Nine Black Alps
WITH their third album due out this summer, Nine Black Alps want to reclaim guitar music.
Forming in 2003, the four-piece from Manchester quickly developed a reputation for loud, aggressive yet melodic music, echoing their peers such as Nirvana, Pixies and Dinosaur Jr.
Their energetic and anarchic live shows have taken them across northern Europe, North America and Japan playing headline tours and with bands including Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Weezer and Biffy Clyro.
The Guide spoke to singer and guitarist Sam Forrest ahead of their
gig at the Northampton Picturedrome.
Earlier this year NBA released a download only single, Buy Nothing.
"It's the first thing we've released in two years; it's nice to be back in people's faces," says Forrest.
"It's the most punky sounding song on the album, we wanted to do something which was really instant and not to easy to misunderstand.
"A friend was going on a rant about the only way we're going to verthrow
the system 'man' is if everyone stops buying stuff, so it's a bit of an anti-consumerist thing – but a bit tongue-in-cheek."
NBA's third album will be called Locked Out From The Inside.
They worked on the follow-up to 2007's Love/Hate, with Dave Eringa
– who has worked with Manic Street Preachers and Idlewild.
"We wanted to write a simple, fun to play album which caters to our strength," explains Forrest.
"We wanted it to be totally opposite to what other guitar music is doing
at the moment and reclaim guitar music.
"We've been working on it for about a year and last summer but recorded it in two weeks. It was really fast compared to the past two albums.
"The last album took so long to make, it turned into something different
that I had wanted.
"This time there was no messing around and the album's better for
it.
"I go through waves of liking Love/Hate but thinking it wasn't us, it's always good to try stuff out – but it wasn't the album we were intending to make," he admits.
Although Locked Out From The Inside is pencilled in for a summer
release the band remain without a record deal, having split with
Island Records in 2007.
"We're watching the music industry collapse from the inside and
trying to negotiate our way through it," explains Forrest.
The band broke through into the mainstream with their 2005 debut,
Everything Is.
After four years of touring, Forrest admits time off allowed the band to
recharge their batteries and learn to make music fun again.
"You get so full of other people's opinions that you forget why you began in the first place," he explains.
"The album was influenced by the simple void of decent guitar music
at the moment.
"I've never liked English indie music, I never 'got' The Smiths, it's
terrifying that we're going through a 1980s revival at the moment."
"I'd like to change the landscape out there and have as many people
listen to the album as possible."
Fans can download a copy of the band's new song, Buy Nothing, from their website.
For more information visit www.myspace.com/nineblackalps.
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