Alex (drums) - Eamon (vocals) - Tom (guitar) - Marc (bass)
Tom & Alex Brakes interview at warwickboar.co.uk (November 7th) Both brothers have played in the Pipettes’ backing band (the Cassettes) Tom: "I played a fucking cowbell!" Alex: "Me on tambourine and Tom on cowbell, It was rubbish!" (not long after this interview, the Pipettes took ESP's new single into XFM with them and Tom Robinson played a track)
Transcript of Brakes London Calling interview
Could you introduce yourselves?
Hi I'm Eamon, from Brakes. I sing.
Hi I'm Alex, I'm the drummer.
My name's Marc, I play bass.
In Brakes, not The Brakes?
M: Brakes.
Where are you from?
M: Brighton in the South of England, Sussex.
When did you come together?
M: About 3 years ago, Eamon was playing some songs he'd written acoustically in little bars and stuff and Tom and Alex wanted to make a band out of it, back it with guitar and drums and then I came in and played bass... Tom and Alex were in a band and I was in another band and we kind of all got together.
You were searching for a singer then they found you playing on your own?
E: It was the other way round, I was searching for a band but I didn't know I was searching for a band until they showed up, and then we were a band.
What kind of music did you play on your own?
E: The same songs.
Do you still have them somewhere?
E: Yeah I do actually, Marc recorded me.
You still have it somewhere?
M: Yeah somewhere yeah.
What happened, you started jamming and then...
E: Er yeah, we got drunk, got more drunk, started jamming, realised it sounded really good... we'd known eachother for years, a long long time so yeah we were friends anyway.
And then you started rehearsing in the studio... by the way you're making a good spliff for today because you're here in Holland of course.
A: Gotta be good...
What happened then, you started jamming?
A: Yeah we started playing quite sort of infrequently you know, not like a big kind of plan, let's play every week and let's do loads of gigs and get signed and everything. We just did it as a bit of fun. When we started me and Tom were doing quite well with Soft Parade and Eamon was doing well with Sea Power, Marc was off with Tenderfoot doing stuff and there was lots of other things happening. And gradually more and more of the other stuff was starting to wind down and Brakes started to take the forefront, it happened quite naturally really.
Soft Parade, were you in that.
A: Me and Tom, yeah.
That's really cool, so they've split up then?
A: No no no... (it's a side project) Yeah (or a both project) Exactly, a both project.
We've got a new Soft Parade thing coming out at the end of the month, shameless plug there number 1. Yeah man it's kind of a different thing, it's just like, we don't view it as anything more or less than what we did before. I don't think any of us do, it's just something else we do, it's just a bit of fun, you know. It's a good laugh.
And then you recorded this new album, how did that go.
E: Really well, we only had a week to do it in and recorded everything live onto reel-to-reel tape in a really nice studio, it sounded great.
Where was the studio?
E: It was in London, it was quite posh, the Black Eyed Peas came in after us and stole my phone charger. What did they have off you Al?
A: ...the last Nas album, CD1 as well, bastards.
E: The Black Eyed Peas, thievers, thieves...
Yesterday there was the video music awards, MTV awards, she's going solo, she was having an interview.
A: At least the rest of them can like produce and rap and stuff, the rapper's alright, I don't like his rapping but at least he can rap. But she's awful...
Before she was not in the band, they were really good, and she came in the band and it was like big hit...
A: Bullshit. And that big hit is like whatever basically. It's like, I'm sorry but if you wanna listen to a protest song, there's plenty of good protest songs, go listen to Dylan, go listen to John Lennon, go listen to Joan Baez but don't fucking listen to the Black Eyed Peas.
How's the music scene going there in Brighton?
M: It's OK. A couple of years ago all the record companies came down and started signing people and it was quite a craze at the time. A&R men were coming down and signing everyone up. Tom and Alex's band were the first to get that kind of nationwide thing... It was more that it hadn't happened for ages because of it being quite dance based, most people there are into dance music. People just started jamming and stuff and y'know, people wanted to do bands.
A: There's always going to be bands and there's always going to be dance groups and stuff as well, bands who play and bands who DJ. People kind of get lazy when it's popular. Now indie music, rock music, guitar music is back in the charts. There's like so many bands in Brighton, there's thousands and thousands of bands...
Can you name some we know...
A: Probably not. I just mean people who wanna play, people who aren't signed, people who are just coming through, therefore more and more bands get signed and the quality just kinds goes down, not to slag bands off 'cos a lot of them are good but a lot of them aren't good. And when we came through and when British Sea Power came through there was literally a handful of bands in Brighton who were ready to be signed. Whereas now I think there's more bands being signed, nationwide as well, there's just a craze of guitar music.
When things are up, the more interesting things are on the other side and probably now the more interesting things are like dance music and hip hop and stuff. That's probably the most interesting thing in terms of new music coming out of the UK at the moment. The indie thing is a bit like "I've heard it now". I just think by the time the mainstream's caught onto something, like The Kaiser Chiefs or whatever like that it's totally lost its appeal for me. I've heard it a thousand times already before the maiden public hears it.
E: I think it's good that guitars are at the forefront again. It's a healthy period, it's nice.
Give Blood, the name of the album, how did you come up with the title?
E: It was like a challenge to ourselves to actually give blood, which we did. As a whole band, went in and gave a pint each. It's a really good feeling, giving blood. And also it's because we used to hit our instruments so hard that we'd have blood all over them, all over the drumkits, all over the guitars.
'Cos you played too loud?
E: Yeah, too loud, too hard. But we've learned how to play our instruments a bit better now.
And first single is called Ring A Ding Ding, sounds like Abba...
E: It's a good song.
Can you tell us something about it?
E: It's kind of about the effluence of popular culture. But it's also about dancing monkeys.
In what way?
E: Monkeys that take orders from cowboys.
Is it a sort of trip you were on when you wrote it or a real story...
E: It's just a kind of funny observation of popular culture.
And what about New York Pie...
E: That's a true story, that's the first time I went to New York. Ended up falling down some stairs of a bar, losing the girl that I was interested in. It's all true, it's all there in the song.
What's the first single in England?
E: It was actually Pick Up The Phone, that's before we had the album. Then it was All Night Disco Party.
And what's that about?
E: That's a true story about an all night disco party.
Where was that?
E: It was in Gloucestershire in the West Country. It was a big open air rave.
So you went from Brighton to there?
E: That's where I grew up in the countryside.
Was it different from Brighton in that area?
E: Yeah it was, it's a really beautiful countryside area called The Cotswolds, it's very nice... They're kind of hippies over in the West. There's hippies in Brighton as well...
