Sky's not the limit for Kloot
"IT’S very rare in a song I’d use the words ‘I love you’,” says John Bramwell, lead singer in I Am Kloot and self-confessed romantic.
“I used it once in Twist (from the band’s debut record Natural History), but it’s a very strange I love you. It’s an ‘I’m gonna kill you’ I love you. Not that I would kill anyone,” he smiles, devilishly. “Sarah.” An inevitable burst of filthy laughter follows.
It is, in many ways, John’s unique and often playful way with words that makes I Am Kloot such a characterful band.
And such is their devoted crowd’s affection for them that they’re regularly afforded residencies in their home town of Manchester whenever a new album is looming.
The latest record, B – an assemblage (to call it an assembly just doesn’t suggest the width of the material on it) of b-sides, rarities, live tracks and 10 previously unheard songs – is currently being treated to no less special treatment at The Deaf Institute.
The record marks the band’s 10th anniversary together and stands as a warts-and-all testament to their eclectic sound and approach to music making.
From high-end production with Ian Broudie to Andy Weatherall remixes and an ad-libbed song recorded in Pete Jobson’s (bass) kitchen on an out of tune piano and de-tuned guitar (and featuring the accidental sound of his boiler firing up in the background), B is a genuine curiosity.
“I think it is a fans’ LP,” says John, “but for someone who’d never heard us, it might be quite interesting. They’d think we were totally schizophrenic.
“You always get pigeonholed by the press, and this really challenges that.
“There’s a version of Life In A Day at Brixton Academy that really gets that – you can feel the nearly out of controlness of it.”
Pete laughs. “You can tell that was recorded over a year ago because it’s about a minute faster than we play it now! We’ve slowed down. We’ve got a bit more groovy.”
There is, says John, a chance of hearing a little taster of the group’s fifth and highly anticipated forthcoming LP, The Sky At Night, which they’ve been recording with the able assistance of Elbow’s Guy Garvey and Craig Potter since last year.
It’s about three-quarters finished, but with a search for the right record label and the finishing touches still to do, Kloot are in no rush to complete the final quarter.
Bigger and more coherent than any Kloot record before it, The Sky At Night has benefited from the cobweb clearing that John, Pete and drummer Andy Hargreaves put in for B.
Iron out
Fathoming how to bring it to the stage, though, is another one of those final issues to iron out.
“We’ve done four records and each one has its own personality.
"This next one, unlike the other LPs, really has a simple, single mood,” says John, who admits that insomnia as a child turned him into a huge Patrick Moore fan (“He plays a mean xylophone,” he enthuses. “He’s seriously ******* good. But I think his constant use of the telescope has distorted his face.”)
“All our LPs have been mini versions of life, they’ve shown the beauty and ugliness, some of it’s jagged and some of it’s romantic – I like that idea. This is a night time record – it feels like a single whole. I feel it’s next stage Kloot.
“It’s a very different soundscape to the last LP. We have to sit down and try to work out how to do it live. It will take some thought,” he smiles again. “And I’m hoping that Pete’s gonna put that work in.”
Pete takes over. “It’s the first time we’ve gone in to record and had an idea of what it would be called, what it would be like, and had a running order before we did anything. It gives it a feel. Before, it was about recording as we went and knocking songs out.
“From my point of view, the songs for the new record are the best that Johnny’s ever done, and we’re working with two of our best friends that we’ve trusted and been mates with for a long time.
“With Guy and Craig, we’ve had so long to do it and the only time that we’ll stop is when we’re satisfied it’s the best we can do.
“It’s gonna take about 10 other people to recreate the sound of it on stage.”
No chance of that on the tiny Deaf Institute stage, then, chirps CityLife.
John smiles, broadly. “Not with my ego.”
B is available now exclusively from the live show or in record shops from October 5.
Published: Sat, 19 September, 2009
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