Electric Gardens - The Interviews
Intrepid reporter Joe Amos ventures into deepest darkest Kent armed only
with his trusty dictaphone. His mission, to hunt down stray band members
and pump them for information. Along the way he encountered a cavalcade
of fake roadies and sweaty drummers. The following transcripts are the
fruits of his research...
J: Hello Paddy.
P: Hello.
J: How did it go today?
P: It was very good. Very very hot though…I could’ve done with some oxygen towards the end! It was a little bit hairy trying to find our way in but yeah once we got here it was fine.
J: You were the first band ever to play the John Peel tent at Glastonbury. How was it?
P: That was great. In fact we were the first band ever to play at that Glastonbury because all the other stages were flooded out and didn’t have any power. So we were the only entertainment at that point in the day! It was quite good 'cause
J: How does Electric Gardens compare?
P: It’s much more compact and countrified. More like a farm show.
J: Where you off to next?
P: Erm we‘re off to Cardiff, Barcelona and a tour in September which is all over the place! In October we’re back to Spain which is when the album comes out so we’ll be doing a few more gigs and we’ve got a new single called ‘Once Upon a Time’ coming out in September.
J: Brilliant. Thank you very much.
www.theboyfriends.com
J: Looking forward to playing?
YK: I think so! It’s funny, there’s loads of people sitting down in front of the stage on which I’m gonna stand on and show off on and yer I think we’re gonna smash it up.
J: What’s so special about Electric Gardens. How does it differ from other festivals?
YK:….Not a lot! It’s got nice gardens and a pond and it’s warm so everyone’s got their clothes off which is ace and…no I don’t know really. I’ve only been here 10 minutes! It looks nice and it’s a good line up and they did a dance day yesterday…………which sounds rubbish.
J: How was it touring with Dirty Pretty Things?
J: Do you find that maybe when you go up north you get different crowd reactions to the South or is it just depending on the night?
YK: I dunno, I mean we go up north and we get good crowds In Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, that kinda thing and down in Brighton we get a few decent crowds as well. When it’s in front of your crowd it’s different. You play in front of someone else’s crowd and they’re their to see them so they normally chant “Get off the fucking stage you knobs” or “Lose some fucking weight”
J: Says here on my sheet of paper that both Clor and British Sea Power are Young Knives fans…flattered?
YK: Well Clor don’t exist anymore
J: True…
YK: And British Sea Power are…quite good. Y'know that’s fine! Y'know you do get to meet a lot of bands when you’re out on the road with bands so…I can’t say I like any bands apart from my own actually.
J: Any other famous friends that care to visit?
YK: Oh yeah! Janet-Street Porter. Janet Manic Street Porter…erm…I met Mani yesterday…he’s mad. Erm Dizzy Gillespie…I’d like to kick his face in. Well someone did didn’t they, beat us to it. Erm no I don’t really like that, it’s a load of bollocks. Just all of them hanging around going “Oh yer man I like what you did”, no you fucking didn’t you’re just saying that you lying bastard. Go speak to normal people.
(Laughter…a lot of laughter)
J: Erm influences. What’s the favourite band?
YK: Erm probably Steely Dan, Adam Ant.
J: Do you try and incorporate ideas from Steely Dan and Adam Ant into your music?
YK: Completely nicked! No, we try and hide our influences as deep as possible so people don’t go “That sounds a bit like that song”. If you start doing something and you go “That sounds a bit like ‘Stabletop’ by Adam Ant” we go “Well we won't do that one then. We’ll do something else.” We’ll put a different rhythm on it or something.
J: What’s your favourite song to play live?
YK: Erm I like ‘She’s Attracted To’ and I like a few B-Sides we’re doing at the moment.
J: Are you writing at the moment for the new album?
YK: No well, the album’s out on the 21st so that’s been sorted for ages and yeah we’re kinda writing stuff for the next one really and B-Sides for up and coming singles.
J: Where are you off to next?
YK: Erm V Festival, Bestival, erm can’t remember what else…Get Loaded in Wales and London and then we’ll be on tour in October for the album.
