Music For The People Billboard Advert

The Enemy's new album 'Music For The People' has been seen out and about around Coventry this week with several giant billboard posters advertising the release of the new album. The poster above can be seen opposite the Royal Mail building in Bishop Street with another poster situated opposite the Coventry sports centre in Fairfax Street.

When 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns' was released in July 2007, The Enemy took over Coventry's train station with a massive poster featuring the debut album. The new album has had mainly positive reviews and the release of the bonus DVD from the Coventry Ricoh gig is worth watching.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Talk To XFM About New Album

The Enemy headed back to XFM radio for an interview with John Kennedy who talked to Tom, Liam and Andy on their second album, ‘Music For The People’. Hear their track-by-track interview now.

The Enemy’s debut created waves on the scale of a tsunami. It was so vital, fresh and exciting we even awarded it our very first XFM ‘New Music Award’. The big question, we thought, was how you follow it up.

The answer, however, was very, very simple. You come back with a bigger, bolder and better record that not just puts their debut in the shade, but pretty much everything else we’ve heard since. John Kennedy was suitably enthused by it and pulled the band in for an in-depth track-by-track interview.

You can listen to the full fifty minute XFM interview again right here:

Part 1: The Enemy talk about the evocative title and the recording of their second album. [Hear The Full Answer Now]

Part 2: ‘Elephant Song’ and ‘No Time For Tears’ open the album. Tom, Liam and Andy talk about these block-busting tracks. [Hear The Full Answer Now]

Part 3: ‘51st State’ sees the band revert to Clash-influenced territory and ‘Sing When You’re In Love’ is an old favourite re-visited. [Hear The Full Answer Now]

Part 4: A string-laden ‘Last Goodbye’ and the national identity-baiting ‘Nation Of Checkout Girls’ gets discussed. [Hear The Full Answer Now]

Part 5: The band put ‘Don’t Break The Red Tape’ under the microscope. [Hear The Full Answer Now]

Part 6: ‘Be Somebody’ is next, a track that’s become one of Tom’s favourites. [Hear The Full Answer Now]

Part 7: Talk of the final two tracks, ‘Keep Losing’ and ‘Silver Spoon’, close the chat. [Hear The Full Answer Now

]

*Source: XFM

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

VIDEO: The Enemy Answer Fans Questions

The Enemy have posted a video on the official website which answers questions sent in to them by their fans. Tom, Liam and Andy answer those burning questions in the video.

What influenced the new album?
Which animals they’d like to make extinct?
Who takes the longest to get ready for a gig?

Those and more are answered in this EXCLUSIVE video -

WATCH THE VIDEO NOW»

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

Exclusive Download With Music For The People

There is an exclusive download available from Play.com when you pre-order The Enemy's 'Music For The People' album. 'It's Not OK' (Live At The Union Chapel) will be given to everyone who orders the album from the website. Better still, at £8.95 with free delivery Play.com is one of the cheapest places in the UK to buy the album!

Here is the review of 'Music For The People' from Play.com:

Coventry's finest indie rockers, The Enemy return in fighting form with their second studio album, Music For The People. Keeping their working class roots firmly in tact, the feisty trio have pushed the boundaries to the limit and produced an ambitious, grandiose album that takes the talented youngsters out of the gritty streets and into the stadium.

When The Enemy released their debut album, We'll Live And Die In These Towns, the tenacious threesome took the nation by storm with their raw blend of good old fashioned British rock'n'roll and frank statements. Combining Oasis-style chords with The Jam-influenced cultural references, the band constructed contagious anthems such as the top 10 smashes 'Away From Here' and 'Had Enough', that hit with venom and struck a chord with the masses. So, now that the rough-edged revellers have grown out of their teens and original surroundings, will they lose some of the grit and power that made their debut so appealing? 'Elephant Song', the opening track from Music For The People, would have you believe not. It's a coarse stomper of a song that builds from a symphonic introduction into a glorious riff-heavy anthem of epic proportions. The force and scale of the impressive opener continues on the album's first single, 'No Time For Tears'. Hitting hard with social declarations, lead singer Tom Clarke dabbles with a higher vocal range to get his message of hope across with permeating effect. The momentum continues on the thumping tracks 'Nation Of Checkout Girls' and 'Don't Break The Red Tape' where the band with organic beats and chanting choruses showcase a punk-fuelled side reminiscent of The Clash. The tempo is only broken down with slow-burners 'Sing When You're In Love' and 'Be Somebody'. Executed with passion and power, the songs bristle with sensitivity and declare that The Enemy are able to shift out of their comfort zone and experiment with subtle and stripped-down styles. Bringing the album to a close in extravagant fashion and offering an appealing contradiction to the organic rock numbers are layered tracks 'Keep Losing' and 'Silver Spoon'. Splicing piano balladry, gospel stylistics and orchestral crescendos, the tracks spiral into vast and textured epics that are certain to fill arenas.

Whilst The Enemy's debut album punched out robust messages over brutal beats, Music For The People offers experimental and intriguing musical twists to the band's social declarations. Bringing to life their relatable statements with flourishing techniques and shifting structures, this eclectically styled release is a confident and well-executed album that delights with glorious musical progression and keeps it real with the Coventry lads' inherent rawness and strength.

Music For The People is also available in a CD & DVD Edition.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

Zane Lowe Makes The Enemy Album Of The Week

'Music For The People' is Zane Lowe's album of the week this week. So, every night this week (Mon-Thurs) he'll be playing a different track from the album. Listen in to Radio 1 between 19:00 and 21:00 to catch the latest track and don't forget to let The Enemy and Zane Lowe know what you think.

Monday night Zane played 'Sing When You're In Love'. If you missed it listen again here.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

Listen To Music For The People For FREE!

You can listen to The Enemy's new album 'Music For The People' completely FREE this week thanks to NME.COM

Head over to the website and listen to the album ahead of it's release on Monday 27th April 2009. You can also rate the album, so if you are itching to find out what all the fuss is about go to NME.COM now!

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Video Banned From Music Channels

The Enemy's new single 'No Time For Tears' has been 'banned' from music channels like 4Music and VH1 on shows like 'The Official UK Top 40'. The programme refused to show the video claiming it was "not suitable for the whole family".

