| A close-up on MILES KANE... |
| Written by Shahlin Graves |
| Sunday, 15 May 2011 23:43 |
 While female singer-songwriters - à la Florence + The Machine, Adele, and Ellie Goulding & Co. - have proven to be amongst the UK's most successful musical exports of late, Britpop acts have taken a real beating. Last year, The BBC asked if "British indie guitar music [was] dying out?" - and declared that 2009 was "the year British indie guitar music died", based on a conclusion by the managing director of the UK's Official Charts Company who reckoned that: "2009 was the toughest year of the Noughties as far as independent guitar music was concerned. We're going through that period where dance music and electronic-driven pop music is winning through over guitar bands." In 2010 - ignoring a compilation album from Oasis - the only guitar-band that managed to secure a UK Number One album were Kings Of Leon. Arguably, Arcade Fire and Brandon Flowers' (of The Killers) solo album also deserve credit for their successes, but the fact still remains the same that all three acts were imported from the other side of the North Atlantic Ocean. The current UK music scene is a far cry from the original Britpop heyday of Supergrass, Pulp and Ash - and sadly, synthesizers have picked off the 'second wave' of Britpop whose champions included The Kaiser Chiefs, Hard-Fi, and Razorlight. But, as history has proven so many times before, it's the times when you least expect it, that magnificent surprises independently launch forth and come into their own... Twenty-five-year-old MILES KANE earned his stripes at the age of eighteen as a guitarist in the 60's inspired indie-rock band, THE LITTLE FLAMES. The band only released one album, but an important friendship was formed between Kane and his now "best mate" ALEX TURNER, when The Little Flames [TLF] supported Arctic Monkeys on their 2005 UK tour. In what I consider to be one of the best unfolding bromances of the century, the Arctic Monkeys covered TLF's 'Put Your Dukes Up, John' as a B-side for their 2006 'Leave Before The Lights Come On' single, and Kane played guitar on the closing track of Arctic Monkeys' 2007 album 'Favourite Worst Nightmare'. When TLF disbanded in 2007, Kane formed THE RASCALS with two of his former band-mates, and they played their very first 'Rascals show opening for Arctic Monkeys at Cardiff International Arena. A month later, came the announcement of Kane and Turner's joint side-project THE LAST SHADOW PUPPETS with James Ford (of Simian Mobile Disco), which debuted at Number One on the UK album charts with 2008's 'The Age Of The Understatement'. Three years - and a guest-appearance from Jack White at The Last Shadow Puppets' secret set at Glastonbury - later, Miles Kane has spent his time since departing The Rascals in 2009, writing and recording his debut solo album, 'COLOUR OF THE TRAP'. Kane enthuses that he is "totally buzzing" and "totally hyped" about his solo debut, emphasizing that he has "worked hard to make the album and [that] I took my time to make it a great solid record..." - and it seems that his homeland agrees, with the record having so far debuted within this week's Top Ten of the UK midweek albums chart. Perhaps another sign that heralds an incoming tide for Britpop, is one that many would have thought impossible - that the former factions of Oasis share a new-found common interest. Kane appears to be the only thing that the Gallagher brothers agree upon nowadays, with Noel singing back-up vocals on Kane's album, and Liam having taken Miles on tour as support for his new band, Beady Eye. 'Colour Of The Trap' is a sharp salute to the Liverpudlian's retro influences with Kane masterfully showcasing a full hand of trumps, from the guitar-driven opening tracks and lead-singles 'Come Closer' and 'Rearrange', to romantic sentiments as sweet as his soft spot for Haribo confectionery - "I fucking love sweets. I've got a love for Haribo." - as conveyed on 'Take The Night From Me' and the album's title-track. And if you happen to be of the same taste as supermodel Agyness Deyn who is an ex-girlfriend of Kane's, then you'll be pleased to know that his lyrical lines are every bit as charming as his phone-manner, by which I specifically mean Kane's insistence that he's on the hunt for a New Zealand girlfriend. What are the five most important things you look for in a girl, I ask: "Well! She's got to be from New Zealand. <laughs> That's the main one. Good eyes or a good vibe. Five things? Ears, mouth, nose. <laughs> I wouldn't pick five, just as long as she's got a good vibe and there's good eye contact. And she's got to be from New Zealand."  