Interview: Art Brut (Eddie Argos)

Foto: http://www.tellallyourfriendspr.com/

(ms) In der alten Wahlheimat gibt es eine wunderbare Party-Reihe: Take Me Out heißt sie. Wie liebte ich diese Abende, als die oldschool-Indie-Alternative-Musik mich bis in den frühen Morgen zu den besten, markantesten, elektrisierendsten Songs tanzen ließ?! Und jedes Mal war ein Kerl mit Wolverine-Gedächtnisbart am Start. Er hielt sich meist mit einem erfrischenden Getränk in der Hand am Seitenrand, nahe dem DJ-Pult. Doch wenn Art Brut lief, konnte auch er sich nicht mehr halten. Modern art makes him want to rock out. Damit sind wir bei einer ganz wunderbaren Band angelangt, die dieser Tage das 15-jährige Jubiläum ihres Albums Bang Bang Rock & Roll feiert! Zwischendurch gab es eine längere Pause und einen Krankenhausaufenthalt von Kopf, Schreiber, Initiator Eddie Argos. Mit Wham! Bang! Pow! Let's Rock Out! kamen sie vor zwei Jahren zurück! Nun geben sie sich im April die Ehre, in Hamburg und Berlin zwei Konzerte mit den Songs der Geburtstagsplatte zu zelebrieren.
Im Vorfeld durften wir Sänger Eddie Argos (im Bild der zweite von links) ein paar Fragen stellen. Wir reden nicht um den heißen Brei herum: Hier sind die Antworten!

Dear Eddie, thanks for answering a few questions concerning your Bang Bang Rock & Roll-jubilee. How is your little brother doing? What music is he listening to meanwhile?

My little brother is all good, we just retook the photo of the original single cover of him for our German language My Little Brother-release [s.u.]. He looks much healthier in it than he did in the one 15 years ago. I don't know what he's listening to right now. I messaged him to ask him but he hasn't got back to me in time to put it in this interview. Something great though I'm sure. He has great taste in music.

How is Emily Kane doing? Do you still think of her? 

I think she is doing great, she's married with two kids. I think of her every time I sing the song, she'll always be special to me. I'm not in love with her anymore but writing the song helped me figure that out. Art as therapy and it's amazing that because of the song, I managed to reconnect with her, that's the power of rock and roll.

You've created paintings for years. Where did the passion to modern art come from? Was there a special initiating moment? 

I've always painted. I love it. Chris Chincilla, the original Art Brut guitar player, insisted on using one of my paintings as the cover on our first single Formed A Band and that gave me a lot of confidence to put my art out there, before that I'd always kept it to myself. It also gave me the confidence to paint more, so I guess that was the initiating moment.

Is there a difference for you between drawing and songwriting? You've been diagnosed with dyspraxia: is your creative output something like a self-therapy? 

I think all art is self therapy. Yeah there is a big difference to how I work between the two things. I'm always writing in my head, I'm only painting sometimes.

Does modern art still make you want to rock out? 

Of Course! Doesn't it make everyone want to rock out?

What was your last good weekend? 

All weekends are good weekends.

What was your last bad weekend? 

I can't remember my last bad weekend. I don't have bad weekends anymore, I avoid them. Probably one of the ones when I was in hospital for a month, but even then I was mainly lying down and reading a book so can't complain really.

What is so special about Berlin that you've been living there for years? I read you wanted to become a German citizen. What is the current status quo? 

I like Germany a lot, Berlin is just where I ended up, and now my son is from here, I guess I'm here for good. I love that's its still a very green city, and if you find the right bars there are still a lot of good conversations to be had. Yeah, my plan is still to become a German citizen. Hopefully this year.

Which bands or musicians are the most exciting in Berlin for you? Which ones in UK at the moment? 

From Berlin I really like Shybits who are playing with us on these shows, I also like Gurr a lot (I recorded a Christmas song with them a while back) and also Sofia Portanet who we took on our last European tour with us. I'm not so sure about the UK-scene. I like Squid a lot, Hotel Lux, Dry Cleaning; there seems to be a lot of interesting stuff going on there at the moment but I've not had the time to investigate.

After you had to stay in hospital for one month you wanted to quit drinking and smoking. How is it doing about that? 

I don't smoke anymore, I still drink.

You are going to play two shows in Berlin and Hamburg in April. Why will there be no complete tour? 

Sometimes that's the way it is. *Shrug Emoji*

In march you'll play a tour in the UK with The Subways. What are your expectations? Is it like coming home? 

I've not been to the UK in ages, I'm looking forward to rummaging around the charity shops in all the towns in England. Charity shops are probably the only thing I miss. And of course playing. I'm looking forward to playing the shows with The Subways. Our bands started at almost exactly the same time, its going to be a blast rocking out on tour with them.

Art Brut live:
15.04.2020 - Hamburg, Molotow
16.04.2020 - Berlin, Lido