The video shows band members Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts performing their track inside a glass box, while onlookers throw items and attack the screens with paint. The video concept was directed by Rankin & Chris Cottam who encased the band in a box, where they have to face waves of well hard, good old British hate – plus the odd moment of adulation.A thoughtful concept to reflect the song’s stoic, ‘take it like a man’ theme of which music channels have missed the point and decided to 'ban' The Enemy's video from some of their programmes.

Watch the video and judge for yourself - Should it have been banned or not?

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Competition

COMPETITION

To celebrate the release of the new Enemy album NME have two limited edition album box sets up for grabs (more details below) and five signed t-shirts.

To be in with a chance of winning just enter your email at NME.COM.Winners will be drawn on Monday 27th April and notified the same day.

If you haven't come across it yet here's the limited edition album box set.

It includes the album on CD and 12", an extended DVD from last years Ricoh Arena, a lyric booklet and a personally signed print from Si Scott.

Want one of those? There are only 2,000 being produced so order yours now. Plus, delivery is free when you pre-order it.

PRE-ORDER NOW »

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy 'No Time For Tears' Sales Figures

The Enemy entered the UK singles chart at #16 with 'No Time For Tears', the first single from the much anticipated album 'Music For The People'.

'No Time For Tears' sold 12,606 copies. Singles have increased in sales by 33.56% year on year as people download individual album tracks and may have had an effect on the final chart position for The Enemy.

We can all be proud of the amount of copies sold - based on last year, those sales figures would have meant The Enemy scored another Top 10 hit.

Calvin Harris (#1) sold 62,012, Eminem (#8) sold 26,166, and Patti LuPone (#45) sold 4,987 by way of comparison.

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

Observer Review of Music For The People

Here is The Observer review of Music For The People by Jon Savage

The Enemy are squarely in the tradition of the early Clash and the Specials: plain-speaking music that addresses Britain's forgotten towns and forgotten teens. Hailing from Coventry, they know of what they speak. Theirs is a big sound for a three-piece, matched by big themes. As they state on Elephant Song: "Ever feel so small, stood in a world that owes you nothing at all."

There's No Time For Tears takes you to "the morning after the revolution", while 51st State and Don't Break the Red Tape offer succinct anti-government polemics. They are less convincing on slow numbers like the Springsteen-esque No Time to Cry, where the production and the vocal delivery force attention on prosaic phrases like "a concrete jungle" and "a million miles of traffic jams".

That's the problem with social realism, but the Enemy do their best to vary their sound and mode of address. There is always pleasure in hearing a young group stretch out - as they do on the climactic Silver Spoon - and they unveil a great line in Be Somebody: "No one ever gives you anything for free/ Unless you start sleeping with the BBC."

Both these records will be deservedly successful. They both achieve what they set out to do, which is to inject into British rock music the sense of standing for or against something, the feeling that there is something more at stake than money, fame and self, the belief that human beings are important. Although they are not particularly aimed at me, I applaud their spirit.

• Download
Silver Spoon (The Enemy)

The Enemy, Music for the People, Warners, 4 stars

*Source: The Observer

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Sun Interview With Tom Clarke

The Sun Review by Jacqui Swift : THE ENEMY - Music For The People 4/5


A LITTLE man with a lot to say, Tom Clarke has never shied away from telling it straight.

When Coventry trio The Enemy emerged in 2007 with We’ll Live And Die In These Towns, their vociferous tales of small-town frustration, earning the minimum wage and football hooligans selling tellies struck a chord with the masses of disaffected youth.

Tom’s lyrics lashed out in a way that Paul Weller’s had in The Jam three decades earlier.

With bags of self-belief and a cocksure swagger, when SFTW first met the frontman — then a no nonsense, opinionated 19-year-old — he told us: “There’s no point being in a band unless you think you’re the best in the world.”

His big mouth proved justified in July 2007, when their debut album went straight to No1, selling 450,000 copies and helping them scoop various best new band and album of the year awards.

Sombre in his mood and serious in his delivery, today Tom tells me: “In some ways we were too early. A lot of the stuff we were singing about is what people can relate to more now with the recession. In towns like Coventry, people understood those frustrations, but there were still a lot of people elsewhere who didn’t.”

Two years on, and set to release follow-up Music For The People, have things changed for Tom in light of their success?

Well, the first noticeable thing when we meet is that he is accompanied by one Jerome, his very own burly bodyguard.


But before I ask if Tom has gone all rock star, he says he isn’t there because he is needed, just for insurance reasons.

Sitting down in the bar of one of Southampton’s newest hotels, Tom, still looking like he’ll need ID to buy a drink, tells me another thing that definitely hasn’t changed is his friendship with his band mates.

He says: “The biggest achievement is me, Liam and Andy can sit down and still have a pint with each other. We’re still mates. No one’s got an ego.”

With success came respect for the band who, just 18 months earlier, had been in dead-end jobs; Tom and bassist Andy Hopkins selling TV sets while drummer Liam Watts temped in an office.

Says Tom: “At the beginning people wanted to pigeonhole us as lad rock. But we knew where we were going musically and didn’t accept that. When We’ll Live And Die In These Towns came out, people realised there was more to us than just three-chord thrash.

“I never expected the album to go to No1. We were absolutely euphoric when it happened and on top of the world. It was at that point we felt like we’d broken into Simon Cowell’s back garden and p****d in his fountain. It felt like we shouldn’t be there.


“With the first album we literally went from touring in a Fiesta to, suddenly, people turning up offering us designer clothes for free.

“I can see where bands go wrong. They start getting driven about and it goes to their head. We had to stop people and say — ‘Look, I can open a f****** door’.”

There have been moments of indulgence — buying his own flat as well as a classic E-Type Jaguar — purchases Tom defends with his own matter-of-fact logic.

“Well, everyone leaves home at my age anyway and I haven’t lost the plot with the car.

“It was far, far too much money for a car, but it wasn’t to be flash. I bought it because in 1972 my grandad used to work in Jaguar’s Browns Lane plant. I wanted a car he’d worked on. He’s dead now but every time I look at that car I think of him, that his hands have touched that car. And that’s something very special to me.”

