Music Snobbery

The Duke Spirit's Liela Moss: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

There is no such thing as a sophomore slump for the U.K.'s The Duke Spirit. Their new album, Neptune (in B&M stores on Tuesday), is a gnarly, intense, atmospheric, in-your-face, vibrant and most importantly, rocking album. Their live show matches the spirit of the album, a good time where fists are pumped and feet are stomped.

At the center is Liela Moss, a dynamo of a singer and show-woman. We talked last week while she was in the U.K., preparing for a handful of East Coast dates. After 10 minutes of phone weirdness where I got to listen to her TV, we got all connections squared away. I would like to welcome Liela to this space.

Did you have to examine Cuts Across the Land to see what you liked and didn't like before you started making a new album?
Not really. It was obvious to us that we made a punk-rock record. We were hungry to gild the lilly so the speak -- not afraid to explore more melodic tunes. We wanted to make it more rich and beautiful.

At the time, were you satisfied with that album?
Let me think ... not 100% satisfied. I think we were all excited that we made an album to begin with. I'm proud that we learned our craft on the spot. Keep in mind, that album was made before we even started touring together. We made it thinking, "I hope we get to go on tour soon." We kind of refined our craft after we made that record. I knew going forward that our music would be much more richer and better. It went from, "YEAH! We wrote a song!" to being a real band and touring the fuck out of Europe.

So we have that new and improved Duke Spirit sound. You worked with Chris Goss, who works with Queens of the Stone Age. Why did you go with him?
For starters, we're fans of that band and this other band, Kyuss. He's one of the people we were thinking of. Then providentially, UNKLE asked us to collaborate on "Mayday," which Chris worked on. We got to sample for free how Chris works. So when we got a sense of his studio in California and felt the desert heat, we knew we had to make the record with him.

That leads into my next question -- making this album in a desert landscape obviously influenced the album.
It was more of an inspiration, rather than an influence. All of the songs were written before we got there. We tend to write songs together in London at people's houses and create 10 or 12 demos. We then take those and we go to a cottage in the middle of nowhere so we can make some noise and lay them down. So they are the product of a Northern European environment. What I really love about this album is that we use the brutality of the desert to finish off songs that live in a green English environment.

The album starts off with little, church like-hymn, you wanna explain the thought process behind that?
I'm in the same room where I demoed the song. I was fooling around with this cheap music program on my computer. I just wanted to figure out how it worked. I wanted to see how many channels I can have going at once. Then I was just thinking of medieval church music so I used that as an experiment. It just was on my computer for a year, then Luke heard it and loved it. The more we thought about it, the more we realized that this is the beginning of the record -- sort of faith and conviction.

Then after that, you hit the ground running with two kick ass songs that really states who you are and what this record is like. It's confident, defiant and raw. I can imagine you had a good time recording them.
Oh yeah. They are great to play live as well. The crowds really respond to them. They have this rolling quality and they just snowball along.

Is there a song on the album you hard on because you couldn't nail it down?
Yeah, we kept putting off "Dog Roses". We weren't sure how we could do it. We had a full drum kit on it, but it sounded lame. I liked it, but it needed some bones to it. Then Olly [Betts, the drummer] figured it could be more seductive. Once we discovered that, it came together quickly. It was the last song we finished. In the end, you get this feeling of space and being in a wide-open desert -- or any natural space.

My favorite song is "You Really Wake Up the Love In Me," I listen to it and want to jump on top of a bar and kick stuff over.
[Laughs] It's working then!

I'm sure you recognize that Neptune is a vast improvement over your debut.
Agreed. I think every record should be like that.

Let's go over the album art. I'm curious about what everyone is holding.
[From Left]
* Dan -- He's holding an acoustic guitar that he bought that week in a thrift store.
* Luke -- He's holding a painting of Ronnie Ronnette that he got as a gift from a friend.
* Liela -- I'm blowing a little plastic bird whistle that you put water in so it makes this chirping noise [she recreates chirping noise]
* Toby -- That's a new guitar that he bought
* Olly -- That's a copy of The Basement Tapes by Bob Dylan and The Band. He got into drumming because of that album.

We did a long photoshoot that day with all these poses. At that moment, Luke suggested that we use props. We all went back to our houses and grabbed things. There was no formula behind -- all spur of the moment.

I actually saw you live in 2004 at the Brixton Academy when you opened up for Razorlight. It was my introduction to the London concert going experience.  It was unreal. Do you prefer large venues like that or something like Mercury Lounge, where I saw you in February?
I like them both for different reasons. Often smaller gigs, people tend to cut loose more and they loose their self-consciousness. You feed off that as a band. On a personal, possible egotistical way, a big venue like Brixton, you get to test your might. You say, "I wonder how commanding I can be." Since the audience is far way, you have to make bigger gestures so you make a connection. It's sounds over-dramatic but it's true.

I guess you like being a rock star.
Well, I like being a performer. Let's put it that way [laughs].

Neptune hits stores tomorrow. Check the band's myspace page for U.S. tour dates.

Switches: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

Let's talk about a band who's made to live their professional careers on the road. U.K.'s Switches are pretty much seasoned veterans on the touring circuit at their home and in the U.S. They still have many more miles to travel as their debut album, Lay Down the Law, gets a proper U.S. release on Interscope this Tuesday.

Switches are also made to been seen live. They make big, crazy rock songs based on their love of 90s BritPop and 60s California rock.

Matty Bishop is the main guy in the four piece. He serves as lead singer and songwriter. Before I was sent to quarantine last month, I talked with Matty while he was in Cincinnati on The Bravery tour. I'd like to welcome him to this space ... finally.

So the story goes that you crazy guys got together in college?
Yes. Basically, I wanted to start a band and I didn't have many friends who thought the same thing. When I eventually found one, I networked around until we go the four of us.

Did you have a specific vision of the type of band you wanted to start?
I'm actually a confused type of guy, so it changed around. I just knew I wanted to be in a rock band and I wanted to be the main focus. I've been writing songs for a long time and I needed an avenue to perform them. I did want it to be a rock band -- beyond that I was open to suggestions.

Did some of those songs you wrote in college make it to your debut album?
I think the oldest song on the album is "Message from Yuz," which is just a party anthem to get people going. That we had written in 2004.

What were some of the early shows like in college? Did you have to play people's dorm rooms and in rec centers?
We did play the university cafe at one point. There was a time we played at somebody's backyard for their birthday. I remember that I got really drunk and started smashing things. I don't do that anymore because it's not cool.

That's true.
I think it sounds cool in college because you see The Who and there's Pete Townsend smashing things up. You quickly realize when you're on tour and you have a few guitars, that you can't do that anymore.

When did you start getting serious about the band?
When I finished university, I just didn't want to get a job, but I had to. After a few months, I got restless and quit. I would stay at home and make demos all day. I then sent the demos out to everyone, until one publisher picked it up. That was the end of 2004, so that's when I knew that I had to get serious about music.