J: Band you’re most looking forward to seeing today other than yourselves?
YK: Oh fuck, you’ve already chosen my favourite. Erm, Field Music.
J: Nice one, ok well thank you and we’ll probably see you down at Field Music.
YK: Cheers.
www.theyoungknives.com
Field
Music
J:
3 minutes with Field Music at Electric Gardens…the more than successful(!)
Electric Gardens. You’re driving off to Sunderland now right?
Peter Brewis: Oh yes, no more bands we’re just
gonna listen to some records when we’re back home. We got a lot
of Led Zeppelin in the car.
J: Any tours or festivals
after this?
Peter Brewis: Erm Gothenburg, and Pukkelpop in Belgium.
Erm, yeah and Leeds and Reading.
J: Were you that surprised
with the acclaim that the album got?
Peter Brewis: ……………………………….................Acclaim?!
J: I hear acclaim…nothing
but acclaim!
Peter Brewis: Well……if it did get any acclaim,
erm well, hmm. Some days I’d be surprised because I wonder whether
anyone really sort of cares or is bothered about what we’re doing
but then other days I think yer, it’s a really good record. Erm,
so, yeah
J: How long did the record
take to record and mix?
Andy Moore: Erm…29 years! The first time we recorded
was about November 1993.
Peter Brewis: Nine-teen Ninety Three?
AM: Yeah and we finished it by August… no oh wait,
2003! I’m still in the 90’s, The Charlatans are playing! Erm
and finished it over 2004 but that was like “Oh shall we get together
and do some recording tonight” or “Oh shall we do some mixing
after work on Thursday” so doing the record took about three to
four months. But the first one took about 10 months because it was literally
a night here and a night there. The first weekend where we were like “Yer
we’re gonna do loads of recording” erm but for reasons I can’t
really go into we…couldn’t…do it. (laughs)
J: What’s your favourite
song to play live?
Peter Brewis: Erm, depends if the equipment works really!
J: What are the main influences?
Peter Brewis: Oh man.
J: I’m sorry!
Peter Brewis: Erm, not indie bands really because all
these indie bands just make us want to make some other kind of music!
J: Is there always a desire
with you to drift away from the norm then?
Peter Brewis: Not really, it’s just about making
music we like. Y'know we’re all together , we like the same things.
Y'know we like jazz, we like classical music…but we just want to
be in a band really. 3 guys who want to be in a band who are friends and
try not to be…
J: Rubbish?
Peter Brewis: Yer not to be rubbish really. Just try
to get all your influences and the things that you like together and just
make sure that it’s cohesive really and er, that’s what we
all try to do really.
J: Who writes the songs?
Is it mainly you or do you all get together and tear an idea to pieces
and expand on that?
Peter Brewis: No no not really. Probably why it takes
so long is because they write songs and I write songs and we all get together
and then we think “Nah, that’s not very good”. It’s
a long process normally. The initial sort of inspiration of songs take
y'know two minutes and then the rest is a long hard slog.
J: Cheers, have a nice time
driving to Sunderland(!)
www.field-music.co.uk
J: Hello we’re here with Adem. Hello.
A: Hello it’s pronounced ‘Ardem’.
J: ‘Ardem’?
A: Yeah it’s a weirdo name because my Dad’s Turkish and so as I’m sure you can guess from my lilywhite skin and my London accent I’m not exactly the conventional! I was brought up in London but my name is Turkish
J: I do apologise!
A: Ha, not at all it’s the mistake everyone makes!
J: Haha, so how did it go today?
A: It was alright, it was a struggle. Erm today is very hot and trying to get the sound ready. Playing without any preparation on a hot 2nd stage is always difficult and to get your sound right so that you’re happy with it is a challenge but we’re paid so yno, haha, we did our best.
J: Your new album ‘Love on Other Planets’: how’s it been going?
A: It’s been going great I think, people seem to like it and that’s the important thing.
J: How long did it take to record and mix?
A: Depends when you start counting! Erm, I guess in concept, I started as soon as ‘Home songs’ [first album] finished but I reckon about a year, year and a half ‘Home songs’ was finished was when ‘Love…’ started to kick in.
