brakes

BLOOD BROTHERS:
AN INTERVIEW WITH
THE BRAKES

Touted as the latest British supergroup,
signed to Rough Trade and touring with
Belle and Sebastian, The Brakes have
recently released critically acclaimed 'Give
Blood' and are riding on a never ending
wave of success, more fans and even
more tour dates. All this while being a
hybrid of sought after bands - British Sea
Power, Electric Soft Parade and
Tenderfoot. Bassist Marc of Tenderfoot
steps into the bubble of SSS after
post-gig glory at Belle and Sebastian.

It's the last night of the tour. How will
you be celebrating?

Definitely at the after-show party! The
head of Rough Trade is down here
tonight and will be DJ-ing later. So us and
our label mates (Belle) will have to hit the
dancefloor!

You've just finished a heavy UK tour
and hit Europe with the Editors in 2
days time! What were your hopes for
this tour and what are your hopes for
the next one?

It's usually just hoping to win over fans
who haven't heard us before and are
receptive to our music and what we do.
That's why this tour is so great as Belle
and Sebastian fans are really
open-minded. We hope the same for the
next tour as well.

You're definitely an 'old friends' band. Do you think that after the music you'll all end up doing something
like running a pub together and having a laugh?

Funny you should mention that! We used to hang out in a pub in Brighton that was under a house. It was a tiny pub
in a tiny basement. The guy who ran it offered to sell it to us and we seriously thought about buying it! Maybe
sometime in the future though...

You're continually described as a 'supergroup'. If you could pick 2 supergroups from the past to join
forces with alone, who would they be?

Tough one! Probably the drummer from My Bloody Valentine and the members of Yo La Tengo - they're my
favourite band ever.

Tell us a bit more about your dates in the States?
We're doing SXSW with Jim Noir and KT Turnstall and playing the afterparty of Live From London in NYC which
should be fun.

You're known for doing the odd cover now and again. If I handed you
'Happy Birthday' and our National Anthem, which song would you pick and
which style would you cover it?

Happy Birthday! Actually it was Belle's tour manager's birthday the other night and
we walked in while they were singing to him. We picked up our acoustic guitars and
also serenaded him!

Special thanks to Wayne and Marc.
Interview by Dee Sekar and photographs by Johanna Macdonald.
The Brakes tour Europe with The Editors.
For more info: www.brakesbrakesbrakes.com