You actually recorded this album in Los Angeles. It's strange because the U.K. is known for being a dreary place, but your music is not that way at all. So it makes sense you make it in a sunny environment.
You're right. It is a dreary place. I've always been a fan of the Beach Boys and Weezer, and they sound uplifting. So L.A. was the obvious choice, but Rob Schnaft works out of there so in the end, it was the only place to record it.

Working with a name producer is a big score on a first album, but I'm sure it can be intimidating.
I remember having a conversation with my girlfriend the night before I left for L.A. about how terrified I was. I was pretty freaked out. When we got there, Rob is just a relaxed guy. I ended up bullying him into doing things. I would say, "I want more harmony here" and he would go ahead and do it. He's great in that when I would do the vocals, he would ask, "What are you more comfortable with, doing it all at once or doing the choruses first?" He's just open to anything. I owe him a lot.

I like how the album starts out with "Drama Queen" which is a no-holds rock song. It makes such a big statement musically. When you made the song, did you envision it as sort of your statement song?
We knew "Drama Queen" would be on the album. When we finished, we knew it was a cool song and people reacted positively towards it.

Who's the drama queen in your life?
Me.

I was going to say...
I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. I make a big deal out of small things. The song is not about me, but about scenesters. It's my observation about people who are trying to be something that they are not.

"Lay Down the Down" is also another really fun song. It's your most mid-90s BritPop song. I can sense a little "Girls & Boys" in there.
[laughs] Yes, it's the most simplest track on the album and it's another one that we were all pleased with the final results. It's great song to play really loud. Admittedly, I had a little of that "Girls & Boys" thing in my head. Ours has more guitars in it and it's a more dirty rock-based song, while Blur is more new romantic, and synth-y.

My favorite song on the album is "Killer Karma"...
Really, why's that?

It's your most 60s-California sounding song. You mentioned that you're into the Beach Boys and I love Beach Boys as well. It's sounds like a modern British band coming to Los Angeles to make sunny, rock music.
I think you got it right. The demo sounded more like a campfire song. In the studio, the surroundings definitely influenced the song. It's a more chilled out song, and hopefully if we develop more of a fan base, we can play it live. We don't do that song when we are an opening act.

I can see that song being a closer before the encore.
I think so to. That's why it's at the end of the album.

Okay. Let's get something straight. This album was released last year in the U.K. as Heart Tuned to D.E.A.D. Now, it will be released here as Lay Down the Law with the same track listing, but different album art. Was there a fight with Interscope to try and keep the original album art or title?
No, it was the opposite. We were given the option to change it. I wasn't too thrilled with the original art work. We had a quick deadline so we didn't put much thought into it. This time we came up with something that's much better. It's based on a graphic novel called Palomar: The Heartbreak Soup Stories.

The album title was a reference to a Super Furry Animals song called "Bass Tuned to D.E.A.D", which not many people in Britain picked up on. So if the British didn't pick up on it, the Americans are definitely not going to know it either. So I said, "Fuck It" and we named it after the most direct song on the album. Hopefully, we made the right decision.

The weird thing about releasing an album in the States a year later is that you might feel differently about it. Do you feel differently about it?
I still love it, but we've been playing the songs for about three years now. On the other hand, it's special to play the songs live to an audience who have never heard of it before. It gives the songs a new lease on life. I'll be honest with you, I'm ready to do back into the studio.

I always ask new British bands who come to America the first time about that -- playing songs for years and having to do it over again in the U.S. when you really want to make new music. Looking at your schedule, you're pretty much booked with all the summer music festivals.
It depends on how well received we are in the States. We had two months off around Christmas before this Bravery tour, so I had some time to write new songs. As soon as a window opens, we'll head back into the studio.

You get to play some big rooms with The Bravery. Do you like playing these large venues or do you prefer the small intimate clubs?
I like playing all sizes of room, but I love the big rooms. They are special because we've played small clubs for a long time and this album is made for large spaces. It's a big rock record. You like "Killer Karma" and that's a song which is perfect for a large audience.

You've toured with The Automatic, The Fratellis, Graham Coxon and my personal favorite, The Rakes, who are the coolest guys.
That was our first tour and they couldn't have been sweeter. They took us under their wing and made us feel welcome.

Have The Bravery taken you under their wing or have they made you carry their gear?
No, no, no. [laughs] They have been great to us on this tour.

Does that bass player still drink seven beers on stage during the show?
I heard about that, but he's switched to water now.

Lay Down the Law is out this Tuesday.

Tilly & The Wall: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

Look who's back on this blog -- one of my favorite bands, so I was pretty stoked to write this up. Tilly & The Wall are back with a new album and U.S. tour for 2008. The five-member Omaha band will once again release more foot-stomping, catchy tunes on Conor Oberst's Team Love label. This tour sees the band test-driving new material and bring along fellow Team Lovers Capgun Group.

Nick White (far left in the picture) is the band's keyboard player and we talked last week about the follow-up to the brilliant Bottoms of Barrels and the perils of touring. I'm truly excited to welcome him to this space.

What do you folks do when you're not in Tilly and the Wall?
We do lots of different little things. Jamie works at a coffee shop and does some teaching. Neely teaches as well. Derek DJs and works in a movie theater. Kianna does some painting. I do a lot of traveling when I'm not on tour. I also like to try different restaurants.

Is recording an album more of a scheduling event or more of a creative experience, since you have your paws in various capacities?
It's something we've all been feeling. The songs were not all written by the time we got to the recording studio. We're just felt we should get together and book some studio time. Luckily enough, we had time to do so.

I have a theory when it comes to third albums. The first two albums of a band are pretty much the same in that in that the first you want to establish a sound, the second you just want to do your sound better and third you want to change things up. Did you want to change things up in the third album?
I think we all want to make something that's slightly different. When we got down to writing, they all just came out. The way we recorded and the way we approached the songs are not too different from what we've done previously.

Did you saddle up in Omaha again?
Yup, with Mike Mogis.

This is your third time working with him. Did you go with him because there is a familiarity with him?
This is the first time we've tracked with him. Previously, he'd been the mixer. What's good about that is that he has a nice new studio in Omaha. The place is beautiful. He has nice new equipment.

What's great about Mike is that he's open to new ideas and techniques. He does have awesome studio tools to make it sound perfect and that's what he wants to do. Then, we would give him a CD of 20 tracks of drum sounds or horn parts just to give him an idea of what we were going for.

You mentioned that you had some material written for the studio. Are you one of those bands who are always writing on the road?
We don't write together on the road, but everyone writes on their own in their journals. What we did is rent a practice space so that we can hammer out some ideas for a couples of days before we got to the studio. What's funny is that we never demoed any of our songs before, so we got ProTools and played with that.

How did you like working with that?
I loved it. It's strange because what you record yourself doesn't sound how you wanted it. My initial instinct was to change the direction of the song, but obviously when we recorded it in the studio, doing what we did on the demo, it sounded much better. It's just interesting to decided what we liked and what we didn't like.

