Monday 20 October 2008

Interview: Foals


How would you describe your experience of higher education?

Brief but sweet. I dropped out after first year so I did the Fresher’s thing and that was it. I do remember that I didn’t enjoy Fresher’s Week. I found the pressure of trying to integrate myself into a big group of people quite difficult. I did make friends but I found forcing it a little bit weird. I instantly just involved with the people who smoked cigarettes, because it was a common interest. I liked Uni though.

What advice would you give to Freshers?

Arrive at uni with pot because you’ll make friends and instantly get to know everybody.

What are your impressions of Nottingham?

I really like it. I’ve got some friends that live in Sneinton, so I’ve been out in Nottingham a fair bit, plus my brother was at Uni here. It’s one of our favourite UK cities to play in and go out in. I grew up listening to a lot of bands from Nottingham, particularly a record label called Gringo, and I used to be really into that whole scene. I love Rock City and I love Stealth, very sweaty. It’s quite fun.

The label ‘indie’ is often overused. Do you reject this label or do you reject labels in general?

We just play the music we play. I can see why people call it indie, but I can see why people would call it anything. I mean, we’re definitely not psy-trance,


Your singles get heavy rotation on dancefloors. When you wrote these songs was adding that dance element intentional?

In the beginning it was intentional. We came from quite an experimental scene, so when we started Foals we wanted to do something that was totally different and more pop-orientated; something that people could dance to. We saw it as a challenge to make that sort of music, so different to what we were used to. In the beginning it was very calculated, and I still think there’ll definitely be something very rhythmic on the next record.; it’ll be dancey but we don’t want to be this one dimensional electro-dance whatever band. I want to try and turn people on to other stuff as well; stuff that might not seem as ‘cool’.

It’s been said that you cross and bend a number of genres. Would you say you take elements of other genres and translate them onto guitar/rock band format?

You do it by not thinking about it. When I read stuff like that, I don’t quite understand what they mean. There’s no way you can consciously do stuff like that, you’ve just got to be like a musical and cultural sponge. I listen to records constantly, and we all watch films and read books, and the more you immerse yourself in an artistic world that’s separate from the one that you live in, you become this sponge, and when you get wrung out by your record label you just hope that you come out with loads of stuff that’s good. You shouldn’t think too much about these things. It’s the same with playing live; the more you try and think about putting on a good live show, you can ruin it. A lot of these bands that put too much thought into putting on a really good live show just end up seeming quite choreographed and just stand there thinking ‘Oh come on, I just want to see you play!’ I mean, nobody plays like some bands play. You look at these big arena rock bands and they aren’t playing like the people they were when they started their band, they’re playing more like this commodity or product that’s got to have this ‘thing about them’, and the more they do it, the more I think it harms their product.

How would you describe your relationship with Transgressive Records? How does it feel to be a shining jewel on their already glittering crown?

Pretty good. They let us do whatever we want and they put out our records. They’re nice people and they give us money. They’re the reason I don’t still wash dishes or still be at Uni, so I feel pretty good towards them. We tell them what we want to do and they just say ‘yeah’. That was the idea when we signed, we didn’t want to sign to a label that would try to make us into something that we weren’t. All of our videos and artwork are done by our friends from back home so we’ve never entered into working with big music industry people.


You’re a band renowned for the mathematics and technicality behind your music. Would you say this is intrinsic to band’s identity? Will this feature strongly on the next album? What can fans expect from future releases?

I hope not. No matter how much you want to change there will always be certain elements of your band that sound the same, because of the chemistry between the five of us will always have some kind of set point, but in terms of being quite mathematical, that’s not really a conscious decision it’s more of a product of listening to quite technical records. The more we tagged as that, the more it makes me want to create a record that’s the exact opposite, just to undercut people’s expectations. When we started out in Oxford we were known as this experimental and difficult band and that was the background that we came from, so we just thought we should make some pop music that everyone can like, rather than just some bearded men in a cellar in Oxford, with a collection of four million CDs saying things like ‘Oh yeah, this is like latter-kraut-rock’ or whatever. We want to make a surf rock record, we want to go to Hawaii and make this really blissed-out, Um-Bongo type record. Not psychedelic, but proper 1950s style. Kind of like Telstar maybe, I like Joe Meek a lot.

