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Post by mc18988 on Jan 15, 2009 14:50:10 GMT
Whats mentioned? CBA listenin to the whole interview for the mention to be "we supported the courteeners at the apollo" haha
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Post by jthemod on Jan 15, 2009 20:50:27 GMT
Kid British are the latest band from Manchester causing a stir with their fun-filled live act. The quartet have influences ranging from The Specials to The Streets, from Prince to Blur, and have been busy supporting The Courteeners in 2008.
New EP 'Leave London' is out on fluorescent 10" vinyl on 19th January, with the tracklisting 'Lost In London', 'She Will Leave' and 'Elizabeth'. We speak to James, Adio, Simeon and Sean about their album plans, being compared to ska bands, and making the tabloids.
What was going on with Kid British this time last year?
James: We were in the studio getting our demos ready, and preparing to get our live stuff out there. We'd never played live before, so we were playing our first gigs this time last year.
Adio: We were working then as well.
James: It's been a very, very quick year. When you think back at all the stuff you've done, it seemed like it was taking a long time. We've been recording the album, spots here, spots there, playing festivals.
Sean: We did our own tour at the end of last year, and supported The Courtneers and Reverend And The Makers, which was really cool for someone just starting out.
Simeon: We did our own tour, which was 26 dates of smaller venues.
Can you tell us the set up of the band, as you have extra live members?
James: Well the four of us are Kid British, and on stage Sean plays guitar and keyboard and sings, and us three sing. Then we've got Dom our guitarist, Mikey on drums and Tom on bass. They come along for the live element. When we're in the studio it's just us four, and we all write.
You're a combination of different styles - who is into what in the band?
Simeon: We've all got similar tastes but we're into so many different types of music individually as well. That's where the whole merge of different sounds comes from. Sean is very eclectic in the bands he listens to, and he introduced me personally to a lot more of the band style of stuff. We're not so much like, James likes this kind, I like this - we all like different styles, so that's why we sound so crazy.
Because you will inevitably be compared to bands of a similar style, like The Specials, is the social commentary a part of what you do?
James: We do have that in our songs but we don't force it. It's never political, it is always more social. Like 'Our House Is Dadless' is literally about us growing up in our without our dads. Then you've got 'Lost In London', which has a little social message in it. It's normally a fun topic as well. We never really want to get downhearted on things. Even if it's a sad topic we'll always try and brighten it up.
Sean: It's got ska elements, but if it is, it's a new form of ska - accidental.
Adio: People are comparing us to ska bands but it's just one of the elements to us. People also compare us to Britpop.
Simeon: it's because of the way we look as well. We can understand the angle they are trying to come from. To us it's a new wave, trying to put a new spin on things, seen from our eyes.
James: It's good artists as well, like The Specials and Madness. These people have lasted, so it's not a bad thing! We take it as a compliment.
Simeon: There's a lot to look at on stage, we're always moving about. You don't really focus on one place. We're here to make you have a good time - we don't want you to come out feeling miserable!
What stage is your debut album at?
James: We've just finished off our last few demos, so we've got to go and record the last two songs, and then we get them out of the way... finally! It comes out in June I think.
Will there be plenty of surprises for your fans, i.e. tracks they haven't heard before?
Simeon: When we perform live we can only play about six or seven songs, and about four of five of them will be on the album. When they get the album there'll be six, seven songs that people who hear us now, might not have ever heard before. It's like a different side to us. You can get used to our personal style, but we like to bring something else to the table.
Sean: That's the whole point of Kid British. You can only, in a short space of time, showcase what you are about. With the album, every track's different, and you can't present a whole album at the beginning of your career. So you're going to get an extra side to us!
The lead track on your EP is 'Lost In London' - how have your nights out in the capital been?
James: We've had some drunken nights where the drinks are like £10.50. Then you start buying them on your card, and the next day...
Simeon: For ten pounds you expect the bottle!
James: After a gig we don't want to get wasted. We're not a typical rock n roll band. We're quite chilled out.
What have been your best live experiences so far?