The last album had a lot of Latin elements, can we expect more of that in this one or some more international flavor?
Yeah, there are some horns again on this one. I just think there's more movement on this album. We tried to make it so that the songs overlap each other and it flows together. There will be a saxophone part in one song and then a larger sax part in the other.

We definitely tried to think of different instruments to use. I tried desperately to get some steel drums in there.

That would have been sweet.
I thought so too.

Obviously, what Tilly & The Wall is known for is the tap dancing. It does makes you stand out and it's adds such a great dimension to your music. You have admit that it's it's expected that you have it. Did you want to shy aware from it or do you just embrace it with each recording?
It's always fun to have the tap dancing in there, but we made sure to bring in different percussions sounds. Jamie recorded some step routines that were done in a gym. Then there are some drums and taps together.

You have five creative types in your band, I'm sure you butt heads with each other.
It's interesting when you have five songwriters in your band [laughs]. I think it's cool because everything is open. Usually someone has a vision of their song, and who wrote most of the music and lyrics will have their vision seen though. Believe me, we have a system [laughs].

Lyrically, what are some of the ideas you are writing about on this album?
We kind of run the gambit of ideas. There seems to be a few songs about the end of the world and the usual love songs.

You have a title yet?
Nope. We have about 15 songs and we have to determine what's in and what's out. We'll do a digital single and 7" inch next month, but no title. We should get cracking on that [laughs].

How about End of the World?
That's great with me, but I think the others might not go for it [laughs]. We have a release date of June 3, but not a title yet.

If you're at a loss, just self-title it. The self-titled album is a lost art form.
Right on, I can see that.

Since you're on Team Love, does Conor give you guidance or advice?
We do send him what we record, which we haven't done yet. He's helps us with track order ideas. With the first album, he helped with the recording.

I'm a huge fan of the band. I love everything you do and seeing you live and what not. I do get frustrated that you're not more popular than you are. Are you satisfied with the level of success that you have or do you have ambitions to get the band more out there?
You know, we are completely happy with where we are. None of us expected to be able the tour the world as much as we do.

So no intention in signing with a major label or licensing your music to the Gap or something?
There's always considerations for the survival of the band. They are always there, but we haven't acted on them. They are not in our plans ... just yet. [laughs]

You guys are seasoned veterans of the road. Any advice for keeping sane?
Yes, don't stay in hotels.

You're kidding. Just too expensive?
It's easy to get a cheap hotel on the spur of the moment and put it on a credit card. Then you go home and see your bill and it's like "Shit!" Right now, we're traveling eight people deep and getting a hotel would just eat up so much money.

Well, when you play New York you're welcome to stay at my place in Jersey.
Right on, thanks so much.

Recently, I saw this band called Bang Camaro, who have 20 members in the band and I'm sure a lot of crew members. During the show, they were asking audience members if they could stay over and I don't think they were kidding.
I can see that being really fun if they all slept on the same floor and they have one giant blanket for all of them. That would be a funny picture.

What are some your favorite places to play outside of the U.S.?
Personally, I love playing in Spain and Portugal. They are just magical places. Japan is another place that's just out of this world.

I first saw you at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia where it was about 200 degrees inside.
That's one of our all-time favorite shows we've played. It was so uncomfortable in there, but it ended up being such a fun show.

Final question, you are based in Omaha, where they had American Idol auditions...
Yes! It's funny you say that because someone mentioned that to me yesterday. I didn't even know about it. Apparently, one of the singers they selected was from Freemont, which is this tiny town outside of Omaha. Maybe the person will put Freemont on the map. I'm all for it.

The tour begins Feb. 29 in Pomona, Ca and hits the First Uni in Philly on March 19 and Knitting Factory in NYC on March 21. In the meantime, CSS remixed Tilly's "The Freest Man". Tale a listen.

Kimya Dawson: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

Thanks to movie about 16-year old pregnant girl, the music of Kimya Dawson and her former band, The Moldy Peaches are in everyone's ears. Directed by Jason Reitman and written by blogger Diablo Cody, Juno is another in a long line of small, independent films that has become the movie to see. The soundtrack is the No. 1 album in America and has introduced a new generation of music listeners to the interesting body of work from Dawson. It features eight songs from the singer-songwriter from various periods of her career.

The most memorable tune on the soundtrack is the Moldy Peaches song, "Anyone Else But You," the endearing love song that features the line, "Up up down down left right left right B A start. Just because we use cheats doesn't mean we're not smart. I don't see what anyone can see, in anyone else but you."

Before she took the stage at Brooklyn's Europa, I talked with Kimya about the sudden attention she's received and the importance of oil changes. I'd like to welcome her to this space.

So I heard that you have some songs in a movie or a something.
Yeah, something like that.

When did all this fun stuff get started?
About a year ago. I got an e-mail from someone in the casting department. She had ordered a few things from me. She was just like, "Hey, remember me?" And I go, "Yeah." She told me that she was working on a movie. So she sent me the screenplay and a copy of Thank You for Smoking. I liked everything I saw so I said, "Awesome." At that point it was just for the Moldy Peaches song.

Did you suggest any other your songs for the movie?
No, I didn’t say anything. Me and Jason Reitman would just write back and forth for a bit. I actually thought the film was already figured out. Then he just asked me to send over anything I got. So I sent over some songs I wrote for my baby because he has a baby as well. Eventually, he used some of my older songs in the soundtrack.

Did the director give you any indication of why he was picking your songs for the soundtrack?
What he told me was, "This is it!" We didn’t delve into the reasons. I think he just liked the sound of it.

I kind of figured that your songs were Juno’s inner-voice. It tells the audience that the character is very much still a kid who’s dealing with an adult situation. Also, both you and Juno have similar sensibilities in that you’re quirky and you frequently use pop culture references.
Yeah, I think when you see in the context of the movie it makes sense.

What I’ve admired about your songs is that they seem to be made up on the spot. I’m sure that’s that not case. What’s your song writing process like?
I use to be able to write songs anywhere, but now that I’m a mom, I have to be more focused on the baby. What tends to happen to me now is that I get somebody else’s song stuck in my head and in some sort of ADD way, I make up my own lyrics. I’ll be walking around and I think in my head "DahDahDahDahDahDahDahDahDah." I just won’t remember the words. Eventually it morphs into my own lyrical being.

When I try to play it on guitar, I can’t play guitar like everyone else, so it sounds totally different. I just never write songs down on paper. It’s always in my head.

I know that you and Adam wrote "Anyone Else But You" some time ago while sitting in a park bench. It’s not about you, but like a fantasy versions of yourself.
Sort of. It’s written from each of our points of view, but not about each other. It not like from the point of view of any imaginary him, but from him of an imaginary someone.