A: It's the countryside Brighton as well...
E: They're similar places.
(Someone laughs in the background, not sure who)
How's the radio supporting you, is it going OK?
M: It's alright, BBC 6 Music, a digital radio station (interviewer mentions BBC5) BBC11, BBC17, they go on... They A listed Ring A Ding Ding and a couple of people have been really supportive about it. We haven't quite got massive radio airplay yet but I wouldn't want that anyway really.
Is there growing hype around you guys?
M: Can't really tell at the moment really. Everyone liked the first single off the album, that did well. We've just been on a tour of England and everyone seems to ask to play that song again.
How was the tour?
M: It was alright, pretty tiring. We did eleven gigs in a row. It was our headline tour, we played with another guy called Chris TT, he's from Brighton as well, and a band called The Seal Cub Clubbing Club, who are from Liverpool, The Wirral.
What's coming off for this year then?
E: We're going to go round Spain with Maximo Park.
Paul Smith his name?
E: They're a good band. Then we're going to do a few more gigs round the UK then we're going to have Christmas off. And then we're just going to sledge.
Is the album out already then?
A: It came out in July. E: September. A: Was it?
First reactions press-wise?
A: Yeah good actually. I think a lot of people initially, they can't get the word side-project out of their heads so they can't take it seriously do you know what I mean.
It's because you're in the Soft Parade.
A: Exactly, Eamon's in Sea Power, Marc's in Tenderfoot. We're all in different bands...
You're also in Sea Power?
E: Yeah. That's right, I play keyboards in British Sea Power.
A: And Marc's playing in the Tenderfoot it's a very different thing again, a kind of chilled out country band and British Sea Power's like whatever... Soft Parade's another thing. I think a lot of people, if they liked or didn't like either of those bands, they think they know what it sounds like and it's hard to listen to something with an open mind if you think you know what it's going to sound like.
As soon as people have got their heads round it, maybe seen a show or whatever and realised actually our roles in the band are completely different. Me and Tom basically don't have a speaking role and in the Electric Soft Parade, we front it, so it's a completely different thing if you've ever seen Soft Parade. So people, as soon as they see a show, they get it...
Do you like that?
A: Yeah. For Eamon it's the other way round, he's on the keyboard in British Sea Power, the other guys sing and everything...
How's British Sea Power doing?
E: Really good, we're releasing an EP soon, we're doing a UK tour later this month.
So you're busy?
E: Yeah.
Brakes album, what's your favourite song on it to play live?
E: A song called Comma Comma Comma Fullstop, number 14, that's my favourite.
What's that about?
E: It's about punctuation.
Like being on time or something?
E: Punctuation like in a sentence.
Are you always picky on that?
E: Yeah I am actually.
You read something, hey, that's wrong?
A: It's the kind of thing if you know it, it's not a debate. It's right or wrong, so if you know it's right it's fucking annoying when like a business or something prints something with the wrong apostrophe and if you've learnt grammar at school or something it's a windup. It does annoy me.
(I'm no good with apostrophes so I felt a bit inadequate when I got to this bit of the interview)
When can we see you back here in Holland?
E: Hopefully in January.
Is that a new tour?
E: Yeah.
Headlining?
E: Hopefully, yeah.
Good luck then, thankyou very much.
E: Thankyou very much, cheers.
Interview with Marc @ Playlouder Some quotes: "I'm sure it's a different story for Tom and Alex, they've had their fair share of manic fans... The last thing I remembered was Eamon trying to use our friend Keith as a mattress... We're all into architecture, especially Alex who goes mental every time we pass a good example of art deco design... I don't fight. It's a waste of energy"
Tom said a few words on the 6 Music news October 21st: Unlike their other bands Brakes have been a more organic experience: Tom: We haven't kind of pushed it in any way, we've just let it happen, and slowly more momentum has built behind it, singles have come out, we've done videos and it's become a more serious thing over time. We haven't gone "right from now on we're gonna work on Brakes exclusively", it just kinda has happened like that.
5.54pm: Are you playing tonight?
E: Yeah we're playing at one in the morning... where is it? The 333.
So you're in London tonight? Where were you last night?
E: I can't remember... Cardiff.
It can't be that difficult a question, it's less than 24 hours ago. How's it been going, the tour?
E: Really good actually, first moshpits, first drunken girls coming on singing duets.
(someone else) Drunkie girls?
E: Drunken.
5.56pm: What are the brothers like then, the Electric Soft Parade brothers?
E: They're just as bad, 20 arguments a day. But then there's always 22 good points.
What are you into at the moment?
E: I've been listening to Stompin Tom Connors, he's an old country guy from Canada, canadian legend.
Does he play guitar like that?
E: He stomps his feet.
Steve: We'll start with The National.
(this one's a bit like the Bunnymen crossed with Pulp)
6.05pm: Eamon, what did you think?
E: It was OK.
S: Ok, thank you very much. Any more on the National?
E: It didn't really move me that much.
S: Do you want to talk us through some of the venues they're playing? What's the Brighton Komedia?
E: It's very nice actually. Downstairs it's good. It's kinda sweaty. Upstair's it's a bit too clean... Dublin Whelan's, that's amazing.
S: What's so good about it?
E: Mostly the Dubliners.
S: How many points will you give it?
E: Five, that's in the middle.
S: This is by Skin, Alone In My Room.
(this is like an old glam rock song, Brakes-like guitar)
Skin formerly of Skunk Anansie.
6.12pm: Eamon, what did you think?
E: Just under OK: It's in my head, alone in my room, driving me crazy... all the kind of same.
Someone else: You're saying she's a faker?
E: No no, it's one of those (sings) "It's in my head and it's driving me crazy, alone in my room"... (really soulful, best bit of the show)
Then they talk to a listener about the songs played so far.
6.16pm: Marks out of 10 for Alone In My Room...
E: Four. Just under OK.
S: The next record is Athlete...
(Brakes b-sides are better)
6.21pm: Eamon from Brakes I challenge you to talk for 30 seconds on 24 hours by Athlete.
E: I'm thinking of runners, tracks, hurdles, hours, minutes, seconds, it's completely... I'm just washed... it's washed over me, washed out my soul. It's about as bad as it gets isn't it really.
S: There's no redeeming factors in this?
E: I met them in New York... Jamie met Bon Jovi and Skin...
Someone else: I met them as well in Portugal.
E: They're very clean aren't they? They smell clean as well. Really nice guys.
(someone in the chatroom said it's going to make them start drinking early)
6.23pm: Give it marks out of 10, where shall we start. Eamon?