Like their first album, Music For The People provides a snapshot of the band’s surroundings. But this time they’ve been inspired by travelling to far-off countries such as Japan, America and across Europe.

Tom says: “Success meant we got to tour the world and if we hadn’t had the opportunity to do that, the second album wouldn’t be what it is. Music For The People is the same lads, two years older, but just a bit more worldly.

“It’s still a document of our lives but made over a much longer period of time.”

Opening track Elephant Song, a triumphant, Led Zep-style howler, is named after the symbol of Coventry and was inspired by the band’s first trip to Japan. Tom says: “It’s about being on a plane for 12 hours and landing in Tokyo and it seeming like another planet.

“It’s an amazing place, it’s like Mars.”

First single No Time For Tears was written after Tom was in a fight with a Coventry bouncer.

Explains Tom: “He didn’t like the jacket I was wearing. It was a brand new Harrington.

“I was totally sober. I was left with bruised ribs but after dealing with a d***head bouncer I then had to deal with a d***head copper too.

“He attended yet never helped me a bit. So I went home absolutely furious and wrote that song to vent my anger.”

In the anthemic psychedelic piano finale Silver Spoon, Tom unleashes an attack on people in the music industry who have fame handed to them on a plate.

“Some people think there’s a fast track to fame. But forget X Factor and that route, you don’t need a golden ticket, you can do it on your own through hard work.” Nation Of Checkout Girls, inspired by the Jeremy Paxman book The English: A Portrait Of A People, is a pro-English song.

Tom says: “I think too often people whinge about how s*** England is, when it’s not. England is one of the best countries in the world with one of the most advanced societies. We’ve got a National Health Service, which the rest of the world is envious of. I’m massively proud of our country.

The Enemy ... Music For The People

“The song is looking at the changing face of the UK. People fear it.

“Like America, we now need a return to democracy. We just have two political parties which are exactly the same. And that’s why young people don’t vote.”

But despite these rants and song subject matter, Tom insists The Enemy are not a political band.

“No we’re not political because we can’t change anything. The amount of times I’ve seen me labelled ‘voice of a generation’ and it’s boll***s.

“We don’t have the answer, we’re just highlighting the problems. The reason this band has got to where it has is because we’re not spectacular.

“We’re normal lads, with normal backgrounds and people relate to us.

Musicians have been trying to change the world since music began and it doesn’t work. It’s down to those politicians who are genuinely good people and who want to change the world for the better.”

Music For The People — the title signifies handing over songs to the fans — is a natural musical progression for the band, who have become better musicians.

And Tom says they are looking ahead to a year of high points — in particular touring with Kasabian and Oasis in the summer.

He says: “I remember playing with the Stones, the band that got me into music, thinking this is what life’s all about. It will be the same with Kasabian and Oasis.

“This is the best job in the world. People in bands forget how lucky they are. I hate hearing bands who moan.

“I will never forget how much I dreamed of touring the world. You must never forget where you started.”

Music For The People is out on April 27.

*Source: The Sun

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

Interview: The World According To The Enemy

Coventry Telegraph Interview by Les Reid

THE ENEMY are back with a new mature sound and worldly experience. In an exclusive interview, Coventry’s biggest and best band for a generation talk about music, the recession, politics and their families.

THE ENEMY frontman Tom Clarke this week drove his 1972 E-type Jag up to Jaguar’s Browns Lane plant - returning the glorious machine to its birthplace where his grandad Fred had worked on it.

It led to both narrow and broad reflections on families and the state of the world which have made this always impressive and thoughtful 21-year-old one of the most quotable figures in music.

Since the three unlikely striplings exploded into the nation’s consciousness two years ago with the number 1 album We’ll Live And Die In These Towns - with songs exploring both the mundanity and celebration of ordinary lives - the singer and guitarist has demonstrated a canny refusal to be pigeon-holed into being an overtly political voice or the spokesperson for a generation.

Yet his reflections on jobs, governments, the economy and humanity continue on the long-awaited second album, Music For The People, out on April 27, the first single from which was released this week – No Time For Tears.

Those reflections remain grounded in personal experiences, those of his family and friends back home, and his deep sense of community.

But they are also now infused with a broader perspective, partly inspired by worldwide touring which recently took them to America in the run-up to Barrack Obama’s historic election victory.

As Tom, drummer Liam Watts and bassist Andy Hopkins belted out the new single at Coventry’s HMV store on Wednesday – accompanied by keyboard and female backing singer – the musical progression was immediately apparent.

The new material is substantial. More mature and layered with more instrumentation, yet still direct and anthemic.

Lyrically, the first album’s protest against manufacturing decline, dead-end jobs and getting wasted on Saturday night is replaced with a greater acceptance of the changing economy.

One song – Nation of Checkout Girls – speaks of the dominance of the service sector and the uniformity of British high streets.

Be Somebody is a pastiche of post-punk/new wave band XTC’s 1979 hit Making Plans for Nigel.

Nigel’s stifling parents then wanted his future to be in British Steel. The Enemy’s Nigel now works in a department store. Yet it is not a criticism, more an accepting reflection on the changing face of Britain.

Which is where Tom’s trip to Browns Lane comes in, and tales of his grandad Fred O’Gara, father of Tom’s uncle Mick O’Gara, once a miners’ union rep at Keresley Colliery who is pictured with then miners’ leader Arthur Scargill in 1984 on the cover of the single You’re Not Alone.

Tom told the Telegraph: “I took the car up there on a day off. We drove it up there and parked it next to the plant, or what was the plant. It was quite weird. My grandad used to live in Sheldon.

"When it snowed at Browns Lane and the coach back to Sheldon didn’t turn up, he used to walk home in the snow from Browns Lane.

“He was just an amazing bloke. He passed away a few years ago now. My memories of him are as an old man looking after me as his grandson, cutting trees down with me and moaning about petrol.

"He used to do the piecework at Browns Lane. He did all the chrome. So I wanted a car I know he would have worked on, and it’s got Jaguar Coventry on the steering wheel so I know it’s one from there.

“I think the whole family throughout the 1980s and the difficult times were all deeply affected by them. I think it’s something that reverberated through the generations of the family.