You’ve previously said that you don’t enjoy big rock shows as you feel very exposed, yet this tour is one of quite large venues and you’ve played to some massive crowds on this summers’ festival circuit. Would you say that you’re attitude towards touring has changed at all? Do you arenas in your future?

Yeah, I’ve become a lot more used to it now. I still always feel more comfortable in smaller venues but I’m not frightened anymore of big shows. I got really nervous before Reading festival but then it went really well. It just depends on different things, like different situations. At festivals and bigger shows you need to make this bigger and more encompassing sound and try to play out to everyone, which is weird for us because we never play facing the crowd so it’s a challenge for us not to seem like this small band on a big stage. I don’t really see us playing arenas, unless we dramatically change what we do and I’m not thinking about that. I just want to make a really good record and I don’t think like we’ve totally done that yet. We haven’t made the record that silences the critics in our heads. We’re pretty scathing to ourselves and I want to get to the point where we don’t have to be like that, not to ourselves or to each other. So everything else just seems quite irrelevant to me, things like doing TV programmes. The single goal of this band is to make music and to sit back and make something that we can feel happy with.

Do you think as a band you’ll ever be satisfied or do you think that if you become satisfied you’ll become complacent?

I think if we became satisfied we’d stop making music together and we’d do something else. Take R.E.M, and those bands with twenty year careers. They’ve made their best work and they know it but they carry on because it’s an addiction. If I were them I’d have quit in the early nineties because they’ve put out some amazing records but since then I’d have been thinking ‘Oh I need to make a record which is as good as the one I made way back then’. So I think we’ll make another few records at least but I doubt we’ll ever get that silence in our heads where we can relax.

www.myspace.com/foals

Andy Trendell

Interview: Wild Beasts


For those who haven’t heard Wild Beasts before, how would you describe your sound?

Eccentric Pop. We have far more ins and outs than your average band.

Was becoming another jewel in Domino’s already glittering crown overwhelming at all? How has it affected the ambitions of the band?

We don’t feel pressure but we do feel honoured. It’s a really good label to be on and the people who work there, make it what it is. We’ve always had quite high ambitions but we were never expecting this to be our job. We were never sure if we had something of worth, but we’re honoured to be doing this and we’re honoured to be on Domino; a label of such high integrity. You do taken more seriously due to their catalogue as well. We have absolute freedom. We’re working on our second album now, and it feels like now we’ve broken the ice we can push things a bit more. We’ve a lot more to prove and a lot of minds to change as well, because we think our first album was a sort of statement of intent and there’s a lot more places we can go with our music from here. There will be lineage from the first album but there will definitely be growth, there are so many musical avenues we want to explore. There’s a character to our band, so every record will definitively be a Wild Beasts record.

How is the band reacting to critical and more widespread acclaim?

It’s nice to read a good review and we think we deserve them because we do put some work in, but at the same time we’ve read so many bad reviews. But we aren’t too bothered, because so many bands have come and gone in the time we’ve been around that its just ludicrous. You can’t take it too seriously because you’ll read one thing saying you’re ‘the best new band’ and another slating you and neither really effect record sales.

How do you respond to tags of being ‘theatrical and eccentric’?

That’s a fair claim. We make an effort to do things that are a bit outside of the box and push things a bit. We’re bored of a lot of these standard issue bands, and there are a lot of them. We make an effort to push things a bit and give a bit more of ourselves.


What should fans expect from a typical Wild Beasts Gig?

Expect to be entertained. See a mixture of emotions. Be happy and sad, you can be tragic and funny about the same subject, so therefore it’s quite theatrical. We wanted to bring more of a theatrical element to our show. For years we’ve been playing in bread and butter, sausage and mash, dirty venue gigs. We’ve done tht now and don’t want to be the band to do that again. There are a lot of bands who are really good at bantering with the crowd, and I do respect that, but we really immerse ourselves in the character of the songs so we don’t really have to acknowledge the crowd. I mean if you want to the theatre you wouldn’t expect the characters to starts bantering with the audience.

