Names obscured to protect the litterers and the hungover. Beak> were taking time out from Beakender to enjoy some quality time with our reporter…

Beaky blinders

Source: beak.bandcamp.com

Beak>: So. We’re ready now.

Ok. So you’re sat in the back of your splitter van and you’re in Leeds?

Beak>: Yeah. We’re doing the Beakender.

Oh, the Beakender. What’s the crack with your Beakender?

Beak>: There’s a dancer and a… [other member] I don’t think we should tell you if you haven’t searched it.

*All laugh*

Well, I wanted to hear your sales pitch.

Beak>: No, no. You’re gonna have a hard time in this one, mate.

Beak>: It’s a weekend of bands that we love and play with from 2 o’clock to around 1 o’clock every night Saturday and Sunday in the Brudenell Social Club, which is one of the best venues in the country.

Yeah. It’s pretty good.

[All agree]

So you’re touring, you playing a lot of gigs at the moment?

Beak>: Yeah.

You guys went out last night with Kebab and Chips?

Beak>: Well, yeah. That was a mistake. Paddy Steer, as well. You know Paddy Steer?

No?

Beak>: Look him up, he’s absolutely fucking amazing! He’s a spaceman. He’s brilliant.

Paddy Steer… cool. 

Beak>: It’s Paddy S-T-E-E-R.

Image result for paddy steer

Paddy Steer performing at Sonic Protest Source: sonic protest YouTube

What about your musical process. Do you want to tell me anything about it?

Beak>: I think we do what everyone else does. Yeah, it’s a bit boring, to be honest. We get in a room together, we sort of like each other, we play a bunch of instruments together and if it sounds good, we record it.

And if it doesn’t sound good, we record it and then get rid of it. You can’t really flower up the process with loads of fancy words and imagination and invention. It’s really quite basic and normal, for us. I think it’s getting rare now, isn’t it?

Beak>: No I just think that people do it in a different way. They just get the laptop out, try different effects until it makes a sound that they want to take further, but we’ve got to do it in a room of instruments.

So when you’re recording, do you feel like you’re playing different than when you’re playing live? Do you have a different emphasis?

Beak>: No, you’re constantly creating, aren’t you? It’s like you’re creating it for the first time, like when you’re playing live you’re basically just repeating what you’ve played before. It’s a bit of a weird one, because we make stuff up and then we record it really quickly, and that’s the recording.

But then when we go and play live, we actually learn the recordings and play a bit like a cover band, so we’re covering ourselves.

You have to go back and figure out what you did in that enterprise?

Beak>: It’s hell, every time.

Yeah. Sounds like a hard life. So, you were in Mexico as well?

Beak>: Yeah. We kind of tour everywhere. I mean, the thing is, the tours in the UK is shit.

So basically, we started playing in these weird government-funded festivals around the world, where they look after you and give you some food and stuff. And ultimately you play with really interesting people. You know, we played with some weird distorted opera singers, and then with the (Jetting Gym) and the (Laptop). You know what I mean?

And then as we became more popular, and we got a few plays on Radio 6. So what’s happened is we play those kinds of gigs less now, and we kind of get more common, normal gigs.

So is Beakender an attempt to bring back a bit weirder? Or is Beakender more normal?

Beak>: It’s a bit of everything, I mean we were at the bar a minute ago thinking is everyone going to cross the border like crazy people. It’s just doing what we like. It’s a very rare opportunity, to see 12 bands you like over a weekend.

It wasn’t really our idea anyways, it was Dave’s from the Brudenell, he kind of suggested it. We went “Ok”, and before you know it, it was happening, so I guess he bullied us into it. In a positive way, of course, not a negative bullying. No, no, no, it was a good type of bullying!

Bullying is not what it used to be… What are you doing next week? Do you have any plans on Thursday?

Beak>: Yeah. So basically we drove back to Bristol, and we have this thing called ”Give a Shit, Christmas”. It’s the second year of it, and it’s a pure charity gig, to support the small homeless charities in Bristol. And playing with us were Billy Nomates and a band called Bootleg Blondie. The lead singer, her name is Debbie Harry. It’s amazing.

Beak > looking wild Photo credit: Gary Coughlan https://www.garycoughlan.com/

Beak > playing in Castlefield
Photo credit: Gary Coughlan https://www.garycoughlan.com/

Very concise. Good… good stuff. *groans with hangover-ness*

Beak>: You need a bong. Just have another go on the bong. Just have a little joint and watch a little Lord of the Rings and you’ll be alright.

Beak>: You sound really handsome.

Thank you. 

Beak>: You’re welcome.

You all sound like you’re sat in a van.

Beak>: Yeah we are. In our pants.

Is it a van you own or is it a rental?

Beak>: No it’s a rental.

Are you not taking a lead out of Chris Martin’s book and stopping touring?

Beal> No. I don’t think I’m going to read Chris Martin’s book, to be honest.  Has he written a book? No I doubt it. Isn’t that just The Bible? Yeah he wrote the Bible. Is he writing a new one? ‘New Testament of Coldplay’.

Do you not think it was just a good time for him to check out Coldplay?

Beak>: I’d rather just tell you about Clarence (van Damme’s) album.

Go on. Tell me about that.

Beak>: Well, that’s not happening. He’s an old singer.

He will “Fix You”, Mark. What does that mean? He had a song called “Fix You”, did he? Yeah.

I know a couple of people who’ve met him. He really wants to know everything about you, and then he wants to sit down and tell you everything you should do with your life. He did come for one of those gigs once, I think. Did he?

Oh yeah he came in the Ballroom, in New York. When he was snogging the woman from the show where they all go out into the wilderness and kill each other.

Big Brother.

Beak>: Jennifer Lawrence.

Oh yeah, Jennifer Lawrence. He was snogging her in the back at the bar. In our gig, he must have paid. He’s a lovely bloke.

Alright. Your favorite band, Pigs(x7). They’ve got a song about the A66, and today you were on the A66. My parents live very close to the A66. Do you like it as a road?

Beak>: I puked on it, today.

In the van or did you have to get out?

Beak>: Yeah he threw up in a munchies box, and threw it down the road. In the bin… we didn’t litter.

Do you know where about?

Beak>: Don’t ever litter, in A66 or any road. That’s a brilliant way to end an interview. Just say “don’t litter”.

It’s very positive. Alright, then. Thanks for talking to me for so long!

Beak>: Oh, so I reckon that those tickets for that London thing are out, now. [Beak will be playing the Electric Ballroom on the 24th Jan 2020].

While this is going on, can you go into the room next door and take a photograph of your BFI friend and just text it to me, just so we can have an image of what’s going on, and we’ll send you a photo of what we’re up to?

Ok. I’ll do that, I’ll do that.

Beak>: Alright. Nice one.

Thanks guys, bye!

Beak>: Bye. Drink some Coca Cola. Bye. Cheers.