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Bloc Party

While in the middle of their successful second-stint in America, DIY caught up with bassist Gordon Moakes to chat about touring, music, and karaoke.

Bloc Party are currently one of the biggest bands in Britain, and are now rapidly gaining popularity in America. While in the middle of their successful (most of their shows were sold out) second-stint in America, DIY caught up with bassist Gordon Moakes to chat about touring, music, and karaoke.

How has the tour been going so far here in America?
GM: I've been enjoying this tour. I mean, you know, we're starting to admit that we're not totally palatable, and we start to get tired and jaded. And the tours run together so much, which can be hard. But, having said that, this tour has kind of been a real, new start and we're really doing well. So for me, 'cause I've had a couple of tours where I was not on my best form, where things have gone wrong, but this tour has been great for me.

What was your first impression of American audiences, and did you think that they would be different from British audiences?
GM: I guess we first played here about six months ago, and there was a buzz... and I think that there was never that...I mean, even though we had great audiences in the UK, and there were moments where there was a buzz but it was actually gradual. Here, we just felt that people were waiting to hear what we sounded like. Everyone's been completely open-minded. It's like, word spread, and they were waiting to pass judgment. And we were kind of going, 'Ok, well let's wait until we see them'. And we end up reaching out to new people every time we tour.

Do you know how quickly you sold out The Fillmore?
GM: No, I don't.

In two hours! It's funny because there's an website where you can buy and trade tickets. Only for your shows, people have been offering themselves in exchange for tickets!
GM: Seriously?

Yeah, girls will post, 'Oh, I'll be your hot date for the night if you have an extra Bloc Party ticket.'
GM: I think I did see one in New York, a similar sort of thing, where someone said, 'Oh, I'll have sex with you for a Bloc Party ticket.' I don't think it ever worked out for that person...with anything! [laughs]

You guys have taken scalping to a whole different level! Now, since your album has been released, people have been singing along more at shows. How does it feel to see people singing all the words while you're up there playing?
GM: It's been good, actually. It's funny because we slaved away for years with some of these songs and we recorded our record and kind of, in terms of like...the four of us got it out of our systems...and then it was the waiting game. We didn't have to wait that long. But I kind of feel like I'm ready to move on, but there's that overlap where people want to hear the songs that they love. So that's what we've come to do, really.

Have you guys written any new material lately?
GM: We're constantly writing, actually. Writing every day, writing ten minutes a day. We've now gotten into a system where we try to make it an hour a day during sound check. After we got the levels set, purely just working for the use of it. So, yeah, we've got a lot of stuff. In terms of new songs, there's only one that we're playing in our sets.

You play without a pick. Was that a conscious decision, or just the way you learned how to play? And how callused are your fingers?
GM: Well, they've been worse than they are right now. I don't know, really. I mean, my fingers don't like me sometimes. Usually when I take a break from playing, and then play again. But, I just can't get a feel for a pick. I can't get the precision and the right feel when I use a pick. It relies on following Matt's beat so tightly, and I can't do that with a pick. One of my favourite bass players is Carlos D [from Interpol], and he said to me, 'I don't know how you can play without using a pick.' I'm self-taught, so it's just the way I learned. When this band started, I wasn't half as good as I am now. It's all about practice really. I remember when we first started playing 'She's Hearing Voices', and Matt had this beat that was really key for the bass player to follow precisely, and I had to train myself to be able to play that particular bass line.

You guys recently signed up with the Music for America organization. How did you get involved with that?
GM: Umm...I'm completely ignorant of what that is, I have to admit.

It's an organization to get young people to register to vote.
GM: I really don't know much about it, but I'm interested in learning. I'm all for getting people involved.

What's your favourite band you've played with since you've been touring?
GM: Well, I think Interpol were the best band we've played with. In terms of the bands we've taken on, there's a band from Montreal called Kiss Me Deadly.

And I read that you guys are really into New Rhodes, Komakino, and Redjetson.
GM: Yeah, we are. Well, I live with the lead singer of Redjetson. He's my flatmate.

Are you still in touch with the bands from the NME tour? Like the Kaiser Chiefs and The Futureheads?
GM: Yes. I must admit, I do love the guys in the Kaiser Chiefs.

What was your most memorable show in 2005?
GM: Recently we had a really amazing show in Portland. Just really, really electric. We played a show in New York at a place called Mother Fucker [laughs], and that was a good one. And we played at Urban Outfitters, in front of the underwear [laughs]. That was probably one of the best shows we did in Austin.

How was Coachella? The heat?
GM: The heat wasn't horrible. But I just remember it being...I dunno, it was just a bit flat that whole day. I dunno what it is. It's kind of like a Californian version of the European festivals. And it's very well-organized, but I wasn't blown away by the line-up this year. We were OK, but we've played better. We had just come from Japan.

When you say that you were off on one night, do you think that the fans notice it?
GM: Well, I mean...we played the Sasquatch Festival last week, and I read a review of it that said we were kind of at 60% because we had technical problems, which made it less enjoyable for us. You know, sometimes people come to our gigs with a critical sort of mindset, but often when I talk to anyone after I show I thought was off, they go, 'that was amazing!' And I'm glad they enjoyed it. But then I'll read a review saying that we threw down our instruments out of frustration, but I do that at every other gig! I do it because I'm pumped up.

What do you guys do for fun when you're stuck on the tour bus for hours or days on end?
GM: We watch movies and listen to music, but we usually sleep. The American tour bus isn't quite as comfortable as the one we have at home, even though it's bigger. The one we've got at home has two lounges. But this one we just kind of sleep and get up. Yeah, but we watch films.

What are some of your favourite movies to watch?
GM: I watched one last night called 'Safe.' It has Julianne Moore, and it's really creepy! It's very slow and intense. I've watched all sorts recently. 'Bladerunner', things like that.

What will you be doing once you've finished touring this year?
GM: We've got kind of a week-ish off after we finish this one, and I'll probably just rest.

When you're on tour, do you get a chance to see the cities that you play in?
GM: Yeah! I mean, I don't always take that option [laughs]. Yesterday we stopped at this little town in Oregon, and had the day to do what we want. So we stopped at the hotel pool to swim, walked around, and enjoyed the day off.

Where do you see yourselves this time next year?
GM: Probably on tour.

Do you think you'll have another album out by then?
GM: What month is it?

June.
GM: No, I don't think it'll be quite out then this time next year. It may well be done, that's the plan, but I don't think it'll be released then.

Liam Gallagher recently said that he'd love to do a tune with you if 'it was good enough.' How did you guys take that statement?
GM: Well, since the first thing he said about us was that we looked like a panel from University Challenge, he's lost his chance! And, I don't know if this is true, he might have called us 'dickheads' onstage. Basically we were just laughing about it. There's no way it's gonna happen [laughs].

What current bands do you love?
GM: Well, hmm, I mentioned Redjetson. I love this band, you might not have heard of them, this British band called Yourcodenameis:Milo. I love that record, it's great! It's really kind of, um, mathematic in theme and I think it's really well put together.

What was your first concert?
GM: The first concert I went to was Suede at Brixton Academy in 1993.

Nintendo or Sega?
GM: Umm...I don't really play video games. That's more of Russell's thing. But I'll have to say...Nintendo.

The Cure or The Smiths?
GM: The Cure. Russell loves The Smiths but I like The Cure more.

And finally, what is your favourite song to sing at karaoke?
GM: Well, when I'm really on form, I do a good rendition of Eminem's 'The Real Slim Shady.' [laughs]