When I saw you back in 2002 at SummerStage and CMJ, I remember your most popular songs were "Lucky No. 9" and "Who’s Got the Crack," which would bring the house down. "Anyone Else But You" was like a secret fan favorite. Did you expect that this song would take on a life of its own?
I did know when we wrote it that it was something special.

What does Adam think of all this?
Don’t know, you’ll have to ask him.

Okay, next time I see him on the L train, I’ll ask him.
(Laughs)

What was your reaction when you saw the film?
I love it. I’ve seen it five times and I cry like a baby every time.

It’s also interesting that they switched the vocals. Michael Cera sings your parts and Ellen Page does Adam’s part.
Some of it. Jason switched it around because he wanted the character to sing particular lyrics.

When did you get a clue that the film was going to be something special?
I think when it was playing a bunch of festivals and people were telling me the reaction it was getting. People really seem to connect to the movie. It’s not just me being a hormonal, nursing mom (laughs).

I know it’s a weird time in the movie industry and the awards season with the writer’s strike. You’re not eligible for a nomination, but there is the possibility for you to get invited to the Oscars if it happens.
I’m not sure. I ummm ....ummmm ...ummmm (laughs). For me, the thought of getting dressed up and walking past people who will judge me for what I’m wearing is not fun for me. I think the fashion police will arrest me.

With all this new found notoriety, are you going to use it for good or evil?
All for good (laughs). I’m not evil.

Oh, I know you’re not evil.
Right. I think the most exciting part about this whole experience is that I get to bring more attention to schools and art programs that need support.

Last question, now that all these royalty checks are coming...
I haven’t gotten any royalty checks yet.

Oh, man. Okay, so when you do, are you going to get a new ride or some sweet new gear?
Well, I did get a mini-van. My Mazda was to the point where when I took it to Jiffy-Lube, they told me that the oil and transmission were leaking so bad that I would have to being it in once a week. So I got a used Toyota Sienna.

That’s how you roll, I like it.
Well, I’m a family gal, you know what I’m saying. (laughs)

Fionn Regan: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

If your ever talk to Fionn Regan, you'll find yourself trying to wrap your head around his odd comparisons. As you'll read below, you'll hear him compare his show to either a fireplace chat or a wildfire where you need to call the fire department or attending the Mercury Prize ceremony as feeling like a zoo keeper at a wedding. I think he meant being out of place. It goes with his debut album The End of History being on the Lost Highway country label.

Regan was wandering around his native Ireland and the UK in his early years, during which he gathered the stories and sights that would eventually find itself on his Mercury Prize nominated album. Filled with various tapestries with Fionn's easy, effortless voice providing the narration, the album puts Regan on the fasttrack of respected singer-songwriters on the scene.

I talked to Fionn while he was in New York opening for Lucinda Williams, so I would like welcome him to this space.

I know your father is a musician as well. Did he push you into being a singer-songwriter rather than a rock guitarist?
Not at all. The space he exists in has to more with composing 15-minute instrumental pieces. He was more of a session musician, backing more traditional Irish musicians. As you know, it's hard enough to keep a roof over your head and a loaf of bread on your table, and to do that as a musician or a poet is 20 times as hard. When it came to my parents, they had seen both sides of it. They didn't force me in any direction.

You grew up in a fairly remote town in Ireland. Was your early years more like a Roddy Doyle novel or Angela's Ashes?
Wow, that's a good question [pauses]. I'm thinking it's more like the novel The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman. It's by the guy who wrote the movie Withnail & I [Bruce Robinson]. It's based on a coastal town, so it's more like that.

Looking at your bio, you traveled around in your late teens and early twenties. Where did you go and what did you do?
I had contacts around the country, so I could join the dock workers and come back at a reasonable time. I had this parlor sized guitar that I could take with me and play songs. I would end up doing some work for a while, then I would receive a carrier pigeon from the homestead asking to come home.

You ever try your hand at busking in the tube stations?
No, I haven't. What I would actually do is play outside the venue or in the car park at the end of the night, which is kind of like busking I guess.

Well, today is a good day. Let's go down to the subway and see what you can do.
Yeah, I'd probably make enough to pay for lunch.

It's a good way to meet girls.
Yeah, if you think so.

Since you traveled around for many years, the songs of The End of History were probably around for a while.
Indeed. I guess I started recording it a few years ago. In a way, just trying to find a home to make it took a while. Making a record was fun, but staying in one place was difficult. I needed a home with land around it -- a place where people wouldn't yell at me for hanging my clothes on a line. There was a time I was living on a couch with a curtain around it. To me, I think the process of playing the record in front of 10 people, then to a hundred, then a few hundred and then a few thousand recently, it's been pretty amazing.

Was "Be Good, or Be Gone" written for anybody in particular?
It's more of a slide show of thoughts and memories. Sometimes the slides change, so I feel differently about it. It's hard to get it down to a name, address and time of when I wrote it.

The video for the song is pretty amazing, it's a good representation of you. It's simple, straight-forward images of you among various backdrops. I'm sure you must admit that it's actually a pretty funny clip at times.
Absolutely, I roar hysterically every time I see it. I suppose there's a dark humor to it and not meant to be taken seriously. The video is kind of a slide show. It's a tip of the hat to that idea.

How long did it take you to make it?
Nineteen hours.

You should have gone to a football match and put yourself right in the middle of the pitch.
[Laughs] To be honest, that video was made for so little money. It came off beautifully because the directors (Simon Atkinson and Adam Townley) were passionate about the song.

The album is mostly you on guitar, but sometimes you drop in other instruments or voices. I'm thinking of "Put a Penny in a Slot." Did you want to mix up the structure of some songs just so it's just not all you?
After a while, songs find each other. It's like a seating arrangement at a Christmas dinner. You gotta plan if your uncle will sit next your cousin and if they will get along. Songs are like that. You arrange them and hope you made the right decisions. The songs will tell you what they need. The bravest sort of recording is bare-chested, where you're not pulling rabbits out of hats. For me, when I would add different elements and people started to like, I just wanted to take them out [laugh].

I'm sure when you finished you didn't think you'd have an album that would give you recognition and nominations.
True. I was just happy to made an album in such an unconventional way. I didn't have to it hit piggy banks with hammers or search alcoves for loose change.

I know the Mercury Prize is a big deal. What was the day like for you?
I felt like a zoo keeper at a wedding. It took me while to get use to the fact that I was on the mainland, because I'd been touring for a while.

You didn't get drunk with Amy Winehouse and Natasha Khan?
I actually entered through a rope ladder and left through a trap door. It's how I deal with those types of situations. It was a good time. I got to sit under chandeliers.

When I saw you at Joe's Pub, the show was very quiet and serious, then between songs you would tell these random, funny stories. Do you try to pep up your shows or do you just say whatever is on your mind?
Sometimes, it like sitting around the fireplace and you feel like telling story. Other times, it's like a wildfire and you have to call the fire chief to put out the fire. When it feels like the fireplace is cozy, it feels okay to tell a good story to everyone.

