Music
Can you tell us a bit about your new single 'Terra Firma' and what its odd chorus ("Fake rabbit / real snake / Terra Firma / TERRA FIRMA") is about?
"Well, when we were writing it, lyrically we just found some words that were funny together. And I think since we wrote it, we've decided its meaning. Which is kind of weird! But we reckon the snakes are a kind of metaphor for a bad drugs experience and the rabbits are ideally what you want in a drugs experience - not that we're druggy! But, erm, we thought that fitted quite nicely. It's a bit of a weird one because it's not like anything else we've written. It's not amazingly different, but we wanted to write something, which was a bit Gary Numan-y. I don't know if we succeeded in that. Some people like it. But I'm not sure."
How do you tend to go about writing lyrics as a band?
"It's mainly Henry and Tom who write the lyrics. We tend to write the music all together and some of the lyrics do come from the original practices and stuff, like "Fake rabbit / Real Snake". That was something that they just sang from the word go and it's only because it sounded nice and rolled quite nicely that we kept it. There's a track called 'Light Switch' on this album and the lyrics are pretty much the same as from the first practice. Basically what sounded good as we were playing it. If you listen back to the early demos for the tracks from this album then you'll hear a lot of things lyrically that have stayed the same. There's also a lot of gibberish. Gibberish words that don't mean anything. We tend to put words in there that fit rhythmically, which we come back to later and cut out if they sound rubbish."
In what ways do you think it's a progression from your last album?
"Production wise, it's a lot different to our last album. That just comes with what producer you work with. We worked with Tony Doogan this time; he's worked with Super Furry Animals and Belle And Sebastian in the past. If you listen to Super Furrys stuff you can hear some stuff he does and tries to do with the albums he works on. There's a lot of layering of vocals and other sounds and bits and bobs, and other sounds that you don't actually get on first listen. So I don't think our approach to writing or the way we structure songs has changed but I think this album stands up to repeated listens more than the last album, rather than the jokes we put on the last one."
Doogan has a track record of working with warm-sounding pop bands. Do you think he'll smooth down the rougher side of your music?
"I think he's been very careful. There's various bits that are very subtle [so] you can listen to a few times before getting bored. I haven't really decided yet though on this album. We'll wait and see. It was nice working with the guy - other than the fact he's Scottish!"
To celebrate the release of your last album you played a village fete. Any special plans this time round?
"Yeah, we've had some ideas but they were quite village fete-y again. Like yesterday, we came up with the idea of getting a trailer and tractor and going through Oxford, playing a gig on the go. But I think that's a bit too like the same thing. I think what we'll end up doing, hopefully, is playing something in Oxford. But I bet you we'll do something in London, because that's where the label is and it's where the journalists are, and they don't like to travel far. But we haven't really decided, we need to work that out. It's going to be good, whatever it is."
How did you react as a band to getting the Mercury Music Prize nomination earlier this year?
"It was a complete surprise to us. It's a bit of a weird one, the Mercury. I used to work in a record shop and when the nominations used to come out it was really exciting and you'd look into all the nominees. But now, I think it's lost its meaning really. When we got there and saw how corporate it was... I don't know, maybe it's always been like that. We did briefly think about not going, but we're a bit wussy, so we had to go in the end. It was good though, it was a nice jolly, we had a few beers, and we got to play live - even though I'm pretty sure our performance was not too good!
"I'm kind of glad the Klaxons got it, although I think it would have been better off going to someone not established like Maps. A band that could really do with the £20,000 as help. I think the Klaxons are fairly established as they are really. We're not a big fan of competitions because competitions with music doesn't really work. You can't really compare music types and nothing is better than another. I think if we get nominated for something else we would go, but we're not fans of the whole idea behind them."
You guys have become quite famous for your odd dress sense. Do you think you might ever change your suits and tweed jackets for something different?
"Do you mean, will we ever grow up? It's weird because Henry is the only one with a tweed jacket. Me and Tom don't own anything like that. We'll always wear shirts and ties because it's about making a bit of an effort. The label did try - in particular for the Mercurys - to get us some new suits, some new smart ones. I don't think that will change really, we'll just carry on buying more charity shop stuff. But If we get an endorsement from a particular clothing line, we'll wear their stuff though. But normally we'll be wearing what we're comfortable in. Unless it's free - then we'll wear that."
Do you ever get worried about being perceived as a 'quirky' band?
"Yeah, I guess particularly to do with the image, because I guess people want to get a handle on a band, and if it works they'll use their image and stuff. We did an interview, I can't remember what the paper was, where the slogan they wanted to use was 'Farmer Chic'. This girl was determined to use it and we weren't really happy with it, but she was like, 'do you mind if we put it in?' and we were like, 'yes actually, because it doesn't really mean anything, it's something you've devised'. Not that we've got anything against farmers, but it doesn't mean anything about our music. I think the whole geek thing, people play on it a little bit more, but musically it means nothing, when they talk about things like that."
Do you record company ever tell you to stop mucking around and tell you off?
"Hahaha! We are really lucky because we're on Transgressive, a subsidiary of Warners, so we get the best of both worlds. We've got Tim and Toby who run the label, who pretty much like everything we do, which is weird, and then we've got the backing from Warners. So we've not felt any pressure at all really. I think if we had been signed directly to Warners then we may have had to change a few bits, do a few radio edits of different tracks, restructure things and cut the occasional inappropriate word out. But we've been really, really lucky. We get to be involved artistically in the production of the sleeve and stuff, so we're involved all the way. So, no pressure as of yet! Not until the third album."
You're from Ashby-De-La-Zouch originally, and then you moved to Oxford. Do you feel a loyalty to your home towns?
"It's weird because I was back in Ashby a few months ago and nothing really changes. We really should go down there and play a gig. Because in some interviews we say we're from Oxford and in some we say we're from the Midlands. We should have more an affinity with Ashby. I still see mates from back there and they ask how it's going. I guess now we feel Oxford is a bit more of a home but we're never really in one place for any any length of time. It's bit of a weird one. I'd love to go and play Ashby soon, but I think it would have to be a fairly intimate gig in a pub."
Are they any bands around at the moment that you feel a particular affinity with?
"The new things coming through? Well I'm a little bit biased because there's a band who are on our label, Foals, who are great. We know them, but that aside, I do think that they are going to be massive next year when the album comes out. It's a band we've toured with, like The Rumble Strips, and it's a band who have that kindred spirit, that on-tour camaraderie. On our tour this time around we've got some bands that we're really looking forward to playing with. On tour tour we get to see the band every night, so we always try to pick bands we like. This time it's Pete And The Pirates and a band called Ungdomskulen from Norway. They're great."
So 2008 - a new album to promote - are you nervous or excited?
"I think we're looking forward to getting on the road really. This little tour, like I say is just little, and the album, next year, will be massive. Hopefully! I think it will do a bit better than our last album because I think it's a little bit more interesting but still hasn't lost a lot of its pop sensibilities, so I think it will appeal to more people. So it's just doing all the little bits of press. Bits of TV and stuff is very boring. We like it, but it's just going into London to do 20 seconds of TV when you could be rehearsing. Overall - we can't wait for the album to come out. It will be amazing!"
The Young Knives new single 'Terra Firma' is out this week. Their follow up to 2006's Voices Of Animal And Men will be released at the start of 2008.
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