J: You record everything yourself correct?
A: Yeah I record everything at home on the computer.
J: Is that kind of therapeutic or very relaxing; do you go home and just record?
A: It’s great not to look at the clock. When you’re in the studio you’re constantly aware of time and money. When you’re at home you don’t have that. Its also a great opportunity where, yno, you wake up in the middle of the night with an idea: Just go and record it! You don’t have to say “Oh well I’ll book some studio time in two weeks”, it’s still fresh. And because of the way I record and the way I write using a lot of my first takes and first ideas off the cuff, it works doubly so.
J: Is that how most of ‘Love and Other Planets’ transpired?
A: Absolutely
J: And ‘Home Songs’?
A: Yeah, ‘Home Songs’ more so.
J: Is there any pressure on you playing the 2nd stage kind of halfway through the final day? Is there any pressure on you or do you just ignore it?
A: Erm, no more pressure than I feel at every show. You have a responsibility to the audience who have paid to see you put on a good show and have a nice time.
J: You said it was difficult. Difficult how?
A: Just very very hot and we couldn’t hear ourselves. I know it sounds, like, peppy to say it’s hot but when you cant see ‘cause there’s sweat in your eyes and your fingers are slipping all over the place it becomes a real challenge. It was tricky onstage also ‘cause when you’re singing or playing its hard to know whether you’re doing the right thing because you just cant hear yourself! But these things always happens at festivals simply because you’ve got no time to prepare. You just jump onstage and go. But that’s good. That’s part of the talent!
J: Where abouts in London are you based?
A: I live in the North-East. I live in Stoke-Newington.
J: Any other plans for the Summer?
A: I’m playing Summer Sundae and a couple of others and then getting ready for a few shows in the Autumn.
J: Brilliant, thank you very much.
www.adem.tv
J: Hello
JT: Hello
J: Looking forward to tonight?
JT: Yer it’s gonna be good yeah.
J: Was The Panic Prevention Tour your idea and did you sign the bands for that?
JT: Did I sign the bands?
J: Well, did you recruit them or-
JT: Yer. Yer they’re all my friends.
J: What’s it like playing at a festival, 2nd stage, toward the end of the last night. You nervous?
JT: Erm, not nervous, I’m looking forward to it. A little bit of nerves and just excitement…I dunno….I haven’t played it yet so we’ll see what happens!
J: It seems you try and keep yourself intertwined with a lot of different genres. Is that deliberate to reach a bigger audience or just the way you write songs?
JT: I’m aiming just to write whatever the fuck I want to. If I enjoy writing different styles of songs I keep on doing it. If I wanna write a group of songs that sound the same I’ll do it! I don’t really mind. You wanna make songs that people like and people can dance to.
J: Am I right that you record at home?
JT: I record some of it at home but I’ve moved into other studios as well ‘cause my bedroom got a little too much. Sleeping and working in the same room it got a little…crazy. But, I can’t really record live drums at my house so y'know. I kinda work between home and two other places in London so I can do the drum thing.
J: Do you find it’s quite nice to sit back and record spontaneous ideas or do you try and record to a set agenda?
JT: No no, I write constantly and I record constantly. That’s the fun of it! I get back from a night out and maybe something fun happened that night that I wanna write about, I’ll write about it. I like fucking around with samples as well and just sitting there for hours and playing around with things. They all come along slowly and surely. I rarely write songs that happen there and then. I just kinda keep on working at lots of different things at once.
J: How’s life in Wimbledon treating you?
JT: Yer it’s fine it’s all going good yno.
J: Did you find it hard finding venues in Wimbledon? Did you have to go towards more Central London or did you try and release your stuff and then see what happens?
JT: Nah, I’ve never actually played in Wimbledon! I used to play in Twickenham, Richmond, Soho a bit in North London, Putney and just play around really. Everywhere you can.
J: What are you plans ahead?
