Art Brut and Music Too

© Cooking Vinyl

Eddie Argos with his mates. Together, they are Art Brut.

Whether they are in the studio or roaming all around the world, German/English indie rock band Art Brut are always trying to keep their fans on their toes by delivering eccentric and unique music.  Over the last 5 years, they've been through some highs and lows, from problems with their label to recording with The Pixies' Frank Black, and have come full circle with their latest release Art Brut vs. Satan. I recently had a chance to chat with the Art Brut's lead singer Eddie Argos to talk about the new album and how they got such a funny name.

Your band name is derived from the definition of outsider art (made without thought to imitation or presentation). How did this come about and how do you relate to this concept through your music?

Art Brut is my favorite sort of art. I've always liked it. When I first named the band only I knew what it meant. So basically, every night when I'd say hello we're Art Brut, I'd be calling the rest of the band mentally ill out patients and unqualified artists without them knowing. Art Brut is a very honest form of art and I think we're a very honest band. It also means outsider art and when I first named the band it was a tongue in cheek reference to that. Although I feel we have become outsiders so perhaps it is a self fulfilling prophecy.

What are you most proud of with your latest release, Art Brut vs. Satan?

All of it. I think it came out very well. Of all of our albums it is the one that sounds most like what we actually sound like. We did it very fast too.

You were able to work with Frank Black on this last release over a period of 12 days, how was that experience and what did that opportunity contribute to the making of the album?

It was a great experience.  He is a brilliant person to work with. When someone like Black Francis tells you you've written a brilliant song, it gives you a lot of confidence. I don't think we would have had the confidence to record our album so fast and raw if he hadn't been there to convince us.

You are touring throughout the US during the months of October and November - for someone who already has seen you perform this year, what can they expect from this tour?  Are you doing anything differently?

Yep, a long time ago we used to play a similar show every night but after watching some other bands do that I realized how insincere that looks and feels, so we try and change up most of the set every night.  We recently played 5 nights in a row in New York, LA, and Chicago, and every night was different.  It's a lot more fun to mix it up.  Saying that though we have got a few new tricks for this tour that we will be doing every night.

In the last 5 years you guys have released 3 albums.  How have you grown over the years as musicians?  How have you grown as individuals?  What do you know now that you wish you knew then?

I don't think I've learnt anything.  Art Brut are quite lucky in that we've always just done what we want.  Maybe we should learn to take advice.  I regret us getting caught up in that nightmare at EMI, but we weren't to know at the time that they were about to go bankrupt, and we survived it in the end. My lyrics have changed a bit, I don't repeat myself as much as I used to.  I think we've changed as musicians by the fact that we've spent the last 5 years with each other.  When we first met we all had very different tastes in music but we've learned to appreciate each others favorite bands by having to listen to them on tour.  I think that has had an affect.

What artists today are influencing you?  Who have you seen or listened to lately that has truly blown you away?

We all like different types of music in Art Brut.  I am mainly intro singer songwriters.  Bands that have blown me away recently though are Los Campesinos and future of the Left.  I think we'd all agree on that actually.

What do you have in store for 2010? Anything in particular you are really looking forward to?

I'm releasing a record with my other band "Everybody was in the French Resistance... Now" and then we're writing and releasing another Art Brut record.  I love writing and releasing records. I'm looking forward to it.