Clockenflap cheat sheet: Los Campesinos!

Posted: 26 Oct 2009

While sitting down with a glass of wine and watching Match of the Day, Neil Campesinos answered some of our burning questions about Los Campesinos! by email

You're calling yourself The Peasants. That's a bit harsh, isn't it? What's the origin?

I used to study Spanish so it was a word I was aware of. We needed a band name so I suggested Los Campesinos. The exclamation mark was later added as a tribute to Panic! At the Disco. We never consider the translation, whether that is 'the farmers' or 'the peasants'. Los Campesinos! is just a word that we think sounds good, looks good and is a bit different.

You finished your third album recently -- any news on when it'll be out?

We're hoping it will be out early next year, around February.

Tell us about the new album.

It's bigger and better than anything we've recorded yet. We're really excited about it. We are continuing in the direction we were heading in on We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed. There's less saccharine pop and some darker songs. Gareth's lyrics are darker and the arrangements are amazing. There is a lot going on. We are still the loveable pop band that millions fell in love with so don't worry.

Working on anything at the moment?

We're about to start a UK tour. We haven't toured here for a year so it's really exciting. We've been rehearsing with our new signing, Kim and everything is going scarily well.

Will you be playing the new tracks out here?

We've been learning several new songs that we are planning to play on our UK tour and at the festival. It has been really great learning new songs.

With seven people on stage, what should we expect from you guys at Clockenflap?

We just try and have as much fun as we can. There would be no point trying to perform if we weren't enjoying ourselves. The press often calls us shambolic, energetic and poppy. We like to have a dance and hopefully that will encourage the crowd to dance and perhaps even have a good time.

What's in the future for Los Campesinos!?

Right now we're just thinking about our upcoming shows and finalizing the album and looking forward to February.

What do you guys think about yourselves?

We don't take ourselves too seriously. Like I said, we like to have fun when we play. The day it becomes a chore to record or to perform live will be the day that we quit. We don't want to continue doing the same thing. The new record shows that we've really improved as a band. The new songs have great arrangement. We really want to keep pushing ourselves.

What do you hate being asked?

Stupid shit.

What do you routinely lie about?

Have a guess.

Complete this sentence. A Clockenflap is... ?

Great?

What's better -- a clock or a flap?

A flap for reasons I don't need to explain.

Who are you most looking forward to seeing at Clockenflap?

It's going to be good to see Blood Red Shoes again. We've hung out a bunch of times and we haven't seen them for a while so it should be fun.

----------------------

CHEAT SHEET

Comprises Seven members all with the surname Campesinos.

Does Raw, shouting lo-fi indie pop.

From Cardiff, Wales.

You care because you don’t get cool seven-pieces in Hong Kong very often. And you want a sneak peak of this Pavement-loving band’s new album, which is on the way. On the album, Neil Campesinos says: “We are continuing in the direction we were heading in on We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed. There’s less saccharine pop and some darker songs.”

Here’s proof Download their new track The Sea is a Good Place to Think of the Future

Babelfish please! You probably knew that Los Campesinos! translates to The Peasants! But did you know, at least according to Neil, that the exclamation mark was added as a tribute to Panic! At the Disco?

What’s better – a clock or a flap? Says Neil “A flap for reasons I don’t need to explain.”