"But at the same time I’m not an old industrial romantic. I like my old stuff, I love my old Jag, it’s a beautiful symbol of what Coventry can do when it puts its mind to it, that it produces a machine as amazing as that.

“But at the same time I’m also acutely aware that where jobs are lost in the manufacturing industry they’ll be replaced within the service industry. It’s important to put a balanced view out there, otherwise you end up really being quite negative about change.

“We can’t be this great manufacturing nation forever. There are other nations out there that will do it better than us, there are others that will do it cheaper than us. You’ve got to be open and say, ‘OK, what are we going to do then to look after our workers’?

"If we can’t compete with the manufacturing process, what areas of industry can we compete with?”

He said families and friends had been hit by the current recession. “It hits everyone. The whole thing of uncertainty in families throughout recessions and people being uncertain about their jobs – that’s the main thing, it’s the not knowing.

"Once a job’s gone, it’s traumatic but families pull together and they have done through some of the most difficult times in the 60s, the late 70s and 80s through to the miners.”

Andy and Liam say their families were less political. Liam, who has moved out of the Holbrooks family home to Coundon, says: “My mum and dad were very young when they had kids. They were a bit preoccupied with bringing me and my brother up. That shaped their lives before they were even 18.

“My dad played drums in loads of different Cov bands. There was always drum kits. I always remember mum and dad going off and me going to my nan’s while he played gigs.

"So it was something I inherited and my grandad was a drummer on my mum’s side, so there was a whole family tapping on things.”

Andy says: “My uncle played guitar and my dad played drums a bit. He took me to an ACDC concert and Status Quo. That’s how I got my musical influences.”

Tom says one of the most visible manifestations of the recession is one of his favourite haunts – the “curry mile” in Birmingham – which he says is now reduced to just one “old school” curry house.

He said media reports that The Enemy’s first album had forecasted the recession have been slightly exaggerated since, but he adds: “Coventry was hit a long time before anyone else. There are industries that will never recover that have now disappeared out of Coventry. Peugeot axed 3,000 jobs. It’s been visible for quite a few years which is what we were inadvertently writing about on the first album.

“I don’t think we are qualified enough to have predicted a recession. I think that world leading economists will tell you that any economy that rises and rises will crash.

"From the legacy years of Blair that was obviously his intention. To take the economy as high as it could go so that he could go out with a bang in the same way that Bush managed to do in the States and then leave everyone else to clean up after him.

“But its not our business. There are big issues that are the politicians’ responsibility to tackle rather than musicians. It does help with musicians talking about it, but ultimately we’re here to make music.”

The new album belts out lyrics including “Labour’s a joke” and “the morning after the revolution”.

But Tom believes in democracy. He says: “If you’re truly going to exist in a democratic society then people deserve choice. Politically at the moment people don’t really have a choice. We’ve got two main parties that are so close in the majority of their policies it doesn’t excite young people.

"When they don’t think they’ve got a clear choice, they won’t vote, and that’s when elections stop making sense.

“That’s the problem with British politics. And that’s why the reform in America is so important, because they were offered a clear-cut choice – we can go this way as a nation or go this way – and people got excited.

"We went over and toured America in the middle of all that pre-election excitement, and everyone you spoke to had a political opinion. More people turned up to vote than they had in years.”

The new album’s messages are essentially the same as the debut album says Tom, adding: “It’s probably less pop and more proper music.

"We just had these songs at the end of a two-year tour. We went into the studio and did what we do and it sounds that size because that’s the size the band has grown into over two years.

“The reason so many people relate to us is because we are actually just three typical lads.

"There’s nothing extraordinary about any of us or our backgrounds or our families. That’s why they relate to us. That and good music.

“I think the focus a lot of the time is shifted away from the fact that we made a great musical record, and it takes a backseat – probably because of my big mouth,” he jokes.

Source: Coventry Telegraph

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Brixton Gig Review For Music Vice

The Enemy at Brixton Academy, London, UK - Show Review and PhotosGig review and photos by Music Vice contributor Lauren Towner - April 15, 2009

Gig/Concert:
The Enemy supported by Twisted Wheel and Kid British

Venue:
Brixton Academy, London (map)

Date:
April 11, 2009

Headliners:
The Enemy

In one word:
Magical

Your say:
Talk about it

The first time I saw The Enemy live was in a tiny record shop in the middle of London in April 2007, where only thirty people turned up. If someone had told me then that The Enemy would have a number 1 album in the UK charts, support Oasis on their next stadium tour, sell out the London Astoria six nights in a row (beating Blur’s record) and then sell out Brixton Academy two nights in a row all in the next two years, quite frankly, I would have laughed. A lot.

Nearly two years to the day, The Enemy are doing just that; they’ve just sold out one of the biggest venues in London for two nights in a row and I was lucky enough to have gained access to the photo pit in such a legendary venue that has hosted many of the biggest names in music.

New Manchester band Kid British were the first band on stage, kicking off with Elizabeth and Lost in London, and covering Madness classic Our House they put on a spectacular show, proving you can mix ska with a bit of indie. Sadly, due to a technical fault, they could not play their new single Sunny Days which was a real disappointment.

I was particularly looking forward to seeing Twisted Wheel live. I had seen them support The View, where they even set up their own equipment, and perform at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Maidstone in the unsigned ‘shed’ where the venue was almost full while a big name act was on the main stage at the same time. I couldn’t believe that I would see them for the third time in just under a year.

Twisted Wheel arrived and launched into new single We Are Us which expresses their individuality to other bands.
"You will never stop us,
‘Cause you are you
And we are us"

At the Academy, bands choose their own lighting. An error on my part was that I did not make friends with the lighting manager, as when the band played She’s a Weapon, the lights were blinking ferociously during the chorus. They were almost giving my camera an epileptic fit, making it hard to focus on the subject.

Bottles were thrown and fighting occurred during Twisted Wheel’s set which surprised me. Security acted faster than I first originally thought, although frontman Johnny Brown told the members of the audience involved in the incident to ‘ignore the security and carry on’. However, I was completely oblivious to this. I had made myself comfortable on the photo pit barrier ledge, which means I had the best seat in the house.

