More House of Tracks interviews including Soulwax, The Holloways and The Automatic.
— Sarah Hendy
Why did you decide to become a TV presenter?
I didn’t want to have to do a normal job in society and I lacked the height to be a model. I was also lacking the look, the body, the face pretty much everything needed to be a model. Being a model was never really on the cards. So yeah presenting the last option open really!
You are Welsh, but where about in Wales do you come from and what is it like?
I am Welsh boyo! I’m from Llanelli originally (try saying that with a mouth full of spaghetti). It’s a little Welsh town with lots of prams and fake burberry hats. Luckily I got out just in time, although I still sport my furberry every now and then.
You host ‘Whatever You Want’ on E4 music wearing a sandwich board and harassing innocent members of the public into requesting a track. Do you have any funny stories from presenting it?
All the stories are funny. I have to give chase with pretty much every person I interview. The best one was when my sandwich actually broke in half I was pelting it so hard after some joggers on the Embankment. It was pretty embarrassing as the camera man was lapping me. I thought my luck was in and I wouldn’t have to wear the board again but luckily (!) the powers to be at E4 made me a lighter upgraded more aerodynamic model that is prettty much unbreakable, and believe me I have tried.
What is your favorite track of the year?
It’s got to be a Girls Aloud one and the actual favorite track is Kayne West - ‘Golddigga’. Any time a requestee can’t think of a track I just say how about some Kanye? My producer has banned me from requesting him. I love the Kooks - ‘Naive’ too.
What are George Lamb and Rick Edwards like in real life? Is Rick really that mad?
George is lovely and takes a lot of time to do his hair. Rick is a nob, ha! Just joking he’s lovely. We have a love hate relationship. I love him he hates me. And other days it switches. It’s good when we present as I just get to insult him and he is pretty bonkers yes. We have been known to have to do many a re-take because of his foul mouth!
If you could interview any musical band or artist, who would you interview and what would you ask?
Probably Robbie and I’d ask for a date.
What is your favorite drink?
At the moment it’s vodka, lime and soda. Funny I think of alcohol first. I’m really into soya milk too. Chilled with a cookie. I’m reverting back to my childhood. The vodka thing too, I think it goes back to what my mum used to drink when she was pregnant.
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— Sissy
Who play which instruments?
I play keys and do the programming (David Trusz), Jo is acoustic guitar and vocals, and our friend Steve makes a lot of the noisy bits with his guitars and pedals.
What bands inspired your sound?
Bands that have inspired our sound for me would be Radiohead, Depeche Mode, Portishead, Bjork, just to name a few (Johanne Williams).
Your debut album is called ‘All Under’, why ‘All Under’?
‘All Under’ means things that are under the surface, under our skin. With our writing both lyrically and musically we dove deeply into feelings we were having without censoring them. We let ourselves be vulnerable, let people see us in a deeper way. So it is symbolic to that (Jo).
What are your favorite album tracks?
‘I See You’ and ‘Imitation’ (Dave).
What is your favorite synth?
Roland Jupiter 8. I had one when I was sixteen and traded it in for 600 bucks so I could buy a Korg DSS1 Sampler. Maybe the biggest piece of shit Korg ever made. Still bitter about that. I’m looking for one now (Dave).
Who would you most like to work with?
I would love to work with Thom Yorke. I would kill to sing a song together. He has a beautiful voice and is extremely talented and creative (Jo).
http://www.houseoftracks.co.uk
Shoving brand spanking new tracks into your face.
— Soulwax
For those that don’t already know, how did Soulwax meet?
My brother Dave forced his best friend Stefaan to play the bass and then they got some guy to play the drums. I was in another band and I just walked in and I wanted to try out something so I asked if I could play with them and I just stayed on and ever since we’ve been making music.
But literally every question you can ask about how we started Soulwax and 2 Many DJs, nothing has been planned, it all just happened. Most of the time out of boardom, because we’re really easily board.
How are you finding the Rockness festival?