Adio: For me it was when we supported The Courteeners at the Apollo in Manchester. It was the first time we were on that stage. We've always driven past it, and imagined playing there, and because we got a good reception as well, it was just unbelievable. It was such a good buzz to see people getting into it. Obviously you want to build it up in your home town.
Simeon: Mine was the Hoxton Bar And Grill one, because it was the first time we had sold tickets for our show, and we knew that when we walked into the room, everyone was there to see us.
James: It was surreal. We did XFM's Winter Wonderland at Manchester Academy, the big stage as well. A girl from Mercury said they was about 150 people out there, so we thought we'd go out and just have a laugh, and when we got out, there were about 500 people out there. It knocked me back a bit because they all cheered as we came out! it send a shiver down my spine.
What are your favourite tracks to play live?
James: We do 'Let's Have A Party' at the end, each time, and it's a great song to go out on. People go crazy - we've had mosh pits.
Sean: Stage invasions - that's what we like!
Adio: 'Lost In London' is one of my favourites.
What do you miss most about Manchester when you're on the road?
Simeon: Family. Cheap drinks! Red brick houses!
James: It's a vicious circle, because you get to go away and visit places you'd never had visited before, but then you miss home. Then you get home for a week, and you want to go away again.
What's the most obscure gig you've played?
Adio: We played a gig in Edinburgh to the bar staff and the other band that played! A couple of nights before that we had played to like three or four hundred. It just showed the levels... it was cool. We got a good review out of it!
James: The irony of it was that it was probably the best sound we'd got on the whole tour, and there was no-one there to see us!
Have you had the chance to meet any of your heroes since forming the band?
James: It was good to meet The Courteeners as I had got into them about three or four months beforehand, and was slowly becoming a fan. It was good to meet the guys, and their reaction to us was wicked. What they said about us was a true compliment. We're supporting The Enemy in March, and we're fans of their album. It's exciting to meet people who you're a fan of. We wouldn't want to support anyone who I didn't think suited us, or we weren't into their music.
Simeon: A good thing about The Courteeners is that a few of them came to see us to show their support.
Did you have a moment of pride when you made the tabloids with a remark about wanting to meet Paris Hilton?
Sean: If your name can sell papers, it's good innit! Most news is good news!
Adio: We just took it on the chin and had a laugh really.
Simeon: We saw it and were all laughing our heads off. We were quoted at a swanky restaurant and it was actually in a grotty pub.
Sean: Now we understand the way it works!
What's your fanbase like?
James: It's slowly and surely building up, because we've done it the other way around. You do gigs and get your fanbase, but we got signed after three or four gigs, so we've got to do it the opposite way. We went to a town called Selby and people went crazy. We had a wicked reaction on our Myspace the day after. We're getting played on Radio One, and people are coming on our Myspace, and it's good to see people saying they're gonna buy our album.
Sean: It's building slowly but surely, and it's not like we're forcing it down anybody's throat. A lot of people that have come onto our Myspace have said that their friends had told them about us, so it's nice that it's word of mouth.
Adio: It's not like it's forced, it's a natural build up. We prefer that. You can't force people to like music - it's the worst way. They can make a judgment there and then, but when it's something you grow into... it's better.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2009 15:52:17 GMT
i saw them at winter wonderland, and was really impressed by them. Unfortunately I missed them at the apollo because I arrived, realised i'd forgotten my ticket and had to go home, get it, and come back.
I think their supporting the enemy in march along with twisted wheel. can't wait.
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Post by IrlamHillbilly on Jan 21, 2009 17:29:35 GMT
I'm not a huge fan of The Enemy but the fact Wheel and Kid British are supporting may tempt me to the gig.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2009 16:10:02 GMT
yh me too, i'm going for Wheel mainly, although the enemy do have some pretty top tunes. nothing really special, but i'll be pretty pissed anyway xD
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Post by IrlamHillbilly on Jan 22, 2009 20:02:20 GMT
I thought what the heck. A couple of mates are going so I booked a ticket today. Wheel are worth the money alone.
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