++INTERVIEW++

BLACK KIDS

Don Blandford shoots the shit with Owen Holmes to find out if Florida's Black Kids can live up to their own hype... which we're adding to with this article!!

ARTROCKER: You are the missing link between The Go! Team and Arcade Fire – discuss!

OWEN: Disagree. I don’t wanna sound petulant, we like both those groups, but I don’t think it’s true. We have one part of one song that sounds like the Go Team; then we have one part of another song that sounds like Arcade Fire. I think that’s the extent of the similarities!

"Do we believe the hype? I don’t know! Do you? Should you? "

ARTROCKER You don’t get out much do you? Is this your first tour? Why?

OWEN: (Laughs) Why don’t we get out much? I don’t know, we’re just getting started. Up until late last year we all had full time jobs apart from the band, this was just something we’d do after work or whatever. We’ll be out more now!

ARTROCKER: You’ve got some high profile support slots - are you excited?

OWEN: Yeah, we’re thrilled! Personally I think I prefer support slots to headlining slots, so this should be good. We’re doing a support slot with Sons and Daughters, I used to live in Edinburgh a couple of years ago & I saw them play live, they are actually great, but I’m bad at keeping up with new music, I mostly listen to old songs.

ARTROCKER: What can we expect at your gigs?

OWEN: A lack of professionalism!

ARTROCKER: What’s the best and worst thing about being in England?

OWEN: Personally, the best thing is the number of Indian restaurants. The worst thing is getting used to the London weather, because we’re from Florida – we’re used to warm, clean air & it’s kind of playing with our sinuses (laughs)

ARTROCKER: What’s playing on your tour-bus?

OWEN: Umm, tour bus? We have a tour vehicle, kind of between a van & a bus... We all listen to our i-pods individually - we all have different tastes. Personally, I listen to Neil Young... We supported Of Montreal a few months ago & since then it’s pretty much all I listen to. They’re actually from Georgia, which is just above Florida - kind of the backwaters - so we can relate.

ARTROCKER: Any sibling rivalry between Ali and Reggie?

OWEN: Yes! (Laughs) Yeah, fights on the tour bus... I mean, you know I’m exaggerating, but they have their moments.

ARTROCKER: Why do you think you’re on the BBC ‘Sound of 2008’ list and countless other media lists?

OWEN: Umm, I don’t know. I have so many smart-ass answers right now.... I think it just comes down to the songs, they’re really good songs. We’re still learning how to write, but it’s all in the hooks.

ARTROCKER: Do you believe the hype?

OWEN: I don’t know! Do you? But should you? Yeah. Umm, can we live up to it.....? For the most part, yeah, maybe not 100%, but for the most part.

ARTROCKER: This time next year you’d like to be…?

OWEN: In Stockholm, I haven’t been before, but I just like the perception of it. Professionally, I would like to be, you know, when you talk to bands or industry people & they say by the end of a tour you sound like a totally different band, so much better? I just want us to be that type of band. I think we’re working towards it. I want us to be able to play our songs and not have to worry about amps blowing up or something...

++ Don Blandford ++

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