Blackwire Interview
by Laura Matsue
They are British, stylish, and have that classy look of emaciation to them that only makes you think: heroin addicts, who could potentially have access into a realm of musical creativity that us typically sober individuals can’t tap into. No, they’re not actual junkies, so don’t go sticking needles in your arms and saying you read on the internet that it was a cool idea because that’s just fucking stupid. They’re just like a magic eye poster that looks like a drugged up visual, but when you stare at it long enough it turns into a picture of something completely acceptable, like... a seagull?
My moral lesson of the day, don’t do drugs, just present yourself like you can comfortably afford to be doing them.
Black Wire’s latest self-titled release was released on February 14th, the day that I hate to love breaking up with people on, and since then they’ve been playing shows with Ladytron, The Rapture, Kaiser Chiefs, The Futureheads, Bloc Party, The Cribs and The Libertines.
Crashing around stages internationally decked in black and white formal wear spouting short bursts of repetitive lyrics and choppy guitar rhythms, they’re like a dirtier version of the Rapture, a kinetic mess which mixes all the appeals of various screeching sounds of voice and instrument, which are all layered over the dependable rhythms of a drum machine.
Dan spoke with us during his first visit to America about Black Wire being honored by the Hooter’s wall of fame and why they’re currently not accepting applications for a drummer.
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
L: Smooth flight?
D: We were just really excited. We went out for a drink and took in a bit of American culture. One of the first things, we wanted to go to Hooters, cause I’ve never been before.
L: You don’t have them in the UK?
D: No, they took our picture to put on the wall. They gave us some t-shirts and things, very nice. So now Tom and I are going to wear Hooter’s shirts everyday for the rest of our lives.
L: It must feel nice to a part of their historic wall of fame.
D: Yeah yeah, I wanted to get next to the picture of MC Hammer, they had a picture of him.
L: Is it true you guys met in the record store trying to shoplift the same Suicide album?
D: Not really true, it was me and the guitarist being friends since we were kids. We met when we were 8 years old, then we met Tom through going out in Leeds. We’d be the only 3 kids dancing to the same songs, it’s like we bonded through that. Then we started the band. That whole piece came from the NME. They just made up their own little story and ran with it. Which is cool, I mean it sounds good for us, but it’s not true!
L: Do they tend to make stuff up?
D: Pretty much. They take a little germ of the truth and just expand on it, run with it. It’s cool, if they want to write about us and make up lies as long as it’s positive I don’t mind.
L: Your stage shows are pretty intense; you jump on top of things and whatever, any acrobatics?
D: Not intentionally. When we played with the Libertines in England, Tom basically broke his nose, which really took the glamour out of jumping around the stage.
L: What was Pete Doherty’s post jail show with the Libertines like?
D: That was amazing. We were big fans. We had the gig, but we got a phone call saying ‘Do you mind if Pete does kind of like a solo set after you guys’ and we just said ‘No, no it’d be cool’. But the Libertines just turned up, one by one. They didn’t sound check or anything, just went straight on stage after we did. We kind of just had a party, it was cool.
I’d met him a few times, so he was just kind of his normal self. It didn’t change him that much, but I think it’ll be taking its toll now.
L: What were you doing when Leeds in the 90’s when it was Britain’s clubbing capital?
D: In the mid 90’s when we started going out, when we were old enough, it didn’t really have an effect on us. We were going to the same indie clubs that we’re going to now. They’ve become a lot more popular now, though.
L: Not really much of a raver.
D: No!!
L: How many propositions have you gotten from drummers wanting to replace the drum machine?
D: Quite a lot. This one guy in Leeds he’s into a lot similar music, we were going to audition him, but we went off the idea. The drum machine really suits our sound and it’s great because we can use any percussion sound in the world. I mean, you don’t have to have 20 people on stage playing drums, just one machine that does it all! I like the way it fucks with people’s head. When we play it’s all 3 of us at the front of the stage in a line and if you’re not used to it, it’s sort of uncomfortable, unnerving maybe. People get really upset sometimes, if you haven’t got a drummer but you don’t need it, you know. White Stripes don’t have a bass player! Yeah Yeah Yeah’s don’t. The Kills don’t have a drummer. Thank everyone, but we won’t be needing one.
more blackwire: myspace |
website