Really good, it’s really fun. The drive up to Rockness is amazing. I have a lot of respect for the kids camping, it looks rough.
We’re camping
Respect.
You’re playing two sets this weekend as 2 Many DJs and as Soulwax (performing Nite Versions) but which one do you prefer and why?
They’re different. One is DJing and one is playing in a band but they’re both good, they’re both fun. It’s the last time we’re going to be performing Nite Versions today.
Ever?
Yeah, but we’re making a new set.
I like the bits where you cover Tomas Anderson ‘Washing Up’.
Well that’s it, we’ve been playing it for too long and we want to completely change it. The first time we did that was at Fabric and we kept it going for fifteen, twenty minutes but we agreed to only do it four or five times and two years later we’re still doing it!
Are you working on any new material?
We’re working on a new 2 Many DJs record, we’re working on a new Soulwax remix album, we’re producing and writing Tiga’s new record, we’re doing a couple of remixes and there’s this guy called Saam Farahmand who’s making a film about us called ‘Part Of The Weekend Never Dies’. So there’s a lot of stuff that’s going to come out and that’s why we’re taking a break of three months from performing as a band, only DJing, so we can focus on making stuff in the studio.
Have you thought of a name for your new 2 Many DJs album?
No.
How about ‘As Heard On Radio Soulwax Pt. 3’?
That would be too easy. But if ever it turns out to be that way you can use this interview to prove that you had the idea.
You use a lot of electronic equipment when you perform Nite Versions, what gear have you got?
Stefaan uses a Korg MS20 and I use an Abeton, so I actually start all of the tracks and mix them. I’ve also get a delay pedal that I can effect my voice with.
You’ve got a Vocoder too haven’t you?
Yeah, I use a Vocoder and then Steve has got the drums and the synth pads.
What do you use as a MIDI sequencer?
That would be the Ableton, it sends out three MIDI channels so we can all use the gear at the same time. A lot of people think it’s really easy but sometimes it’s really not.
What’s your favorite UK venue?
Whoa, that’s hard. Beflast has to be up there. Glasgow is always really good, Manchester is really good. I could keep going.
Who are your favorite new bands?
That’s a hard question. There’s a lot of little things that I like but bands that I like, not that much actually. I like LCD Soundsystem, I like Bondo De Role, I like Justice, as soon as I walk away I’m going to be like ‘I should have said this and this!’
What remix are you most proud of?
I have to say I did like the one we did for The Gossip because it’s really simple, we’re not trying to be cool or interesting. When I heard that track two years ago I loved it so much, I actually said to the guy at our record company, I really want to do a remix of that record and make the drums sound a little bit bigger and make it so that people can dance to it. So we did it and people really liked it, so I’m proud of it.
Do you know a DJ called Goldierocks?
Yeah.
She said that your remix of The Gossip was her favorite remix of 2006.
She’s amazing.
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Shoving brand spanking new tracks into your face.
— The Aliens
For those who don’t know you used to be in the legendary Beta Band. I was such a fan.
Thanks.
What was your fondest memory of the Beta Band days?
Touring America with Radiohead was exciting but fondest memory was making our first video ‘Inner Meet Me’ in the Highlands on a cold January day.
The Beta Band album was incredible but you hardly played any songs from it live especially toward the end, why?
Making the album was a dark time for the band, our Singer Steve was suffering from depression, so we didn’t really want to revisit them.
So now you’re The Aliens. Who came up with the idea and what does Steve think of your new band?
Gordon (Lone Pigeon) came up with the idea, I’ve known Gordon since school and myself and Robin have wanted to work with him for some time.
What most inspired your new sound?
Our new sound is inspired by what sound Gordon hears inside his head and where me and Robin can push it.
John, What is your favorite piece of musical equipment?
It still has to be my EMU sampler. I can’t imagine ever replacing it with a computer program.
Your famous and Scottish, do you hang out with any other famous and Scottish people like David Jack or KT Tunstall?
No. But glad KT is doing well, we’re all from the same neck of the woods.
