Sometimes you meet a band, and they slowly bore you into graphic and gory imaginings of suicide. There’s been several occasions when I’ve sat with a group of musicians and been astounded by their belief that reading a 20 minute transcribed monologue about “their sound” will interest anyone. I can’t tell you the things I’ve imagined doing to either them, myself, or their management during an interview. I will draw you a diagram later.
Thank god then for Local Natives. I took them to Camden Arts Centre because I wanted us to have a concept, a vibe, a creative landscape behind the interview. Yeah I think about these things. But while I waited for them to arrive I checked the exhibition out. It was only OK. Perhaps the best piece was a video instillation of two boys standing in a crappy kitchen, staring at each other, one of them repeatedly pushing what looked like old porridge round a baking tray. Been there. Done that.
Anyway, then the boys turned up, Taylor, Matt, Ryan, Kelcey and Andy. We sat outside in the garden, where Taylor immediately started playing with bugs and shoving them in his bandmate’s faces as they talked.
Local Natives are so fucking great. Listen to them and look at this video:
Now look at this interview:
So your new album is out on…(I was slightly distracted here by Taylor placing a green bug on my leg) Why did you call it ‘Gorilla Manor’?
Taylor: It’s called that because when we moved back to Silverlake from Orange County we all lived together, and we named the house where we lived Gorilla Manor. It was where everything happened for this album, so it just made sense to call the album that.
You get compared to Fleet of Foxes and Vampire Weekend a lot. But I think you’re very different to them, in good ways - much more raw. So do you mind me saying I think that’s a really lazy comparison?
Taylor: No! Thank you. God. So many music journalists just want to make these comparisons with other bands, I guess they have to do it.
No they don’t…
Andy: Exactly. Argh thank you.
So on this UK tour, where’s the weirdest place you’ve played?
Taylor: Oh, Stoke was pretty odd, and Wolverhampton.
Matt: I don’t think there’s much going on there, in towns like that, but that actually makes them really good places to play. They’re so into your band, and hearing music. They get really excited.
How was SXSW? That was a pretty big festival for you right?
Ryan: Yeah that was really cool. We didn’t really have many expectations, and it started off with just a few people at our shows, then by the end of the week each gig was really filling up. Plus we got to meet loads of British people - that was amazing.
Kelcey: Its funny because, you know, we’re from America, so our main interest was breaking the US. It was crazy when stuff started taking off more over here.
Has it been quicker to get going here then?
Taylor: Yeah definitely, its moved much faster here.
So what influences you other than music?
Taylor: Flight of the Concords season one…although that didn’t actually influence our music.
Ryan: Lost.
Lost?
Ryan: Yeah, Kate in Lost. I’d say tracks 5 and 6 on the album are directly influenced by Kate in lost.
Kate in lost? Really?
Ryan: Yeah!…Oh my god have you not seen that show? She’s the most beautiful woman in the world.
Kelcey: Isn’t one of the tracks basically about how you will never get Kate from Lost?
Ryan: (sadly) Yeah.
Hey, you could get her. She’s going out with the hobbit boy now.
Ryan: The hobbit boy? Oh wow thanks, that makes me feel MUCH better.
No I’m not saying you’re a hobbit, I’m saying she is dating a hobbit. You don’t look like a hobbit.
Ryan: Oh OK thanks, I needed that. Although speaking of hobbits…(looks at Kelcey and Taylor)
Kelcey: NO! No, no, don’t you DARE
What?
(All make noises of anger, upset and annoyance)
Taylor: OK (giving in) OK. People have said before that three of us look like hobbits.
NO (fake shock)
Taylor: YES
THAT’S FUCKING AWFUL. Anyhoo…if you could curate a festival who would you pick to play?
Kelcey: I’d rather be picked than curate. Although it would be so bad if someone awful was curating it and they picked you.
Like who?
Kelcey: Oh man, I’m just gonna start hating some bad shit on someone…God who’s it gonna be? Who’s the mother fucking target? Who’s gonna DIE? (Shouts to PR girl) ARE YOU FUCKING LISTENING TO THIS?
PR lady: No.
Kelcey: Oh, oh I know. I would hate to be picked to play a festival curated by this comedian Carlos Mencia I fucking hate him
Taylor: Carlos is this really crude comedian who just hates on his own race. He’s fucking awful.
Ok cool.
PR lady: we have to go
Can I get some photos?
Ryan: Let’s go over there, it’s like the shire.
When we got up to take the photos Andy, the mysterious one, came up behind me and whimpered in my ear, “Oh your shoe”. I got dog poo on my shoe, it was pretty embarrassing, but he kindly checked the rest of my clothes for animal faeces. Then it was time to go, but not before they’d each lined up to hug me goodbye, in a way that was both a gross invasion of my personal space, but also really really fucking nice. They’re playing Koko tonight…