Features

Gomez.

Interview with Gomez

Is it true that you got the name Gomez from a guy who was lived in your halls of residence in Sheffield? Or is that just a myth?

No, that's true, it was a friend of ours. We only played one concert before we got signed to the record label. It was at this pub in Leeds, and he didn't really know where it was so we put a sign outside directing him in that said 'Gomez Inside' or whatever. We were amused by it for a while and then we thought, why don't we keep it? It was ridiculous and silly, so..

Did he actually go to the gig?

Yes, as far as I know he did, yeah.

Have you seen him since?

I actually saw him a few months ago. I hadn't seen him for years and years and all of a sudden, there he was.

Is Gomez his nickname or his actual name?

His actual surname.

Fantastic! Now, you started your career writing songs that were very mature for your age, do you think that you've caught up with life experiences since?

I guess so. For us lot, I guess we've grown up with everybody watching us for ten years. It's kind of hard to dissect yourself. We were playing music that was probably older than our average age. Lyrically nowadays it's more mature.

You worked with Gil Norton on the new album. He's a Scouser and has worked with The Pixies. Did having someone of that stature add something to the end product?

It definitely was an important process deciding what producers were going to get involved. He's from our neck of the woods and has the same sense of humour. We all had a good laugh straight away and that was always going to be important for us to get along with him, y'know?

Is it true that you did an X-Factor style competition where you let fans choose the songs for the new recording?

I don't think we did that. Maybe we asked a few people questions about the stuff. We might be releasing an album of rarities, some of the older stuff from the Hut years and people have been saying what they want to hear and what they don't want to hear. But no, we never really did that, no.

It looks like America is becoming a productive hunting ground for you lot. Do you have any secrets to cracking America, Gomez-style?

Gomez: Southport's finest.

You just have to do it repeatedly, that's the thing. The place is so big, you've got to treat it like you're visiting say six countries in one go. Radiohead did it. You've got to go there and keep going back and working your arse off. Unless you are a huge pop artist, that's all you can do.

So with Ian (guitar and vocals) living over there, are you guys going to up sticks and leave us for America full-time?

Ian's been over there a few years. He's married to an American lady. I'm going to be moving to New York soon.

Oh no!

Everybody's all over the shop!

You know our ticket prices will go up once you're an American band.

(Laughs).

With the ten years you've had gigging together, what's the key bit of advice you'd give to new bands starting out now?

Erm, don't break your instruments.. that's obviously expensive. Don't throw them at eachother, because that hurts! Be good on your instrument before you get on a stage. It took us about three years to do that.

Do you think of it as sincere flattery that the Country twang and harmonies used by Gomez has been used by bands like The Coral and The Zutons.

I think that it's just something that has influenced a lot of bands. I think a lot of bands have that bit of style within them. People are so much more accepting of listening to anything these days. I think it just influences everyone on Merseyside.

How healthy do you think the UK music scene is at the moment? Are you listening to any new bands?

At the moment, I'm listening to a band called Tunng. I'm also listening to King Biscuit Time, which is the guy out of the Beta Band. But the general music scene, a lot of it still seems to be fashion-led: who's going to be the new whoever? Record companies aren't really seeking out something original but just churning out what is going to make money. You get a bit overdosed with the same kind of styles. In the States, a lot of English bands are doing well, like K.T Tunstall is doing well over there. The English thing is cool right now, so I guess it's good.

Going back to your North-West roots and the fact that most of you are from Southport, do you miss the old place? Do you get back much?

Yeah, we come back. Most recently Christmas and through the year to see the family.

According to an online encyclopedia, to 'Do A Gomez' is to release an album that's so successful and gets so much unanimous praise that expectations make it impossible to follow. Do you think your new EP is going to set that record straight?

Well, i'd like to think so. Somewhere down the line it probably will do. Give it a few months and maybe it will be selling a few in America and all that. That's funny, I like hearing about those sort of terms.

You've had your debut record, you've had your oddities record, you've had your live record, and your rockin' records.. How would you describe your latest album 'How We Operate' in terms of the rest of the Gomez brood?

It's just basically us concentrating on songs. It was all about not concentrating on the sound of the record and producing the record- that was Gil's job. So it's essentially us being a band. This is probably the most band-sounding record we've done since the first one. Plus, a lot of the other albums, everyone was individually writing things, so this is us all coming together for the first time in quite a while as well.

In you could be any other band on the planet, from any era, who would you be?

That's so difficult!

That's why it's the last question!

It would have to be the Beatles. I won't say which one I would be!

Good luck with the tour and the new album! Hope your Liverpool show is a good one.

Thanks! Take care.

Gomez are at Liverpool Carling Academy, Thurs June 8th 2006.