COUP DE MAIN: Are the songs on the 'Colour Of The Trap' album recently written? Or have you had the song-ideas for a while back now? MILES KANE: I suppose it varies. There's a few songs that I recorded for the record, 'Kingcrawler' and 'Take The Night From Me' - 'Kingcrawler' has got quite a cinematic could-be-in-a-film-soundtrack feel, and 'Take The Night From Me' is a sort of lovey dovey Elvis number - so yeah, I suppose. And from that, I'd written a lot of songs for this record and had a lot of ideas, and I compiled songs, for example 'Rearrange' came from three demos that I had. One demo had <sings> "you rearrange my mind" in it, and then another demo was called 'Let It All Out' and the chorus was <sings> "let it out, let it out, let it alllll ouuttt", and then I had this guitar riff in another tune and I thought: those three songs they're alright but they're pretty weak, but they've all got these really strong bits so why don't I put them all together as one song? And that was how that came about. So yeah, there were a lot of ideas for this album, it was just about getting the right balance and showing all them different styles of music that I love. CDM: What was the recording process like for the album? MILES: Without sounding arrogant, it was sort of easy. It felt so freeing and was just a really fun record to make. I'd go in - and whether it was Gruff [Rhys] producing or Dan Carey - they'd play the bass and they'd get in a drummer that they knew, and just lay the rhythm-track down as a three-piece and just do it live. When you do it that way, your playing has really got to be amazing because you're not editing anything, you're getting it bang on the money. So, do it like that and then build on it, put the lead guitars on over the top, put the keys on, and then do my vocals. CDM: What was it like working with Alex Turner on 'Telepathy'? Was it different or similar to The Last Shadow Puppets songwriting process? MILES: We just wrote the lyrics for that together - and it came about when he was on tour and I was in his flat, and he phoned me and I was like: "Oh, I've got this new idea and it's in F sharp and it's the riff in 'Telepathy'." He was like: "Well, I'm phoning you to tell you about my new idea and it's in F sharp!" And he played it over the phone and it fit together. That's just a beautiful thing that me and Alex have. It's a strange connection, but beautiful. CDM: I know that Alex has an upcoming Arctic Monkeys album release and you now have your solo record, but can fans expect a second The Last Shadow Puppets album sometime in the future? MILES: Definitely! We always talk about it. Whether it's next, or whether I do another record next and do that... I don't know. We'll just play it by ear. CDM: I've been listening to Alex's 'Submarine' EP quite a bit lately, it's great. MILES: Yeah, it's good isn't it! Do you like their new album, the new Arctic Monkeys album? CDM: Sadly it's not out until June, but I am really excited to hear it. MILES: Oh you haven't heard it yet? It's great, I really love it. CDM: Speaking of which, are you excited for the upcoming shows you'll be playing with the Arctic Monkeys? MILES: I am! Are you coming over for them? CDM: I wish. If you buy me a plane ticket... MILES: <hoots> Well, get over here! CDM: In all seriousness though, I do hope that you get the chance to tour 'Colour Of The Trap' in New Zealand... MILES: Yeah, hopefully! It's a pretty busy time at the moment but I've love to come over there. If I'm doing interviews, it makes sense to go over and do some gigs don't it, and see what the vibe is. Do you think people would like it over there? CDM: I hope that's a rhetorical question. Back to the album, how did your 'Happenstance' duet with French actress Clémence Poésy (of 'Gossip Girl', 'In Bruges', and as Fleur Delacour in the Harry Potter films) come about? MILES: I wanted a duet on the album because I love the age of Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra, and Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot, I love the songs they did together. It's been a big influence on me so I wanted a duet a bit like that - a sexy song that you could swap lines with a girl and have a nice vibe to it. It came about through the record label. They were at a party in France, Paris, and she was there. They got talking about me for some reason, and it got mentioned that I wanted to do a duet and she was like: "Oh, I'd love to have a go at that." She came over to London and we did it one afternoon, we did it together, we did it live, and it was a beautiful thing. CDM: How did Noel Gallagher's harmonies on 'My Fantasy' come to be recorded? MILES: He just came down one afternoon when I was mixing the record - and when you're mixing it's your final stages - and he really liked that song, 'My Fantasy'. So he came down to say hello and have a cup of coffee and a Kit Kat, and I was going to go in to do these harmonies but he ended up going in to do it. It was one of those afternoons that I'll remember forever and what a legend he is.  