Saturday, 15 October 2011

Miles Kane Interview




After having a taste of success with The Rascals and Last of the Shadow Puppets, Miles Kane has stepped from the safety of a band into the spotlight as a solo artist. His solo album ‘Colour of the Trap’ was co-written with Alex Turner and features a guest vocal by Noel Gallagher.  When we get to speak to him he is faultlessly polite as he discusses guitar bands, going solo and meeting girls.

For people who haven’t heard the album what is it like?
Well it took quite a while to get the right sort of foundations for it and find out where to go with it. There were lots of ideas and lots of songs knocking about. There are lots of different inspirations on there, some fast songs and some slow songs, weird songs, pop songs. I guess that comes from listening to great records, I get all my inspiration from listening to music and life.

Was it hard coming from a band to going solo?
Yeah defo, it was sort of. At the beginning it was hard; I’m not going to lie. I have always been used to, what ever it is, jamming in the room before you go in the studio and that sort of thing. With this it was down to you, getting the songs together then you would go in the studio. One of the best weeks of my life was at the start of this when I went in with Gruff Rhys and it was just me, him and a drummer. We recorded three tracks in a week, doing that week was a completely new experience and it kick started it. I will always thank him for that, he’s a mate now and I have learnt a lot from that guy. Then I went in and did the rest of it with Dan Carey, this producer, and that again was a great experience, he played bass, I played guitar, got a drummer in that he knew. We would get the song and just sort of play it fast, play it slow. That’s the thing I learnt on this record, what ever the song or the idea, if you write a song and it’s slow on the acoustic you can sort of beef it up and make it a stomper if you want, there is no sort of limits to songs, that’s what I learnt I guess.



Do you still get nervous before you go on stage?
You get those butterflies before you go on stage like, but I have done so much gigging this year. My favourite thing in life is to do a gig, its amazing how it’s sort of grown. It’s grown sort of slowly over a year but it feels in a great place now, so real, and sort of buzzing. I’ve had the best year of my life and I can’t wait to do this tour in October, get out there and rock live, is just one of the best things. These songs live are just massive, it’s a great night out really when you come to a gig.

 What’s the worst gig you have done?
There has been a few shockers in the past, I’ve done that toilet circuit and played to 20 people, or whatever it is. I can’t specifically pick one out at the minute but I’ve definitely earned my strips. 
  
What’s your favourite thing about touring?
Getting hot and sweaty on stage, singing out the songs and f****** ripping the guitar solo.

Is there any other profession you would do if you weren’t a musician?
This is it and hopefully I can do this forever. I don’t know what I would do, maybe be a chef.

Do you think guitar bands are underrepresented in pop music these days?
Yeah massively, I’ve been saying this since day one. I’ve been pretty lucky with the last few singles that radio 1 have A listed them, which is great in this day and age. When you look at the charts, it’s ridiculous like. I want the day when guitar music, what I do and loads of bands, your fighting in the top ten singles, you know what I mean. To break the singles chart, it’s a tough thing these days. It’s just because people are brained washed, it needs to be put back in the public eye, I think it’s coming round but who knows.

What are your views on manufactured bands?
That is what it is and loads of people like it. If you like it that’s great. I don’t think it needs to be one or the other. It would be great if rock and roll where competing with all that and having it. You know what I mean.

Do you read reviews about yourself?
No, unless it’s a good one. When you get into doing that its bad I think, though everyone’s done it. I try not to, its better when you don’t because, its just better, you keep on your own sort of vision.

Do you find it harder or easier to meet girls now you are a rock star?
I don’t know really it just is what it is, I’m single at the moment, sort of having fun you know, its great.

Are there any plans for another Last of Shadow Puppets album?
We always chat about it, me and Alex. We will ride that ship again, its just when because we want to do it right, we want to make it amazing.


Published in Yorkshire Evening Post & Metro 

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