I admit that despite the tiny size of this site, sometimes you get to breathe deeper on certain moments and situations. When you try to look up the Foos header picture and see the pull-down menu with the eyes of a stranger, sometimes you’re surprised and get to see something actually, beautiful. Something made with love and passion. I’m telling you, with lot of passion. And loads of hours.
It’s not about having one’s feet on the ground. We know what we are. And we don’t know how long this beautiful project will last. That’s why we want to enjoy the thing we enjoy most while it lasts, and share it with you. Please excuse the speech but today, my friends, is one of those days.
It’s a beautiful cold and sunny day in the capital of Spain, and one of the most important bands of the UK over the last 10 years is visiting town. They’ve been hardly criticised not only in the UK but also outside, and despite the problems they’ve had lately, they still throwing a hell of a show each night. And what’s more, they’re pretty alive. This is the 3rd time I’ve seen the Birmingham gentlemen and it’s by far, the best concert they’ve given. The sound is incredibly good in a venue famous for its awful acoustics. The band has 2 new members and you can’t tell the difference. They are presenting their 4th album, The Weight Of Your Love, a truly great comeback for all those suspecting a big fall to the music industry floor, a hard floor from which you don’t get up easily.
As you probably know by now, we’re talking about Editors.
We catched up with Russel Leetch and Justin Lockey, before the show, and this is what they told us.
How are you guys? I saw you were collaborating on a new TV show with some Spanish artists a couple of months ago, for the Spanish television, how was it?
RUSSEL: It was good! We didn’t actually collaborate. There were a lot of collaborations going on. We just… we didn’t feel very comfortable doing that. We got asked quite a few times to do it. There was a lovely girl, Anni B Sweet. She’s very good. I loved it. It hasn’t been aired yet has it? I did an introduction in a very bad Spanish.
You have had an intense summer tour with loads of European festivals. How does it feel? Do you feel more comfortable playing festivals or do you prefer your own gigs?
RUSSEL: It depends. Some festivals are out of this world and you can have great ones, and same with gigs. It’s different. I mean, the shows that we do each night, are pretty much the same.
«We got to a point that we didn’t want to do a certain kind of music»
The Weight Of Your Love sounds slightly different to your previous works, with deeper and darker sounds, more expansive than before. Where do you think your sound is heading to? How do you think you will evolve within the next records?
RUSSELL: In this record, even from the beginning, we wanted to have a shift in what the rhythm section was doing. We were quite bored of the 6 strings…
JUSTIN: Disco…
RUSSELL: Yeah, that type of thing. We should know what is working better. We got to a point that we didn’t want to do a certain kind of music. We tried to record with Chris in the band, and it didn’t work out, so we’ve got Justin and Elliot as well to help us.
Are you bringing the string section with you on tour?
RUSSELL: No, no, no. We’re already spending too much on tour (laughs)
Do you feel this record like the end of something or the beginning of something new?
RUSSELL: Absolutely. There’s a new line-up. A lot of songs are old songs that we had a long time. So for me to rework these songs again was a bit of a weird thing because it was the 3rd or the 4th time that we were doing it. But then it helped when we had something fresh, like the new songs Tom had written, that they became the highlighted songs of the album, like, Honesty, The Phone Book, A Ton Of Love or The Weight.
«If you want a product, you go to the market and you buy it. When you’re in a band, there’s so many ways you can get the product. It’s confusing, and it’s hard»
It’s been 4 years since the last album. Is there a perfect period of time for releasing an album or are we speeding up too fast nowadays?
JUSTIN: Well now there are lots of bands around the world, with a lot of music out there, so is hard for the things to stick.
So what’s your opinion of the music industry?
JUSTIN: There’s no music industry anymore.
RUSSEL: There are still some big major labels out there and they invest in Spotify and streaming services. I like the idea of streaming services, but there are always things behind. I think one thing is as an artist and generally a lot of people, if they want a product … like if you go to a farmers market, you buy it. That’s how you do it. When you’re in a band and someone wants to buy your product, there’s so many ways you can get it. It’s confusing, it’s hard. A lot of bands do need something to show that they’re worth buying. You can’t be a new band and say oh we’re great because no one will pay attention. There are a lot of bands. There’s lot of artists doing their music.
JUSTIN: Even there’s no time for them to release a second record.
«We tried to record with Chris in the band, but it didn’t work out»
I read that you were close to split up. What makes you want to go ahead and put aside your differences?
RUSSELL: Well, myself, Tom and Ed wanted to continue the band. We needed some other musicians to help us. Primarily for what was left of 2012, but also we knew that we were only six hands, and we needed other musicians.
Were you afraid that Chris departure would mean a lost of a distinctive sound?
RUSSELL: We knew it was happening anyway. I think we were quite brave in that decision. We always wanted Chris to push on with his sound anyway. And we pushed him to use synthesizers on the 3rd record which made a different sound.