 

 

Jukebox the Ghost: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

Each one of us putting together After the Jump are interviewing a band who are playing the event. I got Washington, D.C. trio Jukebox the Ghost, who have a self-titled EP out for your enjoyment.

If you like your pop music created by music majors than Jukebox is your band. They all graduated George Washington University this year, so instead of entering the work force, they are testing out the often cruel waters of indie rock.

Ben Thornewill is the lead singer and piano man, Tommy Siegel is on guitar and Jesse Kristin is on the drums. I talked with Ben about the history of the band and what's it like opening for Kanye West. I'd like to welcome him to this space.

I have to start with the dumb music journalism question of how the band got together.
I have a dumb answer. We all met at GW, I lived above Jesse and next to Tommy in the same dorm.

Are you all from D.C.?
I'm originally from Kentucky, Tommy is from Richmond, Virginia and Jesse is from Boston.

What did you go to school for?
I originally went to GW for politics, then never took a single politic class and lost interest in it, so I became a music major. The others did biology and journalism.

What's the music scene like in D.C. these days?
It's getting a lot better. The past year, we've been making good friends with Exit Clov, Le Loup and These United States. We're kind of sad because we've left it for the road, but we're coming back. It's hard to explain because everyone talks about there being a lull of bands. Then theoretically, there's a serge of bands.

The reason I ask because D.C. was known as the birthplace of dance punk. Since the early 90s, there hasn't been much going on.
You have to remember that bands like Dismemberment Plan and Q and Not U, those like dance punk indie bands, have all broken up. So there's that lull after that where there's no hardcore bands anymore. I'm hoping that our happy pop band catches on.

How did you guys decide what you wanted to sound like being that D.C. had that strong hardcore scene?
We never really talked about it. We didn't set up the band to contrast what had happen in the D.C. scene. I'm classically trained so that's heavily involved in our sound. The other guys have wide ranging tastes. Tommy is a Phish-head and Jesse is a punk rock guy.

I'm sure you get this a lot but you remind me a lot of Ben Folds Five.
Yup, less now then we use to. We get a lot comparisons to Queen and They Might Be Giants.

So being a college band, I'm sure played around D.C. to start out.
Yeah, for the first couple of years we just played around campus until we were decent enough to play outside of campus. We finally did get to play The Black Cat. They wouldn't book us for years, so we changed our name (from the Sunday Mail to Jukebox the Ghost) and sent in the same material. They booked us immediately, which was interesting.

What are some of the big gigs you've played so far?
Well, we played to 600 at the Black Cat with Great Northern. We just recently played the Rock 'n' Roll Hotel with Tokyo Police Club and Ra Ra Riot, which was sold out. We did open up for Kanye West once at GW.

That's awesome. Did you get to meet him?
No, we saw him through a sea of bodyguards.

You should put that on the resume.
We do sometimes. We also opened up for Lloyd Banks, who stabbed somebody a year before we opened for him. We had the great idea of getting stabbed back stage by him, which didn't happen. Then, we did cover one of his songs before he went on. I forget which one, but we totally butchered it. After we played it, these massive guys just stood in front of the stage and stared at us down the rest of our set.

Nice. That could have been the end of Jukebox the Ghost. So have you gotten any label interest yet?
Yes, lots of talk. We're a few weeks away from signing.

Great, so eventually you'll make a full length album?
It's done already. We recorded it back in January in North Carolina with Ted Comerford (Army of Me). We released the EP to gain some attention for the full-length. We'll probably have the LP released in November.

 

Los Campesinos!: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

If you keep up with some of the bands I gush about, you'll know that the seven member crew of Los Campesinos! have been tops on my pops. The band fully encompasses all the qualities that make a successful creative band: originality, not adhering to trends and a overall sense of joy to music.

The seven college students out of Cardiff have been put on the fast track to making it big in the U.K. and soon, the U.S. music scene. Having only been a band since early 2006, LC! are poised to make kids and scenesters dance to their brand of smart, energetic pop music. All their pop goodness can be found on their EP, Sticking Fingers Into Sockets.

This is Los Campesinos! week in America, as they made their U.S. debut at Lollapalooza over the weekend. They travel over to my neck of the woods with two dates this Thursday and Friday at Mercury Lounge and then a trip down the Turnpike to play Transit in Philly on Saturday.

Los Campesinos! are Tom, Ollie, Alek, Ellen, Gareth, Harriett and Neil. By luck of the draw, I got to talk to singer, keyboardist and glockenspiel aficionado Gareth while he was in Toronto preparing for their short U.S. trek. I'd like to welcome him to this space.

You guys have only been a band for over a year. The story goes that you all met in college.
A few of us knew each other from the first year at Cardiff. The rest of us came together through mutual friends and chance meetings -- a very organic process.

When someone starts a band in college, it's usually because they are bored. Is that the case?
The case was that nobody had classes on Wednesday afternoons at Cardiff. Generally at that time, students play sports. None of us had the desire to go out and play sports. So we decided to practice and form a band to get out of doing sports. There might have a little bit of boredom with our studies, but mainly we wanted to get out doing physical activity.

When you had the seven members in place, did you have a set goal on what you wanted to sound like?
We more had an idea of what we didn't want to sound like. In the U.K., we're in the post Libertines era, so there are a lot of copycat bands. Everybody is started to sound the same and it's becoming rather dull. We were conscious that we didn't want to be like that. Plus, all of our influences are Pavement and the whole Arts & Crafts roster (Broken Social Scene, Stars). It's the whole sense of music being fun. Since their are seven of us, we bring such diverse range of tastes and instruments to the table. Hopefully, we'll be able to produce a variety of music and not be stuck in a rut.

What were some of the early songs you started out with?
The songs we started out with we got rid of. It's kind of these post-punk songs that didn't really sound like anything we play now. There's one early song called "Death to Los Campesinos!" which we recorded and still play live.

So you have a thing for glockenspiels.
Yeah. I didn't join the band until after some of them recorded a demo. I heard it and really liked it, so I wanted to be a part of what they were doing. They were going to ask somebody else to sing, but he wasn't keen on it. So I figured I needed to have a unique selling point so that they can let me be the lead singer. I had a glockenspiel and it was a perfect idea. It's stuck around ever since, but I do have a nice new one for the American shows.

Sweet. The glockenspiel is sort of like the cowbell of 2007. It's showing up in a lot of songs.
True. The difference is that I don't really play it, I just bang it really hard.

What were some of the early gigs like? Do you play in front of 5 people or in people's basements?
We didn't have anything that romantic. Since we have seven members, all our friends turned out for our first gig which was at a university building. We got really lucky from the start, in that we got asked to tour with Broken Social Scene after we only played six gigs. So, we never really had to play shitty places, nothing really exciting or indie like playing in a basement.