Your debut EP is out this month. Describe it.
It’s an introduction to The Aliens and a journey across the Universe.
Who is your favorite Radio One DJ?
Anyone that will play our stuff.
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— The Automatic
How did you all meet?
Frost and Rob met in primary school, they met Iwan at Cowbridge comprehensive school and then I joined in at sixth form.
Your new single is called ‘Recover’ but what are your best recovery tips?
I find sausages are the best. Sausages and tea. I don’t know why, I think it might be a mental thing with me.
You’ve just got back from Japan. What was it like?
Absolutely amazing. It’s the best place I’ve been to in a long time. I want to live there.
What are the Japanese crowed like?
They’re awesome. They’re always really keen to join in with the band. When we’re playing I do a lot of things that I don’t really think about. I found myself clapping in time with ‘Raoul’ and the rest of the crowd were copying after only clapping once or twice. We where playing ‘Monster’ at Fugi Rock and they all started shouting ‘Oi!’ in time. In this country you have to try really hard to get people to look uncool but out there they love it. They’re really quiet between songs aswell and at the end of the gig they just all go home.
You performed your encore at the Brighton Concorde in your undercrackers. Was it fun?
That’s a nice way of putting it. Yeah, It was a real relief. We all decided we might want to do it because it was really hot all day and the Concorde is kind of like a greenhouse because it’s right on the seafront and the one wall is basically all windows so we said we’ll wear these white pants. The gig was going really well, there were people standing on tables and people standing on these pole bits and girls with their tops off. It’s the kind of gig where if it’s not going well, you can’t come out in you pants and be like ‘Yeah!’.
What was the crowd reaction like?
It was awesome. I suppose it was a mixture of people who were having loads of fun anyway and shock.
Who are you looking forward to seeing while you are here?
Graham Coxon. He’s our hero guitarist.
What are your favorite live tracks?
‘Thats What She Said’ which is the first track on the album because it’s heavy and funky. ‘By My Side’ has always been a strong tracks for us too. It was the first song that we ever wrote as a band.
Have you got any showbiz stories?
Not really too many. I’ve kind of had a few rubbish rumors. Apparently I’ve slept with three celebrities that I’ve only briefly met!
Well done!
Apparently Ferne Cotton, Peaches Geldof and Lily Allen. I met Lily once, I met Ferne twice and I met Peaches once but she doesn’t even remember because she was a bit wrecked. I find that a bit weird.
You have to wonder who makes that stuff up.
Do you prefer white or brown bread?
I prefer brown bread for sandwiches except for breakfast because obviously with sausages, you have white bread. If you’re going to have a sandwich with salad and stuff you have brown bread. That’s quite a detailed answer. Have you heard of best of both?
White bread with the goodness of brown. I’ve never tried it.
I have, It tastes like brown bread. So I like white, brown and best of both. Basically all bread.
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Shoving brand spanking new tracks into your face.
— The Bishops
How did you all meet?
Myself and Pete are brothers so obviously known each other all our lives, but we met Chris about five years ago I’d say the band started about four years ago. Chris was working in a pub nearby where me and Pete lived in London and we just got to know each other, we really liked music, rock n roll guitar stuff and it just went from there really.
We were just starting to get some songs together and found out that Chris played drums with Bands of Scotland and we thought we’d have a bit of a jam and it went from there really.
How did you get signed to 1234 Records?
Percy Parker who runs the label along with Sean McCluskey he saw us a couple of Christmases ago and he really took to the band and a deal developed from there really. We kept seeing him at all these gigs and we didn’t realise that he wanted to do a record deal so it just went from there really.
You played the Vice Tent at Tales of the Jackalope last year, did you see any of the other bands while you were there?
We saw the Rumle Strips, Larrikin Love, Good Shoes, The Pipettes.
What did you think of The Pipettes?
They’re a pretty cool band, we’ve done a few gigs with them.
Are you playing any festivals this year?