What does a band need in order to have good vibes going on? Like, are there any essential factors to make the band working as a band?
RUSSEL: Communication is the main thing with a band. It’s quite simple.
JUSTIN: If you work really hard at it, it works out
«Our studio albums could be better»
What do you think Justin Lockey and Elliott Williams have added to the band?
JUSTIN: Yeah! I came up with some parts, made some riffs…. Initially I played a couple of shows and by the time I got into writing and pitching ideas.
Regarding the composition, do you reckon is it possible to write about sad things if you’re not in that mood?
RUSSELL: It generally leans toward a darker and more miserable stuff anyway. It’s the type of personalities we are. If we go to Itunes and we rent a video is not gonna be the romcom section. It would be a dark thriller. I want to go to see Gravity by the way.
If you could play anywhere you wanted, where would it be?
RUSSEL: To be honest there are still a lot of great festivals. But I would like to go and play in South America.
«Capturing imperfect parts of what you are is what makes a really great piece of art.»
8 years since your debut, 4 great albums, tours around the world… But what would you think are your weakness as a band? Is there something you would like to improve or to try?
RUSSELL: I think that our studio albums could be better. It’s hard to capture an energy that the band has. And what’s what we’re always working on. Once you get in the studio you think this piece of music has to be absolutely perfect, but capturing imperfect parts of what you are is what makes a really great piece of art.
And last question. Simple one. Are you happy?
BOTH: Oh yes! Yes we are.
DB
R O C K A S T / / 
«It’s difficult to believe that people believe in music as something more» Interview with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.
What’re you rebelling against, Johnny?
And so Johnny goes: Whaddya got?
We still remember the famous Marlon Brando scene on “The Wild One” 60 years later to put ourselves in context, and recall where Black Rebel Motorcycle Club took their name from.
BRMC still continue to be one of the finest bands to distil R’n’R without additives since the start of the new millennium.
They came along by chance with all The Strokes hype back in the early 2000s, and found themselves in the middle of a dancehall they hadn’t even pretended to assist. The hype was high but their ideas had another path marked.
They’re presenting their 7th album called Specter at the Feast ([PIAS], 2013), not an easy album as the death of Robert Been’s father, Michael Been, has been a hard loss for the band. Michael, worldwide known as The Call singer and guitarist, was also helping on production and even working with the sound engineering team during their last tour.
We catch Robert Been in the middle of the European leg and chat with him about music, Bowie, new reunions of The Call and how he sees the music business today.
How are you Rob? How is the tour going so far?
We’re in Belgium at the Rockwerchter, in the European summer tour. We’ve been touring in America and we’ve just started the European tour.
You’re playing in Spain in few days, after the strong rumours about the FIB Festival cancellation. Do you have any updates we don’t know?
I haven’t heard about that. It’s one of the festivals that we’re most excited to play. So I’m glad it’s still going on.
Let’s get to the new album. I think SPECTER AT THE FEAST it’s an album that somehow captures the essence of the band. It’s your 7th album already, how do you feel about it? is it easier to make albums now or was it better with the first albums?
It’s never easy. For some reason you’re always very sceptic with your life. There’s a lot that goes into the record, and there’s always circumstances around each album that tend to change, and rock and roll has got to fight for survival sometimes. We have some personal loss and we used this album to kind of, look forward, and kind of survive, and the music helped us go through that, so this record is an attachment to that, and I’m very proud of it.
I’m just afraid of not being authentic with people. Going to the emotions, or having something that sounds like everything should be in place but for some reason the heart of it it’s missing… that’s the only thing that I’m worried about. I’m not worry about the people’s criticism, as knowing that we’re trying to make something that’s honest, the feelings that we’re trying to touch heart, a feeling that other people relate you… I think if you’re being honest with yourself, with the music, the writing, it will shine through if it’s true in you.
You’ve made a fantastic cover of Let The Day Begin in this record, and also you played on The Call reunion 2 months ago. I’ve heard that at the end of the day people tend to come back to their roots somehow. How was the experience for you? Would you like to play more with them?
The shows were really powerful. I wasn’t really sure what I was getting into. It was a lot. I had to learn 20 songs, perform and sing them. There was a lot of work but it was a joy, you know? The guys that I was playing with had been like a second family since I was a little kid. My father would take me out on the road with them. I was 6-7 years old running around backstage with these guys and now I’m onstage playing with them. It’s very surreal. But it’s a lot of fun. Songs are still great. They’re such incredible musicians still these days, that’s the great thing about it. And if we get the chance to play again together I would love to do that. It was a lot of fun.
We’re working on releasing a live DVD of those shows, so hopefully that will kinda get people into The Call again.
I just don’t think there’s anything really needed about that. There’s a lot of music that I don’t think it has very much… it’s not very much needed or necessary. It’s different people trying kind of acting cool… It’s difficult to kind of believe that music still can be used as something more, and people still believe in it as something more.
