(no subject)
Idlewild on Tuesday was one of the best gigs I've ever been to. My top 5 gigs now looks like this... in no set order...
1. Idlewild - Leeds Refectory
2. Idlewild (acoustic tour) - Manchester RNCM
3. Kaiser Chiefs - Leeds Joseph's Well
4. Manic Street Preachers - Leeds Refectory
5. Bright Eyes - Leeds Met Uni
Anyway... just finished up my interview with Colin - the Idlewild drummer. He really is the coolest guy. I'll post it here now for people to read... and I'll do a proper update about the last couple of days later...
Fresh off the release of their critically acclaimed (and simply fantastic) fourth album 'Warnings/Promises', Idlewild are coming to the end of one of their biggest UK tours to date. Their ram packed gig at the Leeds Refectory was one of the highlights of their tour, and beforehand, I caught up with founding member and sticks man Colin Newton to ask him a few questions about life on the road and plans for the future.
------------------------------
Heathen Angel: You're nearing the end of your big UK tour. How's it been going so far?
Colin: Real good, actually. Probably the best one we've done for a long, long time. We've been playing really well, and everyone's quite excited.
Heathen Angel: What are the highs? What are the lows?
Colin: Manchester was really good, on Saturday night. Then on Sunday was Birmingham, which was the best one. Usually there's a gig where everything goes wrong, but there hasn't really been anything like that.
Heathen Angel: What's it been like touring with Sons and Daughters?
Colin: It's been great. They're friends of ours anyway. We always ask our friends to come on tour with us - or at least bands that we like.
Heathen Angel: Well, that kind of answers my next question of how you go about choosing the support bands you take on tour with you...
Colin: It'd be really bad if you were on tour with a band you didn't like. It'd be so boring... kind of... weird. So we've always taken support bands with us. Like Reeve. They're friends of ours. And The Walkmen - who aren't friends of ours, but we really like the band.
Heathen Angel: Before this tour, you recently played a handful of acoustic shows. What was the inspiration behind this change?
Colin: Well, it was mainly because when we were recording the new record in Los Angeles in the summer, we played a couple of shows in this small café to a hundred people, and that was just acoustic, and it went really well. So we came back and we'd been away for ages, so we thought we'd do something to kind of remind people who we were, so thought we'd try something kind of totally different. The songs as well kind of lent themselves. A lot of the new ones worked really well, and so did our old ones. We could kind of change them about and make them totally different songs - but they still sound really good.
Heathen Angel: So will it be something you'd like to try again?
Colin: Yeah. We'll probably do some more later in the year. I don't think we'd do like a month or a full tour again. Maybe just a week or so.
Heathen Angel: On this tour so far, you've been covering songs like The Ramones' 'I Wanna Be Sedated' and 'Looking For A Love' by Neil Young. Is there any particular reason you've chosen to mix these into the set?
Colin: Not really. We always used to shy away from doing covers, but the last year or two we've been playing a lot. Kind of mucking about in the practice room. 'Sedated' is such a good party tune. Everyone knows it. And the Neil Young one is such a good song - and our version is quite different from his. It's weird; on the odd occasion that we do do covers, they turn out really well. Maybe we'll do some more...
Heathen Angel: In March, you brought out the long awaited album 'Warnings/Promises'. What was it like recording the album? How did recording in different locations from the Scottish Highlands to LA affect the overall finished product?
Colin: We did most of the writing in the Highlands. We all live in different places so we hired a house for two weeks, and we all lived in a house together and wrote songs together. Then we recorded in two places. We did two weeks in Sweden, then came back and went to Los Angeles after that. Basically, we didn't use any of the Sweden stuff. The album is pretty much made up of the LA sessions. It made the tracks seem different. Gave it some sunshine.
Heathen Angel: Which is your favourite song on the new album? What part of the album are you most proud of?
Colin: I really like El Captain. And I really like Too Long Awake - the rocking version. Both of them turned out really well.
Heathen Angel: What do you think when you look back at the obvious change from the Captain days to today?