So far it looks like in the UK we might be doing the Tapestry festival in August, but nothing confirmed. We’ve got a few booked for Europe, like Austria. We might be doing a small tent at Glastonbury.
Your album ‘The Bishops’ is out April 23rd, are you excited?
We’re looking forward to it coming out, as I said we’ve been together about four and a half years, and just to get an album in the shops is fantastic.
Favorite tracks?
‘Back and Forth’, ‘Breakaway’, ‘Light in a Hole’ ‘So High’. Some tracks on the album are a bit more like how the band sound live. The ones with the percussion are really good as well. We’re pleased with the general form of it. ‘Travelling away from home’ sounds different live, we brought a different quality to it. ‘Will you ever go back again’ which is a very old song, we really transformed it. It was the last song we recorded, I feel we made a progression from the first songs we did, I think you can see, it’s a very peculiar sort of song, particularly the rhythm.
Next single?
‘I Can’t Stand It Anymore’ which is going to be released April 16th, a week before the album, 7” and download, limited edition and maybe a re-release of ‘The Only Place That I Can Look Is Down’.
What’s your favourite chocolate biscuits?
That’s a very good question. We did have a biscuit conversation. My personal favourite is Jaffa cakes, are they biscuits? I think Bourbon, they’re good, Custard cream is my favourite but that’s not chocolate. The gingery biscuits, caramelised biscuits. Mine, I quite like ginger nuts, I used to eat them a lot when I was younger, decided to buy them again, quite nice with a cup of tea.
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— The Holloways
Your album ‘So This Is Great Britain’ came out in October last year. What are your favourite tracks from it?
The title track is my favorite (Bryn). ‘Lonely Faces’ is one of my favourites, ‘Two Left Feet’ aswell and ‘Diamonds And Pearls’ (Alfie). I think we all still like ‘Generator’ too (Rob).
What will your next single going to be?
‘Dancefloor’ out on Febuary 12th. That’s our favourite one to play live (Rob).
You’re supporting Babyshambles like tonight, here at Rock City in Nottingham. What are they like?
Private people, they don’t really mingle. They’re on the other tour bus at the moment (Bryn). Pete Doherty showed me his puncture in his belly where his implants are going to get pulled out the plaster and it looked really rank. I tried to drag him down the chemist to get some savlon on it but he said he’d be fine and he’s going to A and E tomorrow (Rob).
You toured with the Noisettes last year.
Yeah, they’re really cool though. We’ve known them from before the tour. It just depends if you’re into rock (Alfie). They’re a bizarre sort of punk so I think a lot of people are going to be like ‘what the fuck’ when the lead singer is dancing around the stage like a lunatic. It’s probably not to everyone’s taste but I’m well into it (Rob).
Did you play any festivals this year?
We played Bestival which was amazing.
I was there.
Bestival is one of our favourite festivals because it’s really relaxed.
What stage where you on? The Rock N’ Roll Stage?
No, we where on the Xbox stage. There was a little lounge there with a fridge and there was a constant supply of free beer for the whole festival (Rob).
It made it so much better having your own little backstage bit for the whole weekend. Whereas, I know The Young Knives only got a backstage pass for their day so they didn’t really stay for the rest of the festival (Bryn).
Did you wear fancy dress?
Yeah, I was a life guard with a sock stuffed down my pants (Bryn).
Your single ‘Generator’ is in C major but if you where stranded at sea, what would your major concern be?
Ooohhh! How to start the generator up? (Alfie) Not drinking sea water (Bryn). What’s it called when it’s powered by the water? Wave Power? (Alfie)
What’s been your favourite gig so far?
Frog? (Bryn) I don’t know (Alfie). I think my favourite one might have been the Battle Clad in Paris, I had a really good time there. That was with Babyshambles aswell, It was one where they didn’t turn up until two hours late and a riot was about to burst out. We had an amazing time though. There’s a video on youtube of it where Rob is bouncing his guitar off the floor at the end.
What do you watch on TV?
