 "It kind of means something but I can't think what right now" From Radio 1: ESP weren't too impressed with their Best New Act nomination. They've been signed for ages - and Tom says they're finding it hard to get excited about being shortlisted: "For us it's kind of strange. It's a little late almost. We worked for nearly nine months a year or something on the first record. Some of those songs were two years old, so they're like four years old now, those songs. It's all kind of old news for us. Best New Band? We've been signed for two years! It's weird - we just don't feel like a new band" [but they won and they deserved it] From Radio 1: ESP @ the Mercury Music Prize: The Electric Soft Parade were just as concerned that everyone else was having a good time as they were - Tom just wanted to get his mum drunk: My parents are just out there like, 'Oh, it's so good, it's so good'. I'm gonna get my mum drunk, 'cause she'll have a good time if she's drunk she'll be fine. As long as she stays sober she'll have a **** time... Yeah, just trying to make as many people as happy as possible, using whatever force is reasonable. Sorry... I just flicked fag ash on your shoe.  "We were hyped up for a little while but I�m glad that they didn�t go for us in a big way. With all the shit going on at home with The Vines at the moment, everywhere you look it�s Vines-mania. It�s like �What the fuck? They�ve barely released an album�. But that could set them up on a course for fucking up big time. A hell of a lot of press equals a hell of a lot of pressure" "We can achieve things on our own level, and that�s what it�s about - being honest with yourself. Saying �this is what I want to achieve, I want to write great songs.� I want to have respect from people and respect for myself I suppose. That�s all it�s about, not about how big your band is. If you�ve got self-respect and you can look at yourself at the end of your life and go �I�m so proud of that� or �I�m so glad I made those decisions� - that�s all it�s about. All the rest is just rubbish" Tom: I think it's a big misconception that you're not gonna feel anything or you're not gonna have any valid point to make if you're young. "Young" is the most important thing about this band. That's the only thing that a journalist is allowed to talk about. Alex: People say "it's a great record and they're so young". It's like no, if you like the record, you like the record. There are a lot of problems with britpop. In that genre there are some people who are really rank & we don't wanna be part of that.  "In Britain, after Britpop sort of faded out, a lot of dance stuff took over the mainstream. Before 'Britpop' there was 'Indie', and now it's ok again to be 'indie'. We are an 'indie' band, a rock band, whatever. You know, the thing is when a journalist or when someone says something is 'indie', people automatically assume that they are undermining it and kind of that people use it as a detrimental word. There's a lot of baggage attached to it."  Badger.ussu.info/music/20020605-01.shtml With a critically acclaimed album under their belts, ESP would be forgiven for milking the accolade. However, they casually dismiss their mantle as the next big thing as "not really something [we] consider a lot... it's job like anything else" ESP's likeable 18 year old drummer and chief song-writer, Tom White spends the entire interview meticulously rolling a spliff and in the process brands Oasis as "fucking rotten" and Nickleback as "not even music, they're a brand like Disney" So how does it feel to be playing to people singing your lyrics back at you? "It's just something that goes on, I guess its cool but I don't know how significant it is" ESP seem to genuinely appreciate the position they are in. However, they are wary that it can be lonely at the top and "for me it looks like quite an uncomfortable position to be in"  Me: There's nothing better than a good Tom rant and here it is... Despite the fact that their upbeat indie pop tune 'Empty at the End' was played constantly during TV coverage of this year's World Cup tournament, 18 year old Tom White who wrote the tune was less than enthusiastic about the whole affair. "I thought the whole world cup thing was shit. I hate the world cup and everything it represented. There were pictures of English dudes crying the day we lost. I mean, c'mon stop crying your heart out and being so fucking ridiculous. It's a game. Fair enough it's probably important to a few people, but I thought that was just stupid. I've never supported anyone, so I don't really give a fuck." And as for the English captain, well... "He's not even a real personality. Surely the whole point in celebrities is that they're totally interesting and they attract people and David Beckham for me is just a thick twat. He hasn't got anything to say that I'd listen to." It's 10.30am and a trembling Tom White - drummer in Electric Soft Parade - answers the door of his parents Brighton home. He's feeling unusual after the previous nights DJ stint, which saw him drinking Goldwasser, the German liqueur flecked with gold leaf. "You knock it back and apparently the specks of gold cut your throat so you absorb the alcohol really quickly - I had three and was fucked" Today their record label BMG is demanding the pair [but not minor bandmates bassist Matt Thwaites and keyboardist Steve Large] receive "media training", possibly hoping to tone down their forthright opinions. "We're not Pop idol" Alex shrugs unrepentantly. Having released low-key albums on their own label for years, they feel fully qualified to comment on new major league competition. Like Starsailor... "He's a shocking singer" spits Tom. "I quite like some of the lyrics, though" Alex demurs. "They're shit! There's one song where he sings "And I suffer" and you think..." "What a cunt?" "Well, maybe he is suffering" "I thought he was a nice guy"  "Hello, I'm Tom". The drummer and main composer of The Electric Soft Parade responds from Brighton. In the morning he answered questions from journalists from New Zealand, Korea, Lebanon, Emirates, Om�n and Bahrein. In the evening they wait for