Colin: I think it's good. I'm quite happy. I look at Captain and I think there's some good songs. I know there's a difference when you listen to say, Hope Is Important next to the new record, but I think there's definitely been a thread running through them all. Even on Hope Is Important with the slower songs. I think those have just come more forward than the really loud fast ones. It gives a nice mix as well when playing them.
Heathen Angel: Many of the reviews for the new releases make reference to REM. Do you get tired of these incessant references?
Colin: Not really... I mean... no. People can say what they want. It does happen a lot. I'm not going to get annoyed by it though.
Heathen Angel: Are you looking forward to playing alongside REM in their upcoming tour?
Colin: Yeah. It'll be good. We did some shows with them a couple of years ago, and they were good. They're a good band.
Heathen Angel: How about the festivals? For instance, you're headlining the Summer Sundae festival this August along side the likes of Patti Smith.
Colin: Patti Smith? Oh really? Rocking. I think the line up's quite good. The Magic Numbers I think are playing. And British Sea Power. They're both really good.
Heathen Angel: A bit of a clichéd question but, speaking of festivals, if you could put together your own festival, who would play?
Colin: I'd like to have a happy festival. Do they have to be alive or can they be dead?
Heathen Angel: Anyone.
Colin: Anyone? Urmm.. Michael Jackson. From the 80s. Not anymore. But back then. I just think massive party bands would be good. You know, Led Zeppelin. When do the party bands play? Urmm... Michael Jackson on the Saturday, Led Zeppelin on the Friday, and somebody like Jimi Hendrix on the Sunday.
Heathen Angel: Idlewild have been a band now for the best part of a decade. If you could pick something, what would you most like to be remembered for?
Colin: I don't think so. There's not like one song I'd like engraved on my tombstone. I think, just kind of... it's been amazing. I don't think any of us would ever have imagined to still be doing this. Speaking to people and having them want to speak to us.
Heathen Angel: There's a lot of demand to speak to you today!
Colin: I know, and it's cool. The whole thing has been amazing.
Heathen Angel: The next single is 'I Understand It'. Is there any reason why this one was picked?
Colin: Mainly because it's got a chorus. There's no particular reason why it came out over any others. Us and the record company kind of decide which the singles will be.
Heathen Angel: Is there anything you can tell us which would surprise your fans? Something they don't know about?
Colin: We're all pretty happy. I don't think we're as serious as most people imagine us to be. That may be it. Might surprise a few people.
Heathen Angel: Another clichéd question...
Colin: Go for it...
Heathen Angel: Is there one song that you wished you had written in music history?
Colin: Urmm... not really. 'Happy Birthday'. Two old women wrote it, did you know that? Two old teacher sisters. They wrote happy birthday and a load of other weird ones. And they still make around a million dollars a year..., which wouldn't be too bad.
Heathen Angel: What do you think of the current music scene?
Colin: Yeah... it's good. It's good that there's a lot of guitar stuff in the charts again. I'm not a fan of a lot of it. I think a lot of it is really overrated. I'd rather listen to it than some pap pop band... but I think in a few cases it's really over rated. Some bands I see and just wonder what they're doing there. Like The Bravery. I just can't believe that they get to make a record. I saw them live supporting Queens of the Stone Age... and they were just terrible. Even if I don't like a band I can usually see some kind of redeeming feature... like they've got good songs, or the singer's quite good looking, or they play well and sound good live... but them I just look and think... 'what the fuck?'.
Heathen Angel: I think a lot of the hype could be this feud with The Killers.
Colin: Yeah... I think it is. The Killers have got some good tunes. I prefer them. I think The Bravery are someone else’s answer to The Killers. They're just rubbish. I'm looking forward to them playing at Homelands festival... what are they doing there? I hope they get pelted... with fireballs.
Heathen Angel: Who are your recommendations for 2005? Who would you recommend people go out and listen to - other than yourselves, obviously?
