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Smoirrors,
They are among the most musically uncompromising and sartorially aware new bands of 2007 but The Horrors are more than clothes horses and they have made enemies to prove it. Miles Johnson catches up with them.
he Horrors are in need of a lag. Having had their chance Tor a nicotine l'ix disrupted by Tans who are loitering outside The (‘aves in Iidinburgh hoping l‘or a glimpse ol‘ the band. they now find themselves
upstairs experiencing lirst hand the realities ol’
smoke—tree Scotland. Mop-headed organist Spider Webb is hanging out ol' the window. ‘You don‘t think anyone is going to catch us up here do you‘." he asks as he lights up. If it were not for the eyeliner. shock—headed bouiTants and assembled l'ans they would almost resemble school boys behind the bike sheds. and not the hottest musical property in the country.
But The Horrors are just that. First their l'eral take on 50s and ()()s garage rock managed to woo legendry director (‘hris (‘unningham out
24 THE LIST i~ 1:") Tel) 2007'
of retirement for the gory (and subsequently banned) video for 'Sheena is a Parasite‘. The band had released just a handl‘ul oT singles but soon l‘ound themselves slapped across music
magazine covers. Then came the small matter
of l‘rontman l‘aris Rotter being named second in the Nil/2' ‘(‘ool [.ist’ and the band amassing enough look—alike Tans Tor their recent shows to resemble dumping grounds l'or extras l'rom Night oft/1c Living Dual. Now the London—by— Southend live piece have been shunted onto the same publication’s Indie Rock tour.
‘WE REALLY DIDN'T SET OUT TO CONQUER THE WORLD'
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‘We really didn‘t set out to conquer the world.‘ says guitarist .loshua von (irimm. “The thing we thought about was maybe putting out a seven inch single. We‘re all record collectors. so the idea ol‘just doing that was exciting enough.‘
Webb nods in agreement. ‘()bvious|y everything has happened so quickly that people are quick to attack us as a gimmick hand. says the organist. ‘The thing is it‘s almost too easy to dismiss us like that. People ol'ten don‘t know anything about us or understand where we‘re coming from. We have just linished recording our album and that. we hope. will settle things. At the moment people just know we have released two singles and wear smart clothes but the album is ama/ing and alter that it won‘t be as easy to dismiss us.‘
The Horrors have also attracted attention l‘or their oil-stage antics. most notably the alleged rivalry that developed between them and The Fratellis when the two bands toured last year.
‘That was definitely a case of certain maga/ines trying to make a mountain out oT a mole hill‘ says Tomethy littrse.
Webb. though. is quick to interjcct. ‘x\ll the