another six journalists, in this occasion Swedish and Italian. Not bad for a boy who when "Nevermind" arrived at the stores was only seven years old. Forty minutes later, when we took leave, I feel like ten years older: it is difficult to believe that he has fulfilled his dream without reaching the legal age to buy a beer. The debut of the year? To respond to the question the NME raised is not easy. What is clear: most outstanding is their promising future. Because if before twenty Tom White and Alex, his older brother, have been able to write a handful of songs like the ones contained on Holes In The Wall, what will they do in future? Everything on "Holes In The Wall" flows with as much naturalness that seems that they are comfortable much more with the music than with the words. Tom: It's true: the quality of my lyrics is very below my music. I am a terrible, laborious lyricist. It is a pity, because there are many groups, like Pulp, that I listen almost only for the lyrics. Me: they're not throwaway lyrics, they're written with real emotion. One of the most beautiful lyrics I ever heard is bside Broadcast and that's because the lyrics are clear. You can't be more clear than I'd kill for you, you couldn't say it better than that. I need something to hold Hope swallows me whole Time seems to fall Well I sing for you wait for you I'd kill for you Help me out, see me through I live for you Hold me back sit me down I'll follow you Sometimes I feel so alone I need something to hold Hope swallows me whole Time seems to fall Well I sing for you wait for you I'd kill for you Help me out, see me through I live for you Hold me back sit me down I'll follow you Tom: I hope that when I have more experience, the words leave me with more naturalness. You know a thing? I have always thought that music is something more instinctive, does not matter that you are young and inexpert, but to make good lyrics you must have lived much. He requests time to mature and to become a lyricist to the level of their music. And he is right: at the present time, most of their verses are simple... Although this is something that can also be attributed to records by much more experienced artists. In addition, many people thirtyish would kill to reach the good sense Tom White demonstrates. Tom: In general, I feel comfortable. But there are things that disturb me. I put an example to you: if I am testing the sound and suddenly comment that I want to buy cigarettes [next bit wasn't clear but he means that someone else will get them for him] What happened? That because I'm in a group they have amputated my legs and I cannot go myself? How do you take to the relation with your fans? Because on the Internet I have found some followers quite obsessive... Me: I'm not sure what to make of the above comment, why is an interest in a band always labelled "obsessive" like it's a bad thing when you get a lot of enjoyment out of it and there's worse things you could do. I understand what Tom says too. A lot of bands start to think they're gods after a while, with all the attention they get. Tom: Much respect to the people who are interested in our music, although I believe that to idealise somebody is wrong. It's not anything bad to prevail and to have money: the problem arises when you are accustomed and you consider something normal. If one day I get up and I discover that I have constructed a tennis court in my dormitory [bedroom?] "Tom, something's gone wrong" And what will happen if all this finishes suddenly? Tom: I hope that nothing. In addition, I believe that you could not be happy with too much money and too much fame: it is not a natural way to live life. Things have changed in the life of Tom. He remembers the concerts in which they supported two of his legends: Ian Brown and The Who. Tom: With The Who it was a little miserly: they arrived, they played and they went without saluting to us. But Ian Brown was an enchantment... Why a so important man and with as much talent wants to speak with me. Still I am not customary to these situations. I always remain with idiot face. I am with Noel Gallagher saying to me "Tom, man, have listened to your album" (Laughter) I do not support that people say [about music] "there is nothing good..." There are thousands of interesting groups to listen to! For that reason, if something disturbs Tom it's less and less time to search carefully in second hand record shops in search of some hidden jewel. Tom: Now I can have all the records that I want and that causes it to lose part of its enchantment. Before I had to get the money, go to the store, decide what record to buy... To have everything you wish takes away a great part of the attractiveness of things. I will say to you that we have most importantly: good songs with good production. Now that music's been for a little while so bad, I like to think that we can do something to fix the situation... But nobody thinks that we are going to save the world! (Laughter)  ESP were on C4's New To Q on 14th June and Tom said a few words about his bracelets: This is from All Tomorrow's Parties, this was from a french club that we played, and that's from Later With Jools Holland and that's our dead cats collar [thanks Betty] One of the members of the group recently declared "Since when has music had anything to do with [mobile phone] ringtones... " "I have one of them but I did not choose a particular ringtone... " You maintain a close relationship to groups whose members are also young? I think for example of Strokes, JJ72, MUSE or Ash. Not, not really. Our manager also deals with the Strokes but... they were never met. You have dates envisaged in Switzerland soon? Where's that? In Switzerland! Hmm, I believe that yes, but I am not sure of the details... In any case, I adore to ski! You always live in Brighton? We always lived with our parents. You recently declared that "the music was not really related to specific lyrics but it reflected rather a pure emotion" Does that mean you do not attach importance to the lyrics or rather that you do not have a total message to transmit? It is simply because we do not want to preach to people. [interviewer mentions Bono] Exactly, we do not want to annoy people with political messages. With my direction, it is more intelligent to suggest emotions... The imagery is the most significant thing, it is sure. Which question don't you like that people ask you? I hate that people ask me questions about the lyrics of my songs... Besides that, I like all the questions! Thank you very much, Tom! Cheers man!  