It doesn’t really have much heart or consciousness; it just feels kind of flat, and usually forgotten. But it’s just me. I could be wrong. But I hope I’m not. (laughs)
Is there justice in the music nowadays? What do you think you need to success in the music business? Do you believe in luck or do you think that work hard makes all the difference?
I don’t know, sometimes success is the exact opposite of creating music that is raw, real and true. Like it serves some purpose. Success is something in its entirety. But it’s an easy thing to come back. So a lot of people go for that.
We’ve done an all-nightjob trying to find a way through that. I’m not gonna lie, we would love to play bigger arenas and all that stuff and get our music to more people. We know that sometimes to get into that places you got to change what you do, and we don’t want to do that.
«Artists in the early days knew how the world looked like without Rock and Roll music»
I’ve read you play Hide & Seek with David Bowie when you were a child, is that true?
(laughs) Yeah, he was friend of my father. My father was working and while they were shooting, as I was a little kid, I was like 10 or so, I was trying to get anybody to play Hide & Seek with me and he was the only one who accepted. (laughs)
Well, he was already an icon by then, his legend has grown and grown with the years. You know, from inside the music business, all this kind of, celebrities’ scene we have now, How do you see it?? Do you reckon that there’s a lot of pose in Rock and Roll nowadays?
I think there are more artists like, you know, in the early days, making music. I think they knew what the world looked like without Rock and Roll music. I think they were aware, of what it was like before there was Elvis, Beatles and Stones, and lot of them were kids who grown up in a time before you know? There was How Much Is That Doggie In The Window? And songs like that, that just didn’t stick anyone. I understand, they point in the consciousness and were the voices of a generation, and I think that a lot of those artists like Bowie, Iggy Pop, Neil Young, a lot of them know what it’s like without that. And that’s the difference between lot of new bands today, that are spoiled, just thinking that this is how the world it is, and how is always going to be there, and is not the case, it can go away, it can stop. It’s like a black and white world. And I think they know what that feels like, and I don’t think anyone else does, so it means more, and they felt more and they’re more aware of it. They blooded more with their whole heart, you know, that’s why you get more of those icons and legends who are really hard to touch. They come from another time.
Well, usually if you’re making some music that’s got something to say, it’s gonna polarized people. Is gonna be loved, is gonna be hated… that if you’re doing it right. But that doesn’t mean that it hurts, or bring you down when people talk shit about it. It’s just part of it though. If we made a really pop friendly record that everyone love… I would be death more nervous if everybody said thanks. That’s a suspicious place to be in.
Is there something you would like to do in music that you haven’t done yet? Soundtracks…
Yeah, we’re actually working on a soundtrack right now, and looking into some films, it’s a totally different thing, creating music for a scene created for a picture. That’s something we always wanted to do. We haven’t had the time because we’ve being on the road so much. We’re gonna start looking into that, and doing more things like that now. It’s something really inspiring and that we’ve never done before.
If you had the chance to play your music anywhere or anywhere in the world or in history, what would be that place or moment?
The only thing I regret is the day that I won’t be able to play,or to make a record because it’s needed you know? Like somewhere in the future, we could be too old, or we all split up or whatever the problem is, cos the feeling you get, I’m sure all bands get that, even after they split up, you get this feeling that something really good needs to be put out. And not being able to be there for that day, that’s the feeling I’m worried about. I’m not worry about going backwards, there’s no need to fantasize but being in a band on the 60’s, right there, would be just fine.
Some bands put themselves an expire date, you know they go ok, we’ll make 5 albums and then we will make other projects. How do you see it? Have you ever thought about that?
You can’t ever really know what’s coming next. You can’t ever say without a doubt that there’s not gonna be a feeling, an intuition or a song next year that you may want to try. You’ll never be able to know that.
The only bands that I think that say we’re gonna be quitting after this next album or wants to kind of knowing themselves, they’re not comfortable playing anymore, in that way, with those people maybe, and you can feel that sense coming I think, which is not right anymore. And it’s a hard day. I can see that. I don’t think that anybody does it intentionally though.
We borrow the logo of the guitar in the cover of Baby 81 for our site. Do you mind if we use it or should we find a new one?
(laughs) No man, I don’t mind, I’m good with that. Go for it.
Thanks! I really appreciate it. And last question: Are you happy?
I’m scared of that word! (laughs) I know many people that are obsessed with happiness over all else, and sometimes they think all else is a little bit more interesting. There are so many roads besides that one, I’m not done exploring them all. (laughs)
David Bernardo @rockasting
Comparte esto:
Deja un comentario
Publicado en Grunge, punk, rock, Shoegaze, Uncategorized
Etiquetado black rebel motorcycle club interview 2013, brmc interview 2013, michael been david bowie, robert been interview, specter at the feast comments, the call reunion dvd