It takes two baby, to make the dream come true – subba quizzes the delectable duo, The Unkindness Of Ravens
The delectable duo have been compared to bands such as The Kills and The White Stripes but with the release of White Road, they show another shade to their deep and varied musical repertoire. This latest offering gives you a glimpse into the more melodic, guitar-driven side of the band without losing that ever-present Lynchian quality to their sound. In fact, White Road evokes images of a long, dark highway in the dead of night with only the echoing sound of White Road and the car’s illuminating headlights for company - hypnotically seductive.
White Road will be accompanied by the free track “Red Sun”. With this single conveying a more alluring side to the band, only time will tell what the pair will come up with next. Nina Wagner – Vocals / Ben Raine - Bass / vocals / beats
How are you? Where does this Q&A find you?
Nina: We're great, thank you. Currently in our studio planning our EP set for release in October. It's gonna fucking rock!
How did the recording sessions for your latest release go? Did you achieve all you’d planned to?
Nina: Every song has its own personal journey and obstacles to overcome, so it's an adventure every time. Best way to go about it is to have fun with it. In the beginning we recorded the songs as they were, but now we're having more fun by experimenting and using the studio more to really give the song the edge it needs.
What goals did you set yourself before you started recording? Did you do anything differently this time, on purpose? If so, why?
Nina: We find the best way to get things done is set a date and work towards it. This has had a tendency to put quite a bit of pressure on us, which can get stressful, but I think we have quite a balanced working relationship - if Ben gets stressed, I'll buy him a coke, dance a few jigs, crack some jokes...
Ben: Our aim is always to get great takes down where it's all just there, we don't want to cut & paste and fix things. The vocal tracks on 'White Road', they're just straight takes, all the way. Like in the good old days.
What do you feel are your own limitations when it comes to creating/writing music?
Nina: We don't believe there are ever any limitations. That's just in your head. If you feel blocked, have a beer, go for a walk. The universe will give you everything you want, if you ask the right questions.
Ben: Because there's only two of us and the main instrument is a bass there's a lot of things we can't do, but it's this stylistic framework that we operate in that inspires us to be fucking creative. We know our sound and what we are, and we will constantly surprise you.
What do you consider to be your best 3 songs, and tell us the inspiration behind them?
Nina: I love em all. But I think the deal breaker in the beginning for me was 'Yours Forever But Not To Hold'. This time around I believe it to be 'White Road'. The third choice would be the rest of the them.
What do you love and what do you hate about life on the road? Tell us your funniest tour experience yet?
Nina: The last motel we checked into we had hookers checking in at the same time… guess that's kinda funny in a sad way…
How would you describe your own/bands sound, or what do you hate being labelled as?
Ben: The closest to nailing it I seen is 'Gothic Garage Rock'. We're not goths, but that ain't the point.
Nina: We don't really care what people label us as, if someone said we were pop, I wouldn't shoot them in the face or anything, after all 'pop' means 'popular', so it's a complement really.
Who is currently moving you musically at the moment?
Nina: I'm going through a major Queens of the Stone Age phase. But I've been checking out The Kills more thoroughly and The Dead Weather, which gets my tummy tickling.
What album changed your life and why?
Nina: Nirvana's Nevermind. This album basically broke my virginity into rock music and I felt someone was out there feeling the same things I did. I finally felt understood and not alone.
Ben: Yeah I'm more of an In Utero guy, but essentially my life is split into two sections: pre-Ok Computer, and post-Ok Computer.
If you could erase one single/album from history (your own or someone else's) which would it be and why?
Nina: We don't like to be publicly bitchy, but between you and me and the readers, it's gotta be anything Avril Lavigne did. That's not singing, it's screaming.
A rumour you'd like to start about yourself?
Nina: We're from the future!
The revolution comes, who would you like to be first against the wall?
Nina: Scapegoats are for pussys! We're all responsible!
Best piece of advice you'd give to aspiring musicians, or the best piece of advice you were given when you started?
Nina: Out of experience - best thing for musicians to do is surround themselves with other artists in order to maintain the inspiration. Throw out your fucking TV!
Ben: Yeah fuck television. Buy your dream guitar and then justify the expense by being fucking awesome.
If you're in a car going at the speed of light, and someone turns the headlamps on, would they do anything?
Nina: Yea, they'd fucking switch on!
Ben: I ain't so hot on relativity, but I know if you switched the radio on you'd hear some pretty shit music.
TOP 5 IPOD TUNES
1. The Hardest Button to Button - White Stripes
2. Storm 3000 - Leftfield
3. Lithium - Nirvana
4. Mushroom - Can
5. Theresa's Sound-World - Sonic Youth
Ben: I love them and learn from them.
Baffled And Beat Dear God... It's like someone gave Bjork a disco Biscuit and set her free at Altamont... Someone get me me raving trousers... Sh*t is going down... ...read album review
