How would you describe your music for people who don’t know you?
I think in the basic sense we’re essentially a pop band (albeit one who use lots of distorted guitars, purposely oblique lyrics and unconventional arrangements to ply their wares). The problem with the congenial term of ‘pop’ music though is that ‘chart pop’ in particular has become so fucking disposable recently, to the extent that kids are talking about songs which were released in 2009 like they’re relics from a by-gone era. Despite all that though, I think pop music CAN be artistically relevant (ABBA’s ‘The Visitors’ is one of my all time favourite albums) – we just need to claim it back from the troglodytes and the indifferent masses. Also people seem to compare us to Arcade Fire a lot; I have no qualm with that, ‘Funeral’ is one of the best albums of the past decade. If people started comparing us to Scouting For Girls… THEN I’d have a problem.
Your album Get Well Soon is out now – are you proud of it? Was it a good experience writing/recording it?
Well it wasn’t easy, but then nothing worthwhile in life ever is. I’m pretty proud of the fact we funded, recorded and mixed the album ourselves without any kind of outside involvement, though that was admittedly due more to financial restraints than any self imposed ‘artistic integrity’. Writing the songs was something of a bittersweet experience because without exception they are all exceptionally antagonistic and pretty damn bleak (lyrically at least). I think there was definitely an element of catharsis to the whole thing, but at the end of the process we’re still the same bitter, lonely, confused individuals we were when we started writing it last year.
What would you like to do before the end of 2012?
Well, best case scenario, we’re still all here (if those pesky Mayans have their way we’ll all be surfing the void come December 21st). Commercially I have no real hopes. I think we’ve made an incredible album and we’ve got more fantastic music ready to be released by year’s end, but as an eternal pessimist/realist I can’t see the mainstream latching onto it – at least not this year when genuine, heartfelt emotion in music is proving about as popular as a bacon butty at a barmitsvah. Our ambitions are humble enough; we just hope we’re able to play more gigs to progressively larger audiences and write more great songs, better songs, songs you’d be proud to take home to your parents, songs you’d take a bullet for, songs you’d let handcuff you to the headboard and… OK, you get the picture.
What made you get into music?
The promise of fame, riches and women which have all thus far proven worryingly illusive.
Seriously though, it’s the only thing I was ever good at or had any kind of natural inclination for (the others would probably agree, though our drummer and bassist are currently top of their six-a-side football league). Music is the best thing in the world, even now when we’re currently suffering through perhaps the worst time EVER for popular music (have you heard Radio 1 lately? It’s like being stuck in a portaloo with a deaf, robotic hooker and a book of redundant ‘urban’ clichés), there is still a transformative power in music that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to shake.
Who’s your ultimate icon and how have they influenced you?
I can’t possibly speak for the rest of the band but I’ve always been in awe of Radiohead. More so than any other band (of our generation at least) they continually manage to reinvent themselves without sounding at-all contrived, and without hesitation I can honestly say they have never released a bad record and probably never will. Also ‘The Bends’ was the first album I ever bought so I guess you could say they were my ‘musical catalyst’, a phrase that in immediate hindsight I’m aware makes me sound like an insufferable cock slot. The Boss (Bruce Springsteen) needs a mention too just because he’s… Well, the boss! And Tom Waits because he’s the best thing to ever happen to humanity.
What’s the best thing about playing live?
There’s genuinely nothing else like it on earth… When it goes right. When it goes wrong you’ll wish you were anywhere else. There’s a communal spirit at a live rock and roll gig that you won’t find anywhere else. It genuinely saddens my heart that most British teenagers would rather spend their Friday and Saturday nights in a piss-stained night club than at an… Um, piss-stained live show. We must be doing something wrong.
Which song do you wish you had written?
It would probably be more apt to ask which song I DON’T wish I’d written, but in terms of recent songs… I absolutely fucking loved the new Gaz Coombes album, so any song on that really. I genuinely despaired when Supergrass broke up but it was evidently worth it. In terms of classic songs I’m gonna go with ’13’ by Big Star. I don’t think there exists (or can ever exist) such a plainly beautiful song.
What’s your weirdest music-related experience – it could be on tour, in the studio, a random encounter with a fan, anything!
Last year we played a gig in Dudley with a prog band whose ‘keytar’ player spontaneously broke into a 10 minute solo which (thanks to the dark magicks of wireless technology) he was able to continue playing whilst he waltzed out into the car park mid-song, much to the amusement of the townsfolk (i.e. no-one)… That was pretty fucking surreal. The unsigned scene in general is hilariously absurd though, It’s ripe for a sitcom! In fact… I might write one… You’ve always gotta have a back-up plan, right?
Describe yourself in three words?
Wonky, Rectangular… Margarine.
