Introducing: Arrows of Love

-

Arrows of Love – their name comes from a William Blake poem and they share Blake’s fervent, ethereal energy – were formed from the ashes of the much-missed Hush the Many (Heed the Few) and includes members of Jamie T, Kid Harpoon and Eraserheads. They’re probably the only band in the world right now who disdain Myspace and all the other trappings of commercial or celebrity ambition in favour of a passion for all-out, sonically overwhelming live sets. They recently rocked the 100 Club with Young Republic and are about to do the same at London’s Scala tomorrow night (14th October). See the bottom of the post for details on how to win tickets for tomorrow’s show.

For people out there who have never heard of you, give us three reasons why they should.
Luis: Arrows of Love play music that you can headbang to and make love to; we tend to keep it real; your kids will love us
Nima: We are pretty; we are ugly; we are both.

Can you recall the moment you first decided you wanted to become a musician?
Luis: When I heard “Welcome to the Jungle”
Emma: I’m not a musician. Everyone else is, but I’m just a girl who picked up a bass literally a week ago.
Nima: I do not consider myself a musician; that would be most limiting.

Where do your songs come from? What’s your inspiration?
Nima: They come of their own accord. Everything is an inspiration, particularly my English teachers at school and currently my new bandmate Emma, who stepped in when Clayton pulled out a week ago. She’s learning the bass and the songs at the same time.

Name your top five records.
Luis:
1) Nirvana – In Utero
2) Prince – Sign o’ the Times
3) Neil Young – On the Beach
4) The Replacements – Let It Be
5) Wu-Tang Clan – Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Emma:
1) Hole – Live Through This
2) 7 Year Bitch – Gato Negro
3) Sonic Youth – Experimental Jetset, Trash & No Star
4) Echo and the Bunnymen – Ocean Rain
5) The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground

Nima: I can’t. I have a rule with top fives, which is never to say more than one of them at once, whether it’s films, music, guitar solos, whatever. That way it can stay like the Tardis: the top five will keep its integrity while simultaneously being able to hold an infinite number. One of them would be Nirvana’s ‘Aneurysm’.

What was the first gig you ever played and was it a success?
Luis: It was opening the main stage at Secret Garden Festival. I had a puke bucket next to my amp for the duration of the gig and was tripping my balls off. What a blast!

Emma: My first will be the Scala.

Nima: Ha, I was 16 and I played a school rock concert. I covered “Little Wing” by Jimi Hendrix and my fingers just went walkabout halfway through the long guitar intro and it all sounded like it could have been the song but was just something totally different. At some point I landed back on the end of the intro. I think Jimi would have been proud.

What one piece of criticism has stuck in your mind and was it justified?
Luis: “Luis , you’re a dick.” Yup, I guess it has on some levels.
Nima: “Nima, stop playing with Luis, he’s a dick”.

What one thing has caused you to waste your free time in the past six months?
Nima: Answering irrelevant interview questions.

If you weren’t making music, what do you think you’d be doing?
Luis: Saving lives.
Nima: Trying to learn how to walk on water. I’m sure everyone could do it if they started early.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?
Luis: Topshop for a day
Nima: I’ve had so many bad jobs it’s hard to pick one. Maybe frying bacon at a Grand Prix – waking up at 3:30am to serve grand pricks who liked to start fights. I think everyone thinks of Grand Prixs as glamorous affairs. They are not.

We’d like you to make us a mixtape. Pick five tracks with a theme of your choice.
Luis: Nu-metal
1) Slipknot – Eyeless
2) Deftones – 7 Words
3) System of a Down – Spiders
4) Mudvayne – Dig
5) Coal Chamber – Loco

Emma: Angry girl music from the ‘90s
1) Babes in Toyland – Mother
2) Hole – Retard Girl
3) Bratmobile – Panik
4) L7 – Diet Pill
5) Bikini Kill – I Like Fucking

We have two pairs of tickets to give away for tomorrow nights Scala show.. Simply email your name and a contact telephone number to mailshot@thelineofbestfit.com with the subject line Arrows Of Love and we will randomly pick two winners at the end of the day.. The band wil be joined at Scala by Ed Harcourt’s current side project Wild Boar, plus Beans on Toast and The Eraserheads. It promises to be a very special night indeed.. Good luck!