Today we welcome Armellodie’s southernmost batallion Kill The Captains to the Elba Sessions. Having just released their debut long player, Fun Anxiety, we caught up with front man and axe-wielder Leon for a few words.

Firstly, would you care to introduce the band?

Of course- I go by the name of Captain Carter, I am co-axe wielder and chief warbler. My fellow axe grinder and gnasher of teeth is Dr Pickavance. Captain Scarlett pounds the traps like his life depends on it, Bifidus Digestivum does the sub-sonic pulses and throbs recently filling in the clown sized shoes of his forbear Yoz Hughes.

Awful question, but, who are your main influences. Having seen you live, I’m guessing it’s varied throughout the band!?

We are a ramshackled pile up of the best of Kraut rock, post rock, Brighton rock, roll and rock. Love Slint, love My Bloody Valentine, love Kyuss, love Can, love Le Savy Fav, love seventies folkie stuff, love it love it love it.

You seem to be quite a busy band what with having your own studio and putting on monthly ‘Mutiny’ nights. Do you think more bands should get involved with taking a wider approach to their band i.e. putting on gigs for themselves etc…

If you can handle the extra stress and strain of putting on an event it can be massively rewarding. We started Mutiny quite simply because we felt there weren’t enough nights like it in Sheffield. When we go out for a night of live music we want to see something fresh, non-generic and exciting, and we knew there were lots of people in our city similarly like of mind and taste. So it was a no brainer really. One of the obvious key benefits is that you get to put yourself on the bill with bands that genuinely excite you, rather than being at the mercy of a promoter who might not share your taste in music or sense. And then there’s the general principle of the evening where we aim to make the nights as good experience as possible for the bands we put on- we’ll promote the ass off it, whip up a great atmosphere and, importantly, all profits are shared. It is criminal that too many top bands play without being paid their dues.

Has doing this helped you as a band?

Greatly- we’ve played with some incredible bands as a result and reached their audiences where potentially we might not have. As a result we’ve shared the bill with the the likes of Bilge Pump, Acoustic Ladyland, Fists, Wooderson, Corleone, Johnny Foreigner, and our amazing label mates Cuddly Shark and Le Reno Amps.

How did signing to Armellodie come about being that you are based in Sheffield and them in Glasgow?

It was a strange meeting of minds that came about in 2007. My old school friend was passing through Sheffield with his band Actress Hands co-touring with Le Reno Amps. We all hit it off, sank booze, chewed the metaphysical fat, exchanged musical tips. Al Nero of the Amps got in touch a few weeks later expressing an interest in putting out some records on his fledgeling Armellodie label. The rest they say is history. We couldn’t be happier. To be on the roster of bands that Al has put together is an absolute dream. I genuinely believe we’re on one of the best labels in the UK. Cuddly Shark, Super Adventure Club and the Amps all deserve to be massive.

The new album ‘Fun Anxiety’ was released on May 5th. Has it been a long time in the pipeline?

As we went for the DIY approach, recording it in our studio ourselves, it probably took us a bit longer to piece together than it should. But it was our aim to try and do something a bit different- an album lover’s album. Hopefully something that you want to listen to from the first track through to the last, in one sitting. We consciously avoided simply recording the live renditions of the tunes, instead looking at different ways of interpreting songs that we had got used to playing a certain way. Hence stuff like Lebanese has been transformed from its live thrashy origins into something more ethereal and stoner for the record.

It struck me when listening to the album that it was very different and very cleverly put together, do you have a different approach to songwriting than your average band would?

Each song is different. Some stuff is the result of jams that have been recorded, replicated, structured, recorded and restructured. Other times I’ll come to the band with a song that’s ¾ finished, we’ll hammer it out and see what direction we can pull it in. As a general rule, we try to avoid the conventional verse/ chorus/ verse/ chorus route. But there is always something to be said about convention from time to time.

Does having your own studio help with developing the songs and how they eventually end up sounding on the record?

