Apparently
we here at the GTC got lucky or maybe we were just in the right place at
the right time however you want to put it. Today we are looking at Manchester
based trio I Am Kloot. It is not like we will surprise you with new music from
the band, they released their last album „Let It All In” early in 2013.
In
short, I Am Kloot have worked with names like Craig Potter, Guy Garvey (Elbow)
and also Ian Broudie (Lightning Seeds) and for more than 16 years they´ve
convinced us with brilliant and every so often twisty stories in lyrics as well as the
melodic voice of singer John Bramwell in their traditional British lo-fi music
and now promising us 'The best is to come“.
What
we have here today are very compelling A’s to my Q’s about life and being human
in the music business Peter Jobson let loose, got candid and here is our
conversation.
Pete, thank you very much
for talking to The GTC, we have a few questions for you.
My
pleasure.
When you started out in
the late 90´s what expectations did you have what goals were formed and where
did you see the band in 15 years from then?
We
always took one step at a time. All we wanted to do was to record one album and
have it released properly. Beyond that all we knew was how to play live and
that is what we did as much as we could. The year our first album „Natural
History“ came out (2001) we played 285 gigs. On our return from touring our
record company had gone bust owing us money and then we were back at square
one. It has always been like that with Kloot. We like it when we have a fight
on our hands and something to prove. Nobody does anything of any value from a
position of comfort. We had no concept of what it would be like 15 years hence.
Things have a habit of changing a great deal in 15 years, you know that when
you look back at your old passports.
So would you say you
have accomplished your mission?
We
walk the path and if there is fire in the belly we play and write music and if
the fire subsides we do something else. There is no master plan when it comes
to Kloot. We are as we are. If there is an audience in front of us we perform
and strive to provoke a reaction and leave a memory. Having a mission requires
you have to contemplate a destination. We don´t do that. Keep your eyes peeled
and your antenna sharp and follow where the path takes you.
BBC just aired the first
episode of the mini-series „From There To Here“ for which you´ve written the
music score? How did you like going into new terrain? Did you conceive it as
something that will add to your musical experience?
Scoring
the music for From There To Here was fantastic. It was superb to create music
to visuals. No lyrics were needed which took a lot of pressure off the band. We
composed separately and sent each other files of ideas. To see Andy work on
rhythm pieces without any consideration for a preexisting song idea was
amazing. He is an extraordinary drummer with enormous musical influences and tremendous
imagination. He based a lot of his ideas on the work of Lalo Schiffrin who did
so many great soundtracks using drums as the main instruments. On hearing
Andy´s work I can say he has been limited by Kloot. Left to his own devices he
is capable of much more. Kloot have always been very interested in film and
especially soundtracks. We draw from a large pool of musical styles and soundtrack
work is the perfect place to expound this wealth of music we have built up over
the years.
We were lucky in that the writer and producer liked all the ideas we
came up with. Blessed is the weaver and whoever asked us to do that job knew
what they were asking for. We shall endeavor to as much soundtrack work as we
can in the future. Very, very rewarding and completely boundless.
„Let It All In“celebrated
its first birthday a few months ago. John went on a solo tour in April; you
went on tour in March to support Nadine Shah on bass. A few festival dates have
been announced for July and November. Are you already actively working on, maybe
even recording a new album?
We
have not seen each other in person since playing at the Apollo in Manchester
last December. We rehearsed this week for a gig tomorrow (July 5th) in Hyde
Park, London to celebrate The Libertines getting back together. When we first
played in clubs in London in the late 90´s a band supported us every time, they
later became The Libertines. They ask us to play whenever they are doing
something. Bless them.
Our
last 2 albums have been very elaborate and our business set up has been very
corporate. Although that has brought benefits it has also distracted us from
what Kloot is about. Some of the most commercially successful things we have
done have been artistically and personally the most unrewarding. Klppt is a 3
piece punk band on the back foot with everything to prove. Us against the
world. Without that feeling we are just another bunch of fellas knocking out
tunes. Frauds. All the years we have been going we have tried all kinds of
things. Now it is time to go back to the essence of what we are. Be true to
thine own self and it will follow as night the day that you will be false with
no man.
Any chance for fans to
get to hear new material in July?
Afraid,
not , although there is a soundtrack album of From There To Here coming out
this year. We will get together and do some new ideas next year.
How is the camaraderie
in the band anyway? Is it all brotherly love or are there days where it would
be better not to call one another?
Like
I say we have not seen each other since December last year. The mood now is
great but we needed time to do our own thing. The last few years has taken its
toll on our relationship. We were doing something we didn´t want to do. It took
a while to find that out. Luckily we realized just in time. The future is a
proposition and people will see the band change a good deal I think. We were
pretty sick for a while there. We found the tools to make us all well again.
Do you read your album
reviews? And if so does it affect you or what you do in any way? Could you give
us an example?
I
used to read everything that was written about us and gave it some thought. On
the whole all the things about Kloot have been very good. But believing that
can be as dangerous as believing the bad stuff. From now on I am not going to
read anything about us. That way madness lies. The music is all that matters.
Everyone has an opinion. Behind all of this someone somewhere is selling
something so it is inherently twisted. Kloot is as twisted as fuck on occasion
but we have the privilege of being able to be up front about it.
We are talking about
more than 16 years of music making for all of you. Is there any particular
time, a moment that was too good to be true or where you say you want to turn
back in time and do it all over again?
We
have done some pretty amazing gigs and at the time I did not realize the
gravitas of the situation. I realize now and wish I had appreciated playing the
Montreux Jazz Festival a bit more than I did at the time. Special event and
very proud to be invited. I would not change anything about the past. I have
loved a lot and learned a lot and it is because of the path I chose that I am
who I am and I only have 6 months therapy left to go before the doctor says I
can socialize again, so that´s proof isn't it?
What´s next for the 3 of
you?
Carnage
I hope. Rehearsed this week and it sounded and it felt like The Sonics on crystal
meth. More of that please.
Name 3 things on your
bucket list.
The
bucket list concept is pure shit.
Name 3 songs that will
stay with you for the rest of your life.
She
by Charles Aznavour,
Rasputin by Boney M
Cold Cold Ground by Tome Waits
The worst venue/ city
you´ve ever played in.
Give
us a stage and we will play the shittier the better is often what I have found.
It brings out the fight in you.
Please tell us 5 things
about I Am Kloot that the internet hasn´t already published.
1.
THE
2.
BEST
3.
IS
4.
TO
5.
COME.
Pete, again, we
appreciate you talking to us.
Not
gonna be talking about music for a long time now so this is the last interview
for a while. Hope it has not left you frustrated. It is a point of principle
that Kloot comes second xxxx All the best xxxx Pete Jobson - I Am Kloot
The natural history of gods and monsters is to let it all in the sky at night...
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