T IN THE PARK BLOC PARTY
Far from taking success for granted, BLOC PARTY have been canny since their explosion earlier this year. But, as Doug Johnstone finds out, this is a band with big ambitions.
nlike most of the bands in the new wave
of ‘the next I'ran/ l-‘erdinands' (Kaiser
Chiefs. the Killers. the Bravery et all Bloc Party are timid wee beasties. While their contemporaries are tripping over each other to have their mugs in the papers and on kids’ TV. the London foursome are conspicuous by their absence from the media at the moment. despite their debttt album. Silent Alarm. meeting with a furore of press hyperbole earlier this year.
And the band are equally reticent as The I.le catches tip with them backstage at Iidinburgh's Liquid Room. Singer and guitarist Kele ()kereke and drummer Matt long are quietly spoken (()kereke has an endearing slight stammer when he talks). They are polite. intelligent and a little bit shy. 'l‘hey bat questions back and forth to each
20 THE LIST .' L" .
other. as if they‘re not sure what this press malarkey is all about yet.
Well. they 'II have to get tised to it. Silent Alarm entered the album charts at number three and has sold shedloads since. while the band have also had a couple of hit singles in the last few months. For now. though. it all seems a bit strange.
‘lt‘s been really unexpected.’ says a rather bemused Tong. ‘We would‘ve liked to have done well. obviottsly. but we didn‘t have any expectations when we started.‘
While their success is undoubtedly warranted. Bloc Party do seem a bit like the serious musicheads gatecrashing the pop party. Of all their contemporaries. they are the least commercial but. equally. they are the most interesting musically. drawing from a much wider musical palette than. say. Kaiser (‘hiefs or. for that matter. I‘ranz Ferdinand. to whom they are continually compared. Of course Franz I’erdinand paved the way for them. something Bloc Patty are all too aware of.
‘lt would've been unheard of three years ago for two indie bands to be in the top ten in the same week. and now there’s the I‘utureheads. Kaiser Chiefs. us and plenty more.‘ says Tong. ‘We're under no illusions. I don’t think we would've had a hope in hell of charting so highly a few years ago.‘
One of the things keeping their feet on the grotmd is the fact that they signed to small indie Wichita. rather than one of the many major labels sniffing around. In terms of career longevity it was tmdoubtedly a smart move. taking the pressure off from the start and allowing them time to develop.
"fliere was a lot of major label interest. but we liked Wichita as people most; we trusted them.‘ says ()kereke. ‘lt was never about haying a huge deal or lots of money. We were aware of the pressure that would put us under. Wed rather do
‘I DON'T THINK WE'D HAVE HAD A HOPE IN HELL OF CHARTING SO HIGHLY A FEW YEARS AGO'
things the honest way. playing lots of shows and working up a genuine interest. rather than being the band everyone‘s talking about today. and then it‘s someone else next week.’
This is a sly dig at some of the other bands currently currying favour in the press. a fact ()kereke doesn't shy away from.
‘I want to see what happens with the Braver in six months‘ time.‘ he says. ‘They‘re getting a lot of talk at the moment. and I‘m curious to see how that’s going to endure.‘
As for their own future. the band. in keeping with their serious demeanour. have no commercial milestones. preferring to talk about musical experimentation and lyrical development. If you were to make comparisons. you could see them a few years down the line as Radiohead rather than (‘oldplayz Blur rather than ()asis.
'You can do anything that you set your mind to.‘ says ()kereke. ‘That sounds really trite. but a lot of musicians have only one idea about writing songs. Why aren‘t there more people trying to mix it tip a little'."
NME Stage, Sunday.
I If you like the sound of Bloc Party then try this . . . Engineers. Futures Stage, Sunday.