- Fri, 2011-06-03 11:08
Having finished the recording of their third album in Thailand, post-hardcore, electronic nuts Enter Shikari are getting set for a huge summer of festival dates and shows across the globe. As if this wasn't enough, the band are releasing their first ever live DVD - Live From Planet Earth and we have copies to give away (see link below)!
With an incredibly busy schedule, I Like Music sent some questions across to Rou, who promptly responded with the following answers - find out what to expect from album three, music they've been listening to recently, new equipment, huge cockroaches in Thailand and more...
ILM: Cool video for your new single Quelle Surprise. Did you have a good time putting it together?
Rou: Yeh it was great fun, same kinda thing as destabilise, just us and some mates got together, bounced some ideas off each other, found a setting and took cameras there. Nothing fancy. Ronseal business innit.
ILM: How would you describe the vibe of the track and its message?
Rou: It's an angry one. It's about how we have adapted to think of todays society and all it's insane flaws and inequalities as normal and acceptable when we have the technology, the knowledge and the resources to live in a exponentially saner, fairer world. It's about capitalisms ever thirsty encouragement and lust for short term profits rather than long term sustainable development that will benefit all the worlds people. It also includes just about the limits of my knowledge of French...
ILM: The Live From Planet Earth box set is on the way... What can you remember from the shows included in the package?
Rou: They were all great fun, the christmas show at hatfield has become something of an annual must. Was just great family vibes, getting all our friends, bands and DJ's down to party in one place after a year of hard touring. Our weekend in Russia was a great experience and was really fun to document. The shows far surpassed any of our expectations as well, especially as it was our first time in Russia! The Underworld was just taking it back to the oldschool with the most sweaty mental show ever!
ILM: We chatted to Rob around the release of Common Dreads. How have the band changed, developed since then?
Rou: Well, we've been round the world again and learnt a lot. We've experienced a whole load of new places and met a load of new people, and been inspired by many different things. I think our confidence has built yet again as well so we'll be even more fearless on this album.
ILM: Any new equipment / instruments?
Rou: This records got loads of new textures and sounds. Other than a colossal array of synths we managed to use a beautiful grand piano at the studio in Thailand which was very humbling, a cheeky Celesta makes an appearance, robs got some tasty sounding new cymbals too, including 'DA CRUSHA' and 'DA SLICER'. Ear ripping business.
ILM: What can we expect if we come to see you this summer?
Rou: A whole load of new music, but other than that nothing's changed, we still wont know what to expect from each show, anything could happen... go wrong... break... i don't think we'll ever change the way we play live, it just has to be passionate and fearless to keep it honest.
ILM: Everyone is hugely excited about your third album... How would you describe it? How does it compare to Take To The Skies and Common Dreads?
Rou: It's even more varied than Common Dreads, we took a closer role in the production of the album than we ever have, even though we're usually pretty hands on anyway so there's been a lot of experimentation. I think as long as our music is passionate and aggressive there aren't really any other boundaries we set ourselves.
ILM: From the videos posted on your blog, recording in Thailand looked amazing! What were some of the most memorable moments?
Rou: All of us running around and screaming like girls when cockroaches the size of your fist flew into the house. When they buzz past your head, their wings sound like a small propeller plane i swear. Our producer Dan managed to get stung by a sea urchin when we went for a dip in the sea after a session one day, he had three little spikes in his foot, and the locals told us that you have to basically smash his feet with a rock, where the spikes entered. There is no hope of getting them out but luckily they are quite brittle so the logic is that the force of the hitting shatters them inside the foot making them easier for your body to break them down and deal with them. So whacking his foot all day was a good laugh! Probably not for him though.
ILM: For all the musicians that look up to you, what would be your advice on following your dream career?
Rou: Don't compromise. Play the music you love. Don't limit yourself; Don't call yourself a punk or a raver or a metal head or whatever. That's just like saying you only eat Chocolate Cake for desert and don't care for Lemon Meringue, Victoria Sponge or Profiteroles. And that's just stupid.
ILM: What's the best / worst thing about your job?
Rou: The best I reckon is, even though you're confined to your mode of transport, you get a lot of the free time. When you're travelling a lot you get to read and learn and see parts of the world I for one never thought i'd see. So i think you get an extra licence to speak out as you get a bigger perspective on things and can think objectively a little easier.
ILM: What music have you been listening to recently?
Rou: Lupe Fiasco (Reminiscing over some of the really early Refused stuff)
16 Bit. (Biiiiggg!!)
Radiohead (always great to keep the 'willingness to experiment' levels in the studio at a high)
Lowkey (utmost respect for his lyrical content)
At The Drive In (bow down to the greats)