Colin: Sons and Daughters. They're a good band! I think a lot of people know that already though. I don't know. I don't really get to see that many local bands as I once did. 'Cos we're always away.
Heathen Angel: Who has been appearing on the Idlewild stereo?
Colin: Well, unfortunately, the stereo we've got uses CDs, and none of us really have any CDs. Except Roddy. In the dressing room he's got a wallet of CDs - and we all have iPods. So it's just his CDs. So it's quite depressing in the dressing room afterwards. Well. Some of it's good. He has LCD Soundsystem. That's good for dancing to after a good show. There are Neil Young albums and Devendra Banhart albums... he has a nice beard. There's lots of different stuff. But on the bus it's different. There's two lounges, so there's always quiet music in one, and in the other we play stuff like Genesis and... what else has been on? Elton John.
Heathen Angel: Roddy's a big Bright Eyes fan as well, isn't he?
Colin: Yeah. He is. Me too. I've seen him loads of times. He's really good. His records are really good. I'm a massive fan of the Deseparacidos as well. I like them a lot.
Heathen Angel: I kind of already asked this question... but is there any highlight of your career thus far?
Colin: There are always things you remember, you know? Like first festival. First time you heard your single on the radio for the first time - that's a big one.
Heathen Angel: Is there anything you've yet to do that you'd like to?
Colin: Yeah, a lot of stuff. We're not really an ambitious band. Shae Stadium would be nice. Somewhere along those lines.
Heathen Angel: What's next for Idlewild? What does the rest of the year hold?
Colin: We finish this tour. Then we go to Europe for a couple of weeks. Then Australia and New Zealand. Then a couple of weird festival things in June - like the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Skye. Then there's an REM show. In July there are some more REM shows, and then I think the record's coming out in America. 16th of August. So we'll tour America.
Heathen Angel: Do you have any final words for the readers of Heathen Angel?
Colin: Keep on reading... or something exciting like that. That's it really.
------------------------------
Thanks to Colin Newton for his time, and tour manager Dominic Parker.
For more information on Idlewild, visit www.idlewild.co.uk
Proper update soon.
XO
1. Idlewild - Leeds Refectory
2. Idlewild (acoustic tour) - Manchester RNCM
3. Kaiser Chiefs - Leeds Joseph's Well
4. Manic Street Preachers - Leeds Refectory
5. Bright Eyes - Leeds Met Uni
Anyway... just finished up my interview with Colin - the Idlewild drummer. He really is the coolest guy. I'll post it here now for people to read... and I'll do a proper update about the last couple of days later...
Fresh off the release of their critically acclaimed (and simply fantastic) fourth album 'Warnings/Promises', Idlewild are coming to the end of one of their biggest UK tours to date. Their ram packed gig at the Leeds Refectory was one of the highlights of their tour, and beforehand, I caught up with founding member and sticks man Colin Newton to ask him a few questions about life on the road and plans for the future.
------------------------------
Heathen Angel: You're nearing the end of your big UK tour. How's it been going so far?
Colin: Real good, actually. Probably the best one we've done for a long, long time. We've been playing really well, and everyone's quite excited.
Heathen Angel: What are the highs? What are the lows?
Colin: Manchester was really good, on Saturday night. Then on Sunday was Birmingham, which was the best one. Usually there's a gig where everything goes wrong, but there hasn't really been anything like that.
Heathen Angel: What's it been like touring with Sons and Daughters?
Colin: It's been great. They're friends of ours anyway. We always ask our friends to come on tour with us - or at least bands that we like.
Heathen Angel: Well, that kind of answers my next question of how you go about choosing the support bands you take on tour with you...
Colin: It'd be really bad if you were on tour with a band you didn't like. It'd be so boring... kind of... weird. So we've always taken support bands with us. Like Reeve. They're friends of ours. And The Walkmen - who aren't friends of ours, but we really like the band.
Heathen Angel: Before this tour, you recently played a handful of acoustic shows. What was the inspiration behind this change?
