Интервью с Джэймсом и Элис для ClashMusic в 2010 году.
Hadouken! might be a musical microcosm of exaggerated youth, but their music is the guiltiest of high-energy pleasures, a quality amplified when live.
As the second and final day of Newcastle’s Evolution Festival entered it’s business end, we grabbed James Smith and Alice Spooner of the band to tell us how they’ve enjoyed Newcastle, where their music is heading and what they think of uniforms.
What do you think this festival does for North East music?
(A runner interrupts offering the band a bottle of Pinot Grigio and a bottle of Vodka, or a bottle of dark rum.)
AS: Vodka, vodka, vodka.
JS: These are the questions we have to cope with. Vodka and wine it is please. What was the question again?
North East music scene?
JS: Oh yea. I think Newcastle has a really strong music scene. It’s excellent that this is in the centre of town. And we’re Southern fairies basically, the crowds here are much better. London is where we’re from and it’s just the hardest crowds to warm, but the further up here you get, the easier it is to just whip them up. And once you get to places like Inverness in Scotland, they are climbing on top of you.
AS: This is a really affordable festival as well. It seems to be open to everyone, no matter what age you are.
You’re first album had distinct elements of Grime to it, and the newer material seems to be infusing a lot more dance?
We got our new album produced by Noisia, so they’re like drum n bass and tech influenced. And they brought a real sonic quality to our new stuff. As for us, our influences are still with big 90s bands like Leftfield, Chemical Brothers, Underworld and Faithless. In my opinion, we’re just dance music that you can play live.
The dancier vibe comes through a lot on recent single ‘Mic Check’?
It’s got a speed garage sample in it. It’s the kind of thing we all grew up listening to. We’ve never really sampled anything before but that just felt right.
What bands have you managed to catch this weekend? What have you made of the younger bands?
AS: We really enjoyed Everything Everything.
JS: Yea they were fantastic. I Blame Coco had a brilliant voice, and I’m pretty sure Ellie Goulding is smashing it up right now as we speak. I’m also really excited for Enter Shikari and Delphic. Every band we’ve seen so far have been brilliant. For the younger bands on the brink of a first album, this is an excellent opportunity to learn the ropes. It’s a huge, yet willing crowd. It really helps you progress as a band playing to crowds likes this, because sometimes you play a song to 200 in a dingey pub and it works. But when you play out here some just don’t translate on the bigger stage. And you need to learn that and reassess fast.
Everything Everything came out in strict uniform dress. Would you guys ever consider matching outfits?
JS: I think it’s cool. Getting into the zone backstage is difficult. And when they put on a uniform, it’s like putting on a persona. If you just rock up on stage wearing your tracksuit bottoms, you don’t get into the zone. I think the uniform thing can really work, more extreme examples like Slipknot or Kiss, there is just something to it.
Источник: http://www.clashmusic.com/feature/evolution-festival-hadouken-interview