Art Brut

Warum ist der Musikpresseliebling von 2005 ART BRUT im Jahr 2011 durchgefallen? Wir wundern uns und denken: “Brilliant! Tragic!” Art Brut Sänger Eddie Argos ist schüchtern und fürchtet sich vor Leuten. Das merkt man auch in Interview.

Er liebt Comics und schreibt sogar über sie, um kostenlos an seine Lieblingszeichner zu gelangen. Seine Songtexte sind persönlich und daher tragisch, sagt er, aber auch brillant, sagen wir. Eddi erzählt uns was aus seiner persönlichen Sicht bei Art Brut passiert.


What’s behind the album title “Brilliant, Tragic”?
I was thinking about calling it “wham bang pow, let’s rock out” and then when we had finished recording it, I listened to it and it didn’t really sound like a “wham, bang, pow, let’s rock out” kind of album. People pointed out that I had depressing bits to my lyrics, which I hadn’t really realized before. There was a lecturer in Berlin who actually described me as a depressive dandy, so I sort of embraced that really, so – yes – something turns out to be tragic: one of [the songs] is about my funeral… – and then, it’s a brilliant album. It made sense.

Do you have a favourite song on the album?
It’s really hard to choose a favourite song because I like them all. I enjoy playing “Axel Rose” live. That’s my favourite to play live because there is a lot of shouting and jumping around. It’s like being in the Stooges.

The best-known British comedian here in Germany is Russell Brand. Was the song “Bad Comedian” written for Katie Perry?
I was just thinking about every new boyfriend my girlfriends have had after me; I often wonder how they like the other guy but they don’t like me… It’s all about ex-girlfriends and new boyfriends. (laughs)

Another song is called “I am the psychic”. What’s the significance of all the hints and stories about strangers, such as Axel Rose?
It’s almost a sad song. I always get worried around people. I think I know what they are thinking about me and I get a bit nervous about it. “Oh I am a psychic!” And then Frank Black said, “No Eddie! You’re a powerful man. You are the psychic.” He said, “ESP is good for you!” He taught me to feel really powerful. Things have changed thanks to Frank Black. Now I feel that I am powerful and psychic whereas before I was worried about it.

How come that you think that you are psychic?
Well, from conversations basically. I’m quite a shy, paranoid person in real life. I sit around talking to people worrying that they think I am an idiot. I just thought people were thinking bad things about me. But now Frank Black convinced me that I am a psychic and it’s a powerful gift. ‘Sorry. There’s nothing to worry about.’

How did you meet Frank Black?
The song on our second album “Jealous Guy” is one of his favourite songs. I read an interview where he said that and I thought “Wow”, that’s cool. Maybe we should get in touch with him [about our next album]. We thought that he would say no if we asked him to work with us. We weren’t expecting it to happen. Now we are friends and he is like a member of the band.

Did you listen to the Pixies when you were younger?
Didn’t everybody? Yeah, of course. I really liked [Frank Black and] the Catholics as well… Frank records his albums with the Catholics in pretty much one take. He just goes and does it. That’s how I thought that I would like to record. This time it took a bit more time, but I liked that, too. He’s very good to work with. I thought he would be very intimidating when we first met him, but he’s a pussy cat (laughs). He’s very easy to get along with; I really like him… We were both so enthusiastic about the album. We’d be working on the album all day, then he would text me from his car, and I’d text him in the morning and we phoned each other all the time; it was a pretty intense three weeks with him.

I read on allmusic.com that you “make brilliantly simple, cleverly stupid art-punk”. Would you agree with that statement?
That sounds like a contradiction – although perhaps I’m stupid (laughs). That’s everything, isn’t it? We are some of those words, but I’m not sure about all of them.

Why don’t you write love songs or songs about the environment?
On the album “Sealand” is a love song. I wrote “Emily Kane” as a love song. I like to write songs like conversations, or that is how they start out at least. I like to put a lot of personal things into song. Then, when someone likes a song, it is as if they like you. It feels like I’ve got lots of friends. I’m sure that I could write a song about the environment, but it would be a pretty boring song. I tend to write about things from my point of view, about personal things. Yes, I think that I write love songs.

Other stars are involved with environmental programs – and do benefit concerts for example.
I recycle (laughs). People know about the environment. It is not a topic that I have found something to write about… We do benefit concerts from time to time. Jasper and I grew up in Dorset and did some concerts in Bournemouth. We raised money for things down there, but I don’t really think that we are successful enough to do that kind of thing – but if you can think of something that I can do to help the environment, then I’ll do it.