Colin: Well, it was mainly because when we were recording the new record in Los Angeles in the summer, we played a couple of shows in this small café to a hundred people, and that was just acoustic, and it went really well. So we came back and we'd been away for ages, so we thought we'd do something to kind of remind people who we were, so thought we'd try something kind of totally different. The songs as well kind of lent themselves. A lot of the new ones worked really well, and so did our old ones. We could kind of change them about and make them totally different songs - but they still sound really good.
Heathen Angel: So will it be something you'd like to try again?
Colin: Yeah. We'll probably do some more later in the year. I don't think we'd do like a month or a full tour again. Maybe just a week or so.
Heathen Angel: On this tour so far, you've been covering songs like The Ramones' 'I Wanna Be Sedated' and 'Looking For A Love' by Neil Young. Is there any particular reason you've chosen to mix these into the set?
Colin: Not really. We always used to shy away from doing covers, but the last year or two we've been playing a lot. Kind of mucking about in the practice room. 'Sedated' is such a good party tune. Everyone knows it. And the Neil Young one is such a good song - and our version is quite different from his. It's weird; on the odd occasion that we do do covers, they turn out really well. Maybe we'll do some more...
Heathen Angel: In March, you brought out the long awaited album 'Warnings/Promises'. What was it like recording the album? How did recording in different locations from the Scottish Highlands to LA affect the overall finished product?
Colin: We did most of the writing in the Highlands. We all live in different places so we hired a house for two weeks, and we all lived in a house together and wrote songs together. Then we recorded in two places. We did two weeks in Sweden, then came back and went to Los Angeles after that. Basically, we didn't use any of the Sweden stuff. The album is pretty much made up of the LA sessions. It made the tracks seem different. Gave it some sunshine.
Heathen Angel: Which is your favourite song on the new album? What part of the album are you most proud of?
Colin: I really like El Captain. And I really like Too Long Awake - the rocking version. Both of them turned out really well.
Heathen Angel: What do you think when you look back at the obvious change from the Captain days to today?
Colin: I think it's good. I'm quite happy. I look at Captain and I think there's some good songs. I know there's a difference when you listen to say, Hope Is Important next to the new record, but I think there's definitely been a thread running through them all. Even on Hope Is Important with the slower songs. I think those have just come more forward than the really loud fast ones. It gives a nice mix as well when playing them.
Heathen Angel: Many of the reviews for the new releases make reference to REM. Do you get tired of these incessant references?
Colin: Not really... I mean... no. People can say what they want. It does happen a lot. I'm not going to get annoyed by it though.
Heathen Angel: Are you looking forward to playing alongside REM in their upcoming tour?
Colin: Yeah. It'll be good. We did some shows with them a couple of years ago, and they were good. They're a good band.
Heathen Angel: How about the festivals? For instance, you're headlining the Summer Sundae festival this August along side the likes of Patti Smith.
Colin: Patti Smith? Oh really? Rocking. I think the line up's quite good. The Magic Numbers I think are playing. And British Sea Power. They're both really good.
Heathen Angel: A bit of a clichéd question but, speaking of festivals, if you could put together your own festival, who would play?
Colin: I'd like to have a happy festival. Do they have to be alive or can they be dead?
Heathen Angel: Anyone.
Colin: Anyone? Urmm.. Michael Jackson. From the 80s. Not anymore. But back then. I just think massive party bands would be good. You know, Led Zeppelin. When do the party bands play? Urmm... Michael Jackson on the Saturday, Led Zeppelin on the Friday, and somebody like Jimi Hendrix on the Sunday.
Heathen Angel: Idlewild have been a band now for the best part of a decade. If you could pick something, what would you most like to be remembered for?
Colin: I don't think so. There's not like one song I'd like engraved on my tombstone. I think, just kind of... it's been amazing. I don't think any of us would ever have imagined to still be doing this. Speaking to people and having them want to speak to us.
Heathen Angel: There's a lot of demand to speak to you today!
Colin: I know, and it's cool. The whole thing has been amazing.
