In Conversation with
“iLiKETRAiNS”
July 2005
A little Background:
This interview like the also
recently published Napaloon IIIrd interview
came through a promising little
new record label in Leeds called "Dance to
the Radio", who I heard
about orginally through "This Etal", who I
interviewed back in January this
year.
While I found "This
Etal" very enjoyable, perhaps a "Franz Ferninard"
I could enjoy,
"iLIKETRAINS" was something else altogether.
The single and also the mp3's
available for download on their website
are chilling post-rock perhaps
Sigor Ros like featuring a sound like to
Stuart Styles, the lead singer
of the Tindersticks more than Nick Cave,
with dark harrowing tales of
obession and what comes after it, before
in some cases where the music
becomes like a voice itself, spiralling
deeper and deeper out of control
before it pulls itself back together.
Interested by it, it became
obvious that I should interview them and so
I sent them a quick e mail and
this is what followed from it.
Thanks to the guys in particular
Simon for their hard work - I look
forward to hearing the next
single which may or may not be about
Chess.
For more information - please
visit them on their website:
Thanks Andrew N
Setting Sun:
How's things and what's happening at the moment?
iLiKETRAiNS
Things are good, but I’ve just come back to work
after our first tour.
We’ve just released our first
single, and I’m
led to believe it’s selling very well.
Setting Sun:
Can you now tell us a little bit
about the
history of ilovetrains - who
fired the
starting pistol etc, etc?
iLiKETRAiNS
Guy and I go way back, writing
songs and making
noise. We met the others while at university in Leeds.
You know, exciting and
original.
Setting Sun:
What are your influences (music
wise)
and what have you been listening to recently?
ILiKETRAiNS
Musically we have taken the post
rock template laid
down by Sigur Ros as our
base.
We’ve added a sprinkling of wry
dark lyrics a la Nick
Cave or Morrissey to heighten
the drama, and left it
to simmer for a year or so.
This is what you taste
today. Its best served with a side
order of Joy Division, Velvet
Underground or Scott
Walker. That makes no sense… sorry.
Lately we have been listening to
the demo by a band
called Shady Bard from
Birmingham… they’re grrrreat.
Also Leeds types ¡Forward
Russia!, This Et Al and
Napoleon iiird are on heavy
rotation.
Setting Sun:
I know from looking at your
website that you tour
fairly regularly. How do these compare to your recordings
so far? Is their one you prefer over the other?
ILiKETRAiNS
We do gig quite regularly, but
have only just
finished our first proper
tour.
I understand we come across a
lot better
live, but I’ve never seen us
live so I can’t comment.
Which do I prefer?
They both have the potential to go really well or
indeed not. I couldn’t choose.
Setting Sun:
I love your current single as released
on Listen
to the Radio and find it quite
interesting it is listed
as a part 1 and 2. Can you tell
us a little bit more
about it and what led you to the
decision to
release it as a two part track?
ILiKETRAiNS:
Thank you. BTCC tells the story of a man obsessing
over a girl, to the point of stalking her, and
threatening to hurt her new
boyfriend. Part
2 continues with the same
characters, but is set
after an escape from the mental
asylum.
It’s very straight forwards if
you listen to the
lyrics and watch the videos…. I think.
Setting Sun:
Can you tell us also the
signifiance of the name
ofilovetrains as it certainly
caught me out when I
first saw it's name?
ILiKETRAiNS
It’s a cynical marketing
ploy. An attempt to sell
records to a criminally ignored
demographic:
those people that stand at a
station platform
with a notebook, anorak and
flask of weak
lemon drink. Has it worked? Not really.
Setting Sun:
What's next for you? Do you have
any more gigs /
recordings etc planned?
ILiKETRAiNS
We have a few gigs planned, but
our main priority is
to get into the studio to record
a new single.
We hope to release it around the
beginning of
October and go on tour around
the same time.
The new single is possibly about chess.
Setting Sun:
A few slightly more light
hearted questions to
finish off with - firstly, what
would be your dream
job if you were not a rock n roll act?
ILiKETRAiNS
Bed tester. You could sleep all night and get paid
for it. Leaving plenty of spare time to do other
stuff like hang gliding for instance.
Setting Sun:
What would you like to be doing when you are 60?
ILiKETRAiNS
Chilling.
Setting Sun:
What will you be doing when you are 60?
ILiKETRAiNS
Stressing.
Setting Sun:
Lastly, nicked from a pal's Zine
in away
"Imagine you were ship
wrecked on a desert
Island and could have (clearly
second sight
here - lol) the choice of having
5 records
or cds with you with a stereo of
course.
What would be your desert island discs?"
ILiKETRAiNS
Ok, well I have asked around,
and it goes like this:
Dave: Beck - Odelay
Guy: Scott Walker sings Jaques
Brel
Ash: 100% Reggae Volume 1 (for
some tropical vibes).
Alistair: Belle & Sebastian – If you’re feeling
sinister.
Simon: Reckons he’d bring his iPod -
I called him
a loser.
