For over five years now, England’s Art Brut–who are named after the formal artistic term for outsider art, which is art by socially marginalized people, such as prisoners or the mentally ill–have been making excellent punk rock albums. The uncomplicated three-chord tunes they crank out contain catchy melody lines that contrast brilliantly with frontman Eddie Argos’s rather unmusical ranting, in a manner that is at the same time reminiscent of The Fall and Jonathan Richman’s early days with The Modern Lovers. Art Brut’s first album, Bang Bang Rock & Roll, began with the lines, “Formed a band, we formed a band. Look at us–we formed a band!” These lines emphasized both Art Brut’s utter sincerity and their charming inability to carry off the ultracool rock star pose people come to expect from professional musicians–two characteristics that continue to inform the music they’re making to this very day. Art Brut’s fourth album, Brilliant! Tragic! comes out in two weeks (Tuesday May 23), and in celebration of the imminent release date, I was given the opportunity to interview their illustrious frontman. Something I quickly learned was that, despite Eddie’s claims to absolute sincerity, it can be tough to take the author of songs like “Emily Kane” and “Good Weekend” seriously. The temptation to respond to some of his lyrics with “You’re putting me on” is nigh-irresistible, and I succumbed to it more than once in this interview. However, Eddie maintained his good humor and answered (most of) my questions in a friendly, straightforward manner. We mostly talked about Art Brut’s new album, but comic books and Guns N’ Roses also figured into the discussion.
For over five years now, England’s Art Brut–who are named after the formal artistic term for outsider art, which is art by socially marginalized people, such as prisoners or the mentally ill–have been making excellent punk rock albums. The uncomplicated three-chord tunes they crank out contain catchy melody lines that contrast brilliantly with frontman Eddie Argos’s rather unmusical ranting, in a manner that is at the same time reminiscent of The Fall and Jonathan Richman’s early days with The Modern Lovers. Art Brut’s first album, Bang Bang Rock & Roll, began with the lines, “Formed a band, we formed a band. Look at us–we formed a band!” These lines emphasized both Art Brut’s utter sincerity and their charming inability to carry off the ultracool rock star pose people come to expect from professional musicians–two characteristics that continue to inform the music they’re making to this very day. Art Brut’s fourth album, Brilliant! Tragic! comes out in two weeks (Tuesday May 23), and in celebration of the imminent release date, I was given the opportunity to interview their illustrious frontman. Something I quickly learned was that, despite Eddie’s claims to absolute sincerity, it can be tough to take the author of songs like “Emily Kane” and “Good Weekend” seriously. The temptation to respond to some of his lyrics with “You’re putting me on” is nigh-irresistible, and I succumbed to it more than once in this interview. However, Eddie maintained his good humor and answered (most of) my questions in a friendly, straightforward manner. We mostly talked about Art Brut’s new album, but comic books and Guns N’ Roses also figured into the discussion.
The new album is called Brilliant! Tragic! It seems pretty obvious why you’d pick the “brilliant” part of the name, but what are the tragic elements of the album?
Apparently there has always been a tragic/depressive element to my lyrics. I didn’t realise that until a University in Berlin did a lecture on them. The lecture was called Eddie Argos: The Depressive Dandy. Now I’m aware of that element I thought I would highlight it by refering to it in the album title.
[Note: Sounds like he’s joking, right? But no, the lecture really happened: see Art Brut Subject Of Lecture In German University, from the NME]
This is your second album with Pixies leader Black Francis producing. What’s it like working with him? Do you have any good Black Francis stories you can tell us?
It was brilliant working with him. It was a lot different this time then the last time. We’re friends now so we can have a more honest discussion about the songs. We all got pretty excited about this record. Black Francis and I were texting every morning before we went into the studio. Just excitedly talking about the record. We really took the songs apart and tinkered with them this time. I love making records with him.
Since word is that Francis taught you to sing, how can we expect this development to change Art Brut’s music in the future?
Black Francis did teach me to sing. Art Brut never really have a plan–we just end up sounding like what the last thing we wrote was. We survive on the power of hindsight.
What led you to use Jamie McKelvie’s art on the cover of the new album? Are you guys fans of the Phonogram comic series?
I’m a big fan of Jamie’s work. I think Phonogram is brilliant and beautiful to look at. We sort of became friends after I wrote a nice thing about Phonogram. We met in a pub after that for a drink, and our friendship sort of grew from there really. I’m so glad he said he could do the artwork for the album. I was a bit nervous about asking him.
That reminds me: what comic books are you enjoying the most right now?
I’m a big DC fan but Jamie has managed to change my opinion of Marvel and now I’m getting into a lot of their comics. It’s nice; it’s literally a whole new universe for me to explore.
You say you want Axl Rose in your corner, but he’s always seemed a bit of a loose cannon. Have you considered the possibility that he might turn on you the way he did on Slash or Izzy? How would you deal with that?
I think he has made up with Izzy. I don’t think he’d turn on me; it would be nice to hang around with a loose cannon. It would make life more interesting.
More seriously, what sort of response have you gotten from the Guns N’ Roses camp to your lyrics and writings about Axl Rose?
It’s not out yet, so I don’t know if they’ve heard it. I’m expecting Guns N’ Roses to cover it though.
What’s the story behind “Clever Clever Jazz”? Is this something that happened to you, or are you making fun of somebody else?
[Note: Here we see me succumbing to the temptation to assume Eddie is being ironic in his lyrics. Wrong, of course.]
I never make fun. It is not in my nature. The song is mainly about me. I did have a band that used to rehearse in the back of the car on the way to shows. Art Brut did once get “Play one you know” shouted at us, and at the frst ever show I played (with my school band The Art Goblins) somebody shouted at us with their hands over their ears “That’s not music!” I replied with, “It is, it’s just clever clever jazz and you’re too stupid to understand it.” A fight broke out. Unfortunately that is what I’m really like.
In re: your song “I Am The Psychic”–what sort of incidents have occurred in your life to lead you to the belief that you are psychic? Or were you just kidding about all that?
I’d rather not talk about it.
[Note: Who knows what this response means, but it sure leads one to believe that, regardless of its basis in reality, Eddie is sincere in his belief that he is psychic.]
Have you ever visited the Principality of Sealand? Has writing a song about it led to any contact between Art Brut and the Sealand government?
I would love to visit Sealand. Prince Michael got in touch and his son came to see us recently. They like the song; it has been given the royal seal of approval.
It seems you tend to have a lot of art and music projects besides Art Brut happening at any given time. What else are you guys working on right now?
Whenever Art Brut starts up again it become the main priority. So it’s mainly just Art Brut stuff at the moment. Although I’m always painting, and we’re working on a comic.
[Note: Eddie often sells his artwork on his blog, so if you’re curious, click here. And he’s not kidding about the comic book, either, as the most recent post on his blog makes clear.]
Can we expect to see Art Brut on tour in the US this year?
Yep. I think the first set of dates have just been announced.
[Note: It’s true! Sometime between my emailing this interview to Art Brut’s publicity people and receiving the response back from Eddie, US tour dates for Art Brut were announced. Unfortunately, they aren’t coming to Richmond, but they will be at The Black Cat in Washington DC on Wednesday June 22. You can obtain tickets for that show here. And don’t forget to look out for Art Brut’s new album, Brilliant! Tragic!, out May 23rd on Downtown Records.]
