Kid British Interview

I caught up for a chat with the lads from Manchester who are being hailed as this generation's answer to The Specials, at this year's Summer Sundae Weekender...

Rosanna: Hi guys, is this your first time down in Leicester?

James: Yeah, we worked out we’ve never actually played here before so it’ll be good to play to a new crowd.

Rosanna: And you’ve played quite a few festivals this summer and have V coming up next weekend – excited about that?

Sean: Yeah, when I was a kid that was always one of the festivals that I wanted to join in with, so yeah, definately excited about that one.

Adio: It should be interesting.

Rosanna: And how do you find that playing festivals compares to playing normal gigs?

Sean: I think it’s different in a way because it’s a challenge, ‘cause you’ve got so many people seeing different genres of music...

Simeon: It’s your chance to convert other people’s fans into you fans. And I think people are more up for it as well, because they’ve paid their money, they’re there for the weekend, and want to have a good time.

James: We’re the type of band that love playing festivals and we know our music suits festivals, especially if the sun’s out, you just enjoy a festival – it’s just a wicked atmosphere.

Rosanna: And what would you say is the best one you’ve played so far?

James: Evolution in Newcastle, one of the first ones we did in the summer, just because it wasn’t like a grassy festival – everything was on concrete in a car park, it was a bit random. That was mental – we didn’t expect as many people to sing our songs back to us as they did, so it was a bit of a shock.

Sean: And Wakestock. When we got there, there was no-one. We had like 100 people and we thought okay, we’ll just play it and enjoy the festival. And before we came out we had 2,000 people [smiles].

Rosanna: And as well as festivals you like to play in-stores in places like HMV Manchester right? Do you prefer bigger gigs, or smaller, more intimate ones?

Sean: I prefer all of them to be honest – they’re all different in their own right. Although obviously my favourite is the small ones, where obviously it’s more intimate and with the crowd, there’s togetherness.

Simeon: It’s YOUR crowd. At the in-store in HMV, they’ve come to see you, they’ve come to buy the album, so they’re gonna appreciate being there. But we just love to play wherever we can play really.

Rosanna: You played the “Love Music Hate Racism” gig in Stoke – what was it like promoting the anti-BNP cause?

Adio: It was good. I think with a band like ourselves, it’s kind of only right that we have a voice, and say something, being a multi-cultural band. The whole Stoke gig was wicked, and we played two weeks afterwards in Stoke and it was pretty rammed out...

Sean: It definately did something didn’t it?

Simeon: And we’ve just back from Budapest with “Love Music Hate Racism” (they’ve got their own thing called “Music Against Racism”) – we went over there to support the cause.

Rosanna: So tell me about what happened at your gig at The Borderline, with The Specials getting up on stage and asking you personally to support them...

Simeon: That was cool. It was Lynval Golding, from The Specials, and he’s heard our music, and loved it - said he felt like he was back in 1979 again. He’s seen many ska bands, and they all try and imitate other ska bands, but we’re just like THEM, doing US, and that’s what they did, The Specials... so they came down to our show, and asked our manager if Lynval could come on stage... and he offered us The Specials support. And we were like “wo, yeah man”...

Rosanna: And how was it touring with The Specials?

Sean: A good education and a good experience. Their show is something which I’d say every band in the world would need to see.

James: We learnt from it because The Specials’ crowd are a tough crowd, they just LOVE The Specials... but we had a wicked reaction.

Rosanna: And you’ve got your own university tour coming up this autumn... how does it feel headlining rather than being the support act?

Sean: That’s the best bit [smiles].

Simeon: You’ve gotta spread your wings, and fly, and hopefully a lot of people that have seen us will come, new people will see us ‘cause it’s a uni tour, they’ll tell their friends and they’ll come, and this is how you’ve gotta keep building your fanbase.

Sean: We’re really looking forward to it.

Rosanna: And you’re releasing the second part of your new album this September – how are you feeling about that? Hoping it will get a good reaction?

Simeon: Yeah, hopefully. But as long as the people that like us, like the album - ‘cause we made it for them, not anyone else, we made it for ourselves and them - then whatever people wanna say – journalists or people that aren’t really into the band – that’s their opinion, everyone has their opinion. It’s a great album, so buy it, ‘cause we’re talking sense... too many haven’t got substance in their stuff.

Rosanna: You’ve been described as having songs that talk about everyday life...

Simeon: Yeah, I dunno how you can have a voice and not actually wanna say anything... we just talk about everything we’ve seen.

James: In the studio, thinking of concepts, you don’t wanna think of anything that you’ve not been through, ‘cause then it just feels false.

Rosanna: And where would you say your main musical influences come from?

Simeon: There’s too many to mention... we started doing garage music, so that’s where that kind of writing comes from. And Sean [points to Sean] he’s brought more of a live sound into it, with Nirvana and The Beatles.

James: People might say that Kid British, they don’t know what they are, but why do we have to make a certain type of music? If we don’t know what we are, it’s probably because we enjoy everything.

Adio: The name just brings it all together. “Kid British” is like a big movement of everything... anyone can get into what we’re trying to do. We’re four guys who come together and write tunes. Most people would that’s some kind of “label” thing, but this is just a natural progression.

Simeon: We went to school together. We met Sean a few years ago, but us three, we’ve been doing music since school.

Rosanna: So does it help being such close friends when you’re together on tour?

Adio: That’s what it is, you can say anything, like that idea is rubbish, and you’ve got to accept it, and that’s the way we work. In some bands, that have been forced together, you probably can’t force your opinions.

Sean: You’re not gonna get any progression, in terms of improving your music, that way.

Rosanna: So where would you like things to go in the future? Where do you want to be this time next year?

Sean: Positive progression [smiles].

Adio: As long as us four stick together and keep our minds set straight, then wherever we’re meant to get to is where we’ll get to.

Simeon: I think sometimes it’s a lot harder when you come in with a new sound that’s strange to people’s ears. Some people get it like that [clicks], but others don’t.

James: Some people don’t get it until they see us as well.

Simeon: Yeah... I think anything that’s different takes a lot longer. But we’re here forever. We’re not gonna conform to what is current, because if you do that, then when you’re not current, no-one wants to know.

James: We’re just working for the future, especially in the studio. And we’re just enjoying it as well [smiles].

Rosanna: Well good luck for the future and thanks very much for your time.

Simeon: We’ll see you in thirty years’ time [all laugh].

Thanks very much to Dan Larke and Katerina Marka.

www.myspace.com/kidbritishmusic

To view the full interview-

Part one:

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Part two:

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By Rosanna Pound-Woods