Gomez

Gomez are an English indie rock band from Southport. Their first album, Bring It On, won the Mercury Music Prize in 1998.

Music News caught up with the band after they had recorded their sixth album 'A New Tide' to ask some questions.

Ian Ball
Ben Ottewell
Tom Gray
Paul Blackburn
Olly Peacock

So what have you been up since 'How We Operate’ came out?

Apart from touring for a couple of years and then making this new album, Gomez have collectively had 2 weddings and 4 children since the last record. So you could say we've been pretty busy.

With 'A New Tide’ about to be released can we read something into the title? Is this a sea change for Gomez?

Its certainly a very different record from the last one, but then we've never really strived for a singular sound or identity - this record is, I think, more about ideas, arrangements and sonics than the more straightforwardly song based last record, although the songs are still good. It probably has more in common with In Our Gun, although a more fully realised album. So no sea change apart from the fact that we are always changing, thats the idea. As for the album's title,'A New Tide' is something our Hippy Australian mate came up with so you'll have to ask him.

Who, what and where have you taken inspiration from for this album?

I can't speak for the others but for me having kids has been a massive inspiration Most of the tunes I contributed were written trying to get my twin boys to sleep. Luckily they found the guitar fascinating although I don't know what them falling asleep to the music says about the quality of the songs.

The band now lives on two separate continents, who lives where and why?

Tom and I live in Brighton and the others in the US. Ian in LA, Olly in New York and Blacks in Detroit. I think we were spending so much time touring over there they one day decided not to come back, plus they are all married to Americans. How did this affect the songwriting aspect for 'A New Tide’?

We spent some time together in Charlottesville Virginia in a house in the woods and a week or so in LA getting ideas together and write a lot individually but we also send each other ideas over the internet, wrote and changed parts and arrangements and sent them back. It's a really good way of working when you live 3000 miles away from each other.

Why was Brian Deck chosen to produce the album?

He basically begged us to do it. We liked the way he made sounds sound.

You celebrated your 10th anniversary of the Mercury winning album 'Bring It On’ last year. Would you say that was your best album if not which is?

Listening to Bring it On is kind of like looking at old photographs, it makes me feel a little uncomfortable. I appreciate the way people feel about that record and still think the songs are great but my favourite is the new one.

What is the highlight of your career so far?

Probably when we headline the 2nd stage at Glastonbury in front of about 30,000 people as the sun was setting.

Here at Music News we have enjoyed many of your live performances, how has the live experience changed over the years?

When we first started we were pretty terrible so learning how to play helped. We have 6 albums behind us so we are able to draw on that back catalogue and do different things with the show. Its basically gotten a lot better.

Which song is your favourite to perform live?

I really enjoy playing How We Operate of the last record but mainly the end section which is just a furious maelstrom with Olly trying to destroy his kit.

If Music News readers had to listen to one Gomez song which would you recommend?

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