the west (ilasgow wilderness. with a couple of regular-looking blokes in jumpers. Admittedly. singer Alex Kapranos' jumper is a police-issue one. with badge and epaulettes and everything. which is cool. But still.
the world. trust me). it’s down to business.
. GLASGOW' deliver. Menswear. anyone'.’ (iay Dad'.’ Terms?
the II songs in their eponymous debut album (out on 9 lieb) is dripping with singalong melodies. idiotically brilliant guitar lines and some seriously booty-shaking rhythms.
So are they worried about the hype'.’ ‘liverybody is aware of how tickle certain elements of the press can be. . .’ says Kapranos.
‘If you believe that. then . . .‘ Kapranos starts.
‘. . . there's something wrong with you.’ finishes Harvey.
As you speak to Kapranos and Harvey it quickly becomes apparent that they are the exact antithesis of their hands pretentious. hoity—toity image. I suggest that their populist attitudes and open demeanours are somewhat at odds with the general public‘s impression of art school graduates.
'We used to go to exhibition openings because there was free boo/.e. basically.‘ says Harvey.
‘Most of the people that we hung around with had really down-to-eaith attitudes. which may sound strange to some people] says Kapranos.
‘l‘d say there are much more pretentious people in (ilasgow making music in indie bands. wanking over their guitars.‘ says Harvey.
‘Artists are the most straight-talking people in (ilasgow.' agrees Kapranos.
‘Yeah. you meet David Shrigley and he‘s just the most normal. down-to- earth guy in the world.‘ says Harvey.
‘Jim l.ambie is like that too.’ says Kapranos.
OK. you wouldn‘t catch the (lallagher brothers namechecking David Shrigley. but that‘s no bad thing. is it‘.’ Since their inception two years ago. the band have always had an unconventional approach. preferring to stage one-off events rather than trudge round the gigging toilet circuit. They have put on joint gigs and art exhibitions in people’s flats. abandoned art deco warehouses and most recently in a place they call the Chateau. a disused courtroom and jail in (ilasgow’s Bridgeton area.
The fact that they’re now at the top of their hype wave has seen an amazing amount of green—eyed sniping from other. lesser. Scottish hands. And while they‘re wildly enthusiastic about the bands they like (endlesst bigging tip the likes of Sons and Daughters. Park Attack and ‘the inbred genius' of Belle & Sebastian). they simply can’t be doing with the whole elitist. indier-than-though crowd.