Getintothis’ Liza Williams talks to The Long Blondes guitarist Dorian Cox about the bandâÂÂs new album, his Jamie Theakston inferiority complex and getting Clockwork Orange references mixed up.
Dorian Cox has a few things to think about at the moment.
He and his four fellow Sheffield fashionistas are starting a UK tour, have a new album out next week and soon jet off to the USA to mingle with their very âÂÂkeenâÂ? American fans.
Produced by Erol Alkan, famed for remixing tracks by Klaxons, Bloc Party and Franz Ferdinand, new album Couples takes a different direction than the bands debut Someone to Drive You Home and Cox says the process of recording was an exciting one: âÂÂWe wanted to make something that reflected us as a band and working with Erol was great, we have known him for a long time and we worked in a different way than on the first album- it was a learning curve but very exciting.
“Recording can some times be a bit boring but with this album we tried new things as we went along and are really pleased with the results. Some things didnâÂÂt work but you just have to scrub those out and start again.
“Erol hadnâÂÂt produced an album before either so we didnâÂÂt feel like we had to stick to a formula.”
But it wasnâÂÂt just the recording of the material that took the band in a different direction. Cox said: âÂÂYou have your whole life to write your first album, but we couldnâÂÂt hang around with this one. We almost got it done within a few months and had to put everything together as soon as possible.
âÂÂIt was definitely more of a collaborative effort- everyone chipped in and I think this shows how we have moved on and developed as band. It felt really good to do it this way.
âÂÂWhen we started none of us had been in bands before, it was a learning curve but it feels like it is all coming more naturally now.âÂ?
The band have started their current UK tour with a series of smaller warm up gigs and Cox says the new material has gone down well with the crowds: âÂÂWe have tried to resist the temptation of playing old stuff and we have a good reception to the new songs.
âÂÂYou do get some people who want the old hits but we have confidence in our new songs and have really enjoyed playing them so far. I love playing Century, the opening track.âÂ?
And Cox reveals the inspiration behind album track Erin OâÂÂConnor: âÂÂThe song does pay homage to her.
âÂÂIâÂÂm not stalking her or anything but if she wants to go on a date sometime that would be great- although I am no Jamie Theakston.âÂ?
The band is now looking forward to visiting Liverpool again next Monday, having played twice before in the city: âÂÂWe played in- what was it called? Korova.âÂ? ‘Moloko’, someone shouts in the background.
âÂÂNo it wasnâÂÂt Moloko it was Korova,âÂ? he snorts back. âÂÂI liked the balcony bit, it was a good venue. We are playing at the Academy this time.âÂ?
Once the band have finished their UK tour, they jet off to Europe and then embark on America, a prospect Cox is relishing: âÂÂWe went to America last year and it is an amazing place, we get a great reception, the fans really like the whole anglophile thing and seem to know everything about us, they are very keen and really do their research.
âÂÂIt is quite nerve racking but we canâÂÂt wait.âÂ?
The Long Blondes play The Carling Academy, Liverpool on April 7. Their New album Couples is released on the same day.
