From left to right: Chris, Tom, Russell, Ed
It hasn't been a bad year so far for Editors. They justifiably have the nation's music press eating out of their collective hand, they have released three killer singles and have an eagerly awaited debut album The Back Room on the horizon. All this, and it's only July! SUPERSWEET managed to catch up with Birmingham's finest, who took some time out to talk through the album tracks, as well as letting us in on which song they'd play on the O.C, and why BBQs are the way forward.
1) LIGHTS
Tom Smith (vocals, guitar): We wanted a really snappy bang-on introduction to the album, it’s kind of representational of our live agenda.
2) MUNICH
Russell Leetch (bass): Er… German city, good food, brilliant bass lines! (laughs)
3) BLOOD
Ed Lay (drums): Well, great drumming! (laughs) No, I can’t use that gag, it’s been stolen! But it has very anthemic kind of disco beat to it. Lyrically it's reasonably dark, it’s a dark song…
Tom: (shouting) ...has a chorus so big you can hear it from out of space!
Chris Urbanowicz (guitar): Wait till your turn!
Tom: Oh come on, it’s important and he wasn’t going to say it! How long will it take till my turn to come?! (laughs)
4) FALL
Chris: 'Fall' is probably our oldest song which we demo'd in Russell’s bedroom about 3 years ago, for that I’m sure will get out one day, it sounds pretty bad now.
5) ALL SPARKS
Tom: That’s the newest song on the record probably. We’re trying to make a dark disco-esque, I guess.
Chris: I like the idea that we put the oldest song next to the newest song, it’s a good contrast.
Tom: Great backing vocals at the end of that one.
SS: You know actually this song on your promo when you put it in your computer…
Tom: It says 'All Sports' I know (laughs). There’s a retard working in our office, that’s what’s wrong with it! (laughs) Well, some office somewhere... Basically, you pay peanuts you get monkeys!
6) CAMERA
Russell: We’re very happy with the outcome of it. From when we went into the studio till what it became, it’s a really good process and the producer helped us… I’m just really proud of that song. I think it’s like the centre point of the album.
Tom: It’s also where the title of the album comes from as well.
Chris: It’s what hints what could be the next step for us.
7) FINGERS IN THE FACTORIES
Ed: This is probably my favourite song live, I think it’s really energetic, it gets the kids grooving, vaguely. It’s really punchy, it’s quite hard. It’s probably one of the hardest tracks on album.
8) BULLETS
Chris: We just finished re-recording that actually. We’re going to re-release it as a single. And it’s Zane Lowe’s favourite Editors’ stuff (laughs).
9) SOMEONE SAYS
Tom: Probably the most melodic out-out pop song I think. Just when it comes to melody in the course, it just kind of pops at everywhere back into the guitar and whenever I hear it I have visions of people in summer having barbeque to it, I don’t know why, but I just do... I fucking love barbeques!
Chris: It’s the song we’d play on The O.C. (laughs) if we were on it!
10) OPEN YOUR ARMS
Russell: It's kind of epic, and we always play that as a closer to our set live so I suppose it being near the end of the album seems kind of fitting.
11) DISTANCE
Ed: I think I might say it’s a love song, very emotional and really emotionally-charged. It’s got a drum machine in it so I wasn’t quite happy (laughs). It’s a beautiful song, really really passionate.
Tom: It’s like a comedown at the end of the record. Go on Chris, it’s your quote!
Chris: They always use my quotes (laughs). I think it’s the… the comedown of the album!
SS: Is that all?
Chris: No, after a gig you don’t go straight to bed, you like to have a drink with your mates. Chill out, have a ravenous sex!
Tom: With your mates?!
Chris: What? Don't you have sex with your mates?!
Photography: Kriangkrai Srithongthai