Since you toured with BSS, you got David Newfeld to produce the EP. What I found surprising from hearing your demos to the finished product is that nothing changed that much. It's a little cleaner sounding, obviously. Do you see any differences?
For me, "You! Me! Dancing!" rocks more. When we were playing that song before we recorded with David, the one thing critics we writing about us was that it was "twee" sounding. That's something I never felt at all, so I think the finished version has more of a rock sound to it and not so twee. There's a lot more of a dynamic sound to it. David had so many ideas and we were very happy to work with him. We recorded those demos in maybe twelve hours, while the EP took a few days. We're completely grateful for his production capabilities and it makes all the difference in the EP version.

Is there any event or story that spurred the writing or creation of "You! Me! Dancing!"
It's based on a indie disco night we use to go to at Cardiff called Twisted By Design, which is mentioned in the lyrics. It's the idea about being in a large place with a lot of people and not being able to dance. It's also about being comfortable with who are and not worrying about people judging you.

I first heard about the band when you signed to Wichita Records. Your first release for them was "We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives." It kind of acts like your theme song. It's a good representation of who are and what you are about.
Right. It's basically a complaint about the indie scenester thing in the U.K. where people are more concerned about fashion and where you go and who you are seen with rather than the music.

Let's sum up where you are now. Within a year, you have a record deal in the U.S. and the U.K., you a have an EP, you going to play Lollapalooza and you're set to record a full length album. Does that give you confidence in your abilities or is it just a sign of the times in the record industry where labels are signing up bands quickly trying to find the next big thing?
It's definitely a sign of the times. We are honest with ourselves. We know that if it wasn't for myspace, we wouldn't be a signed band. We all do feel very lucky that we have this medium that we can reach a huge audience all over the world. If we were just playing gigs at Cardiff, none of this wouldn't have happened. We do have faith in our abilities and we are fairly decent band. We can cope with all these great opportunities coming out way and we are completely appreciative of all the support.

What do your parents think about all this? They paid all this money for you to go to college, only to graduate so you can be in a rock band.
Luckily, they have been very supportive, especially Alek's parents. She was on the third year of a five-year degree, so her parents were supportive in her taking time off to be in the band. It's funny because I think everyone secretly harbors some rock star ambition. When the band started getting recognized, our parents were all thrilled. They come to our gigs in different parts of the country.

So what's the game plan for the rest of the year?
After Philadelphia, we'll go back up to Canada to record the album with David. We'll be at the studio in Trenton for about seven weeks, which will take us to the end of September. Then we'll head back to the U.K. tour with You Say Party! We Say Die! We'll eventually come back to the U.S. by the end of the year and hopefully play a gig in Japan. The album should be out early 2008.

Their EP, Sticking Fingers Into Sockets, is out now.

The Maccabees: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

Not satisfied with being labeled the next big thing from the U.K., the Maccabees are constantly looking towards the future. While they just finished a North American tour with Bloc Party and will be doing the festival thing in Europe this summer, the band has their sights on a second album.

Hold on there, we just got done enjoying their debut album, Colour It In, with those tightly constructed post-punk songs that gives you that happy feeling in your feet. So for us in the U.S., we'll absorb their freshly released debut album.

Orlando Weeks is the Maccabees lead singer and I talked with him while the band was in Canada with Kele & Co. I would like to welcome him to this space.

How did the band come together?
We all use to meet around at this park called Clapham Commons that was by our house. My brother went to school with Hugo, the guitarist. We got bored playing football around the park so often that we just decided to form a band instead.

Did you know early on what you wanted to sound like?
There was a big learning curve when we were starting out playing instruments. We were just hoping something would sound right. In the beginning we would rehearse in our bedrooms, just trying to keep it quiet. Then when we found a proper rehearsal space, so we could branch out and progress.

What’s that area of London like, the Clapham area?
It’s actually pretty cool. It has a good music scene. It's known for having a big DJ culture. I was not listening to a lot of variety of music, but the boys were massive Dylan fans. Then when we started playing more, we started listening to The Clash.

What’s the songwriting process for you because some of your lyrics are not straight-forward?
The first we do is find the style we’re going for, whether it be a baseline or guitar-part with melody. We don’t actually have a formula. It depends on the song – sometimes the lyrics will come first or comes out of the recording.

Your first single was "X-Ray". Did you make this song as sort of an introduction to the band and your sound?
I suppose so. We didn’t do that many recordings when we released the song. It was just the song that sounded the best. I guess it did represent us at the time. From there, after we started touring with Bloc Party, we were making music that was more intricate and had more of a dance feel.

My favorite song on the album is "Latchmere," which was your second single. It has an interesting structure because it starts out with a harmonica and it has a fun, unusual chorus. Did you play around with the song in order to get to the final product?
Well, it was pretty straight forward. It started out as a song about my friend who couldn’t swim. While we were in the studio, I told the boys that and as it turns out, they all knew about this swim park called Latchmere and the wave machine there. So we made the song about that.

You got some of the best producers working on the album, Stephen Street and Ben Hillier. How did you decide which producer would work on which song?
Ben had us record some songs in a swimming pool. The songs we did with Stephen were more up-tempo and were done in a nice, crisp studio. Then the songs that we recorded with Ben, they were more spirited I suppose. Our approach with him was a little more experimental.

Well, I hope you got the water out of the pool before you recorded.
It’s funny you say that because we recorded it in the middle of the summer in central London and it was unbearably hot. We had to use these dehumidifiers to keep the temperature down. The amount of sweat we produced probably could have filled that swimming pool.

"Toothpaste Kisses" is a slow song among all you’re big rock tracks. Did you want to have a song like that on the album that kind of balances out the rest of the album?
We recorded that track after we had done all our singles. We figured we needed something that was a bracket to whatever we will do on the next album. We actually wanted something on the album that was more optimistic. We also felt we needed a song that hints at the direction we’re going to take musically in the future. While we still love the Strokes and Interpol, we’ve started to listen to different things like Rufus Wainwright and Violent Femmes. So hopefully "Toothpaste Kisses" is a sign of things to come.

How does it make you feel when NME labels you the Best New Band in the U.K.?
It’s very complimentary and we do appreciate it, but then again, that label is given to a band every week. So we take it with a gain of salt.

So did this album turn out how you expected?
Well, I was hoping that by releasing the album, it would give us an opportunity to make a second album. While sonically, it’s a good representation of what’s we’ve done up to that point. For me, I don’t listen to the album any more because I want to concentrate on new material.

You’ve toured a lot with Bloc Party, they treating you okay?
Very well. I think they are going to let us store some of our gear in their trucks now, which would be a big help [laughs].

This first U.S. tour is a baptism by fire for you. You’re playing some pretty big rooms to start out with.
We wouldn’t have it any other way. We treat every gig the same. It’s a treat to play our music to a new audience in every city. People have been enjoying it and know some of the words, so we get a kick out of that. It’s also great to see all of the U.S.

Final question, how does it feel to be part of the liberation movement that won independence for the Jewish people?
We don’t care, we just appreciate that their name is really good [laughs].

