Video by Nearerdark (Never Certain + Brass Winter).
Photos (Pat only) by happy_in_my_dust_and_gloom.
A kind hearted soul (namely Niobid) transcribed this mumbling interview with Carl Barat and James Allan (thanks a lot for your patience)
James: This is Carl Barat
Carl: This is James Allan
James: I was starting out a band called Glasvegas, when I met Carl he was in a band called Dirty Pretty Things. When I met Carl I was unemployed, I was on the dole. I will say this man, when I was with him and he tried to tell me anything I knew by looking in his eyes that he cared about me. I meet some people and I care about them, I care about them you know. I know we’re sitting here so it’s quite like, one of the things that, I care about you.
Carl: I consider James a fine fellow, there’s not a lot of them about. I think when I first met Glasvegas you were definitely a bunch of rebels, it was a whole different thing, I mean all bands go through their wilderness and their training and er... they were sort of rockabilly rebels at the time.
James: I think the main thing has probably been that I’ve no’ really got any pals, he’s no’ got any pals so... we’re pals, you know what I mean. Or have you got other friends on the side that you’ve not told me about?
Carl: Got a couple
James: How do they measure up to myself?
Carl: You’ve probably got the best hair
James: Alright
Carl: But it’s funny how I can talk to you about things now that I couldn’t really talk to you about before, sort of the ways of life and stuff.
James: I know, but that’s quite a natural dynamic in any relationship, friendship, boyfriend girlfriend, you know what I mean? Not that we’ve in anyway explored those er... activities, but erm.. But the night’s young you know?
Carl: Don’t know how many more nights I’ve got left in me to be honest
James: Too many of them man (looking at drink), .... *mumbles*
James: The longest we’ve stayed up with each other is not through erm... it’s through outside influences, so I’ve had to go, or he’s had to go, play a gig or something
Carl: I came to your gig with my, my hair was full of shaving foam, and it was into like a quiff, like a teddyboy
James: Aye you done a quiff din’ you?
Carl: Yeah I did
James: I was supposed to come up to erm.. Somewhere you were Djing the next night after that, remember?
Carl: Yeah you were, you were supposed to some to er.. Oh I forgot...
James: It was somewhere in Scotland anyhow
Carl: Oh yeah that’s it yeah, yeah
James: That was quite heavy metal that you made that that day, that was fucking pretty amazing man
Carl: Yeah I was pretty ruined though
James: We, we played a gig in London, we stayed up, you know, and after that I was supposed to get a visa to go to America to play my first gigs ever in America, one of them was supporting Echo and the Bunnymen, and I missed the embassy. I dunno, I mean everybody made quite a big deal if that, it was like we missed this... you know
Carl: Did you miss a gig
James: Aye, we had to cancel gigs, aye
Carl: Shit
James: Aye
Carl: Oh well, live and learn eh?
James: I think Ian Mccullough went in the morning, he was saying where’s James, I think he was maybe, he was annoyed because I wisnae there and he was there, just the same was as like, Carl was late for me today, do you know what I mean, it’s a rock and roll heirarchy and all that crap, so ... I was gonna stay in there but you never turned up, I was gonna go outside and wait for you to get here
Carl: Was I late?
James: So, that... you were late, aye
Carl: Oh, soz
James: Go to America with each other, with Glasvegas, and Carl’s gonna play some shows like solo, I guess this is the first time you’ve done that innit? ‘Cept for, well first time you’ve done it like this innit?
Carl: Yeah, it’s a bit of a milestone for me actually, not quite sure what to expect from it but it’s er.. It’ll certainly be a first.
James: I really don’t know what to expect either man
Carl: Quite a challenge
James: Have you ever done solo...
Carl: Yeah I did one gig at Glastonbury once, solo, and that was probably the most petrifying thing I’ve ever done, and everyone says nerves are good, but they’re not always good, I couldn’t remember the song, I had to stop halfway through, really pull myself together
James: Aye
Carl: So hopefully that won’t happen this time. You know what, I should do a couple of practice gigs, I know it’s petrifying, but then I’m scared of everything so...
James: But, why’s it scary, why’s it, why?
Carl: Dunno, it’s just er.. It’s just inbuilt, do you not get stage fright?
James: I never get stage fright, ever
Carl: Really?
James: I sometimes need to check for a pulse man, but, no I get excited, I always get excited, I think I’m, er, I don’t know if I’m just too dumb, or something’s lacking there, but I think I should be getting nervous but I never do. But I guess I always think that there’s nothing really that bad that’s gonna happen really
Carl: Really?
James: No matter what happens out there man...
Carl: I suppose
James: Erm there’s really nothing bad that can happen
Carl: That must be bright as a button then
James: It’s got to be mental, it’s got to be mental. Every night I’m going to have that hot, that hot er...water bottle waiting for you getting home, er to the tourbus, and that electric blanket.. It’s going to be mental, an er, I’m going to tuck you in every night bud, make sure you’re fine
Carl: I bet you are
James: Aye
Carl: Well I’ll you know, I’ll show you round a few places myself actually, got a few things in store for you
James: Have you?
Carl: Yeah
James: Aye
James: Er.. There’s a few guys waiting for you at the airport wi’ rubber gloves n all that
Carl: Yeah, I’ve met them before
James: Aye, there’s only so many fists so many artists can handle (?!) But you, you’ll be fine.
Carl: Have our roles reversed a bit now then, are you kind of the, sort of guiding father figure? That used to sort of be my job.
James: Er do you feel that’s the way that the roles are right now?
Carl: Dunno
James: What makes you feel that?
Carl: Well maybe you’re just extending this sort of paternal comfort towards me, which, you know, I’m quite happy about that, I can live with that
James: Aye. Arite give us a pint man!
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