It was a very nervous wait for The Enemy to appear on stage. My heart raced after the usual warm up songs of The Specials' A Message to You, Rudy and The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony. The band appeared in silhouettes with the backlit stage when ‘LONDON’ was on the screens up above. The crowd was going wild behind me, but surprisingly again, no crowd surfers or beer throwers in sight, which meant I could get on with my job without smelling like a walking pub.

Tom Clarke stands proudly smiling in front of his microphone with his empire standing in front of him. Starting with new song The Elephant Song which comes off their forthcoming second album ‘Music For The People’, The Enemy have shown that they can write in different styles, and make it sound even better than their first record, the second single off the bands first LP ‘We’ll Live and Die in These Towns’, Had Enough follows.

By this point in the concert, the mosh pit had changed its attitude from ‘jumpy’ to proper ‘moshing’. After my stint in the comfort of the photo pit for the ‘first three songs, no flash’, I was back on the floor with everyone else and I had at least five crowd surfers almost managing to knock me out. Almost.

No Time For Tears had almost every member of the crowd singing the chorus. This Song was particularly special. Tom Clarke introduced Tom as The Enemy’s keyboard player, and the whole venue erupted when the band paused for the final chorus.

After all the knocks to the head from crowd-surfers and everything else, I would say it was definitely worth it and I even found myself saying “I love my job.” The concert in its entirety was excellent, but ask yourself this question: How often is it that all three bands on the line up are excellent? Usually there is one band who generally don’t live up to your expectation, and may ruin your night. Tonight was one of those rare gigs where everyone was on form. © Lauren Towner

Photos of Kid British, Twisted Wheel and The Enemy at Brixton Academy:

HERE

*Show photo notes: After the gig, whilst sharing my photos via Facebook, a friend asked how I wanted to portray the band. The answer to that is that I didn’t want to take the ‘press’ photos by surrounding Tom Clarke for the entire three songs, I wanted to take photos that showed the band in their finest hour, and at their biggest show to date.

[Lauren, these photo's are stunning! A fantastic collection of shot's from your first contribution here at MusicVice! Welcome to the team!! - Brian.]

Kid British - www.myspace.com/kidbritishmusic
Twisted Wheel - www.myspace.com/thetwistedwheel
The Enemy - www.myspace.com/theenemycoventry

*Source: Lauren Towner for Music Vice

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy @ HMV Coventry

The Enemy took time out of their gruelling tour and returned to Coventry as they performed some of their tunes in front of several hundred fans at the Hertford Street HMV store. Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts then spent time signing copies of their new single, 'No Time For Tears' and chatting to fans. The Enemy were as down to earth as the first time they performed here and happily posed with fans during the record signing.

Here are the videos from the HMV Coventry performance, although I couldn't see anything - The Enemy still sounded great!


The Enemy - Away From Here @ HMV Cov



The Enemy - Happy Birthday Jane @ HMV Cov



The Enemy - You're Not Alone @ HMV Cov



The Enemy - No Time For Tears @ HMV Cov



The Enemy - We'll Live And Die In These Towns @ HMV Cov

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Frontman Tom Clarke To Take Part In Gumball Rally

THE ENEMY’s frontman Tom Clarke is going behind the wheel of two Jaguars to express his pride in Coventry.

The first is an E-type Jag from 1972 he bought recently because he says his granddad would have worked on it during the halcyon days of the city’s Browns Lane plant.

He is also due to drive a new Jaguar around America next month to fulfil a “lifelong ambition” to take part in the legendary Gumball Rally.

Tom, aged 21, said: “We’ve got to do it in a new Jag because my old one just wouldn’t make it. I’ve taken it out twice and it’s broken down both times!

“My grandad worked at the old Browns Lane plant in Coventry and I wanted one old enough so that I knew he would have worked on it.”

He will be doing the Gumball rally with The Enemy’s keyboard player, also called Tom, who has also bought himself a Jaguar.

The singer and lead guitarist said: “I love them because they’re Coventry cars and on the steering wheel it says: ‘Made in Coventry’.

“They’ll be Ferraris, Porsches and Lambourghinis on the rally but I’d like to do it in a British car and represent.”

Tom, who grew up in the Castle Bromwich area of Birmingham, added: “When you’re sat in a box room of a three-bedroom semi and you see DVDs of people doing it, you never think you’ll get the opportunity to do it.

“I know the guy who runs it and I said I’d love to do it. It’s a lifelong ambition. We’re doing it in a Jaguar because it’s a Coventry-built car.”

The Enemy shot to fame two years ago when their debut album We’ll Live and Die in These Towns went straight into the charts at No.1, a first for any Coventry band.

Today at 5pm, they play a free gig to fans at HMV in Hertford Street, Coventry city centre, to promote their new album and single, out this week, called No Time For Tears.

The long-awaited second album, called Music for the People, in released on April 27, and is already receiving plaudits.

The band are currently touring and will support Oasis at the Ricoh Arena on July 7.

Source: Les Reid Coventry Telegraph

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Newsbeat Interview

By Greg Cochrane Newsbeat music reporter.

The Coventry rockers come out fighting in the lead up to the release of their second album Music For The People.




When speaking to Newsbeat upstairs in a Brixton pub last November, The Enemy's Tom Clarke attempted to sum up his band's new expanded direction.

"Imagine cloning a woolly mammoth and an elephant," he began, "then gluing the two together."

It might have sounded ludicrous but, now the world has heard the first single No Time For Tears, it is also a hint at their lofty ambitions.

According to reports, and the band themselves, the remainder of the record - entitled Music For The People - is similarly "huge" sounding.

'Not ridiculous'

"It's not a big ridiculous, pretentious title like everyone thinks. It's quite a humble little thing," says Tom Clarke, sat backstage at Brighton's decadent Dome venue.

"When we release an album you're sort of giving the songs to people," he continues. "They become their property, they become their songs.

"And it's really just to signify that, the handing over of an album from a band to the people that buy it."


Despite the universal title the band refute any suggestion that they're representing the everyman after the success of their working class chronicling debut album We'll Live And Die In These Towns.

"I don't see that," says Clarke firmly. "I don't like that term 'band of the people' - I think the fact of the matter is, we're a band and we are people.