E: One (said with certainty)
S: We're gonna play you Madonna.
(Madonna's stolen Abba's "Man After Midnight" riff, she wrote a personal begging letter to get permission to use the sample)
6.26pm: If you listen closely it includes the line "Ring Ring goes the telephone" which is clearly a blatant rip off of Ring A Ding Ding by Brakes and not a word from her.
E: She'll be getting a stern letter.
(someone else mentions the Abba song Ring Ring)
6.28pm: Eamon? Apart from the fact that she's obviously ripping you off.
E: I agree it's the best one so far. It's not that good, it's not Borderline...
S: Have you been a fan of Madonna?
E: Well Borderline... It sounds like it's been made for a ringtone if you know what I mean.
S: I do know what you mean.
(someone in the chatroom said lord, get me the vodka)
The White Stripes after the news...
6.37pm: Eamon what did you think of White Stripes and are you a fan?
E: I've never bought an album or listened to a whole album but I always kind of nod along. The song's never seem to be about anything you know. I dunno what the Denial Twist is about but maybe I should listen to it.
S: Have you seen any of their videos, they always seem to suggest some sort of deep meaning to the songs.
E: I don't think they suggest anything.
S: Do you just think they're just coming up with something to make a dark and mysterious album.
E: I dunno, he's got a good voice, good guitarist, I quite like her drumming, I've seen them live. I think they're OK.
S: How far can the White Stripes carry on like this.
E: 3 years.
Then they speak to a listener again about the songs. Eamon says something when they're talking about Athlete - "if you go hitching you'll get picked up by a Ford Focus and the guy driving it will like them"
Marks out of 10 for Madonna and White Stripes...
6.43pm: Eamon?
E: Six for Madonna, seven for the Stripes.
Lil Kim (is that right?) Light Us Up.
6.46pm: Eamon from Brakes do you want to start on that one.
E: It actually sounds like she's nicked from MIA a bit, other than that, that's the most interesting one I've heard all night.
S: What in particular do you like about it, the arrangement, the sounds...
E: The sounds... where the sound's are going, what they're doing, what she's saying.
Someone else: where are they going?
E: Down, up...
S: As a pop record, do you like it?
E: Yeah it's a good pop record I suppose.
6.48pm: Give us a mark out of 10, we'll start in a positive mood. Eamon?
E: Eight. Best yet, best tonight.
Paddingtons next...
6.52pm: Steve says they're the 4th best band in Hull. Eamon says the others are Thunder 500. Eamon says he passed someone from the band on the M1 the other day in a service station.
6.55pm: Eamon tell us what you thought.
E: I didn't really like it that much. Thought it was OK, no, less than OK.
Marks for the Paddingtons... Eamon?
E: Three.
S: Eamon's on tour with Brakes where obviously you're playing tonight.
E: London Mean Fiddler tomorrow, we're doing club nights in London, Oxford and somewhere else...
S: Brakes Brakes Brakes dot com is the website address... In last place with 8 points, Athlete. With 32 points and the winner, The Paddingtons.
There's a long interview with Brakes in New York at blog.verbosecoma.com (click to read)
We have Brakes, in particular 2 of Brakes, namely Eamon and Tom. How you doin' chaps.
E: Hello Gideon.
Very good to have you here. Shall we get straight into the first tune, what's it going to be.
E: This is the b-side off the vinyl of our next single, called If I Should Die Tonight.
If I should die tonight would you tell her that I loved her, she might never know
If I should be laid to rest between now and then would you say, he was gonna meet you here
Well I got a little stoned and I got a little paranoid, I got to unwind in this mortal coil
Who knows how, who knows when, who knows why, who knows who...
I'm meetin her tomorrow roundabout the break of noon, gonna tell her how I feel
Love is a good good thing in an ungood world
But who knows how, who knows when, who knows why, who knows who...
So if I should die tonight would you tell her that I loved her, she might never know...
That's a lovely tune and it's live on 6 Music from Eamon and Tom from Brakes. That's If I Should Die Tonight which as you mentioned is on the latest single. You've already had 2 singles in the top 82, you're headlining your own tour, it's been a pretty good year so far for you.
E: It's been a cracker.
Though there was no plan for the band, was there?
E: No real plan, we planned to get together and record but beyond that...
Not least because you have other commitments in other bands. Is that why it's taken a while to get the debut LP out. Legend has it the idea was first spawned in August 2002 which is a while back now.
E: And our first gig was in September 2002.
T: It was just after then.
But when it came to actually making the record you did so in a no-nonsense way, no faffing.
E: 5 days recording, 2 days mixing. It was magic, it was good.
Recording onto what?
E: Onto 2 inch tape. Just to prove to ourselves that we could do it, and also computer screens, mmmm...
What... I'm surrounded by them here.
E: You're surrounded by them, they're the focus of the room. It should be the music that's the focus...
Well I try for it to be, sometimes I do think, computer screens, mmmm... It's such a fine record as well, it conforms to my new Stalinist policy which I'm going to introduce for next year, that is all albums either 10 tracks only, or 11 if you've got a really good long track to go as track 6, or under 30 minutes. It's got to conform to one of those rules or else I'm ruling them all out, do you think?
E: I like this Gideon. We'll stick to it Brakes too...
I'll champion it with that LP because this one comes in at about 29 minutes doesn't it. It includes All Night Disco Party which has been a worldwide hit single, is that right? Why are you laughing at that Tom? Where's it been successful?
E: Tom's laughing just because he can remember where we wrote it... some friends were in Australia driving past Sydney Harbour Bridge all jet-lagged, a bit pisse... DJ: drunk, that's fine... E: A bit annoyed. DJ: Oh right sorry, Americanisms what can you do. E: And then All Night Disco Party came on the stereo - mood changed, they were all happy.
Talking of mood lightening, Lou Reed's a fan of the album, is that right? Did he call you up to say so, how did you find out?
E: Mutual friend passed the CD on.
When I first listened to Give Blood I didn't bother reading the press blurb and I did assume for a while that you were some kids out of Brooklyn, I mean that in the nicest possible way, maybe that's what Lou Reed thought.
E: We played there last week, in Brooklyn.
Talking of America, has Dick Cheney responded to his track on the album?
T: I don't think we need him to, I think we've said it all.
DJ: That 7 second track needs cutting down, doesn't it?
T: It's a bit prog.
Brakes live on 6 Music and we're ready for another tune, what's it going to be?