JT: Erm, playing a few more festivals, finishing off the record, erm I dunno and kinda just start writing new stuff. I mean I’ve got some new stuff already that I’d like to y'know finish off a bit and smooth things out and just have a lot of fun doing it…travel around a bit more and tour ‘cause I’m really enjoying that.
J: When do you reckon the record will be out?
JT: I’m not sure yet! Just gotta finish one more song so as soon as possible really.
J: Ok well thank you very much.
www.jamie-t.com
J: Iwan, hello. Looking forward to it?
I: Yeah kind of, I dunno…quite!
J: How longs the set today?
I: 45 ‘minyoots’
J: Minyoots?
I: Minyoots.
J: What are you finishing with?
I: Monster.
J: Quelle surprise! Are you sick of the song yet?
I: Sick of hearing it…not sick of playing it!
J: Haha, fair enough. What have you been up to recently?
I: Erm played a homecoming gig in Cardiff yesterday to a few thousand people…did that and…came here!
J: I know you’re off to Reading next, are you looking forward to that?
I: Yup certainly am, it’s the big one y'know? We all used to go to Reading so…it’s our festival!
J: What’s different from Electric Gardens to anywhere else?
I: Erm it’s posh as fuck! I’ve never been told I can’t go on a patch of grass for holding a beer in my life so y'know.
J: What bands have you seen today?
I: Erm, I heard the Fratellis, saw the Young Knives and a bit of Long Blondes because we toured with them so it was nice to catch up with them but not many really. You don’t get many chances to see other bands.
J: You staying around till the end?
I: Erm, yep. I saw The Mystery Jets yesterday so I’ll be seeing The Charalatans tonight.
J: Ok well you’re on in 15 minutes so I’ll leave you alone and good luck.
www.theautomatic.co.uk
Mohair
J: Hello we’re apparently
with the roadie of Mohair.
M: Yer hello the singer can’t turn up now so I’m
gonna sing as well as do the gear…..
(Voice from afar ‘He’s lying.’)
M: Well I’ve been on tour with them so I know the
words, the chords, the shapes and fortunately I fit into all his clothes
and have the same hair and genetic structure…
J: And the specs?
M: No these are my own.
J: How long have you been
‘roadieing’ with them all?
M: Well Mohair have been together for about 7 years now
and I’ve been there since the birth of it…erm…..fuck
no I am the singer, I cant be bothered with the analogy anymore it’s
rubbish! So no, 7 years and we’ve been sorta touring our arses off,
seen phases of music come and go and sorta sat back and watch it happen
and allowed it to happen to everyone else and now gradually it’s
happening to us now a little bit. So…a long time coming but it feels
good.
J: Have you done many festivals
in those 7 years?
M: Yer we’ve done a fair few, last year we did
Glastonbury, Reading, Leeds, T in the Park just doing new band stages
and stuff. Even though we’ve been around forever we’re still
new band status. Which is fine by me. I’m quite happy at this moment!
I mean we’re off to America in a couple of weeks ‘cause things
have gone pretty mental for us.
J: How does Electric Gardens
differ from the other festivals you’ve played at or does it?
M: Erm, it does and it doesn’t. It’s quite
small and intimate and everyone seems to know each other and you can sort
of stare into the eyeballs of everyone. And the main stage is really nice
because it’s got that kinda big hill that everyone sits on and kinda
chills out. There’s some casualties already, which I like at any
given festival. If you turn up in the afternoon it’s important that
there’s the odd casualty that you can guffaw around so yer no, it’s
very nice. Very hot and dry today though.
J: Any other bands you’d
like to see?
M: Well we just saw the Young Knives and they’ve
been doing really well…and obviously The Charlatans. We’re
a Hammond based band as well so everyone always says “Ooh The Charlatans”
even though we’re nothing like them. We’ve got a Hammond organ…that’s
all! But now just looking forward to getting the gig done and getting
wasted.
J: Where you off to after
this?
M: Erm we’re off to Austria to do some festivals
and around Europe and then off to America!
J: Cheers, I’ll leave
it there Thank You.
www.mohairmusic.com
Interviews by Joe Amos, photography by Paul Madden