Hockey // Interview // 24/2/10

There is something plain extreme about people holding their parties at Fitness First. I appreciate the ideal of not being completely at the whim of booze, fruit and all that, but this? Can you imagine, the horror.

Anyway, this I saw yesterday on my through Camden, back to Koko, a place becoming a little familiar this week, to oggle by eye and ear The White Rabbits and Hockey. A far more sensible option for any celebration one would of thought.

A hatrick of American bands on the bill, tardiness ensured I missed Philly’s Chiddy Bang but the White Rabbits were just kicking off when I arrived. Hailing from New York, the band’s psy-folk elements were at times a little eager, though saying that they built some ferocious, progressive melodies that truly grabbed me.

A lovely battle of the alternative and anthemic, The Virgins crossed with Yeasayer and a little drop of Muse thrown in for good measure. It was about this time three, sweaty girls appeared next to me, maybe they had been dancing, maybe late arrivals from the Fitness First shindig? Who knows.

Either way, nicer things have happened to me. The venue was filling up prior to Hockey’s set and soon enough, to a slightly prolonged, sci-fi themed intro they took to the stage. I’m still not sure if it was serious or a subtle homage ‘This is Spinal Tap’.

It was noticeable how much of a disco and dance ethic they have, up until then I’d taken their music in a very different light, I had a chat with Ben from Hockey earlier on so more on that below.

This nod to house and dance music in their live sets, contrasted against the undeniable 90’s American guitar. It was a rocky, disco funk Ibiza, and it was good. The crowd was going nuts, it was certainly testament to how loved they on these shores and for a band who have just arrived from Lille on tour, testament to their dedication too.

Mewbox – How was everything received in France?

Ben – Yeah it was cool, we didn’t play Paris, though we played a lot of other cities there, the people that came were pretty enthusiastic.

Mewbox – That’s always a good sign. It’s been pretty busy for you guys since mind chaos, it has been a rapid rise since last year and the John Peel stage, how was that by the way?

Ben – That was really cool, though a chaotic day, we got in from France like an hour before we played and left straight after. We were really tired, but that show was pretty cool. It wasn’t our favorite festival experience on our end.

Mewbox – Which would you say has been you’re favorite so far?

Ben – We’ve done some pretty interesting ones, Ho Festival in Norway, Bonaroo in the US was really fun, and in Europe, Eurockéennes in France?

Mewbox – The past year has really seen you rise to stardom as such, though you’ve been at it a good seven years prior to that, would you say what bonded your music then is so now?

Ben – Ummm, I don’t know, for some reason we’ve always been very serious about music, in terms of sacrificing other avenues of your life to do it, you know what I mean? Socially, not partying as much or whatever.

I guess we’ve been learning more about it, we’re one of these bands that it’s taken time to get better and better. We’ve had some horrific states, just not being very good. A band I wouldn’t like. We’ve always been on the verge of doing something we’d really like.

Mewbox – There are a lot of different directions and influences in your music, would you say that complication has affected that?

Ben – Part of it is being a band for a long time; we’ve been through phases. Then a lot of is about the physics of writing a song, You need to get excited about it and for some reason, for me at least, I never understood how Bob Marley or The Strokes could continue to write good songs that are the same but different. I can’t or at least in past could not. I kind of have this medium I know how to work in and produce different things. I have to have different things to finish it.

Mewbox – You say have your own method, what is that structure?

Ben – It’s different, for the good songs it’s usually a chaotic stream of consciousness, like coming up with a phrase that I like, like ‘Too Fake’ it came from a jam, we were playing a party and remember coming up with the chorus.

Mewbox – It’s a great track….the balance of actual vs. perceived humanity.

Ben – Yeah, I remember coming up with it that night, everyone was dancing and not connecting and when I sang that suddenly felt connected, you know being on stage saying your too fake, just felt right in an odd way. You know that dichotomy.

Mewbox – It’s an expansive subject, you mention The Strokes, you guys have drawn some comparisons, I see it but I’d put you guys more in this new, more alternative wave of the past two years, bands like MGMT, Yeasayer, Chairlift and The Virgins.

Ben – We were listening to The Virgins EP when we were recording, you know their first five track EP…

Mewbox – The self-titled one…

Ben – Yeah, I really liked it.  Though it’s a hard time for music, you know I don’t know anyone who’s totally doing their own thing,

Mewbox – Well, there is the argument that nothing is new as there is a reference or inspiration. It’s a bit pessimistic, I’m more of a romantic personally but how do you feel about that perception?

Ben – Well first of all, from like a scientific point of view, you know musical instruments stopped evolving after the eighties, it all became digital, from that stance I’d say music is confused, you know analogue is technically the warmest, scientifically best sound.

Mewbox – Would you say that back in the days of eight track there was more respect and dedication to a sound because recording it was more of an effort?

Ben – Yeah, I think the old ways of recording meant you had to be a better artist, a better technical musician to be in a recording studio. I don’t know if we would have made n album in the sixties to be honest.

Mewbox – I’m sure you’d have knocked one out somewhere….

Ben – You know what I mean, you had to be a singer, you ha to be a player, but now I guess it allows for much more music to be available, more methods available.

Mewbox – Yeah, there’ a lot of directions in your music, 80’s tempo, funk guitar, nods to classic rock, electro and what’s the track ‘Curse This City, a Wu-Tangesqe melody?

Ben – Yeah, yeah the Wu-tang flow, the rap – I don’t think I’m going to rap on any more albums, but that was my history coming from New York.

Mewbox – Saying that would you see any comparison between yourself and Beck?

Ben – Hmmm, well yeah in the genre, I don’t know, he kind of keeps it in album a little more, there is a similarity to the approach maybe.

Mewbox – There is a lot of social and philosophical commentary in your lyrics too,

Ben – What do you mean?

Mewbox – You know, sort of philosophical comparisons in your lyrics…

Ben – Like a dichotomy within the songs?

Mewbox – Yeah.

Ben – Yeah, I realized that after the album that so many of the songs do that, they have that half and half thing, I don’t know, maybe some kind of sub-conscious mind set. I think it’s coming from a general confusion and questioning, not an attempt at answers of a didactic or anything.

Mewbox - So you chaps have quite a tour ahead of you….

Ben - Yeah, in the middle really, here then Europe than the states, which we’ve never toured and then back here for Isle of Wight in the summer.

Mewbox – Alongside The Strokes…..

Ben – They’re playing that?

Mewbox – Yip, what with the comparisons it’d be fun to get you guys together?

Ben – We can try, I’m game.

Crunchy grooves, open minds and now a plot. Excellent.