E: Sweet, this is NY Pie (with whistling)
Absolutely wonderful stuff, that's Eamon and Tom from Brakes, and NY Pie. The latest single to come from Give Blood is Ring A Ding Ding. The Borderline is the show in London tonight which I believe is a sell out (E: I think so) Elsewhere shows in Liverpool, Cardiff, Oxford, Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton, Tunbridge Wells and Leeds... brakesbrakesbrakes dot com is the website... thanks a million for dropping by.
E: That's superb thankyou.
T: Cheers.
There's part of an interview with Tom + Marc talking about The Bravery at: torr.typepad.com
Eamon @ dbmagazine.com.au Brakes are now signed to Rough Trade Records, a label recognised for its dealings with diabolic sweethearts The Libertines and Babyshambles. Eamon: "Yeah, Brakes are the second most troublesome band on the label" (click link to read)
Tiscali Showcase See Ring A Ding Ding, All Night Disco Party and Heard About Your Band.
Band: Hi we're Brakes and you can watch us on Tiscali.co.uk
We're here at Tiscali Showcase with Brakes. Alright guys. Tell us a bit about how you guys got together as a band.
E: I was playing some acoustic tunes in a bar in Brighton and Tom and Alex approached me, well, we'd known eachother for years. They said "we'll play drums and guitar" so I said "yeah" and then we hooked in Marc.
M: We just realised it was a year today our first single came out so it's pretty cool.
You're all in other bands but what does Brakes bring to you, what's good about being in the supergroup Brakes.
A: It's super. It's freeing because we're not in those other bands. When Brakes started off... now Brakes is a serious band but when it started off it was just a laugh for us. It was a kind of a get out thing from our other bands.
M: It's good fun.
A: Definately.
Your video's are great videos. How much input do you have with videos?
E: They're mostly done by our friends.
M: We just get our friends to do 'em. They come up with the ideas.
And you can see quite a lot of those online obviously. How important is the online world to you guys?
A: It's great, my Dad watched the video today. It's great, you can't really avoid it now, 10 years ago you could live without that sort of thing.
And how's it gone with the album as well, you're going to New York next week?
A: Not that we've sold a million but it's getting there. 900,000 or something like that.
Are you suprised how much it's all taken off?
M: Yeah.
E: No...
(Alex laughs)
M: Especially in London, the few gigs we've been doing recently in London, a really good reaction from audiences so...
A: We made the record for ourselves, we didn't make it to sell records. It's not supposed to be a pop album do you know what I mean. It's not supposed to be selling loads of units, we made it for ourselves... people getting into it on that level, genuinely just enjoying it, it's great.
You've got a big tour coming up in October...
A Brake: 20 shows, 2 days off.
M: 2 weeks flat out.
Are you guys going to go on as Brakes, are you going to go back to your other bands.
A: We've got our second album ready.
M: We're all still doing stuff for our own bands as well.
E: We've got our second Brakes album coming out.
Great well thanks for coming to play the Tiscali Showcase and have a great show.
Article with quotes from Eamon: Brakes @ MSNBC The stories he tells are anything but typical. “I Can’t Stand to Stand Beside You” talks about being so disappointed in someone that you just can’t be around them anymore. Eamon admits there’s a personal interpretation of the song that he doesn't care to share, but also says that it could be about Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, two politicians who have really let the Brits down. “You been doin all the things that you were once so against, Sir” he sings, “Lying all the time, you keep lying all the time”
Thanks to Mary who picked it up for me in Brighton.
Interview with Eamon at soundsxp.com Eamon: Who would I like to sing like? Little Richard! My dad gave me a cassette on my 11th or 12th birthday I think. To hear him, Little Richard, was like: fucking hell! This man is rock! Just absolutely pounding! If I could sing like anyone, it would be Little Richard.
Interview with Marc at firstformusic.com Click on Interview. As something that started as a laugh, has it turned into something serious now? Marc: Yeah, it's got pretty serious now. We've got a bank account!
Interview with Eamon at Truck @ fasterlouder.com.au Extracts: Eamon Hamilton was “really happy” with the whole album but reserves special praise for seven second power romp comma, comma, comma full stop. “I think it was pretty good because, I had the lyrics and a bit of the tune but Tom rearranged it and put a couple more chords in it so I think it's got like four chords in it in five seconds so quite pleased with that really”
According to Hamilton, The Brakes are hoping to come out to Australia in December or January, “…it would be a dream come true really”. “There’s talk of British Sea Power coming out as well so maybe the both of us together. We’ll see what happens”
There is a nice long Interview with Tom & Eamon @ incendiarymag.com (click link to read) Eamon Hamilton and Tom White are happily relaxing in the afternoon sun, revelling in the fact that, instead of presenting them with a professional interview, I was content to talk rubbish.
A choice quote from Mr White: "It’s so refreshing to make a record like this – having worked with other big labels before – it’s like a dream come true. I can’t ever see myself making another record differently again. I’ve made stuff all alone, in a room, endlessly changing things. But when you’ve worked with a band, you have to capture the moment"
Time for our celebrity album review and this morning we've woken up Eamon from British Sea Power. Good morning. E: Good morning (he's on the phone)
DJ: So you're in Amsterdam.
E: I am, yeah yeah.
DJ: What are you doing there?
E: I've got a gig with Brakes tonight at the Paradiso.
DJ: With Brakes (E: with Brakes yeah)
DJ: I'm a bit of a fan of Brakes at the moment.
E: Have you heard the album?
DJ: Yes I have. I do really really like it, 'cos I was a fan of the Electric Soft Parade as well.
E: Ah right, good.
DJ: So what's going on with BSP over the summer, are you playing any festivals?
E: Yeah yeah we're starting in Hamburg on Monday and then we're going to do some festivals with Adam Green, then we're coming back to do Reading & Leeds, Belladrum up in Scotland with The Proclaimers and The Eden Project as well.
DJ: Have you ever been there?
E: Once with my Grandma.
DJ: With your Grandma?
E: Yeah.
DJ: It's wonderful isn't it.
E: It's superb.
DJ: So are you going to be watching Live 8 this afternoon.
E: Er no, I'm going to be cycling round Amsterdam on a bike hopefully.
DJ: Behaving yourself in Amsterdam because I know what you boys are like when you're out there.
Eamon does a little laugh.
DJ: Just you and the band out there?
E: It is yeah.
DJ: How long have you been there so far.
E: About 2 hours.
DJ: Is that all? So you haven't hit the cafes yet?
E: No not yet. It's a bit of a cliche isn't it. The Dutch get a bit of a raw deal when they see bands.
DJ: That's because that's what boys do when they go over there.
E: Very true.
DJ: I mean correct me if I'm wrong but are you not going to venture just slightly into a cafe? (Eamon's not making much sense in the background) DJ: Of course you will. E: Of course.
