we educate THE WORLD.
Chris: Wow! Big statement there Mr F haha!
Conor: Haha I’m going to have to try to limit how pretentious I’m making us sound, we’re not like that at all really!
Haha!
Chris: At least this is going better than my BBC Introducing interviews where I have big time mind blanks! Haha
It can be a bit like that at times, even for us who should really be used to it!
Conor: As long as I go through it without saying anything mildly offensive, this is a success as far as im concerned!
Well so far so good!
Conor: Just you wait, you’re next! Haha
So what’s your most popular items on the range?
Chris: I’d have to say the new range is looking really popular, so we are dead chuffed haha but the raffles bizarre anatomical heart is a big hit too!
Conor: Especially our preorder bundle, that’s going down a treat!
Chris: We also have some new products being added this week that I think people will love, which is why I keep going quiet as im talking to the supplier at the moment too
Oh awesome! So we are getting involved exactly as it’s happening!
Chris: Yeah, we move very quickly Haha.
Conor: Yeah, very much so! what he said ^ haha! Everytime that we get a suggestion from a fan, we’ve been looking into what we can do.
So you try to accommodate your fans a lot?
Conor: Definitely, both Chris and myself have basically LIVED on twitter this past week.
Chris: We are limited by our budgets, but it means that we are quickly building up a range which we know our customers want and also having an awesome time working on it too!
Conor: I’ve found that thanks to things like our Facebook and Twitter that we can easily find out what people want and things, it’s been really useful!
The end is near don’t worry!!
Conor: Of the interview or are you predicting an apocalypse…?
Hahaha! The interview!!
Chris: Haha good, because I’ve spent a fortune on stock and an apocalypse would be a right pain in the bum for the delivery dates haha!
Haha!
Conor: Haha yeah they’d totally do us in wouldn’t they?!
Chris: Any excuse for DHL not to deliver eh? If it’s not volcanic ash, it’s an apocalypse!
Well it’s nice to see you two have a good sense of humour as well!
Conor: Well, thanks, but have you been SPEAKING to Chris? haha…That’s it, we’re using UPS
Chris: Haha!
Conor: If that fails; messenger pigeons are the way forward
Sounds like a good plan to me! So who would be your dream band to wear your clothing line, if there were no limits?
Conor: Oh come on! That’s such a hard question!
Chris: Haha, I’m going to make Conor do this one!
Conor: THE SPICE GIRLS… nah just kidding! God this is so hard…give me a second! I’ve never thought of this before, I’d like to say someone iconic like The Beatles, but we’re probably suitable for those like The Jam or The Cure etc. Personally, I’d have U2 wearing them! Imagine Bono in one of our tees, with his leather jacket and glasses!
Haha!
Chris: Haha I just had a mental image of Elton John in his huge spangly glasses and our Red Clouds tee haha!
Conor: Haha nice!
Chris: I think that was on the verge of scary though…
So finally, Where would you like to see yourselves in the future?
Conor: Space
Chris: Oh, toughie haha!
Conor: Once there are aliens in our tees, I’m happy.
Chris: Oh, I like Conor’s answer haha!
Conor: You know what it is, I bet you bloody DHL wouldn’t post to space…
Chris: I think we are both pretty ambitious people, but it’s so important to us to enjoy what we are doing. I run a few other business projects but this is the one I enjoy so much, so I guess it’s a case of wait and see where the next 3 years or however long takes us!
Conor: Yeah, I’ve got University starting in September, so I’m hoping that this gives me some direction!
Chris: Other than to the pub I’m guessing Conor?
Conor: C’mon Chris, let’s not go that far…We’re planning BIG things though for the not too distant future as well. As Chris mentioned, we both have a few different projects on the table but this is most definitely my main focus. My other projects run through SDR anyway, like gigs and things, they all pass through this.
Conor: Want a music tip from both of us? C’mon Chris, give the girl a heads up on a new artist! Haha I’ll give one too…
Chris: Haha hmm… I know who mine will be, but i dont want to give too much away; http://www.myspace.com/gox
Conor: My music tip for this coming year is ‘Tell It To The Marines’; www.myspace.com/tellittothemarines
Thank you very much! I’ll be sure to check both out!
Conor: Thanks!!
Chris: Thanks for everything though Claire was good fun!!
You can check Stop, Drop, Rock out at the links below;
Twitter: http://twitter.com/stopdroprock
Online Store; http://stopdroprock.bigcartel.com/
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