Supersweet

Interview

Sparkadia

From left to right: Nick, Dave, Tiffany, Alex

Not quite a Paris Hilton song, but Sparkadia's new single 'Jealousy' is expected to be bigger by miles this summer. SUPERSWEET's Ellie Gill sits down with the guys to discuss some really important matters like how Jennifer Love Hewitt's single was underrated. Oh, woulda coulda shoulda...

SS: Alex, you have a rather traditional approach to music, was it anyone in your family that got you listening to old music? What kind of stuff were you listening to growing up?
Alex Burnett (vocals, guitar): Yeah a couple of things, I played cello when I was a kid so I really got into classical music. And also my great aunts who were like 90 when I was a kid,they had a pianola and they played all these amazing scrolls from the 30s and 40s. Back in the day that’s how music was played, they had all the scrolls from the 30s and forties all the big hits. Then also I guess Dave and I, when we first started out we did a bit of vinyl buying, because vinyl was so cheap so we bought lots of records of old artists that we wouldn’t normally know about.

SS: So what kind of records were they?
Alex: Obscure sound tracks, Hungarian traditional music Buddy Holly, hits from the 60s Merseybeat, Northern soul.

SS: Would you two say the same in the way of influences?
Dave Hall (drums): There was sort of no end to what we listened to as kids, we grew up sort of in the 90’s so we grew up on grunge and that sort of era of music but when we started this band we went and bought vinyl from 1931 to 1989. There’s no end to what is inspiring.

SS: Compared to when you were young and didn't yet have a band, do you now listen to other people's music more open-mindedly or less? How has having music that you make yourself changed you as a listener, if any?
Alex: Depends I guess because we play in a band when we listen to music its hard to just listen for the sake of listening. Often you listen and think oh that’s an interesting drum beat or I like the way they have recorded so and so, but usually the best music you just listen and you just love it you don’t have to analyse it, you just appreciate what it is.
Nick Rabone (bass, vocals): Yeah It is pretty hard listening to music just as the song, because you have the knowledge you’re so caught up in how a song is made. It’s pretty hard to just listen to the radio. You’re appreciating it for the melody for everything the whole spectrum of production to arrangement to the way the chords interact and stuff like that. I guess we’re not ignorant whether that’s a good thing or bad thing.

SS: Did you have to make any sacrifices in order to do what you're doing?
Alex: Yeah lots. Giving up a normal career, giving up a normal life the whole working for a corporation, giving up a steady income, finding a wife.All those things I don’t think any of us regret, its just one of those things. Anyone who wants a career in music has to make sacrifices but I don’t think any of us would replace the brilliance of the life’s we lead.
Nick: Dave had to sacrifice his sense of humour and his charm.
Dave: Nick had to sacrifice having friends as well.
Nick: Yeah but that wasn’t much of a sacrifice my mum already didn’t like me much.
Alex: And youur dog never talks back.

SS; Do you miss your families?
Dave: We are just so busy we don’t get a chance to think about it too much, which is a good thing.
Alex: We can talk to them on the phone, or Skype or Facebook or whatever.

SS: What do your friends and family think of your success?
Dave: They are all pretty happy I guess. They all gave into the fact that we’re musicians a little while ago so their just glad that some thing is finally happening.
Alex: A lot of people didn’t even know that I did music, so yeah some people it means a lot and others it doesn’t.

SS: In typical teen mag style, who is your celebrity crush?
Nick: Alex has many celebrity crushes.
Dave: What was a childhood one then?
Alex: Julia Roberts, I dunno.
Nick: I got one, Amy Poehler, she’s a comedian, she’s like the funniest person.
Alex: I think I have music crushes opposed to celebrity crushes, someone who’s a celebrity just for the sake of it, its like what’s your point but someone who’s good at what they do I think that’s a lot more sexier for instance the bass player from the Guillemots, Incredible.
Dave: That’s fair enough.
All: Jenifer Love Hewitt.
Alex: I’m into her music, what was it called, 'BareNaked'?
Nick: It was really underrated.

SS: Do you make music for yourself or for others?
Dave: When we first started out it was definitely for us and I guess it still is.
Alex: We write music you can relatively relate to. Most of the time you have to write from the heart. The one thing I have found that’s exciting is that all this music we write has essentially become other peoples music. So when you play a gig it sort of becomes ‘our song’ for people. It sounds cheesy but when a song we write means something to use and something else to another person I love that.

SS: So you haven’t got to the point where you have to think are people going to like this song?
Alex: No I don’t really care, you can’t really get into that, that’s sort of the end.

SS: What past works of Ben Hillier’s did that made you decide to go with him?
Alex: Every album his done is amazing. I really liked [Blur's] Think Tank and that song ‘Out of Time’ is just amazing. Future heads, they did a really good album with him, which we heard, didn’t sell that well but we just love it.
Nick: Doves have the most amazing distinct sound.
Alex: I don’t think he has had an album, which we haven’t felt passionate about. We chose him because every band he worked with he managed to make them be themselves but push their sound in a really unique direction, which is what you want as a band. You don’t want someone to come in and change your vibe but you also don’t want them to just record you as you are, you want them to add their little…I guess Ben added his sound and touch to us, so when I listen back I can hear the various toys that he used on us in other people’s bands.

SS: The Buffalo Bill remix of 'Too Much To Do' is pretty cool; do you mind people messing around with your tracks?
Dave: We thought it was really cool, as long as you do it well in a distinctive way. The best remix are ones that are completely different to where we as a band think it could go.
Alex: You want someone’s opinion but at the same time for them to be relatively respectful.

SS: Has there been any bad remixes?
Dave: Yeah there have been some really bad ones; the Buffalo Bill one was probably the best one so far.
Alex: It's also kind of cool because it’s so completely different. At first I was like eugh but then I thought this is kind of cool.

SS: If you were about to die, but could play one last song what would it be? Would it be one of your own?
Nick: I think I’d be much more concerned about dying.
Alex: 'Moon River', the acoustic version with Audrey Hepburn. Oh no, I’m not dead yet. Then I’d jump onto a raft and sail off into the sunset and that would be it!

Words: Ellie Gill
Photography: Barry MacDonald