Let's get down to your album review then. What is your chosen album this morning. E: It's the Duke Spirit, Cuts Across The Land.
DJ: Why have you chosen this album.
E: It's just superb. They came on tour with BSP about a year ago I think and they're just an amazing band I think.
DJ: How did you 1st become aware of them?
E: We heard a single, the 6 track EP they released, we just thought it was great, really fresh sound you know so yeah we took 'em on tour and then they've just released their debut, it sounds really good.
DJ: So you want to hear some more of them and you want the people to hear more?
E: Yeah absolutely yeah. We're going to play the 1st track of the album I think. It just kicks off, it's really good.
DJ: Which is the current single isn't it or the next single.
E: Is it the single? I haven't been paying attention.
DJ: It's called Cuts Across The Land so Eamon, this is your choice, do you want to introduce it then?
E: This is Cuts Across The Land, the Duke Spirit.
DJ: Thankyou very much, have a great day in Amsterdam and behave yourself.
E: I'll try.
DJ: Duke Spirit with the title track to their album Cuts Across The Land. That was the choice of Eamon from BSP.
French Interview with Eamon: Apologies to any French readers who know I've done something wrong (a lot of it will be guesses) If I couldn't understand something I left it out. Original interview at: liberation.fr
Rock'n'roll. The dishevelled punks emerged from Brighton (not sure that's right because they're not that dishevelled) Brakes without brake (?) Monday June 27, 2005
"In Brighton, there is a steep street called Trafalgar Street; one day, a friend saw someone coming down the street while shouting: I do not have brakes! I do not have brakes! Everyone needs brakes..." says Eamon Hamilton, frontman of Brakes.
Their CD Give Blood... 29 mins, 16 songs, 1 day in the studio (January 30, 2005, Metropolis) - I think that means the date they arrived or finished recording - 4 English (band members?), including 3 from Brighton-on-Sea, including 2 brothers, came together in 2002.
From their actions, something emerges and occurs (we noticed!!)
They describe their music by saying imagine something like Deluxe Hotel and epileptic Pixies, Violent Femmes and Herman Düne (I could only make out the band names)
It is Eamon Hamilton, the thirty year old defector from British Sea Power, with two from Electric Soft Parade, Tom (21 years, guitar) and Alex White (percussion, 23, drums, piano), plus Marc Beatty, of The Tenderfoot (23, bass, lapsteel)
"Bonnie Prince Billy? Wow, what an honour, he is a hero", Eamon says of the comparison.
(I don't know who that is)
Not too dandy on the "promo" photograph (I disagree) Another bit: I wonder how he holds such a large guitar without it being caught on his boots (?)
Eamon on their sound: "It is country punk". But the question of the heroes of the group? "Big Bill Bronzy, Leadbelly, Pavement, Horner, The Freak Brothers, Slumber Party, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles".
Then, in answer to "what do you listen to?", still odder: "From here, one picks up a French station, Fip-Fm, it is my musical ideal. Jazz, rock'n'roll, hip-hop, traditional... Neither exclusive nor requirements of play-lists as on the English radio. FIP is the radio operator (we) worship in Brighton"
From Give Blood, the song that's not too FM, would be Comma Comma Comma Full Stop because "All is there". Admittedly, this sonic little runt lasts 6 seconds.
(sonic little runt - oh my god... can't think now, best review yet)
Brouet pop thrash (don't know what that means but sounds good)
Of Eamon's lyrics they say they can be described as: "twisted, sour and often knowingly dépravées" (depraved?) (but that's why they're so good) They then mention I Can't Stand and Pick up the Phone... the result is a brouet thrash pop statement of love songs (like?) Modern Lovers.
...effective harmonies and melodies, soft agitations...
You're so Pretty vs NY Pie. Fell in love with a girl. Perfection, or derision? Even.
"Can't Stand To Stand Beside You" comes from (is written about) the spectacle of political allies or members of a community..." then the rest hasn't translated well.
The range of effects used goes from (something) to hardcore noise; néo Mamas & Papas (Sometimes Always) or néo traditionnel (Jackson) with rockabilly, while passing by anti-Franz Ferdinand...
The rest continues the album review which isn't very clear. They talk about What's In It For Me: distortions and furious rock'n'roll. Something puerile and ingenuous characterizes the thing like kids assembling the bourrichon (getting the nerve? I have no idea) to break plates and to piss in soup, while the parents are at the choral society.
(well that bit translated)
Setting the tone, the stamp of Donald Duck effeminate of Eamon Hamilton (Hi How Are You)
(I've never heard Donald Duck effeminate used to describe anyone before and probably never again)
Then I think they talk about the mood changes on the album. All Night Disco Party, squeaking anthem with pleasure (or an anthem squeaking with pleasure)
With the kraftwerkien airs thus (something) by author-interpretation: "ANDP speaks about reconciliations; the evenings dissipate the estrangements"
(not sure if that's a lyric or a quote)
The interviewer asks about their livelihood. "We are musicians". Who orders? (who's the boss?) "In music, it is Eamon who generally brings the lyrics and the songs; Tom the guitar parts, Marc the bass, Alex the drums".
The true boss it is the manager, who says: "Go there", "Do that", "You are late"...
They're an amazing band, they played with us in December
September 2004 interview with Eamon at the Guardian about his songwriting.
"I started hitting my guitar, playing a B and then finished the song when I said everything I had to say," says Eamon Hamilton, frontman of Brakes. This admirably pragmatic approach to songwriting has yielded an eponymous three-track EP, on which the frantic opening song, Pick Up the Phone, lasts 20 seconds - and the closing number, a tribute to the American Vice-President entitled Cheney, lasts a mere eight seconds.
"Somebody told me that if it was any shorter than eight seconds, it wouldn't actually register as a track on a CD," notes Hamilton, whose day job involves playing keyboards with art-rockers British Sea Power. "We just got away with it."
Such brevity brings its own set of problems. Hamilton and his bandmates have been forced to hastily come up with a raft of new material for a forthcoming tour: "We thought we might get sued if the set lasted less than 20 minutes, so now we've got 15 songs and it lasts for 22."
Anyone who doubts the ability of a song lasting seconds to convey something of mammoth importance is advised to take the matter up not just with Eamon Hamilton - who suggests that Cheney "sums up a lot of stuff I was feeling at the time about the very dangerous man"
24 June 2005: Steve Lamacq bumped into Eamon at Glastonbury and asked him where he's camping because there's 3 inches of water down by the John Peel stage and he said "yeah, that's where we're camped". Steve said "they've got 3 inches of water in their tent" and they probably wanted to feel the real vibes of Glastonbury, "none of this backstage ligging". Other person: that's the British Sea Power way.
