Here is an interview with Tom Clarke from the Irish Independent ahead of the tour over there:
Was there any pressure to follow up a number-one selling debut album?
We wanted to do something that pushed the boundaries a bit but still delivered what The Enemy fans want. I think the charts at the moment aren't a rock band's domain and it's not really our territory, so I couldn't believe it when we went to number one and I still can't. The charts belong to Simon Cowell, so for any band to make it is a massive achievement. And wherever this one goes I'll be happy that we've made a great album.
On your new album Music For The People you've got a track called No Time For Tears that deals with personal resilience during the current economic crisis. Why do you think such contemporary subjects aren't being broached by most songwriters?
I don't understand why, I really don't get it. We're living in such poignant times and are knee-deep in recession, yet a lot of people don't seem to notice. If this was 10 or 20 years ago, there would be songwriters queuing up around the block to write songs. People are somehow carrying on regardless. There are bands that go for the more escapist route, which can still be relevant and I do like MGMT and The Klaxons. But, in terms of people who know what's going on and are not afraid to talk about it, you've pretty much got The Enemy and Reverend and The Makers. That's it.
You sing, play guitar, piano and sing. Did you always want to be a multi-instrumentalist?
I was totally frigid as an early musician. I used to look at other people playing musical instruments and wanted to do what they were doing. I remember seeing violins on TV when I was about three. Playing piano comes from my grandparents after my grandad bought a piano instead of a carpet. They had saved up money especially to buy a carpet, but he knew she'd really love a piano. I found that the piano also gets you birds when you're in school, so that was handy. But when I got to mid-secondary school, suddenly violins and pianos weren't particularly cool anymore, so I took up a guitar. I didn't start singing until I met Liam (drums) because there wasn't any need to and I certainly never rated myself as a singer.
Did you really only form in 2006?
It's been quite a prolific few years.
We formed in late 2006, so it's no time at all really. We never really stopped and we carried on writing. Luckily, we found out that writing on tour was the best place. It's been the most exciting couple of years of our lives and we travel to places we never even imagined, so it's easy to get inspired. I wrote a tune after a show in Glasgow the other night, because I'd just bought a new guitar that day. We never really stop. I'm not particularly good at getting frustrations and emotions out, so it seems to come out in songs. I was always really crap at sports, so at an early age I was aware that music was my outlet.
XFM DJ Alex Zane claimed he was banning playing The Enemy on his breakfast radio show. What happened?
He took the piss out of me, so I took the piss out of him, and did quite a lot better I think. He used to present Popworld, which used to regularly mock good bands. We went to play on the show in goodwill and it was just the most stupid interview ever by a complete rank amateur. We pulled it and he slagged us off for pulling it. When someone is absolutely shit at their job, you don't want it to go out. Then he decided not to play our records on his radio show.
So, keep your friends close and The Enemy closer?
Absolutely. XFM were quoted as calling him childish. They also forced him to present the XFM Best New Music award to us, which was a sweet and funny moment.
The Enemy play The Academy, Dublin on April 17; Cyprus Avenue, Cork (18); Dolan's, Limerick (19); Roisin Dubh, Galway (21); Spring & Airbrake, Belfast (22); and the Nerve Centre, Derry (23)
- Interview byEamon Sweeney for Independent.ie
* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu
* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com
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