Everything Everything – the Manc art-rockers playing it for laughs
FAMED for their intricate, head-spinning songs of artful, multi-layered indie-rock, Manchester-based band Everything Everything are a band you might have pegged as bookish, quietly studious types.
More mugs of hot cocoa and an early night than TV sets thrown out of hotel windows, you might think.
However, when CityLife catches up with the band on a drizzly March evening, the guitar rock quartet are keen to display their more pugnacious sides.
Our opening topic of conversation? Erm, pro-celebrity wrestling. With indie rock bands.
Versus Kings Of Leon!
“I’d quite like the idea of our band versus Kings of Leon in a wrestling match,” exclaims Everything Everything bassist and band spokesmen Jeremy Pritchard.
“A real clash of the titans! Although I must admit, Kings of Leon might just shave it. After all, they are tough southern boys from Tennessee. And we’re emaciated pasty white English boys. They’d probably kill us in the first round.”
Diehard fans of Everything Everything will know all about the band’s long-running (but cheeky) feud with Kings of Leon.
The band’s MySpace page regularly features blog entries about the Tennessee hairy rockers, hilariously lampooning their music and their image.
Tongues firmly in cheeks
“We’ve got nothing against Kings of Leon personally,” laughs Jeremy. “They’re just such easy targets though. They used to be a good band, but I think they’re more about the money these days. They’re trying to be U2. And there’s never any excuse for that.”
Everything Everything are a band with their tongues lodged firmly in their cheeks. Formed just over a year ago, the Manchester quartet – Jeremy, vocalist Jonathan Higgs, drummer Mike Spearman and guitarist Alex Niven - make music that truly tests the grey matter.
Their songs are full of complex rhythms, intricate structures and beguiling pop harmonies. Think The Futureheads produced by Timbaland with a bit of Kate Bush thrown in for good measure.
But Everything Everything are just as good at tickling your funny bones as they are at engaging your brain matter.
Bizarre comic creations
Their promo videos are hilariously bizarre comic creations, bringing to mind the surreal humour of Vic and Bob; while the band’s MySpace blogs feature cheeky digs at fellow bands (like, of course, Kings of Leon) and the world of celebrity culture (actor Jude Law has been a recent target).
“That’s the oddest thing,” insists Jeremy. “I think people have this band pegged as really arch, intellectual art-rockers who are really calculated.
''When in fact, we’re actually quite immature and puerile! Our MySpace blogs are a place to let off steam. We take this p**s out of celebrity culture, but at the same time, it also fascinates us.
''You can’t ignore celebrity culture. But as a band, we enjoy poking fun at it. We’ve got our own irreverent take on the world we live in.”
Musical subversion
Since they arrived in Manchester, four years ago from their hometown Newcastle, Everything Everything have strived to perfect this world of comic and musical subversion.
Having first formed as students on Salford University’s Popular Music degree (“bit of a cliché, as all bands seem to come from there these days,” says Jeremy), the four members went through various musical guises before they settled on their wonderful end product.
Most intriguing of all was their “Math rock” phase, when they used to perform shows at local leftfield night Golden Lab.
Jeremy recalls: “We were definitely more indulgent in our early days. We’d do these weird arty type shows on rooftops in Withington to a handful of people. It wasn’t the most accessible type of music.”
Seductive, chart-chomping
It was around 12 months ago that Everything Everything finally reconciled their natural pop impulses with their more artful musical instincts.
With a mission to create “unconventional pop”, Everything Everything are hell-bent on proving you can make seductive, chart-chomping pop music that can be both subversive and futurescopic.
Early live reviews compared the band to The Futureheads (“an easy comparison to make, ‘cos we both have multiple harmonies,” argues Jeremy).
But Everything Everything are more of a stranger pop mutant, flitting between obtuse art-rock to Kate Bush baroque pop, to even swirling R&B style choruses.
Michael Jackson, our hero
Indeed, it wouldn’t be stretching things to say the band’s latest single, the mesmeric Photoshop Handsome, bares a slight resemblance to Michael Jackson.
Jeremy laughs: “Well, that’s exactly what we’re aiming for! Michael Jackson is one of this band’s biggest musical heroes.
'' People might get embarrassed to mention him now, but there’s no denying that his album, Bad, was a massive influence on us. There’s so much to learn from people like him and Prince, and even R Kelly.
''In terms of production technique, songwriting, vocal ability, we’re more influenced by someone like Michael Jackson that most guitar bands.”
Dream support slot
Michael Jackson is playing a residency in London later this year. Would that be Everything Everything's dream support slot?
Jeremy laughs: “Forget the support. I think we should be writing songs for Jacko! He could really do with some good material couldn’t he? Michael, give us a call if you read this interview.”
Friendly visits to Jacko’s Neverland might be a while off yet, but Everything Everything have charmed plenty of notable admirers within Manc music world.
Former Smiths man Johnny Marr has been singing the band’s praises (“a real honour”, says Jeremy), and the band have been picked to play at Saturday’s sold-out JD Set show at Night and Day alongside 2009’s hotly-tipped Little Boots.
Unseen combative side
Once again, the occasion will be perfect for Everything Everything to display their hitherto unseen combative side. In their own deadpan fashion, obviously.
“We can’t wait for it,” says Jeremy. “Little Boots seems to be leading the charge for pop females. They’re really flavour of the month now aren’t they?
''Well, Everything Everything are leading the fight-back for pasty white boys with guitars. We’re not going down without a fight.”
Published: Thu, 05 March, 2009
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