Click here Scroll down to 22 June. Click on UUR 1. Move the slider on the radio player to just before 20 mins into the show. It goes off just after 36 mins.
DJ: Brakes, Eamon Hamilton. Eamon, welcome...
E: Hello.
DJ: How you doing.
E: Very well.
DJ: Let's start with Brighton because I was reading all kinds of things in bios about you. You've been in a few bands in Brighton, also your colleagues. You've played in British Sea Power and Tom and Alex played in Electric Soft Parade and Marc played in several bands. How did you 4 get together.
E: Well we've been friends for a long time, about 7 or 8 years. I was playing acoustic guitar, singing a few songs in some bars. Tom and Alex came up after a gig and said "go on let's get a band together", Marc was running a recording studio and we went round to his, convinced him to play bass.
DJ: How did you convince him to play bass?
E: Well, how did we do it?
DJ: Feeding him some booze?
E: Just kind of punching his arm...
DJ: OK. But you were in all these different bands at that moment. Did you split and just went out of those bands and started a new one.
E: No we're still in those bands. It's just whenever we can, we play with Brakes.
DJ: Ok, so Brakes isn't 2nd place maybe?
E: No, no, not at all. Well, it depends which day it is.
DJ: So, you are from Canada, aren't you?
E: That's right yeah.
DJ: You're born in Canada and you've lived all your life in England or...
E: Most of my life in England yeah.
DJ: Where does this country thing come from because...
E: Ah, country and western, come on, you've gotta love it (DJ tries to get a word in) E: Tales about heartbreak, tales about human stories...
DJ: But how do 4 blokes from England do this country thing?
E: Everyone's been dumped, I'm sure, y'know. That's country music.
DJ: Some people call it anti-folk or country punk?
E: Yeah, country...
DJ: Is that what it feels to you?
E: Well the anti-folk music, that was a couple of years ago, that came out in New York, didn't it, that was inspirational, it was people singing about whatever they wanted to sing about. It was a good scene, so yeah we were influenced by that.
DJ: The things you sing about, some songs are very short and satirical and very funny. And the song I Heard About Your Band, are you gonna play that.
E: We are yeah, that's coming on.
DJ: What's the song about?
E: It's about someone who came down and just irritated me throughout a gig, just really irritated...
DJ: Throughout a gig?
E: Yeah and it was a good gig, it was like Liars, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Mc Clusky. Anyway it says it all in the song.
DJ: You also have this beautiful song called Cheney? That's for about 10 seconds. Wonderful.
E: Yeah cheers. We're gonna play that tonight as well.
DJ: Ok now, I would like to invite you to go over to the stage and start playing your music.
E: This one's All Night Disco Party.
DJ: BRAKES!
- All Night Disco Party -
E: Hi we're Brakes, this is What's In It For Me?
- What's In It For Me -
E: This one's about a very annoying cretinous man that I met at a gig. You know when people talk in gigs when you're watching quiet bands. It's called Heard About Your Band.
- Heard About Your Band -
(he practically shouts this one)
E: This is our first single, it came out on Tugboat Records. It's called Pick Up.
- Pick Up The Phone -
(sounds so much better live)
- I Can't Stand To Stand Beside You -
E: This one's called Ring A Ding Ding.
- Ring A Ding Ding -
(Tom's guitar on this is rocking, I keep thinking they're going to break into Anarchy In The UK or something)
E: Thanks very much, this is our last tune. It's called NY Pie (someone shouts out Cheney) E: Alright this one's called Cheney.
- Cheney -
(after "stop being such a dick" Eamon says "I hope that translated", the DJ's talking over the top of him. They play it again, the DJ promptly stops talking and at the top of his voice Eamon repeats it)
E: We've been Brakes thanks very much (DJ seems a bit suprised)
(me: they really do sound like the Pistols with the thundering bassline and Tom's guitar and Eamon has more venom than John Lydon)
Eamon's Interview with Steve Lamacq at Maida Vale transcribed from the radio stream
S: And for the 1st time tonight we can join our showcase guests, very pleased to say Brakes join us at the Maida Vale studios, Eamon has got the microphone. You'd better tell us a bit about how this project came together because there's all types of people who I can probably hear in the background who are in this band. Infact just introduce the band first off.
E: Hi Steve. On guitar it's Tom White, on drums it's Alex White his brother and on bass it's Marc Beatty.
S: And you from the British Sea Power boys. What spurred you on to do this particular project.
E: Well Brakes have been together for about 3 years now (S: really?) E: So it's just inevitable that the album would come out (S: I didn't realise it was that long) E: yeah yeah we formed in a pub in Brighton, in a basement bar (S: as you do) E: yeah and followed through with the idea really. We're quite pleased.
S: Listen we'll talk a bit more about the band and the splendid new album which is called Give Blood but for starters what are you gonna play? E: This is What's In It For Me? S: It's the Brakes live on Radio 1.
- What's In It For Me? -
S: First track tonight from our session guests Brakes playing at the Maida Vale studios, that 1st track What's In It For Me? and we'll be back with them in a couple of tracks time.
S: Right back to the Maida Vale studios, tonight playing live for us, the boys behind what is certainly my favourite debut album of the last couple of months. It's Give Blood the record, Brakes the band. Before you do another couple of songs for us, this record was recorded in how many days? 7 days?
E: 7 days in total, mixed as well. And the desk went down for one of those days (S: so it's really 6) E: yeah yeah. S: And you had all the material, I'm imagining. E: yeah we did yeah and we practiced... I think we'd done a few gigs before recording.
S: I have to say I apologise at this point for calling you the young Victor Meldrew in a certain broadsheet paper yesterday (E: I'm a happy man Steve) See Give Blood @ The Observer
S: But there is a sense of irritation about this record, just not suffering fools.
E: I can't believe more people are not more irritated by a lot of the things going on at the moment. So yeah, general irritations let out.
S: But little specific things as well like the person who tries to talk to you while you're watching a band.
E: They're all true stories. It was watching The Tenderfoot actually, the band that Marc plays in, down at the Freebutt in Brighton (S: And they're a quite gentle band) E: Quite a quiet gentle band and you don't really want to hear people trying to chat eachother up beside you.
S: We'll do some more banter in a second. But because this album, if you haven't heard me blathering on about it, is all over in 29 minutes, I think we're going to let you do a couple of tracks in a row. What are you gonna do next? E: That's superb. We're going to do Ring A Ding Ding and Heard About Your Band.