CDM: Why did you decide to name your album after the track, 'Colour Of The Trap'? MILES: It's the last song on the record and that song is a very emotional song and it's sort of a very bare song and has a lot of feeling in it. I'd never really sung a song like that, so soft and emotional before. It means a lot to me that song, and I think that those words together they sound classic, it sounds like it could be a James Bond film, or something like that. I just think they fit beautifully together. CDM: Do you have a favourite song on the album? MILES: If I had to pick one it would probably be 'Rearrange'. I love them all, but for the mood I'm in at the moment, it'd be 'Rearrange'. CDM: What was your favourite instrumental to record? MILES: The solo of 'Inhaler'. CDM: Why did you decide upon 'Inhaler' as the first single from the album? MILES: Probably because it's the most upbeat song and it's got a bit of 'balls' about it really, hasn't it? It's a great rock and roll tune and it gets you in the mood for, you know... it gets you up for it, doesn't it? CDM: Is it true or false that you carry an inhaler with you everywhere? MILES: True. CDM: How much of a dream come true is it for you knowing that Gruff Rhys (from Super Furry Animals) sings backing-vocals throughout the album? MILES: I learned so much from that guy and he's an amazing fellow! I would love to work with him again and we also wrote a song together called 'Quicksand' on the record, which is sort of a real pop-number. I remember I came up with the <starts singing the guitar riff of 'Quicksand'> and I quite wanted to go <sings> "ba baa bah dah da" but I'd never done anything quite that pop before. But he was like: "Nah man, that sounds cool. You should do it." He really opened my eyes to things that I hadn't done before and I will always thank him for that. CDM: What was it like working with (Gorillaz-collaborator) Dan The Automator? MILES: What a legend! He's a great guy. I went over there just to mix four songs - I went over with the album really, it was all sort of recorded, I'd done it all in London with Dan Carey, so I went over there just to mix 'Rearrange', 'Come Closer', 'Quicksand' and 'Counting Down The Days' - and then when we were mixing it he was like "I think you could sing 'Rearrange' better. I think you can get a better vocal take..." and he was right. I did. We sang it and it made it what it is. CDM: Who is on your dream wish-list of people that you'd love to work with in the future? MILES: Paul Weller and Liam Gallagher. CDM: Do you prefer recording in a studio, or playing live? MILES: At the moment, I'd say playing live because I'm just totally buzzing off it. CDM: What has been your favourite song to play live so far? MILES: Probably 'Inhaler' or the 'Kingcrawler', or 'Better Left Invisible' - because we start our set with that one, it's sort of dark and dirty, it's great man. CDM: What was it like touring with Beady Eye? MILES: Like a dream come true. To get asked to do that and for them to love my songs it means the world. They're a great bunch of fellows and I thank them very much, we had a great time.  CDM: How did you first get into music? MILES: By my Mum playing Motown records. And then one of my cousins had a guitar and they're a bit older than me, and when I was about thirteen my Auntie bought me a little Spanish guitar and I learnt some Oasis chords on that. And that was it really! At school I played saxophone in the orchestra. CDM: Obviously there's a nod to John Lennon on your album-track 'Better Left Invisible' - are The Beatles one of your main influences? MILES: Definitely - and John Lennon is, I always say it, he just is! I just love everything about him and he's been a massive part me and of what I've become. I love him, man. CDM: Who are your other main influences? MILES: Basically, it's all from music... music and my Mother. CDM: What are your five favourite things in the whole entire world? MILES: My album, playing gigs live because it's the biggest buzz that you could possibly get - playing a gig and getting sweaty and playing rock and roll is what I live for - The Beatles, Liverpool Football Club, and FIFA on Playstation 3. CDM: Tell me something no-one else knows about you... MILES: A week ago I fell over while running and nearly sprained my wrist. CDM: Oh dear. Are you often accident-prone? MILES: No! I've just gotten really into running in the morning to keep fit and I just sort of fell over a curb and it must have been a sight to see. CDM: Having been in The Little Flames when you were eighteen, then The Rascals also at a young age, do you feel like that's given you a good grounding in the music industry to know exactly what you want to do now that you're solo? MILES: Definitely. I feel at a different level than even what I did before making this album. I feel, without sounding cheesy, I feel like I've found myself. Like I know what I want to do. I know exactly who I am and it feels great. I just want to go on and make great records. CDM: What do you hope that listeners will take away from 'Colour Of The Trap'? MILES: I hope that they enjoy it. There's a lot of different moods on there - you could put the record on if you want to go out on a Saturday night with your mates and you're having drinks at your house before, you could put it on to get yourself hyped up, or those moments when you're just sitting on your own and you want to daydream. I just want them to enjoy it and come to the gigs and sing the lyrics and to believe in it because it's a real record, and it's probably one of the best that you'll hear this year definitely. CDM: Future plans? MILES: Just a lot of touring and getting out there and doing a lot of promo and doing a lot of festivals and then hopefully at the end of the year, I could come over to New Zealand and that side of the world and do some gigs. Just keep on writing, keep on working hard, and staying out of trouble.  |