You’ve been described as a very articulate and literate band. Would you agree with this? Is this intrinsic to the bands identity?

It is intrinsic, all of the music we enjoy does have extra depth but we do also strive for that instant element. We do strive for a certain depth and worth. The words can really inform how to approach the music.

What’s your opinion of indie-by numbers bands dominating the charts with tired and tested quiet-loud-quiet-loud garage rock?

We gave up a while ago. We only pay attention for a laugh. There’s a shameful predictably to most music at the moment. You can always tell what’s going to sell and music shouldn’t be that, music should be a part of yourself, it should be something to fall in love with, you shouldn’t always be force fed a product.

What, if anything have you learned from touring with Foals?


We’ve learnt a lot already. They’re an amazing band. They do everything so properly and wholeheartedly. Stick to your guns and keep going with what feels right.

Andy Trendell
http://www.myspace.com/wildbeasts
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1bW6USsmR70


Monday 6 October 2008

Scouting For Girls Interview - Fresh Advice



After their exuberant and Ball pleasing performance at The Ice Arena for our graduates, Platform music caught up with Scouting For Girls to discuss Nottingham, the past, the present, and being a fresher…

What are your impressions of Nottingham?

We love Nottingham. We’ve played here four or five times now. We’ve played The Attic, the very sweaty Rescue Rooms and the big one, Rock City and this place (the Arena). We’re playing here in November. The First time I ever came to Nottingham I got really excited about the nurse’s college combined with that whole 3:1 woman to man ratio. We think all these women are gorgeous. As soon as we’ve finished here, we’re going to go and hit on some in your ball.

Your songs tend to have an anthemic nature to the choruses. Is this always intentional?


Na, it just kind of happens that way. All the songs on the album were written for a bunch of our mates who used to come down to the pub and listen to us on a Friday night, and you know, have a laugh and forget all of their woes. So it to become quite so popular is just incredible.

What would you say your career highlight is so far?

Nottingham Trent Grad Ball! I’d rather be a poly than a c***! T.R.E.N.T. we are the Trent Army! And you can’t beat girls in dresses.


How would you say being childhood friends effects you as a band?

It makes life so much easier. I couldn’t imagine having to do this with two people that I’d only known for a couple of years. It’s like being in a band with your family. We can’t get divorced from each other, we just put up with each other and have a really wicked time. 80% of the time we have the most amazing experience, the other 20% we’re asleep. This band are all tight knit friends; even all of our crew were hired, not based on ability, but on how much we like them.

How would you describe your experience of higher education?

I had a wicked time at Uni. I did choose my degree on the basis that I was in a band and trying to get a record deal so I chose English, because it’s only eight hours a week. I made so many friends, I’d recommend University to anyone.

What’s your advice to those starting University?

Wear a condom. Don’t worry about anything too much. Just have a good time. Everybody gets ‘freshers’ flu’. It’s alright if you spend your student loan in 3 days. I bought a new guitar, a phat effects pedal, I spent the lot. Some absolute bastard fixed me up with a credit card as well. He was like “get this credit card, because you get £50 as a student”, I thought that would be nice, but my limit was £1000, and by Christmas I’d maxed it out, and I didn’t pay it back ‘til about a year ago. So whatever you do, don’t get a credit card. Spend a few quid of your loan on a Scouting For Girl’s ticket maybe? Your first year doesn’t count. Drink a lot.

Andy Trendell

October Gig Guide part 2

Saturday October 18th sees urban poet Mike Skinner offer Rock City an alcohol fuelled serving of truth as The Streets, with perhaps a little hint of satire to take the edge off. (please depict)

The Rockstar Taste of Chaos tour (featuring Atreyu, Story Of the Year, As I lay Dying, Mucc and special guests) promises to be evening of angst ridden, musical mayhem returns to our fair city on Monday October 20th. Fringes and piercings en mass for good times! Heavy, melodic, melancholy music all round!