- Ring A Ding Ding -
- Heard About Your Band -
S: So first Ring A Ding Ding, that's the track which opens the Give Blood album, after that Heard About Your Band which was the song inspired by Eamon watching The Tenderfoot with somebody bleating away next to him (me: Eamon described them as "cretinous" on 3VOOR12) S: So you've been on tour, how's that been?
E: It's been superb. We've been supporting Buck 65 so it's been quite a hip hop crowd. We've been going down really well each night especially in Glasgow (S: really, why particularly there) E: Ah Glasgow's amazing isn't it. It's got really good music taste and good bands.
S: And what have you got lined up, are you at the festivals. E: We are. We're playing the Tartan Heart festival in Belladrum, that's in Scotland, with the Proclaimers, and we're gonna play Glastonbury as well. S: OK. This weekend. Do you know which day you're on. E: Friday, it's in a small tent, the Guardian Guide stage.
S: Ok, and if people want more information, have you got a website. E: yeah we do. It's www.brakesbrakesbrakes.com
S: OK. Check out the album as well, it's out on Rough Trade, probably features the next couple of tracks we've got to come. What are you gonna finish with?
E: We're gonna do Comma Comma Comma Fullstop and All Night Disco Party. S: Brilliant. Eamon and the boys thank you very much for coming in. Good Luck. E: Thanks a lot Steve. S: So for the final time tonight, it is the fantastic Brakes live on Radio 1.
- Comma Comma Comma Fullstop -
- All Night Disco Party -
Eamon sings "A super non stop uber rockin Radio 1 party"
S: Playing live for us tonight at the Maida vale studios Brakes and that website address one more time www.brakesbrakesbrakes.com those final 2 tracks both from the album. Comma Comma Comma Fullstop and a version of the single as well which is called All Night Disco Party.
8.20pm: It is XFM, it's Music Response. It's Sarah Darling in for Ian Camfield and it's the Brakes in the studio next door. Hello.
Eamon: Hi Sarah how are you.
I'm very well thank you. What are you going to play first?
Eamon: This is All Night Disco Party.
Excellent. Take it away.
... All Night Disco Party ...
Oh fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. The single that is out this week of course.
Eamon: It is yeah. Out today.
I have to say thank you for the discussion of both the Croque Monsieur and the Croque Madame. It's much maligned the French inside out sandwich.
Eamon: It's a fantastic sandwich. It's why we celebrate it.
Why in particular after an All Night Disco Party is that your weapon of choice.
Eamon: That's the one, that's the one they have to make us.
Cool. Obviously separately we've had quite a few of you in here a couple of different times but together as a collective we haven't so you're going to have to take us all the way back to the beginning of Brakes.
Eamon: All the way back... well we started in a pub (DJ: as all the best things do) and actually followed through the idea so it was good. Obviously we've been busy with other bands.
Just give a breakdown for people who don't know the bands you're in and who does what.
Eamon: I play keyboards in a band called British Sea Power, Tom and Alex are in a band called Electric Soft Parade, Marc's in a band called The Tenderfoot.
So it is a collective. Did you use the Travelling Wilbury's as a point of reference.
Eamon: No.
What is going on with the other bands that you're in. Is Brakes now the main focus or is it a side project or is it the main project. What's the score.
Eamon: It's a good band, we're having good fun with it. We're going to play a lot of festivals this summer. And then go on a headline tour next September. We start touring tomorrow actually with Buck 65.
We'll talk about some of the live stuff more in a minute but I wanted to say how is it when you're touring with a band that one of you is already in. Is it knackering (Eamon: yes) It must be absolutely knackering. Charlotte from Ash is doing that now and she said it was absolutely knackering but really good fun.
Eamon: It's amazing. Come on, that's the whole point of being in a band isn't it, playing live.
By the end of it that's when you need the Croque Monsieur (Eamon: that's true) you know to bring the health back up (Eamon: food is energy) We'll talk about the live stuff and whatnot in just a sec but you're going to play something else for us. What's it going to be.
Eamon: This is a true story about the dissent (or descent?) of man. It's called NY pie.
Alright sandwiches to the descent of man. Excellent.
... NY Pie ...
Excellent. Thankyou. "Thankyou London goodnight" you're supposed to finish with.
Eamon: Thanks for having us on Sarah it's lush.
No you're not going anywhere I'm still going to have another chat with you. Sorry I was only mucking about. I'm embarrassed now. It's not a very good interviewing style is it, to make you think that's it you're off. I want to talk to you about some of the live stuff. We've talked about British Sea Power and you supporting them. How does that come about. Are you all sitting round and you go, who shall we get to support us and you're like, you know what, I know a little band. Or was it a decision of British Sea Power...
Eamon: Yeah, everyone just sort of went yes, good band. Put 'em both together, stick 'em on a bus, it's a lot cheaper.
Ah so it was all about the (something) I see.
Eamon: Yeah that's the one.
Also The Others and Finlay Quaye, you've supported them. Which one did you prefer or can you not say (band laugh in the background)
Eamon: Finlay Quaye was an absolute diamond.
Do you have stories, it looks like you do.
Eamon: He was smoking a big reefer doing some DJing before we went on - "this is for the Brakes" (DJ: is he Jamaican?) I don't think he knows where he's from. And then the owners came over and started spraying air freshener all around the club. It was quite nice.
As you said you're off with Buck 65 and along the tour you're doing a load of dates and then a load of DJing as well in the evening so you know holding onto that stamina for all the dates.
Eamon: I think when we play London we play what is it - White Trash/White Heat?
It's White Heat, Madame JoJo's. So the date is the 21st at the Mean Fiddler. People can see you DJing a little bit later. Is it sold out the Mean Fiddler?
Eamon: I think there may be tickets I'm not sure.
I'm expecting after this there probably won't be. So we'll probably try to grab hold of you at Madame JoJo's. So we have the single out this week, your date is the 21st at the Mean Fiddler, and the album Give Blood is out on the 4th of July.
Eamon: We just gave blood today, we're feeling a bit weak.
Again I don't want to labour on this point. Croque Monsieur, go on, out you pop.
Eamon: Croque Monsieur, Croque Madame... Thankyou very much Sarah.
Alright thank you so much for coming in.
Me: And thanks must go to the NME for alerting me to the fact they were on.
Brakes are mentioned in a Pipettes article at Playlouder (click link to read it) A duet with Eamon from British Sea Power will appear on the first album by Brakes, "Give Blood", released on Rough Trade on July 4th. The girls and Eamon get their tongues around the cracking Jesus and Mary Chain tune "Sometimes Always".
