On Song :: The Gay Blades

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Photograph by Sonny Malhotra

The Gay Blades are kicking up all kinds of a shit storm in the UK at the moment. In a fleeting visit earlier in the week they single handedly managed to blow The Spinto Band off the stage during a ferocious support slot at Dingwalls, turn Tricky into a paranoid wreck after ‘touching’ him after a gig at Shepherds Bush Empire (apparently they’ve blown their chances at ‘Trip-Hop superstardom’, and refused to alter their watches to Greenwich Mean Time thus turning both the band and their entourage into insomniacs.

We managed to catch up with Puppy Mills, one half of the NYC duo whilst Clark Westfield was busy not setting off smoke alarms in Brody Dale’s dressing room…

What was the music your parents liked and do you think it’s influenced you at all?
Clark’s parents used to listen to cool stuff like The Beatles, Dylan, Bowie and The Rolling Stones, so I think as a result, we see a real appreciation to songwriting and lyrics. Around my house it was mostly carnival music. I travelled with my dad a lot growing up.. He was a certain half-alligator, half-man attraction in a travelling circus. Also, our house was a tent.

What posters did you have on your wall as a kid?
Oh the usual.. Nirvana, Beastie Boys, a Pink Floyd black light poster or two, and one of those ones with chicks we could never afford to date washing cars we could never afford to drive.

Which songs or albums would you play at a party?
Usually just our CD on repeat. Only instead of a party, it’s just a bunch of record execs gagged and tied to chairs. Comfortable chairs though…… we’re not monsters!!

Which songs remind you of a rainy day?
Missy Elliott – The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)
Milli Vanilli – Blame It on the Rain
Prince – Purple Rain
Guns N’ Roses – November Rain
The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men
The Itsy Bitsy Spider Song – Our Moms

Which album do you seek solace in when you are feeling sad?
The Gay Blades never get sad. We only get mad. Oh and we get even, too. But never sad.

Which album would you play when you wanted to get down to some lovin’?
First it was Boyz II Men, then it was Erykah Badu, then it was Norah Jones, and now it’s Kanye West. There was some drunk DMX sex thrown in there during college as well. There’s nothing that turns women on more than an angry black man barking to bass heavy beats. Oh yeah, and liquor.

What music was, or would be, the “first dance” at your wedding?
Kind of a moot question, since most places in the US, we’d only be allowed to have a Civil Union. But if we ever did have a big, gay wedding the first dance would probably be YMCA. Followed by “In the Navy”. Get it???

What was the first gig you went to as a paying customer?
Clark’s first show ever was Phish. Mine was Elvis Costello. I win.

Name the one song you think everyone should hear.
‘O Shot’ (single out next week). Seriously. Buy our album so we can come back to the UK a million times!!!!!

Which one artist do you think not enough people know about?
We are friends with this amazing band from Brooklyn called The Press who have just finished recording their latest album. Between their creative songwriting prowess and their crazy live shows, they are a band to be reckoned with.. If they keep getting better, we might have to join them and become an unstoppable New York City based six-headed monster of rock.

What’s the best thing you’ve heard recently?
We recently stumbled across a live video of the band Why? playing ‘Song of the Sad Assassin (live at Dublab)’ on the bands myspace page, and it blew us away. Literally. We’re dead from it. Thanks a lot, Why?!!

Dead or alive, what 5 acts would you have play with you at a festival?
The Eagles of Death Metal
The Beatles
The Bay Glades (A Gay Blades Tribute Band)
Elvis Costello.
Tila Tequila. Just kidding. Hanna Montana.

We’d like you to make us a mix-tape. Pick five tracks with a theme of your choice.
“Songs which do not remind us of a rainy day”
America – A Horse With No Name
Blue Oyster Cult – Godzilla
Ace of Base – The Sign
Three is a Magic Number – Schoolhouse Rock
Blind Melon – No Rain

And finally, who would win in a fight: a stoat or a goat and why?
You would think a goat, given sheer size, but have you ever seen the teeth on one of those stoat things??? They’re like swift little razors of death and justice!!

The Gay Blades on MySpace