If you open up the album sleeve there is a collage of photos that make up a room... Alex: It's Tom's bedroom, that's his bed on the left. Tom: It was taken in 97/98 and I was doing some recording and there was a four-track on the floor and guitars lying around. Some of the stuff which made the album was recorded on four-track. Alex: A lot of the demos were done on a four-track, before we got in the studio and with loads of money. They formed the basis of the tracks and we just put other stuff on the top. If there was a vocal that was shoddy we'd just put a new vocal on it. Tom: The way we built the tracks and arranged them was quite a complex way, and we could have done it a lot simpler. The way that each instrument works with the others and the way every instrument sounds different from the last makes the overall album seem quite varied. There's quite a lot of stuff that people may not hear first time [from Lamacq @ Radio 1] What's the least flattering thing that someone's said about you? Tom: I think an NME review for one of our singles, which simply read "Bog Standard Indie" Those phrases stay with you don't they? Tom: You never forget things like that... you never forget who wrote them either... And have you met that journalist yet? And did you challenge him? Tom: Yeah I did. No [from Jo Whiley @ Radio 1] 
Their music may be pretty traditional in the sense that they use guitar, bass and drums, but the sound is full of vigour, vim and vitriol, the likes of which haven�t been seen in the indie scene since, ooohh, the early Manics or maybe even the Mary Chain.The NME is clearly enamoured, having included the boys in their top ten Brit guitar bands last year. Tom: The problem with that is that at this point in time we�ve already had a record out and it�s been acclaimed, which is great for us but we�re a lot further ahead than people like the Coral or the Music, who�ve only had one or two singles out. So it�s hard to compare us as a band but I didn�t have a problem with it �cos I don�t think we sound like any of the other bands anyway. I just don�t like being lumped in with all these other bands (from Studentpages.com) "The label came up with a rubbish marketing campaign: we're playing with The Who therefore let's all get on Vespas and ride about town (!) We'd probably get a slap if we'd turned up on them" 
Some people might say the name �Electric Soft Parade� is a bit of a mouthful. Along with such bands as Cooper Temple Clause, Mull Historical Society etc what�s with the current fashion for bands with long names? Have all the one-word names been used up?Tom: I was thinking about this the other day. It used to be �The Smiths� now it seems to be �The� and then a five letter word. Like The Faint who we saw supporting �Trail Of The Dead in London. Like there�s one band we know called The Concoma Maximum Lovegarden Orchestra. What else? Meanwhile Back In Communist Russia, that�s a good one. Or The Sisterhood Of Convoluted Thinkers. You�re just making this up now aren�t you?! Tom: No I�m not! Everyone fucking says that when I mention The Sisterhood Of Convoluted Thinkers! (from Themefromnarc.com) Ask the ESP whether they saw many bands at the Carling Weekend, and they recite a list that'd make any indie kid proud: Elbow, The Folk Implosion, Guided by Voices, Voy, Supergrass, Teenage Fanclub, Mogwai, Feeder, Trail Of Dead. "I saw the Manics and they were brilliant!" reveals Al, before describing the elaborate blag he pulled off to see them at Leeds. Alex's flu soon becomes apparent. "Basically, I've been touring four months without any vocal training or exercise, so my voice is completely fucked. And that stuff is my last chance of salvation." Tom asks to down some of this white, pungent liquid that doubles up as a remedy, and what develops is a barney the Gallaghers would be proud of. "Fuck off! You can't drink it! Don't drink it! You'll die if you drink it! It tastes like absolute shit! I seriously want to throw up" maintains Alex, whilst Tom says "It tastes like lemon. I don't mind it." (from thebrainfarm.co.uk) When you talk about influences you mention the like of The Boo Radleys and The Charlatans. They're not your usual reference points are they? Alex: People ask us for our influences and we try to come up with something a little bit different. To me there's no point in saying something like the Beatles because obviously you're influenced by them. Its such an obvious thing to say you're influenced by Oasis or Blur. How can you not be influenced by the Beach Boys or the Beatles. I never listened to modern indie until about 1995, before then it was the Beatles and Elvis (from Designer Magazine) 
Alex: "My dad played the clarinet and he plays the piano now. He is very into music, classical music, so we were taught classical music and listened to classical music, as well as the 'classics' of rock and pop, like the Beatles"When they eventually found a way of channelling their youthful exuberance into something worthwhile, it was, initially at least, little more than an excuse to indulge in a spot of teenage drinking out of reach of the elements. "It just kind of evolved, as most things do, I guess. It was all very much a mate's thing, just hanging out, and we'd play music as well. We'd set it up like a gig and get our mates along and have a party. It was a good excuse to get bottles of White Lightning or Strongbow and, rather than sitting in the cold park to drink it, sit in the cricket pavilion. We'd play a mixture of songs we'd written, which started off as two and then it was three and then four, and stuff we were listening to at the time. Stuff like the first Ash album and Everything Must Go by the Manics" (from theelectricsoftparade.com) |