Absolutely. Our studio is a modest set up, but has served us fantastically well over the years as a recording and songwriting tool. For the most part, it’s instant feedback. If you’re working something out and unsure where to take it, recording and listening back is great for stimulating creativity, and making you look at the song more objectively. It’s also useful for documenting and logging jams, ensuring they’re not lost to the moment. Some of our best moments as a band have been born from recorded jams.

It is standard at Elba that we try to get some ‘local’ knowledge out of all the bands we speak to. Is there any bands that we should be looking out for either from Sheffield or that you’ve come across on your travels?

Loads – Wooderson are great band from Sheffield which we played with just the other night, Bilge Pump are awesome, hilarious and technically absurd, Bad Guys rock some serious ass and obviously our aforementioned label mates. Super Adventure Club have to be seen to be believed.

What does the rest of the year hold for KTC?

Well we’ve had a chocker year so far but after a gig with Clinic at the Harley in Sheffield in June, followed by the Peace in the Park festival we’ll take a short break from the gigs to return to the studio to record a new EP.

‘Fun Anxiety’ is out now on Armellodie Records and you can get your grubby paws on a copy here.

Tomorrow night (Friday 9th) there is a couple of things on our radar. First up an artist who we unfortunately didn’t manage to get along to at Hinterland (sad faces and regret all round), The Boy Who Trapped The Sun, is supporting Australian bluesman (with a penchant for Hip Hop beats) the John Butler Trio at the O2 Academy. Heading back over the River Clyde, recent visitors to Elba Studios, Inner Sight, launch their forthcoming single with a support slot for Edinburgh favourites Isa & The Filthy Tongues who also launch their album on the night. The ‘cosmic dance rockers’ take to the Stereo stage tomorrow night and it’s £7 to get in. We’ve been told to expect some surprises????????

On Saturday, it’s a veritable feast. I’ve had serious trouble deciding where I’ll drag the better half, behold the options…

A) Another good gig at Stereo featuring a rather stellar line up headed up by Three Blind Wolves who are launching their new album ‘Sound of The Storm’ (looking forward to hearing that one), one of last weeks ‘Elba Hinterland highlight‘ bands, French Wives and the chaotic but excellently named John Knox Sex Club. Tickets are fiver.

B) The Ruck In The Duck. (The poster leaves me no choice but to use boxing lingo…apologies.) A heavyweight bout of champions. A battle between Glasgow’s two best, unknown, record labels. Taking place at (the name gives it away) The Flying Duck, the line up includes She’s Hit and Calacas representing the awesome Lucky Number Nine Records and in the ‘other’ corner showing off the Armellodie stable are Sheffield’s ‘tough as steel’ upstarts Kill The Captains and Cuddly Shark. The first bell rings at 8pm so get in early for your ringside seat.

So there you have it, two options for Friday and Saturday. Take your pick!

*This is in no way meant to be a definitive gig guide, just gigs we like the sound of. If you do have a gig coming up that you think we should know about, just holler at us, we’re always looking for somewhere to go!

Album of The Year – Loads to choose from! Titus Andronicus – The Airing of Grievances probably tops the list though. Honourable mentions to Brakes, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Le Reno Amps, Cuddly Shark and The Cinematics, oh, and The Phantom Band! (I could go on…)

Hopes for 2010/Things You’re Looking Forward To – Putting on more gigs, writing more for the blog (and getting better at it), seeing and hearing loads of new music, working with Armellodie records and seeing it evolve, Pavement at the Barrowlands (!!!!!!!) and putting some faces to email addresses!

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM ALL OF US HERE AT ELBA!

SEE YOU IN 2010!

Album of the Year – Sports by Rodent Emporium

Hopes for 2010/Things you’re looking forward to – We’d like to have a real hip-hop-hot-pot-pot noodle and we’re looking forward to finally releasing the new album! We’d also like to be featured on the front cover of anything with the title ‘SAC’s bomb’ or ‘Anglo Sacsons’ etc etc, more puns please.

You can catch your SAC fix on the following dates;
17th Dec with Bronto Skylift, Lyons and DJ Vic Galloway @ Stereo, Glasgow 7:30pm £3
19th Dec with Pummel and Rage @ The Bongo Club, Edinburgh 7pm, £6

www.myspace.com/superadventuremusic