Simpsons, South Park, I’m Alan Partridge (Alfie). Spaced, that’s what we’ve been watching on the bus (Bryn). I like CSI (Rob). Quincy is the best fucking program ever made (Alfie). That’s Alfie’s oppinion only (Bryn)!
We’ve started getting into The Mighty Boosh because Alfie was on the same team as Noel Fielding on Never Mind The Buzzcocks.
Did you win?
We did, we beat the Towers Of London. Take that! (Bryn) Alfie was infinitely more witty than Donnie from Tales Of London, not quite as punk though (Rob).
You’re playing the NME awards in Febuary.
We’re playing one of the shows for the NME awards, yes.
Oh, so you’re not going to be on the NME awards show?
The NME have a month worth of gigs leading up to the awards show.
Like a tour?
No, not like a tour! It’s different (Bryn). The have the tour which is an entirely separate thing and then they have a month’s worth of gigs leading up to the awards themselves and we’re headlining the one at KoKo in Camden with 1990s, The Dykeenies and some new friends of ours called The Wombats.
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— The Hot Puppies
Where are you from and how do you know each other?
We’re from Aberyswyth, we met in Aberyswyth and we started going out with each other (Bert)!
What are your favourite venues in Wales?
The Rada Art Centre, oh it’s fucking mental, it’s brutal (Ben). We arrived and the first thing the sound guy said to us was ‘Show Boat For The Hot Puppies’ in a baby voice. It was the most miserable evening we’ve ever had in our entire lives. It was in a place, you couldn’t even call it a hamlet, it was £50 each to get in with no bar and the main attraction was The Hot Puppies all the way from Aberyswyth (Bert)!
Our favourite one is the Chapter Art Centre in Cardiff (Ben). When we lived in Aberyswyth, we used to play in The Keepers and that was really really good but it’s changed hands now (Becky).
Your album ‘Under The Crooked Moon’ came out on 24th July 2006 but what are your favourite tracks from it, live and recorded?
I think my favourite recorded one is ‘Bottled Ship Song’ or maybe ‘Heatbreak Soup’ and ‘Green Eyeliner’ and ‘Terry’ (Becky). And all the others (Ben)!
Your album ‘Under The Crooked Moon’ came out on 24th July 2006 but what are your favourite tracks from it, live and recorded?
I think my favourite recorded one is ‘Bottled Ship Song’ or maybe ‘Heatbreak Soup’ and ‘Green Eyeliner’ and ‘Terry’ (Becky). And all the others (Ben)!
What is your next single going to be?
We’re releasing ‘King Of England’ in September. That’s the first one from our new album ‘Blue Hands’ due out later this year (Becky).
You’re currently signed to Fierce Panda Records but if you were confronted by a Fierce Panda, what would you do?
Get some bamboo and strip it (Beth). I’d mock it’s inability to mate with me (Luke).
You’re playing The Brixton Windmill tonight with The Vic Gents, Tim Ten Yen and many more. What do you think of the bands you’re playing with?
We’ve played here a couple of times before, quite a long time ago and we’re friends with a couple of bands who are playing here today (Becky).
Who’s going to win The Mercury Prize?
Bat For Lashes. Who’s going to win it or who should win it?
Who’s going to win it?
Bat For Lashes should win it (Becky). Who’s nominated?
The Young Knives, Fionn Regan, Klaxons, New Young Pony Club, Bat For Lashes, The Arctic Monkeys, Dizzee Rascal, The View.
A real gaggle of people (Becky). Oooohhh I don’t know (Bert)!
What do you think of LodeStar being cancelled?
Fucking, what a load of shite! Five weeks in advance and they blame the wether (Ben).
And the weather is going to be good this month.
That simply won’t do. That’s not the spirit is it (Bert)?! I feel really sad because we’ve had a lot of correspondence with Doug and he’s been really nice and he really wanted us to play and it’s a real shame that he’s cancelled it but it’s their first year and they think they chose the worst year to start it (Becky).
Truck postponed it but they waited until the day before.