"The other one you get branded with is voice of a generation and we're not the voice of a generation at all. We're three typical lads that a lot of people can relate to because we're from really typical backgrounds.

"We're not the voice of a generation; I won't be up on a pedestal proclaiming to be the voice of a generation. I'm not interested in that."

The message is clear then. While they make music for the people, it's not solely designed to please the people.

"Most bands make music because they know it'll get played on Radio 1," says Clarke. "It's an easy pay cheque and we're not into that.

"I want to make music which pushes my musical boundaries and our fans' musical boundaries."

Studio sessions

Following a short break last summer the trio spent the majority of autumn 2008 recording in rural Wales at Monrow studios with producer Mike Crossey.

Whilst the plan was to capitalise on the buzz from their debut, the band didn't rush the sessions.

"We totally took our time," Clarke argues.

"It's really important to just not exploit your fans - you've got to look after them because at the end of the day they're the same as you and me.

"I used to queue up for Oasis albums when I was younger. You've got to remember, they're just people who love music."

Indeed, the Coventry band spend a lot of time with their fans. They played a low key club tour earlier this year and deliberately play parts of the UK not often visited ["Margate was mental" pipes in a tour manager].

While they'll argue they're not just producing chart-filling ladrock, they're not about to go tinkering too extensively with their winning formula either.

"I think most bands are bright enough to know - if you put out an indie record and you follow it up with a jazz record you're probably not going to have a career for very long.

"You can't sell your soul at any point, you've always got to make the music you want to make. People like to be acknowledged and not ignored."

"You need to remember the power of numbers - and the power of people," says Clarke concluding.

A solid mantra then, and one which Tom Clarke doesn't seem to be forgetting anytime soon.

Source: BBC Newsbeat

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

The Enemy Interview in Live Music Scene

The Enemy Interview - April 2009
by Jodie Humphries for Live Music Scene


Thanks to the newly renamed 02 Academy, I was not only given the chance to review The Enemy live, but I was also given the opportunity to interview the band. A band that have gone from playing The Louisiana, to Academy 2, to headlining the 02 Academy. The Enemy, if you don’t know, are Tom Clarke (vocals/guitar), Liam Watts (drums), and Andy Hopkins (bass).


The interview was supposed to take place at the 02 Academy, but at the last moment the location was changed, and a mad panic assured as I desperately tried to find the new location, and not miss my opportunity to interview a band whose CD sits amongst my collection.


I arrived, only a few moments late to be greeted by Huw from Mission, who work with 02, and led me to meet the band, who were relaxing playing pool (or it could have been snooker – I was so nervous I didn’t notice). Settled in the next room with Tom, Liam and Andy, the interview started. This may be a charting band, but they’re just every day lads, doing what they enjoy, there was not a trace of arrogance that you may have expected to see with the band, which could have made the experience unbearable.


As they yawned away, the guys started by saying they were “Tired, as it was the last interview of the day.” I started by asking how the tour’s been going, to which Tom replied, “Really well, a lot better than we expected because no-one’s heard the second album yet, so it’s going out there and playing songs that people haven’t heard, but the reactions have been very good.” The night before they played Bristol, The Enemy had played Swindon Oasis, which Tom said was “A good venue. It’s like a big sports complex, but it was a brilliant gig.”


As we chatted about the venues, I mentioned that I’m going to see Kasabian in Swindon in June, to which Tom said, “We’ve played with them before, at Leeds Refectory where The Who did Live at Leeds. We did a tour in Japan, and ended up playing a massive baseball stadium with them. They’re one of the best live bands I’ve seen, absolutely amazing.” Those who have paid attention will know that The Enemy, along with Kasabian have been confirmed as support for Oasis later on this year, but I wanted to know what the guys ideal line-up would be. Without any hesitation, Tom replied, “Probably, The Enemy, Kasabian, and Oasis to be completely honest with you. We’ve said that for quite a few years, and obviously it’s happened, and it’s just an amazing line-up.”


The support acts for this particular tour, are Kid British, and Twisted Wheel, I was interested to know if The Enemy chose these bands as support themselves. Tom said, “Yeah we chose them. Kid British was a tip off from a mate. I think they’re a really good band, totally different from us, but I think that’s the point with support acts, you show your fans a different type of music Twisted Wheel are an absolutely great Manchester band, they just epitomize everything that’s great about Manchester music, and without it being post-Libertines bollocks, which is what it seems to be coming out of Manchester recently. There’s a few bands, liked Twisted Wheel and LowLine who are proper Manchester bands, it’s an honour to have them on tour with us.”


Every band member has a highlight of being in a band, for Tom, “The best thing, this bands biggest achievement in my view, is not number one records, or platinum discs, not half a million records or a Q award, it’s being able to go home at the end of the day and half a pint with your two best mates and know that no-one has really changed. We’re the same lads.” On the subject of Tom saying they’re the same lads, I wanted to know if their fans help keep them grounded, “Yeah definitely,” Tom said, “I think most of them know we’re normal lads, and you know, we have a laugh with them.” As The Enemy are a well known band, I asked if they can still walk down the street without getting approached. Tom said, “People know who you are, but that’s up to you if you think it’s a problem or not. We all make a point of making time for people, they’re the fans, they buy the records and put a roof over your head.” Liam said, “People are surprised to see you at times. If you need something from the shop, you have to go and buy it.”


It seems that fans are very important to The Enemy; they recognise that without them, they wouldn’t be anywhere. Some bands get fans that go to some extremes, so I asked what the most extreme reaction they’ve ever had from a fan was. “Somebody licked his face,” Andy said about Liam, to which Liam replied, “I don’t think that happened. I don’t think I’d let a fan lick my face.” This then led to Andy asking, “Did somebody ask to lick your face?” Realising that he might have imagined things, Andy quickly said, “There was a girl who dislocated her knee, as she walked up to us.” Tom added, “She proper hit the deck.” About fans, he said, “We just have a chat with most of our fans to be honest, if it’s after a gig; we have a drink with them. I think it’s massively important to respect the people who put a roof over your head. When we won the Q Award, we gave it away to a lad in the crowd, at a Manchester gig, because the band is their band, and the album is their album. I just think, there’s no sort of putting yourself on a pedestal. The minute you start believe your own hype, and your bigger and more important, the day starts to fall apart from my point of view. I’ve got a massive respect for our fans; they’re exactly the same as us. We always make the time to chat to then.”


