Nine Black Alps is a British band, so you might be weirded out by the picture on the right. They're not wearing skinny ties, stripped shirts, expertly cut hair or eyeliner. That's because the Manchester band has nothing to do with post-punk or new wave. Pure and simple, they are invading America to rock your socks off with guitars, not programmed beats.
I first saw Nine Black Alps at Mercury Lounge ,with Hard-Fi and The Cribs, before they played the Siren Festival at Coney Island. Their music is full of rapturous guitars and thundering drums which recalls the heyday of Pixies and Nirvana. Their debut album, Everything Is, is finally available stateside. Plus, they're heading their first extensive U.S. tour this spring.
Sam Forrest is the lead singer of Nine Black Alps and we chatted about coming from Manchester and crafting hard rock music in a field of BritPop bands. I'd like to welcome Sam to this space.
As always, I have to start out with the standard music journalism question. How did the band get together in Manchester?
We met in bar called The Star and Garter. It's a very small, grotty, beer smelling indie music bar where all the freaks of Manchester go. We all met through friends of friends. We talked about music and how I've been writing songs on my acoustic guitar back home, then demoing them on 8-track.
Forming a band in Manchester is a pretty daunting task, considering it's probably the most influential musical city in England. When you were forming that hard rock sound you have today, was it tempting to delve into the sound of the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays that defines Manchester?
Honestly, I've never even liked any of those Manchester bands growing up. I was raised on the Beatles and Metallica and that continues onto the Pixies and Nirvana. Going to school, all I ever heard was Stone Roses and Happy Mondays. So trying to be the outsider that I wanted to be, I just followed my own musical tastes.
You must have had some lean years starting out, playing in people's basements and garages. Tell me about some of the pathetic places you played.
When we started playing as band, we didn't want to do what other bands were doing, which was sending out demo tapes and playing all the usual venues. So our first gig was a hotel basement where there were 60 people rammed into a space that fits about 12. We also played other people's kitchens at about four in the morning. Actually, those are some of the more enjoyable gigs when your guitar amp is near a refrigerator and the drum kit is next to a toaster. They just seem to be more fun and the beer is obviously cheaper.
Did you guys eventually record a demo?
I recorded four songs on my own on an 8-track tape machine that we used to show Martin the bass player, who joined later. That accidentally got picked up by the local music magazine. Then all these copies we're made and got into the hands of A&R people. One day, I got a CD of the music and I didn't have a CD burner. It's sort of funny because when people would ask for the music, I would give them a tape. It seems record companies don't have tape players anymore.
What were record companies telling you about the music?
I was being showered with all sorts of ridiculous praise. One American record company called and were telling me how much of a genius I was. It was all sort of strange, and not really based on reality. The whole time we were thinking it's a practical joke. We couldn't see why people we're finding it special. It's just music we find loud and fun to play.
You eventually got that record deal and you landed Rob Schnapf to produce, who has worked with Guided By Voices and Elliott Smith. Why did you go with him?
Precisely for those reasons. Those are two of our favorite artists. It is much more easier way to communicate what your want and where you're coming from when he's worked with those bands that we liked. So lyrically and sonically he knows what to do. You don't have explain yourself. He was so easy to work with. There were no disputes and disagreements. He logically used the best kind of guitar sounds for the songs.
Did you have to write new songs for the album or did you recreate what was on your tapes?
All 12 songs were pre-existing and none of them were changed. We just had to make them sound as good as possible.
Let's talk about some of the songs on the album. "Shot Down" has crazy things going on. There's a lot of power, energy and anger on that track. There's also a lot of tempo changes. Was there a lot of experimentation when you were recording that song?
No, that was pretty much what it sounded like on the original tape. It is sort of a bizarre song because the sound shifts around. I don't actually remember what I was thinking when I wrote it. I like it, though.
"Behind Your Eyes" is stuck in the middle among all the rock tracks. Did you find that you wanted an acoustic track just to balance out all of the hard rocking songs.
What happened was that I've written so many songs and when we were putting the album together, I picked my favorite twelve songs. It just so happens that a couple of them are acoustic. I've always liked albums that have some variations on them like The White Album, rather then just the same songs 12 times in a row like Never Mind the Bullocks.
Is there a song you like playing live the most?
I hate them all. I'm just kidding. I like playing "Southern Cross" because it has this Neil Young guitar rip off. That works for me.
Did the album turn out how you expected?
I think so. All the guitar parts sound the way they should be. There's one harmony that I wasn't satisfied with that I wished we hadn't put down. They're just guitar-driven rock songs, there isn't any real scope to them. There's no room for guest rappers on it.
Well, maybe next time.
Hopefully. We'll try to get 50 Cent.
At what point did you quit your day job.
That was about six months before we recorded the album. It was a glorious, glorious day.
I'm sure it was. Was it like the second the record company's check cleared that you quit.
Not exactly like that. If you want to have a music journalist angle on your story, then "Yes." [Laughs]
It must have been advantageous for you to put this album out last year in the U.K. when it seems every new band coming out had disco drums and that retro-80s sound and look with Ian Curtis-like vocals. So you were pretty much on your own. It was the right timing because you guys were doing something completely different.
Hopefully. I never, ever liked the same music that's popular at the moment. At school, everybody liked Michael Jackson and I liked Iron Maiden [laughs]. I like being out of step with people. I'm just happy to live in my own little universe. I don't mind those post-punk bands. Its just the music doesn't swing for me. I know it sounds cool when you listen to that music and you can picture yourself in the future. I like happy songs, slow songs and love songs, not songs about commerce and the state of modern society.
At the same time, you've gotten support from those very same bands. You opened up for the Kaiser Chiefs on one of their U.K. tours.
That was a really cool tour. It was a different audience from what we are used to. There were a lot of football fans in the audience. We did get a few shouts of "Get your hair cut." The fact that the Kaiser Chiefs asked us to be on the tour, when we're not the obvious choice, was very cool. It's a very supportive atmosphere.
The album came out last June in the U.K. and now it's out here and you'll be on a full tour. Do you feel like you have to start all over again with promoting the album and trying to garner a new audience in the states as suppose to the U.K.?
To be honest, it's always been my main ambition to tour the States. It's something that I've always had in my head. I don't really care if we have a lot of success. It's just basically fulfilling a strange childhood dream of mine. At the same time, we get to learn from our mistakes with the English promotion of the record.
I have to point out that "Cosmopolitan" is featured in the Madden 2006 video game. It's like you and the Foo Fighters are the only cool tracks on the game. How did you find out about that?
We got talked into it from our publishers because we got a lot of money from it. The funny thing is that I don't even like video games and sports. It's just a nice little irony.
I have a feeling they liked the aggression of the song and they didn't pay attention to what the song is about.
Indeed, "Cosmopolitan" is basically a rant about female beauty magazines. It doesn't fit into the jock, sports guy soundtrack.
You've lived with Everything Is for about a year. Are you focused on promoting the album now or are you looking forward to getting back into the studio to try some new material?
I'm constantly writing new songs. I have 30 songs written that could go towards a new album. I'm happy to write non-stop. If we do get a chance to record, it would be in the summer and that would be perfect. But, I'm completely happy with having a go at it in America. If people are coming out to see us, I'll definitely make an effort to come back if the demand is there.
Nine Black Alps will play Bowery Ballroom on March 31st with The Duke Spirit and Benzos. Be prepared to rock.
If people are coming out to see us, I'll definitely make an effort to come back if the demand is there.
Posted by: wow gold | June 15, 2010 at 05:50 AM