The Automatic: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

It didn't take long for the U.K. band The Automatic to create a buzz in the U.K. Their high-wattage performances when they opened for Hard-Fi in 2005 branded them as a band to watch. Their album, Not Accepted Anywhere, gained them a legion of fans among music people, and unexpectedly, British sports fans. Featuring the kind of dance, new wave rock that makes the kids go nuts, the four piece would also like you thinking about the world around us.

Now, the band is packing up the van and hitting the road this July as they criss-cross this country on the Vans Warped Tour. More importantly, Not Accepted Anywhere is available this Tuesday in the U.S.

The Automatic Automatic ... a band so nice that they had it twice? They are nice, but because another U.S. band is out there with the same name, they had to double it up. Ironically, they started out in Wales as White Rabbit (which we know is close to White Rabbits, the up-and-coming New York band). In any event, James Frost is their guitarist and I talked with him while the band was at their studio beginning the process of planning out a second album. I would like to welcome him to this space.

So is it James, Jim or Jimmy?
It’s James, but I suppose there are a few famous guitarists named Jimmy.

Of course, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page.
Jimmy Frost.

There you go ... So I know the four of you were childhood friends.
Correct, we all went to school together.

Do you know early on when you decided to form a band what you wanted to sound like?
It was an evolution really. When we were about 10 or 11, we just started playing basic rock music. Then from there, we became a little bit more experimental – a little bit more synth rock sounding. Then we toyed with BritPop. When we became friends with Alex Penney, that’s where we started sounding more like we do now. That sort of dance rock sound.

What were your early gigs like? Did you have to play seedy, dodgy clubs?
The first few gigs we played, we were only 15 or 16 at the time, so we had to play the youth center in our town. We’d also played people’s parties and at our school. When we turned 18, we started to play clubs like Barfly. We played there like 15 times in one year.

What was the reaction like when you were starting out?
Most of the bands we were playing with were these emo, punk bands. The crowd would be the people who would see emo bands. We stood out like a sore thumb. I do think we got their attention with the music we were playing. When we eventually starting getting recognized, we would play to audiences who knew who were, so we starting getting booked with bands similar to our own.

Your material deals a lot with disillusion with society, culture and politics. People usually develop those feelings later on in their 20s, not when they are in their teens.
The thing is when we left school, all of our friends went off to university while we decided to do the band full time. So we had to get jobs in order for us to do that. We did feel that we missed out on what our friends were doing off in school on their own like having fun and going to parties. We kind of felt left behind. Despite that, we were all very happy to be in a band.

I also think we wanted the music to be something different and not what people think a band of 18-year olds should sound like. The good thing is that we got our record deal nine months later after we decided to be a band full time.

"Raoul" was the first song I heard from the band. What I like about it is that it has a lot of energy. At the end, it makes you feel exhausted. Was it your intention to make a song that takes the wind out of you?
Absolutely, the chorus with us singing it and Alex sort of shouting it gives it a sort of drive. The album as a whole does have an intense feeling to it. It deals with ambition and going out and achieving your dreams. So it’s important we have songs that have some balls to it.

Do you let Alex do his thing with the choruses while recording or do you play around with it to see what fits?
It does come along as we write the songs. It gives some songs a sort of new wave feeling. On the first album, we might have over done it. The fans have taken a liking to it. It’s become sort of our trademark.

I didn’t think you wanted "Monster" to become a stadium anthem. The song has taken on a life of its own.
Yes it has.

It’s a song about drug abuse.
Yes, ironic isn’t it? A bunch of drunk hooligans are screaming a song about drugs at matches. It’s quite funny. We didn’t expect it to take off like that. It’s very strange to see thousands of fans at festivals screaming back at you. When we started the band as kids, we always wanted to have a reaction like that. We are happy that song is received as it is in the U.K.. Hopefully, we’ll try to bring that to the States.

Was that when you knew you made it and that you can make a living being in a rock band?
I think the day the album came out is when we knew that we achieved something. To walk into any record store and see your album on the shelf is one of the best things that can happen to you as a musician.

I think what sets you apart from all the other British bands is that your songs are more profound and confrontational. They are about something more than how boring and repetitive life is or they’re songs you can go nuts to at shows. Was it in the game plan to make music that makes more of a political statement?
Yeah, yeah. We had no interest in making songs about parties or dancing. We try to make songs that have a point to it. We are a dance rock band, but I think the best way to get your point across is to have some sort of strong beat to it. I think the songs are there if you want a little escapism, but hopefully people will think as well.

The most played song on my Ipod is your version of "Gold Digger" you did for Radio One. Tell me how that came about.
Basically, Radio One asked us to do an acoustic version of any song we wanted. It’s what they do every week with a new band. We suggested "Gold Digger" and they were game for it. We worked it out for a whole day in our hotel room the day before. When audiences started asking for it, we added it to our live shows.

Did you know Robin [Hawkins, lead singer] could play a mean jazz flute?
I’ve known Rob since he was about four. As long as I can remember, he could play the flute. [laughs]. Actually, an early version of "By My Side" had a jazz flute part to it, which we took out.

It’s good that you play "Gold Digger" live because it shows that you have a sense of humor.
We decided early on when we started playing proper gigs that we didn’t want to come off as angry people wearing black all the time and singing songs in the rain. Our live shows are who we are -- if you’re not having fun doing it, it’s not worth doing at all.

Alex is not only your keyboardist, he’s your hype man as well. He spends more time off stage into the crowd than he does on. Do you ever ask yourself during your shows, "what the hell is he doing?"
Occasionally. For us, it’s the least surprising. I do like seeing the audiences reaction to him, because you get some nervous people around him when he’s swinging the microphone around.

As long as nobody gets hurt. Does he practice those microphone tricks?
Yes, whenever he gets into a room he’ll try out some moves. He’ll see how close he can get to someone’s face without hitting him. The only person who’s gotten hit was our keyboard technician. He’s fine now [laughs].

So you’re on the Vans Warped Tour. Did you know what you were getting yourself into when you signed on?
We did know. We said yes immediately when we were offered. We do know it’s a traveling circus almost. We have been told it can be taxing and sort of a slog, so we have to be prepared for anything that can happen [laughs].

The Automatic also headlines Bowery Ballroom on July 26.

Previously:

• The band throws down at their New York debut at Pianos.

The Pipettes: The MusicSnobbery.com Interview

If you read this space often, you'll know that I'm a big admirer of The Pipettes, three ladies from the across the pond who make fun and lively music in the setting of the 60s girl group style. It's for a good reason: The Pipettes' sound is distinctly American, borrowing from the Brill Building era and adding that slight modern riotgirl edge.

They are not only the prettiest girls you've ever met, they are the hardest working girls you've ever met. They released their first U.S. EP, You've Kisses Are Wasted On Me, last week. They'll be doing the festival circuit all over the globe this summer. Finally, on August 23th, their full-length album, We Are The Pipettes will land on American store shelves.