Talking of albums, it’s a matter of weeks until, ‘Music for the People’, their new album is released (27th April). Tom said about the release, “Yeah it’s always an interesting time. The pre-orders are better than the last album so you know it’s looking like it’s in pretty good stead to do what the last album did. I think the interesting bit when you release an album, is that all the songs that we’ve written ourselves, suddenly become the fans’ songs. I really enjoy it.” As the last album, ‘We’ll Live and Die in These Towns’ did so well, I wondered if the band felt any pressure on them for this new album. Tom said, “I don’t think so at all really. We just wanted to make an album that we thought was better than the first one, and we’ve done that, we’re massively proud of it. I think it’s a great album, and really that’s more important than chart success.”


As the main focus of LMS is unsigned bands, I asked the band what advice they can offer unsigned bands. Tom said, “The best piece of advice I ever got was off a geezer called John Dawkins, which was simply ‘believe in yourselves, because if you don’t believe in yourselves, then no-one else will’. It’s still the best piece of advice I’ve ever been given, just know that you can do it. If you’re good, stay in the knowledge that you’re good. Don’t take any shit, and don’t change for anyone, be yourself.” While Liam said, “It’s not all about travelling to London and paying to play in a venue.” Andy said, “When you do get management, get someone that you trust, there’s no point just going with anyone. Don’t just go with anyone, you have to work them out first.” The final bit of advice was offered by Tom, who said, “I think more than anything, be very wary of record companies because a bad record company will prevent you from breaking. The best bit of advice is just to believe in yourself and no know that you’re good and stick with it.” As I’ve already said, I was nervous about interviewing The Enemy, not that I had any reason to be, so I wanted to know if they’ve had any moments when they’ve been star-struck, Tom said, “Not particularly, I don’t really do star-struck. I’m crap with famous people; I don’t know who anyone is. I knew who Paul Weller was when I met him. It’s impossible to get star-struck with Paul Weller because he’s the nicest bloke in the world, you meet him, and after two minutes you feel like you’ve known him forever. He’s just an absolutely lovely bloke – I can’t say enough nice things about him.” Andy said, “We met The Rolling Stones. We knew them from photo’s and everything, but it was like ‘Jesus’, we had out photo taken with them, but they had loads of security around them. You can’t really get close and have a conversation with them.” While Tom added, “It’s quite weird; I grew up listening to The Rolling Stones, because my Mum had an amazing vinyl collection. We met them just as we came off stage at the 02 and they were going on, it’s pretty bizarre, but I wouldn’t describe it as star-struck, just, ‘this is a bizarre moment in life’. They’re one of the few great bands who have stood the test of time, in the fact they’re still touring. I think they’re a good template for bands to look at today, in terms of what they’ve achieved. If you look at how bands rush albums out these days, with just a year between them, and then you look at The Stones, they’ve got an amazing back catalogue, and they’ve just played the long game, with is massively important. Bands nowadays just don’t realise that.” I asked if that’s where they’d like to be a few years down the line, to which Tom replied laughing, “I don’t think I want glittery shirts with sequins, I wouldn’t mind the income they’re getting.”


As a band in the public eye, The Enemy are going to get criticism at some point, there’s no escaping from it, so I asked them how they deal with it. Tom said, “I don’t really give a shit about it to be completely honest with you. I actually actively look for the bad reviews because I enjoy reading them. I think it keeps you on the ground and keeps you rooted, when you’ve got people blowing smoke up your arse twenty four hours a day.” One person, who has publicly criticised the band, is Alex Zane. On the subject of that, Tom said, “The whole thing with that, was he was a bit of a prat. We made him look like a prat, and he took it into the public domain and lost very ungracefully with him being forced to hand us XFM’s Best Band Award. I don’t know, I just don’t have enough time for that. It’s just insignificances that I could do without in daily life. There’s so much good stuff going on to focus on. Whatever – he started it,” he added on the end as the band laughed, showing that they didn’t take it to heart.


For those who don’t know, before being signed to Warner Music, The Enemy were signed to the legendary label, Stiff. I wanted to know how they felt about that at the time. Tom said, “It was just a massive honour to even be involved with them, they hadn’t put anything out for twenty years. The last thing they’d put out was ‘Irish Rover by The Pogues’. It was just a huge, huge honour to revive such a legendary label.” I then wanted to know if they check sites like Ebay for their first single released on Stiff, ’40 Days and 40 Nights’. Tom said, “The last one I saw – which is going back about a year and a half, went for about 65 quid, which is completely mental.” You’d think that in some ways the band would be chuffed, but they’re so loyal to their fans, that Liam said, “I don’t like to see people getting ripped off. If it was genuinely collectable, then that’s sound, but I remember seeing a pair of drum sticks we’d signed with a reserve of a 100 quid. Luckily it didn’t go, because a pair of drum sticks isn’t worth a 100 quid. If someone actually wants something signed, just come down to the gig and we’ll give it to you, rather than actually paying that kind of money. If you give something to someone at a gig, you give it to them in good faith.” And Tom said, “I don’t like the idea of people paying over the odds for music. But I think a lot of that is Stiff collectors who want the last few Stiff Vinyl’s.”


Staying with buying music, I asked the band what the last CDs they bought were. Andy said, “I bought one today – The Cure.” Andy was the only one of the band who had escaped during the day and had managed to find Fopp! Tom said, “The last one I bought was, ‘The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust’ (David Bowie), actually I didn’t buy it, Ollie, our sound guy got if for me on vinyl. It’s one of my favourite albums, and I didn’t have it on vinyl, so he got it for me. Classic album.” While Liam said, “I can’t even remember,” when Tom asked him for me, but then Tom wanted to know if it was Spice Girls greatest hits, to which Liam never did actually reply, so you never know. Following up that question, I asked what the first CDs they ever bought was. Tom said, “Mine was Greatest Hits of Queen, the first compact disc I ever purchased.” Liam said, “I don’t ever remember things like that.” And Andy said, “I always used to buy compilations, cos I didn’t see the point of buying albums. All the Now CDs was probably my first.” When Andy said this, Tom said, “My first experience of music was completely different, I used to wait until my Mum and Dad went out, then I used to go through their vinyl collection and put vinyls on. I’m a big fan of actual albums you know, listening to an A side of an album, then having that 30 seconds when you turn over the album, then have the B side. When I’m at home, I only listen to things on vinyl, I just think all my best albums are best listened to like that, like ‘Hotel California’ (Eagles), ‘Abbey Road’ (Beatles), and ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ (Pink Floyd). If you take tracks off them, they’re good, but they’re better if you listen to them as a full album. I think people should make the space, it sounds so much better on vinyl.”