Heathen Angel: The next single is 'I Understand It'. Is there any reason why this one was picked?
Colin: Mainly because it's got a chorus. There's no particular reason why it came out over any others. Us and the record company kind of decide which the singles will be.
Heathen Angel: Is there anything you can tell us which would surprise your fans? Something they don't know about?
Colin: We're all pretty happy. I don't think we're as serious as most people imagine us to be. That may be it. Might surprise a few people.
Heathen Angel: Another clichéd question...
Colin: Go for it...
Heathen Angel: Is there one song that you wished you had written in music history?
Colin: Urmm... not really. 'Happy Birthday'. Two old women wrote it, did you know that? Two old teacher sisters. They wrote happy birthday and a load of other weird ones. And they still make around a million dollars a year..., which wouldn't be too bad.
Heathen Angel: What do you think of the current music scene?
Colin: Yeah... it's good. It's good that there's a lot of guitar stuff in the charts again. I'm not a fan of a lot of it. I think a lot of it is really overrated. I'd rather listen to it than some pap pop band... but I think in a few cases it's really over rated. Some bands I see and just wonder what they're doing there. Like The Bravery. I just can't believe that they get to make a record. I saw them live supporting Queens of the Stone Age... and they were just terrible. Even if I don't like a band I can usually see some kind of redeeming feature... like they've got good songs, or the singer's quite good looking, or they play well and sound good live... but them I just look and think... 'what the fuck?'.
Heathen Angel: I think a lot of the hype could be this feud with The Killers.
Colin: Yeah... I think it is. The Killers have got some good tunes. I prefer them. I think The Bravery are someone else’s answer to The Killers. They're just rubbish. I'm looking forward to them playing at Homelands festival... what are they doing there? I hope they get pelted... with fireballs.
Heathen Angel: Who are your recommendations for 2005? Who would you recommend people go out and listen to - other than yourselves, obviously?
Colin: Sons and Daughters. They're a good band! I think a lot of people know that already though. I don't know. I don't really get to see that many local bands as I once did. 'Cos we're always away.
Heathen Angel: Who has been appearing on the Idlewild stereo?
Colin: Well, unfortunately, the stereo we've got uses CDs, and none of us really have any CDs. Except Roddy. In the dressing room he's got a wallet of CDs - and we all have iPods. So it's just his CDs. So it's quite depressing in the dressing room afterwards. Well. Some of it's good. He has LCD Soundsystem. That's good for dancing to after a good show. There are Neil Young albums and Devendra Banhart albums... he has a nice beard. There's lots of different stuff. But on the bus it's different. There's two lounges, so there's always quiet music in one, and in the other we play stuff like Genesis and... what else has been on? Elton John.
Heathen Angel: Roddy's a big Bright Eyes fan as well, isn't he?
Colin: Yeah. He is. Me too. I've seen him loads of times. He's really good. His records are really good. I'm a massive fan of the Deseparacidos as well. I like them a lot.
Heathen Angel: I kind of already asked this question... but is there any highlight of your career thus far?
Colin: There are always things you remember, you know? Like first festival. First time you heard your single on the radio for the first time - that's a big one.
Heathen Angel: Is there anything you've yet to do that you'd like to?
Colin: Yeah, a lot of stuff. We're not really an ambitious band. Shae Stadium would be nice. Somewhere along those lines.
Heathen Angel: What's next for Idlewild? What does the rest of the year hold?
Colin: We finish this tour. Then we go to Europe for a couple of weeks. Then Australia and New Zealand. Then a couple of weird festival things in June - like the Isle of Wight and the Isle of Skye. Then there's an REM show. In July there are some more REM shows, and then I think the record's coming out in America. 16th of August. So we'll tour America.
Heathen Angel: Do you have any final words for the readers of Heathen Angel?
Colin: Keep on reading... or something exciting like that. That's it really.
------------------------------
Thanks to Colin Newton for his time, and tour manager Dominic Parker.
For more information on Idlewild, visit www.idlewild.co.uk
Proper update soon.
XO