Who are the girls who wear the polka dots, sing songs that make you dance and bring a smiles to boys and girls at their shows? I sat down with the girls in Philadelphia and we talked about their music, image and that funny idea of making it in the U.S. In the annuals of this blog, it was darn exciting to talk with a band I've been admiring for a while. So it's my honor to welcome Rosay, Gwenno and RiotBecki to this space.

What were your individual musical backgrounds before you were a Pipette?

Becks: I use to play violin. I did musical theater. I had never been in a band before I joined, so this is my first experience.

Gwenno: I was making pop music on my own in my bedroom. I released some EPs that were more electronic pop sounding.

Rose: I’ve been playing the piano since I was young. I use to write songs on my own, while my Dad played guitar, so he would help me out. I was also in some really, really terrible bands playing covers of really dreadful songs.

I know the formation of the band is complicated, but the simple history is that Bobby [Robert Barry, guitarist for the band who also goes as Monster Bobby] thought of the idea of creating a 60s girl ground and sought out to find members. Is that the roundabout way it happened?

Becks: Yeah, but Julia [the original Pipette who left the band] was pretty integral in coming up with ideas. It wasn’t one person making all the decisions.

Gwenno: They were in a pub together and they were shooting off ideas of bands they could form. Bobby had been toying with the idea for a while.

So what made you sign up for this project when most musicians in the U.K. are trying to form the next Franz Ferdinand or Arctic Monkeys.

Rose: (laughing) That’s the reason right there. When I got propositioned for the idea, I thought it really bizarre, but it was brilliant because it wasn’t about any of those ideas. All of us were pretty sick of that stuff. It was refreshing and it would liberate ourselves from all of those trappings.

Were you well-versed in that 60s girl-group style?

Gwenno: Not really, but when we joined the band, we got heavily into it. That was really nice to do that, having someone like Bobby who’s really well-versed in girl bands.

Rose: It was something that we were aware of. Most of us have been exposed to a lot of Motown. Those songs are omni-present for everyone. You particularly don’t know the band, but you do know the songs. It was a natural shift.

Did you play some gigs together before heading into the studio to lay down some demos just so that you could form a chemistry?

Becks: Yeah, we were together for a bit, then Julia had left. We attempted to do some demos because our former manager said we had some interest. That was about five months after we formed. We got together initially as a live band not thinking it would become what it is now. Usually we would go into a friend’s studio, rehearse for hours and hours and then go to a gig. That’s what we were use to. We did some demos, which I wasn’t even on to be perfectly honest.

We eventually did get approached to record a seven-inch that was a proper five-track recording.

What were the early gigs like because you’re not a typical band? You’re playing venues that usually book indie rock bands and in comes these girls in costumes.

Rose: We were lucky in that we started off in Brighton, which is much more accepting of different kinds of music. It’s a very diverse scene down there. It was one of the easier places to start off in. There was some of that, "Ummmmmmm" type of feeling.

Becks: One of the first big gigs was opening up for British Sea Power at the Garage in London on New Year’s Eve and that was ridiculous.

Rose: We were absolutely scared. It didn’t come off as bad as we thought it would because British Sea Power is totally different style of music from what we do.

Becks: In Brighton, we had some people dancing, and it’s not like that in London.

Rose: It was good in that it set us up not to have any expectations. We just take it as it comes.

"ABC" was the first song that you released. It’s a good introduction to the band because it’s in the 60s girl group style, but has some sexual innuendo. Was it your goal to create a song that best represented the band?

Gwenno: It was actually the first song written for us.

Rose: We did want to set the tone. The thing is, the song kind of redefines itself through time. At that point, when we made it, it probably did show where we were coming from. Three and half years down the line, it will probably evolve.

Becks: It’s about social groupings and categorization. It’s not about sex at all, it’s actually quite political (laughs). It’s probably our most political song. Sex and sexuality is never a conscience thing, but that’s what people think about. We don’t want to be like, "Hey, we want to be sexually confrontational." That’s not who we are and we don’t care about that.

Gwenno: It is really important to face those issues head on. Being in a girl band, it’s important to us to challenge it. There’s no fun in ignoring it. It’s part of popular culture and music. You can stick your head in the sand and try to ignore it. We have taken on those subjects, we just made sure we make it our own.

Becks: It’s also important to us that we do it lyrically and not with our bodies. We want to talk about it naturally like we do amongst ourselves and with our friends. That’s how it works. We don’t need to stick our tits out and say, "Hey, we are really sexual people."

Rose: It’s really about dealing with those subjects on our own terms.

That leads into another idea about the band is that you three are the face of the band, but there are many people working behind the scenes to compose and preform the music. That’s what you bring to the table is that "This is who we are" attitude. So the misconception is that since you are a manufactured band, and that you don’t have a say and you’re just puppets. It’s not the case at all. In fact, you have the strongest voice in what you do, whether it be the music or the image.

So with that image, how much effort do you put into that image?

Becks: We put quite a lot of thought and effort into our look ... about every six months (laughs).

Gwenno: Yes, we’ve been wearing the same dresses for a long time. That eventually will go downhill.

Rose: Yeah, mine is going to break at any time.

Gwenno: The idea of the band was to portray a strong image – almost like a branding. That was a crucial part from the very beginning. It is something we will always think about. One of the great things about what we wear on stage is that we never have to think about what we have to wear every night. We are judged on the way we look, so its great not to have think about what wear every night.

Becks: We are interested in the idea of a uniform. The polka dots are those things that we don’t have to think about every night. It would interesting to think about in the future that concept of not having to worry about what to wear.

Rose: We want to able to set the tone and mood with our costumes. Our outfits convey a certain message. Right now, it’s polka dots. They will always be there because they signify fun, frivolity and flirtation. How we interpret those feelings will change.

Gwenno: It will be great to explore our stage show and costumes in the future. Our outfits will hopefully be a more important part of the show. At the moment, we are still playing small venues. We do have a small setting, I’ll say that. You can do the most wonderful things in the smallest spaces. It would be interesting to elaborate more on our stage show – make it a little more theatrical. A little more drama is definitely something we haven’t explored yet – creating something that’s a little more eccentric.

Breaking America is tough these days. Is the goal for the rest of the year to get recognized in the states by touring and all the things bands do to make a name for yourself in the States?

Gwenno: You know what, this whole idea of cracking American is so alien to us. I’ve never understood it. We don’t live here, so we don’t know what that is.

Rose: We would never know if we did crack the U.S.

Becks: We don’t have this expectation of cracking America. It’s spoken about far too often.

Gwenno: It’s more important to us to travel to different countries and play people our music. We are looking forward to playing in Japan, South Korea and Australia.

Rose: For us, having people come to our shows is the biggest achievement. I’m more than happy about that.

Gwenno: If we can still keep playing shows and keep people coming back, then that is what’s important. That’s the only thing we ever measure our success on.