Moving back to the tour, I asked if there have been any times on stage where it’s all gone wrong. Andy said, “We’ve had the sound go when we were supporting The Paddingtons.” While Tom filled in the story by saying, “About three years ago we had a power cut – it was alright though, we just did a drum solo and got the whole audience clapping. I think it was for about 8 minutes.” Andy added, “That’s a long time just stood there not knowing what’s happening.” Other than that it seems to have gone well on stage for The Enemy, as Tom said, “I think in the last 3 years, I’ve only broken three strings on stage. We’ve never really had anything go tits up.” Every band has a highlight when they’re on tour, for Tom, “It’s meeting new people and being in different places all the time and having the opportunity to meet really interesting people where ever you go. It’s a massive buzz.” While Andy said, “Being on stage is amazing.” When going out and performing in front of hundreds, even thousands of people, I wanted to know if the band gets nervous. Tom said, “Never really done nerves.” While Andy said, “The only time I’ve ever been nervous, is when I used to work in House of Fraser and I’d got into this band, I knew we were good, so I went round telling everyone to come down to Cox’s Yard, it’s this place in Stratford that holds about 200 people, so I rounded up about 30 people saying ‘we’re pretty good, come and listen’. I really bigged us up, then I got there and was like ‘shit’, when they were going ‘come on then’ I was dead nervous, but the gig went well and they loved it, so it was alright in the end.”


Again, every band has a favourite venue, Tom said his, “Used to be The Astoria in London, but that’s sadly been knocked down now, I think its one of the best venues in the UK, and it’s unfortunate it’s gone. I think they’re turning it into a shopping centre, which is exactly what central London needs, more shops. It’s a massive shame. And Birmingham Academy is always a brilliant place to play, but I think they’re looking at moving that.” To which Liam added, “They’re stupid if they do.”


The tour is a huge one, with the band playing in many towns that at times are forgotten. Many people in Bristol have found lately that their favourite bands seem to be missing the Bristol area completely. On the subject of bands’ missing towns out, Tom said, “A lot of bands do miss Bristol, and a lot don’t go to Swindon, and a lot of places we’re going to on this tour, which is why we’ve chosen specific places. I think it’s really important to play everywhere. People go and play Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle, which is fine, but there are actually people in other towns who love buying music and going to gigs.” While Andy chipped in, “We did Oban.” Which Tom explained, “Yeah this tiny little village in Scotland, where there had only been like two gigs. I think it’s really important to go to these places, because you normally find that you get a better reaction when you go there.”


Finally asking if all the dates on the huge tour they’re doing is sold out, Tom said, “I think most of them by the night have sold out. The few that haven’t usually sell out on the door, but I think it’s actually nicer when it doesn’t sell out, cos people who turn up on the night when it’s sold out, will buy from touts.” To which Andy adds, “So many people in Birmingham by from touts. It’s ridiculous.” Once The Enemy have finished their extensive tour of the UK, they’re off to 5 Irish dates, and 5 European dates.


To finish the interview, the final words go to Tom, “A massive thanks to everyone who’s come on this tour so far and made it what they have. It’s been an absolutely amazing tour, which is down to the fans, so thanks again to them.”

*Source: Live Music Scene

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com

Q&A: with Tom Clarke of The Enemy

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

Guardian Review of Brixton Academy Gig

The Enemy @ Brixton Academy, London.

Review by: Caroline Sullivan for The Guardian, Tuesday 14 April 2009.

Anyone who thinks "the kids" are an apathetic lot who would rather vegetate in front of their Xboxes than start a revolution should see the Enemy. If any young British guitar band embody the insurrectionary spirit of the Clash, it's this Coventry trio. They have little in common with their noughties peers. Singer/guitarist Tom Clarke, who's barely in his 20s, writes couplets such as: "No such thing as a free meal, and there ain't no future in British Steel/ Nobody gives you anything for free unless you start sleeping with the BBC." These days, words like that are practically revolutionary in themselves.

This stuff hasn't been fashionable for 20 years, but the Enemy have amassed an ardent following: the Academy is full to the rafters, and every rip-roaring song is lustily sung along to, with pints of beer sloshing in emphasis. If the rest of their tour has been anything like this, the band should have no trouble scoring a second No 1 album when they release the grandiosely titled Music for the People later this month.

Though ostensibly promoting the new record, the Enemy do the decent thing and only play three songs from it. These are slipped in between the hits from the first album, We Live and Die in These Towns, so there's little of the tedious downtime that occurs when bands insist on filling sets with new material. But one new song, No Time for Tears, is actually a highlight - Clarke is joined on vocals by Emma Skip, a friend from Coventry in a red cocktail dress, whose rich tones make the tune more complex than it would be if he were barking it out alone.

For all the camaraderie and punk spirit, the Enemy lack some crucial qualities tonight: charisma, nuance and knowing when to turn down the volume. They are hindered by their generic strum-and-drum style, which is fine(ish) on the massive anthems Away from Here and Had Enough, but begs to be expanded on elsewhere. Meanwhile, Clarke is a bellicose vocalist made for air-punching chants such as Aggro, but he's oddly anonymous. Between songs, he swearily remarks that it's great to be in Brixton and urges us to ignore the "no crowd-surfing" signs, but what's happened to the punk renegade? Shouldn't he be telling us to storm Downing Street? Since they could be with us for a few years to come, the Enemy will have time to work on it.

Source: The Guardian

* As seen on: http://theenemy.eu

* OFFICIAL Enemy website: http://theenemy.com