Cheap drinks, U.V facepaint, free glow sticks, bubble machines and shot girls. What more could you possibly ask for? Why not hit up the Official Secret Skins party at Rescue Rooms and Stealth on October 20th?


Pop-punk has been making somewhat of a comeback as of late, after the damage done to the scene by the likes of Busted. Kids In Glass Houses are doing their part for the revival at Rescue Rooms on 21st October. (please depict)

Hardcore, angry metal madness from the Vegas quintet Bring Me The Horizon. If you’re not at the show at Rock City on Wednesday 22nd October, then no doubt you’ll be able to feel it as the rest of the city will be trembling.


Friday 24th October sees Young Dundonians The View deliver The Bodega Social Club their own take on the whole British indie pop-rock scene, with anthemic tunes that’ll no doubt have you dancing.


Brit-pop rock trio Feeder have bring their massive nationwide tour to promote the release of their latest album ‘Silent Cry’ To Rock City on Monday 27th October. Sing along pop-rock at its finest. (please depict)


Welsh emo boyo’s Funeral For A Friend return to Rock City on Tuesday 28th October after taking a more marketable approach to their previous album now with a more similar sound to that of their earlier material. This may warrant the attention of avid and casual fans alike. (please depict)


A couple of ‘big tunes’ from Mystery Jets have recently seen them grow immensely in popularity. Luckily, they’ve spared some time on their sold out tour to come see us at NTU Student’s Union on Thursday October 30th. Indie pop with an 80’s edge.


There’ll be sing alongs a plenty, when ex-Million Dead front man, turned acoustic folk hero Frank Turner hits the Rescue Rooms stage on Friday 31st October. Expect an uplifting experience, from a very down to earth young man.

Black Kids, who seemed to have sprung up from nowhere, and produced arguably one of the singles of the summer, will be gracing the NTU Student Union with their own brand of synth driven Indie pop-rock on Friday 31st October. (please depict)

Graham Turner

October Gig Guide part 1

The much loved, American hard rock group, Disturbed, are set to play in one of Nottingham’s best venues Rock City on the 8th October this year. So be sure to check their melodic but, dark beats!

On the 9th of October, The Spinto Band will parade their surreal Indie music in front of the small Bodega Social Club’s audience. With their chilled out rhythm and soft inoffensive voices, they are sure to be a hit!

Natty
, a new refreshing Reggae artist from London, that combines retro sounds with a summer feeling, somewhat resembling Jack Johnson. Natty will be playing his happy tunes in Rescue Rooms on the 9th of October.

The experimental, and technically adept musicians, Maps and Atlases will be performing their organic sound on Rescue Rooms small stage Friday 10th October.

The Bodega Ball
shall return once again on the 12th October, with the Indie legends Mystery Jets and special live guests Esser Micachu, Detroit Social Club and many, many more!


CSS
, the unique Brazilian Electro- Rock band, are bringing their shocking sounds back to Nottingham Monday 13th October. This funky group is sure to pack out the modest venue Rescue Rooms.


The 25-year old singer, songwriter and producer from London will be showcasing his electronic Folk Rock sounds at The Bodega Social Club Monday 13th October.

Melancholic Indie group, The Courteeners, display their quintessentially English style in Rock City’s main hall Tuesday 14th October.

Holy Fuck
, at The Bodega Social Club, on Wednesday 15 Oct 2008, which shall be followed with more madness from the prestigious night Electric Banana hosting an obscure blend of Indie, Electro, Disco and Reggae.

The undeniably retro Indie group, One Night Only, will bring their stylistic selves and music to Rock City on Wednesday 15th October.

Strange American ballad sounding, Classical/ Electro Rock artist, Elliot Minor, from York is set to play at our very own Nottingham Trent Students Union Thursday 16th October.

Irish trio, The Script will be playing their unusual Celtic Soul, cross-genre blend at Rock City Thursday 16th October.

The UK Rockers Towers of London will be playing their rough mix of hard rock with 77 style British Punk, at Rock City Friday 17th October.

By Lizzie Goodman

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