Interview with British Sea Power
"You can smoke your chongo mongo, drink your cider, eat your chips and then go home." - British Sea Power on the allure of festivals.
Strange things happen when you conduct an email interview with a band. Without the perceived intermediary of the telephone handset, or eye contact, the subject feels less of a sense of duty than the usual affair; what they should say gets replaced with the eccentricities of what their synapses suggest to them. It was exactly this situation that occurred when several answers made their way back from the British Sea Power camp this month… and it made me more intrigued than ever.
‘Machineries of Joy’ comes out at the beginning of April. Thinking back to your naissance, around 13 years ago, did you think you had started a five-album band? At the time I think we were just enjoying and living in the moment, it’s surprising how things turned out… I thought we would have hurt ourselves by now.
The album was dreamed up in North Wales. Was that a writers’ retreat for you? I don't think we retreat to the country, it’s more like we go there to recharge our nature guns ready to attack the big smokes.
Knowing the landscape intimately – it’s my homeland – did any of the environment creep into the content? We were treated to Welsh cakes by the local shepherdess, which did inspire a flatulent bongo jam; jets flew over the majestic mountains bombing out the terrorist sheep which was a nice surprise.
I’ve only heard ‘Machineries of Joy’ so far, and I’m left to look at the titles for an idea on what the rest of the album might have in store. With titles like ‘K-Hole’ and ‘Monsters of Sunderland’, it may be better left to you to explain the mood of the album. It may be better to just listen for yourself… It’s a cracker! Play it as loud as hell!
I read a quote that said, “I felt like it would be nice if the record left you feeling better about yourself or about your life.” Do you feel a certain sense of responsibility to lift us out of our doldrums? Yeah mon, if we all play nicely, we can have a lot of fun together.
You had released six EPs, totaling 30 demos; the album has been slimmed to a neat 10 tracks – did you take on fan reaction to the demos to decide what made the cut? Well feelings of people other than BSP creep through, but generally we just battle it out between ourselves and if we can't decide we just ask the cat.
You released the EPs via your Krankenhaus nights at The Haunt in Brighton. Do you think you enjoy a different band / fan dynamic thanks to your club nights at both ends of your career spectrum so far? Yes, it’s nice to create a place where lunatics can gather and mingle without fear of reprimand. The fans at our early clubs mostly just looked bemused and frightened, now they seem to enjoy themselves moving around making strange noises... this helps us to enjoy ourselves.
Tell us why you’re revisiting that most beloved of formats, the cassette, by releasing a double sided album of demos and the finished article… We still use tape to record with, on occasion and it is always a different experience and sound to the digital stuff. With tape you almost feel like a craftsman. I think it’s got a nice sound.
You’re releasing the album – cassette and all – through your long-standing label, Rough Trade. It’s rare for me to talk to a band who have remained with the same label throughout their career; what would you say are the duties on both sides to keep that relationship strong? Take turns cleaning the toilets and always end the day with a gentle pat on the backside.
A wonderful thing happened this year: ‘Remember Me’ was voted no. 9 in the BBC 6Music Top 100 songs. An unexpected, but wonderful surprise, I imagine. Some of your own favourites must have been in that list… Yeah how about that?! Top 10 for the second time in our lives! We were very happy with the world that day, people love US! Up there with Johnny Cash and many other great tunes.
You’ve had the pleasure of writing for two films now. Has writing to someone else’s narrative expanded the way you write your own material? It’s almost like when the film was running through the camera, the music was already there.
You will undoubtedly be scheduling your festival activity at the moment. The festival market has become slightly over-saturated; with that in mind, do you look to play festivals that have their own eccentricities over others, or are you genuinely happy to play anywhere you’re invited? I think the beauty and the horror of a festival is that you can get out of your mind in a herd, whether it’s a little boutique job or a mean corporate holding tank. You can smoke your chongo mongo, drink your cider, eat your chips and then go home. Whether it’s good or bad is hard to say… good things happen at the worst festivals. We just go wherever we fancy there may be fun.
Your score for ‘Out of the Present’ was obviously concerned with the subject of space. With Virgin Galactic scheduled to make its virgin voyage this year, would you like to be among the first passengers? Are their other worlds calling you? It would be nice to meet the blue men.
Emma Garwood
British Sea Power come to the Waterfront on April 16th. Buy tickets at www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk or turn to the back of the mag to win tickets.
