| |
| |
![]() |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
SINGAPORE: According to indie post-punk darlings The Rakes, the very sound that made them famous might be on its way out, even as they work on their third album, which they promise will surprise a lot of people.
"We are going to do something different for our next album. You have to keep moving ... push a bit to make things different," said frontman Alan Donohoe during a phone interview with TODAY from the band's recording studio in East London.
"We want to surprise everyone when it comes out," he said, stubbornly refusing to give us any details of the work-in-progress. Suffice it to say that the album is due to drop sometime early next year.
With Donohoe and the rest of The Rakes — Jamie Hornsmith (bass), Lasse Petersen (drums) and Matthew Swinnerton (guitar) — busy with writing and recording, the band's gig in Singapore will be their first show of the year. It will also be their first ever performance in South-east Asia.
They're here to launch of the new and improved Heineken Green Room series of parties at Zouk.
"We are very excited to get back on stage ... We always try to rock out in our shows. I think it's great that we are playing in a club. It suits our music ... we always try to spread a little sunshine throughout the club," said Donohoe.
We aren't quite sure if the group's punky songs about mundane things like doing a 9-to-5 job, or getting soused at the pub qualify as "sunshine", but they have certainly built a reputation for putting on a dazzling show.
Formed three years ago, the band snuck into the world's collective conscience with its breakthrough debut album Capture/Release. All in their "mid to mysterious late-20s", the band was named after an inside joke: They are so skinny that they could pass off as rakes.
These days, The Rakes are known for more than just music. The boys — usually in their stripey tops, black drainpipe jeans and black trainers — are also famous for being fashion mavens associated with brands such as Fred Perry, Dior Homme and Louis Vuitton.
In fact, the Dior Homme Spring 2006 collection was based on their look and the band was even commissioned to write music for the fashion show — the result was the 18-minute-long The World Was a Mess but His Hair Was Perfect, which appeared on their second album, Ten New Messages in truncated form.
It's a far cry from the days when the band had "normal jobs": Donohoe used to "sweep the streets of London", Swinnerton answered telephones, Hornsmith made shoes and Lasse was a "nanny".
"I guess life has changed. The main dramatic change was giving up regular life and becoming a full-time rock star, if you will," said Donohoe. "Once you get your head around that, it hasn't changed much. It all breaks down to writing, recording and touring. It's a good life."
Heineken Green Room Featuring The Rakes is on Thursday 27 March, 10pm at Zouk. You can register at the Green Room website www.heinekenmusic.com.sg. - TODAY/fa
|
