The Kabeedies Interview
Posted by xxrosannaxx on Sat, 22 Aug 2009.
I chat with up and coming band The Kabeedies at this year's Summer Sundae Weekender...
Evan - vocals/guitar.
Fab - drums.
Katie - vocals
Roary - vocals/bass.
Rosanna: How are you finding it here today so far?
Fab: It’s really nice, we all really like it. Definately a weird set up for a festival, with the indoor bar in the main building...
Evan: It feels a lot less grubby than a normal festival.
Fab: It’s quite a posh festival... especially when you’ve got the plastic, locked together walk-ways...
Roary: I’d feel a bit weird being drunk here; I’d feel a bit out of place.
Fab: You’d end up walking into the building and knocking over something important, and getting kicked out.
Evan: I keep trying to make friends with people, ‘cause I’ve been worried about how many people will come and watch us... and everyone’s been very nice, there’s a very “nice” vibe – it’s a very “nice” festival.
Rosanna: So how did you first form as a band?
Katie: Me and Evan went to school together and we were in a rubbish school band... But then unfortunately our drummer and bass player left us...
Evan: So we got these dudes... and we made a load of pop songs.
Rosanna: So how would you describe your style in three words?
Evan: Rock and roll [all laugh]... or “rock eats roll”.
Fab: Crap pop music.
Rosanna: So where do you take your main influences from?
Evan: Well we’ve all got different influences. I listen to all sorts, lots of fifties rock ‘n’ roll and lots of dance music, and then [looks at Roary] you’re into heavy gnarly stuff...
Roary: Heavy metal.
Fab: Hard indie.
Evan: [laughs] And Britpop!
Katie: And for me it’s not hard indie, but nice indie... and I just want to be Debbie Harry as well.
Rosanna: And for your songs, where do you take inspiration for lyrics and songwriting?
Evan: Everywhere! Things that stand out in life.
Fab: Weird observations and kind of trying to put out a message in as cryptic a way as possible.
Evan: Not even cryptic, just not obvious, and at the same time completely ridiculous.
Katie: I think we’re all a little bit mental, which helps.
Rosanna: And obviously you’re really into playing festivals... do you prefer them to normal gigs?
All: Yeah definately!
Evan: Everyone’s so much more excitable [smiles] so yeah, definately festivals.
Roary: And we’ve had one experience of playing an evening festival, and that was such a different feel as well... in the dark with the lights...
Fab: And at a festival, it’s a collaboration between a load of music fans together, and then they pick which fans to see, whereas if it’s a gig people will have to make the effort to come out, so at festivals you can tell if you’re well-liked.
Roary: But at a gig you do get the mental fans who always come out especially to see you, and that’s nice.
Evan: I just like the fact that with a festival, you get to enjoy a festival as well as play it.
Rosanna: You’ve got your new album coming out next month – excited?
All: So, so excited!
Fab: We’ve just finished the artwork for it and we’re pretty chuffed with it.
Roary: It’s got a lot of the old songs and the new stuff that we’re playing...
Evan: And a couple of new ones that no-one in the world has ever heard...
Katie: Secret ones!
Roary: It’s a nice representation of what we’ve been doing for the last few years...
Fab: It’s kind of three years work come together.
Rosanna: So why should people buy the album when it comes out?
Evan: ‘Cause it’s called “Rumpus” [smiles] and that’s the best name for an album in the world. And someone told us that before going on a night out, listening to us gets them in the mood.
Rosanna: So what’s next for The Kabeedies?
Roary: We should retire...
Fab: Yeah [laughs] shall we give up? I’m kind of knackered.
Evan: We’ll take over the world [laughs].
Roary: I think we’re gonna do the same thing, just keep on playing.
Evan: We’ll play loads of gigs and festivals and write another album.
Fab: Except we’re gonna change it and make it a bit different this time – heavy metal covers [smiles].
Katie: Or blues...
Rosanna: Well it was really nice to meet you and thanks for your time.
Thanks very much to Craig Miller.
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By Rosanna Pound-Woods