This is a site dedicated to the Libertines and their offspring. News, interviews, reviews, articles, pictures, videos and exclusives right here from the troubled world of the Babyshambles and Dirty Pretty Things (and, why not, Yeti).

7/03/2008

Unbelievable. For once I'm with him.

People who read this blog know very well I have no sympathy at all for Mr. Alan McGee, former Libertines' and now DPT's manager. I hold him responsible for a lot of ugly stuff that happended to the Libertines (he was the leader of the Gang of Gin, remember?) and I'm highly irritated by the tight control he seems to have on Carl's talent (and to some extent even his mind).
But this time I totally agree with him. Read on...
Alan McGee – the man who signed Oasis to his record label, Creation – has advised new bands not to sign to any record labels, describing them all as "rubbish". Speaking on an XFM documentary about Creation, set to air tonight (July 3) at 10pm (BST), McGee urged bands to go it alone."I'd recommend a band not to go to any record label, I think they're all fucking rubbish," he said. "You're better off doing it yourself. They're living in the past, it's like owning a tram company or something." McGee famously signed Oasis in 1993 after witnessing a gig by the band in his native Glasgow.
Well, it would be interesting to see what would happen if Carl suddenly decided to follow his suggestion and "do it himself".
Which is what apparently Peter seems determined to. Did you read the past bits about his French Dog Records label? Well of course the first release will be Roses Kings Castle, Adamski's solo album. The Ficek has given an interview to French music site "Sound of Violence" and now we have the translation (a HUGE thank you to Sweet Matilda and Daisy100 for providing it):
Q: To start with, can you tell me a little more about what you’ve been doing over the last few months? How was your side project Roses Kings Castles born?
A: I’m always very busy… lately with music, Babyshambles concerts but also my DJing and the development of Roses Kings Castles and contractual business. When I’m on tour with the band I always have lots of free time which I dedicated to writing my own songs. I thought afterwards that it would be good to put them on Myspace for other people to listen to; I did that without having a name. When I happened to find one, the idea of Roses Kings Castles was born.
Q: It is rare for a drummer to launch a solo career, is it a calling for you?
A: Everyone must know that I’m not primarily a drummer! I am a musician who likes to play the piano and other various instruments. Contrary to what a lot of people must believe, I’m not content with playing the drums on the Babyshambles albums, you need to read the information in the record sleeves to realise. Playing music is very natural for me, I have always liked to write songs in my free time, until the day when I realised that I could push my ideas a little further, and in doing so benefit other people.
Q: Roses Kings Castles is at present your own band, have you already considered integrating other members?
A: The idea of being able to work alone and to keep a complete hold on the songs pleases me a lot. In my mind I am a member of Babyshambles and I wish to stay loyal to the band, I cannot imagine putting myself in another band strictly speaking. For now I wish to work under the name Roses Kings Castles, I don’t feel ready to include other musicians. Perhaps my loyalty is also my weakness…
Q: I suppose that it is more simple to express your potential alone than within Babyshambles?
A: I wouldn’t say that, they are two very different activities. The Babyshambles songs are a mixture of the ideas of four people, whereas I am the only decision-maker for Roses Kings Castles.
Q: How do you share your time between Roses Kings Castles and Babyshambles?
A: My activity within Babyshambles leaves me lots of free time outside of recording and the tours. Our work is very instinctive, without repetition, and our management reduce interviews and the promotion of our records to a strict minimum.
Q: The internet seem to be your means of choice for communicating with your fans, is it an important factor for you?
A: It is really essential. I don’t want to feel out of reach for people who like the music of Roses Kings Castles because I feel that I have constructed a real community around myself.
Q: Can you tell me a little more about your artistic world? How did you come to play music and what are your influences?
A: I started to play music during my adolescence, mainly with a guitar and then drums in little indie or garage bands, just for enjoyment. I grew up on a council estate, in a working class environment, within which my aspiration to become a professional musician was not taken seriously. All the same, it was a kind of escape for me. After I abandoned my studies, I devoted myself to different jobs and vocational training… but all of them made me feel too depressed and I would systematically sink into a kind of sadness. I had the chance to leave the town via music training for which I was passionate. It was not the easiest route to arriving where I am today…
Q: And your influences?
A: From a spiritual point of view, my main objective was to avoid at all costs a job I wasn’t interested in. Musically, I appreciate enormously Syd Barrett, Stone Roses, Morrissey and The Smiths, Blur, Belle and Sebastian, Housemartins, The Charlatans, and more recently, the new album by Mystery Jets, Los Campesinos!, Black Kids and Vampire Weekend.
Q: Would you say that the song Sparkling Bootz, which you published on your Myspace page, is representative of your music?
A: It is a good general representation of what I try to compose, even more than the other songs you can hear on my site. I think that the influence of Babyshambles is there even if my intentions, from a musical point of view, are different. I am not sure, to be honest!
Q: I meant to talk about your intention to put out an album next, can you tell me more about that?
A: The album is ready! I’ve finished the recording and there are ten songs. Those poeple who have followed my career already know most of the demos, but the only definitive version which I have released until now is that of Sparkling Bootz. I hope to be able to release the record in August or September, but I have to settle some contractual details face-to-face with EMI, which it seems to me quite long. Everything is already ready, the songs, the artwork, the tracklisting… I have even found the time to start writing my second album, while this one isn’t released!
Q: What are your passions outside music?
A: I like to fight… but only in terms of sport because I practice a lot of martial arts to try and keep a healthy lifestyle. All the same, music is the thing which takes the most of my time and energy. More recently, I have also began a photographic collection devoted to old, abandoned buildings. I would really like to be able to publish a book on that subject one day.
Q: Coming back to Babyshambles… Pete’s escapades are the cause of a number of troubles for the band, how do you manage to always stay united in these situations? Have you never thought about separating?
A: That has never crossed my mind because, I’m going to repeat myself, I am a very loyal person. The most important thing is not to grant too much importance to all the malicious gossip.
Q: You recently started writing the band’s third album, how far are you?
A: The record is still at an embryonic stage. We are recording some demos at different times, we are experimenting with different ideas to see how the songs will build up… nothing is set for the moment. Our influences are very varied and I think this album will be more complete than the previous two. The structure of the songs will be more advanced with a lot of work on the recording, everything to go away from too much classic pop.
Q: Do you already have an idea of who’ll produce it? The sound of Shotter’s Nation was very different from that of Down In Albion…
A: No decision has been made at the moment. I really like our first two albums for different reasons, but nobody knows what will happen in our future.
Q: What are you intentions in relation to the record and the rest of your career?
A: To spend time with Babyshambles and Roses Kings Castles, but also to be able to DJ more often. I feel accomplished and happy in my life, I want to make the most of it.

1 comment:

djalminho said...

But why being so rude towards tram companies? There's a tram revival all over the world and they're indeed better than metros^^

keep up the good effort, btw, love your blog