The ones that cancel or postpone on the day or on the day before, that’s fair enough but to cancel five weeks in advance, that’s someone literally shitting their pants (Bert)!
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— The Kaiser Chiefs
Your debut single ‘Oh My God’ was out on Drowning Sound in 2004, but how did they discover you?
I think they saw us supporting some band somewhere and they just wrote nice things about us. We were getting knocked back by record companies, they were saying you know, ‘you’re too old’ kind of thing and then someone suggested to Nick, why don’t you just ring Drowning Sound and ask them if they’ll release a single and when we rang them and they said ‘Yea’ it was literally that simple.
Your songs were summer anthems of 2005, what were the anthems you remember from when you were fifteen?
It was about 1990 when I was fifteen, I was just like a kid with big baggy flares and the big hair and a flowery t-shirt. I was more interested in drugs and stuff, nothing heavy, just experimenting. Anything by Stone Roses or Charlatans really.
Exclusive!
So what’s your favourite festival of last year?
I liked the T in the Park and Oxygen festivals, I like playing out of England really. The Irish and the Scottish fans they literally go mad for it ‘cause you very rarely play that far north so when you do go there they’re brilliant.
Your latest single ‘Ruby’ was out on February 19th, but who is Ruby?
It’s literally nobody, it’s obviously a song about something or someone but it’s no one in particular. Even if it was, which it isn’t, it would be horrible to mention that person.
The video sees a civilization of tiny people populating around your feet. Was that your idea and are you happy with the result?
Our brief to directors was ‘It’s got to take a day’ and we just want to be playing it, make sure this video isn’t about someone called Ruby. So we’ve worked with these Style War people before, a few Swedish guys, they did the ‘Predict A Riot’ video, the second one, we like them, they’re quick. They said ‘We’ll build this fantastic city around you’, so it was like ‘Yea, sure’, it only took an afternoon.
What’s the most rock and roll thing you’ve done?
What is rock and roll? I don’t drink now, I used to drink before I was in a band so I was a lot more rock ‘n’ roll when I was a student. I used to go out and get pissed and trash stuff like you do, but since I’ve been in a band I’ve just been pretty normal to be honest, so nothing particularly rock ‘n’ roll.
Your next single is going to be ‘Everything Is Average Nowadays’ what’s your single going to be after that?
We don’t know, we’re talking about it at the moment, we’re going to wait until the album comes out. There’s no rush for it, it’s going to be end of the summer probably.
Your album ‘Yours Truly Angry Mob’ is out on Monday but was it harder to write than ‘Employment’?
Well ‘Employment’ technically took our entire career to write, when you start your band, you’re developing towards your first album, whereas this one we had January to August. We booked that time off, we went to the same rehearsal studio and we did the same thing that we did the previous time. We didn’t feel any pressure, it came pretty naturally to be honest. We wanted to make sure that we had the songs written and finished before we took them into the studio to record because a lot of bands just kind of book a studio for six months, go in with no songs, spend three months getting drunk and playing the sitar and coming out with songs too long when we went into the studio we just wanted to spend time recording and making the record sound good.
What are your favourite tracks?
I like ‘Retirement’, ‘Angry Mob’ and ‘Life’s Not A Competition’. We’ll wait until the record’s out, we haven’t really been playing these songs often enough for the crowds to react, we don’t know what the crowds favorites are going to be.
What do you think of the Pigeon Detectives?
I like them, they were born about a mile away from where I was born. They’re nice guys, they all wear leather jackets, I know I’m wearing one, but they all wear the classic black short Stroke’s style jacket they all look the same, kind of like The Beatles in the fifties, not in the sixties. They’re cool guys, it’s always nice to have people with Northern accents.
Are you still friends with Simon Amstell from Popworld?
Not me personally, when I see him I’ll say hello, but Nick was on The Buzzcocks the other day as a guest, he’s a cool guy. He should go back to Popworld really.
What’s your favourite pizza topping?
It’s either four cheeses, or just a plain old Margherita with black pepper, I’m a vegetarian.
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