Kid British Chat About Influences and X-Men

5 months ago 14th Jan 11:00

Near to completing their debut album with the help of Chemical Brother, Steve Dubb, hot new band Kid British, chats about gigging in their home town, messages of support from The Specials and dreams to be X-Men's Wolverine!

Since signing to hit music label Mercury Records in May last year, the band of four Manchester lads have be working hard to unleash their unique sound to the public. We spoke with Adio Marchant.

So, what have you been getting up to recently?

We've just been putting the finishing touches to our album really, just getting the last bits done and getting for The Enemy tour which should be coming up soon. We've enjoyed our festive time with family and we're just going to get back onto it now.

Your EP is released later this month, are you excited about it all?

Yes definitely and we've been getting a lot of good press about it. We bring out the EP on the 19th January, so we're all really excited about that. It's on pink vinyl so it's going to look pretty sharp!

You have also got a lot of gigs coming up, are you looking forward to them?

Yes definitely! That's the main thing what we're really good at and what we enjoy. We're just really looking forward to getting out there, we've got a lot of big gigs coming up.

You're playing in your home town of Manchester - is that one of your favourite venues?

Yeah, we've played nearly everywhere in Manchester now apart from the MEN in Manchester. We're just really looking forward to it, we love Manchester gigs. But we love every gig, just when there's people there who get what we're doing and they like it. Playing at your home town there is that special atmosphere around it though, there's something definitely sentimental about it.

If you could perform anywhere, where would you like to?

I would probably say Old Trafford stadium, because I support Man United. But anything big like that!

For anyone who hasn't heard of Kid British, how would you describe them in five words?

I'd say quirky, fun, positive, vibrant and direct.

You have been compared to the likes of The Specials, The Streets and Blur, what's that like?

We don't mind, because we're being compared to some of the best bands. There are some bands who see it as a negative to be compared to another band, but we've had a lot of good press about it. Lynval Golding from The Specials left us a message saying he liked what we were doing and we would love to get together with them. And then Neville Stapel left us a similar message too. Just to be compared to a great band and them sending us messages is great.

So, what influences Kid British?

Each of us has so many influences that everyone brings they're own thing to it. There's The Streets and Kaiser Chiefs, mainly The Streets because we do a lot of rapping.

Who in the music industry do you look up to?

Lately I've been trying to get back into the Beatles - there stuff is just amazing. But really it's just looking at the bands that have come from nothing and that build-up. But really the biggest bands, stuff like Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, Oasis we look up to them and we want to get to their level.

Are there any bands or artists around at the moment that you would recommend?

There are a couple of bands from Manchester coming up and one called Little Comment that are pretty good.

Sounds good. If you could go on tour with anyone who would it be and why?

Probably Blur or The Specials, just because their vibes are amazing. Their styles change with each track, they don't stick to a particular genre, they're always mixing it up and that's what we're trying to do ourselves. They are the kinds of bands, that if we could we would love to support. Even Lily Allen I'm loving what she is doing at the moment. Just bringing their own creative vibe in and it works.

So, what do you have planned for 2009?

Basic plans for 2009 are to get the album out, play every festival going and just have a wicked time. Hopefully it'll start off good, and we'll remain positive and have a great laugh with it - that's what we're about.

Where would you like the band to be in five years time?

Doing a special gig in the Bahamas of something! Just somewhere where it's not raining all the time! Really we just want to be in a successful position after five years of working hard and playing your cards right.

That's good! What was the last CD you bought?

The last CD I bought was Elbow, the album Shadow Puppets.

So, if you could only listen to one band/artist for the rest of your life who would it be and why?

Rest of my live! Just trying to think of someone who has constantly delivered...I would have to say Bob Marley. Yeah just because he captures the moment.

Now we have some random questions for you to answer...

If you could have any super hero power what would you choose and why?

I've always wanted to be Wolverine from X-Men! I just think the claws are wicked and he never dies. I know everyone wants to be Superman but for me it has to be Wolverine. He's more of a rogue and I connect with that! (laughs)

Okay. If you could trade places with anyone for a day who would it be and why?

Maybe a bus driver. [FF: Why?] It's a bit random isn't it? Just something a bit different I think.

So, if a top newspaper was to run tomorrow with Kid British on the front page what would you want the headline to say?

Check out this enthusiastic bunch of lads! (laughs)

Finally, we ask everyone we interview to come up with a question for next person we interview.

Okay, fire away!

So, Mark from The Script has asked does the water go down the sink a different way in the northern hemisphere to the southern?

It does go round the other way. Right?

Well, they disagree...

Sure it does.

And could you come up with a random question please?

If you could be any car what would it be?

Good question, what car would you be?

Probably a Ford Escort. [FF: Why?] Well, it's a bit run down but it still works and it does the job!

Love it! Thank you for speaking with us Adio and good luck. Bye!

Thank you. Bye!

Kid British are due to release their debut album soon and their exclusive Leave London EP is available from the 19th January, before they support The Enemy throughout March and April.