Music, Style & Culture

Kate Nash: Our New Best Friend

Alexia Kapranos meets Kate Nash to talk about her new album, Regina Spektor, and working with victims of domestic violence.

Alexia Kapranos meets Kate Nash to talk about her new album, Regina Spektor, and working with victims of domestic violence.

Hi there Kate. Welcome back with your new album 'My Best Friend Is You' and the first single 'Do Wah Doo'. It’s relatively short at less than three minutes long, so why did you feel it was a natural first single?
I think because it’s fresh sounding, fun, poppy and upbeat. I had a really strong idea for the video [set in an aeroplane featuring Kate dressed as an airhostess doing a flight attendant dance routine. Like a PG-rated ‘Toxic’]. Everybody liked it for the first single because it’s kind of intimate.

In between the release of your debut Made Of Bricks and MBFIY, you apparently went through a ‘transitional period’ in your personal life. How did this then affect the songwriting and sound of this new record?
I have grown up and had more experiences. I think that everything in your life affects what you do. I’ve been exposed to different things so it’s changed the way I address writing songs. I’m writing about different things. There’s no point in making ‘Made of Bricks 2.’

So how does it avoid becoming so? How is the sound different this time around?
It’s ‘rawer, fresher and a little edgier’, without sounding like an idiot. It feels a bit ‘liver’. There are pop songs on there but a couple of tracks step away from that. I don’t think I’m always going to be writing pop songs.

Well, I’m definitely hearing a good mix of styles on this record; like Do Wah Doo has this 60s pop feel to it that’s pretty cool whereas I Just Love You More evokes the sound of Riot Grrrl. Have you been listening to that kind of music recently and have you got any tips on what we can check out?
I have been listening to a lot of Riot Grrl. I’ve been really inspired by Kathleen Hanna and Bikini Kill – that and also 60s girl groups – the Supremes, the Ronettes, the Shirelles.

So it’s “female” inspiration! I remember that when you won the Brit Award for ‘Best Female,’ you made a point of saying that “female is not a genre”. What exactly did you mean by that comment?
Literally that. I don’t think that “female” is a musical genre and a lot of the time girls are seen as the same thing. “Female” is a sex. It’s not a musical genre - and you can be a female solo artist and in a different genre. You’re often treated as all one thing even though you’re all different.

Yes, indeed. The media are often very guilty of doing just that. I think when you came on the scene, you were compared to Lily Allen, but I think, if anything, Regina Spektor is a better reference point if you need to make one. Like the riff in Do Wah Doo seems like a little tip of the hat to her. What exactly has she taught you as an artist and songwriter?
I think she was the first person I knew who wrote ballads that weren’t cheesy and was open and honest and sang about funny things that you wouldn’t necessarily think of putting into a song. That’s what I like about her- that you wouldn’t think that you could write about that but you can.

I love her, and I like the way she flits from jazz to Russian folk to whatever other style she wants to try her hand at! Like a punk with a piano. So outside music, what other sources do you look to for your inspiration?
Well, I’m really into film. I love horror films. I love shock horror. My favourite films are An American Werewolf in London, Black Christmas and Psycho. I love being scared although I get scared really easily.

So you love being scared, but you sing on this record that you hate seagulls [on “I Hate Seagulls”]. Is this true? What is it about them that you don’t like?
Well, the song lists all these mundane things that you hate, but why it’s OK because you love someone and they love you back. But I do hate seagulls. I think they’re evil birds – they’re huge, scary and aggressive.

Maybe it’s because you’ve watched ‘The Birds’ one too many times?
Yeah, maybe it’s that. [Laughs]

But on the list of the things that you do like we surely expect to find Bernard Butler, who produced the album. What did he do that made you feel comfortable in his presence?
I think we really related to each other and he understood exactly where I wanted to go with the record. When I showed him my demos, he just got it. The fact that he is a musician as well as a producer means that in the studio, he knows when you’re feeling uncomfortable, he knows the things you are paranoid about and how to deal with them and move on.

You were working with David Sitek initially though, right?
Yeah, and I really wanted to work with him and still would, but it just wasn’t the right time. Dave’s more of a collaborator and I already knew what the record was going to be like. I’ll work with him in the future hopefully when I’m not sure what I want to do yet. I’m just not ready to collaborate yet.

You also worked with Ryan [Jarman] on a track ['You Are My Best Friend']. What can you tell us about this song?
It’s just a little ditty. I wrote the violin part for it and got him to play it before I had any lyrics and it sounded so good. It was good to work together.

So maybe a future guest spot on The Cribs next album is on the cards?
I’ve no idea!

Actually, I wanted to ask you also about dealing with the huge success after the first record. For example, even your relationship started to give you a few headlines like ‘Nash bemoans Cribs snub at NME Awards’ when you spoke out on stage after Muse had picked up the ‘Best Live Band’ gong. You seem to be an outspoken person, so has the pressure of the spotlight at all changed your approach to the media?
I like to think not. Apart from my job and sometimes going to Awards shows, my life at home is very ordinary and down to earth. I don’t crave the spotlight and I am opinionated, and even if I do feel paranoid about what I’ve said, I can’t help but speak out about things. I’ve always been like that in general life as well as outside the media. I try to stay away from naming people because the media want to turn you into a ‘bitch’ character and get you to slag each other off, but I do have opinions and I think it’s important not to be bland. You can’t go your whole life saying, “Well, I don’t want to offend anyone”, because you’ve got to have a mind and speak out about what you believe in.

Something you’ve been taking an active role in that is really positive is working with victims of domestic violence. What can you tell us about that experience?
Yes, it’s the Wishbone organisation in Harrow and they were originally set up for that, but I worked with a group of young girls who are self-harmers. I actually worked there today because they were doing a workshop. It’s been cool for me because I’ve always wanted to do something like that and get involved in some way. I did an interview about V-day, which is a global day that stands against human violence against women – as inspired by the Vagina Monologues. It’s just young girls. I’ve grew up feeling like a freak and a lot of people grow up feeling like a freak and an outsider and that there are certain rules that you have to follow and that you have to go down certain paths. These girls are really suffering, so I just wanted to see if I could help and get involved.

That’s really nice. So do you find at all that you are treated differently due to the fact that they know you from the radio and TV?
Sometimes they can get excited but most of the girls actually know me because I go down there.

So, finally, to toast both that act of friendship and the release of ‘My Best Friend Is You’, can you tell us if you could get someone to be your ‘BFF’ for a day, Paris Hilton-stylee, who would be your ideal choice?
Kathleen Hanna. I think she’s amazing. She’s so brave and clever. She changed a lot for women in the 90s. She got abuse for it and shit for it but was a real activist and she had opinions. She’s very inspiring for girls to say you can be whoever you want to be and you can do whatever you want and scream and shout as well. You can stand against the tides and be an individual.

Indeed, and we need more individuals like her in today’s music scene, that’s for sure. Thanks so much for the chat Kate, good luck with the album and we’ll see you at the festivals. Where are you playing?
T in the Park, Oxegen, Glastonbury, Lilith Fair in America, and I don’t know other ones yet.

Great. See you there! Take care.
Cheers! Bye!