Brakes to give blood @ Playlouder (click the link to read it all) 'All Night Disco Party' comes out on June 13th, and is accompanied by a great video with lots of addled penguins and walrus' (or is that walri?) This will be followed by album 'Give Blood' on July 4th. We have it on in the office right now, and it's a satisfying melange of country, soul, noise and madness. Hooray!
Now, to commemorate the release of 'Give Blood', Brakes are to well, Give Blood next Monday, June 13th, the day before World Blood Donor day. Eamon is quoted as saying: "We named our album 'Give Blood' as a bit of self challenge - it has forced us to actually do it. So, on the 13th, we will each be giving two pints of rock star blood to the UK blood bank. It takes two hours for the body to replenish itself, which gives us the advantage of providing us with fresh blood for our tour, which starts on the 14th"
From the Tiscali interview with The Tenderfoot (May 20th) Fast forward to 2.10 mins.
I understand that Marc, you're a studio producer as well. How does that work in the studio, does it make you all perfectionists when you record stuff?
Marc: I dunno about all of us but because I've worked in the studio before, I guess I know how to get good performances out of people, to an extent.
Darren: You're part therapist, part producer, aren't you?
Marc: I guess it's always good if you're working with a producer to have someone in the band that also knows what's going on in terms of that so that helps I guess.
You're based down in Brighton, aren't you?
Marc: Yeah.
What do you think's so good about the scene down there in Brighton now?
Marc: I wouldn't say right now, maybe a couple of years ago, it was really vibrant and we kind of came out of the back of that - bands like Electric Soft Parade and 80's Matchbox B-line Disaster, it's died down a bit again but... it was unchartered territory for record companies, I think; they just came in and took what was good.
Darren: Now everyone thinks it's a really good place to go to be in a band, you get loads of people moving to Brighton to form bands. I find that a bit weird, I don't understand why that happens, I wouldn't move somewhere to be in a band I don't think.
Russell: I read somewhere that there's an estimated 500 bands in Brighton who actually go and play gigs every week.
Joel: Marc's in most of 'em.
You're in another band as well?
Marc: Yeah. Brakes.
Does that interfere or help?
Marc: It's starting to actually... interfere... (rest of band is laughing)
Help?
Marc: Yeah, it helps a lot. People... the singer in Brakes, the main frontman, is Eamon from British Sea Power, so a lot of their fans are interested in Brakes and therefore find out about Tenderfoot so... and Tom & Alex from the Electric Soft Parade as well, so we kind of share fans these days.
Darren: It's a Brighton Super Group. Like the Travelling Wilbury's or...
Watch Cowbell Blues at the link above as there's a lot of Marc on that one (playing keyboards/vocals) Marc also said he likes country music.
29 May 2005 NME Chart Show on MTV2 - the Queens of Noize were pretty bored but they got all excited about the Hot New Ones. They played a clip from the video and talked about the song Brakes wrote for them - Tabitha With The Flashing Eyes - which they said is a b-side (it's not on this single)
Brakes news 03-03-2005 at losingtoday.com BRAKES headline the Camden Barfly on Thursday March 17th 2005. BRAKES from Brighton, England. That bustin' Brighton boyband BRAKES is back!! RIGHT THE FUCK ON!!! Here're some facts about 'em:
BRAKES formed just under three years ago, when Tom was 18, Alex was 20, Marc was 20, and Eamon was 26. Eamon had been playing acoustically, and after supporting The Lonesome Organist at Palmer's Bar, Tom and Alex suggested backing the tunes with a band. 'Rad' said Eamon. Marc was running (the now sadly closed) Mockinbird Studios, a reheasal/demo room underneath an internet cafe in Kemptown, which is where they went after the gig. They learnt all the tunes in a couple of hours, and spent the next three years gigging whenever they had time off from their main bands (Electric Soft Parade, The Tenderfoot, British Sea Power)
They recorded and mixed their debut album, Give Blood, in seven days and nights, with Iain Gore at Metropolis. They recorded straight on to 2inch tape and mixed onto 1/4inch tape, between 24th and 30th January 2005. Tape is no longer commercially available, the last factory producing it shut down just before Christmas 2004. No computer screens were used during the recording of Give Blood. The album is set to be released later this year.
BRAKES had a bit of kerfuffle with a Manchester band called 'The Brakes' who had been touring and confusing people in late 2004. After thinking long and hard about changing their name, BRAKES thought 'fuck it, we've had a charted single, a video played on MTV and an extensive tour' and have decided to keep their name, although for the future, until the album comes out at least, they'll be known as BRAKES from Brighton, England, to avoid confusion.
Brakes @ thestereoeffect.com The band formed when the friends could get a spare moment from their day jobs/other bands to mash about some tunes in Marc’s Mockinbird Studios in Brighton. The band have finished recording their debut album, Give Blood and it should be released later this year.
Brakes @ thisisfakediy.co.uk They have recently finished recording their debut album, released later this year, and "no computer screens were used during the recording". Quaint.
Weblog 16 Mar 2005 - 07:15pm Right now the NME chart show's on MTV2 and it's being introduced from Brighton Beach by the Queens Of Noize. They just had a group called the Dogs with them and they mentioned meeting them in their NME column this week. Eamon's on and they're talking to him. Talking about his band's tour. Mentioned the Brakes; Tom & Alex, Marc from the Tenderfoot. "It's all good". Any interesting songs? "There's a few. It's called Tabitha with the Flashing Eyes. Eyes That See Through The Jungle". Maybe you'd like to introduce your song (BSP) And he does. And I couldn't record it. I typed it as he said it (I watched the chart show the next night but the Queens Of Noize weren't on it)
From the Queens Of Noize page
(Tabitha is one half of the Queens of Noize)
Main Website: We Want The Airwaves Back Fanzine
Read all about the fanzine here (very interesting)
They say: The Brakes song All Night Disco Party is possibly the best song ever. There's a picture (scroll to near the end)
Thomas – Hard, Fast Pistachio.
Eamon – Everyone Needs Brakes/Disco Party… Good.
Alex – Cunt… sorry! I mean… Very, very… Noisy.
Marc – Dope And Speed.
Tom’s Joke: T: “How many elephants can you fit in a mini?”
We Want The Airwaves Back: “I don’t know. How many?”
(Possibly the longest pause ever. Possibly caused by drugs)
T: “...Like ...Eight”
They say: …Maybe you had to be there, but the fact he sounded so unsure was hilarious at the time. It was shortly followed by a rambling monologue/stream of consciousness about “Strawberries... And... Combine Harvesters...”