It pays to be honest. Ever since Art Brut formed in 2004 and
released its first single, “Formed a Band,” the
down-to-earth London-based quintet has become an unstoppable
machine of indie rock. Not only have they released their debut
album, “Bang Bang Rock & Roll,” several different
times on several different labels, but they’ve also been on
the road for over a year, with their latest tour bringing them to
Hollywood’s Henry Fonda Theater on Saturday, Sept. 30.
Even Eddie Argos, the band’s candid lead singer,
isn’t quite sure how they manage. Since becoming one of the
most recognizable voices in music for his unique style of talking
instead of singing, he admits he has to squeeze in breaks wherever
he can find them.
“I don’t know how we do it,” Argos said.
“I like to spend a lot of time lying around. I’m quite
a lazy man, actually. We spend a lot of time on the tour bus, which
helps.”
Argos added that the amount of time they’ve spent on the
road, which included gigs at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts
Festival and the Pitchfork Music Festival, is due mostly to the
numerous times “Bang Bang Rock & Roll” was
released.
“When you release an album several times, you have to
spend a lot of time touring,” he said.
However, this tour will be slightly different from previous
treks. Instead of headlining at small venues like they have in the
past, Art Brut will be opening for fellow Brit-rockers We Are
Scientists.
“My girlfriend’s band, The Chalets, went on tour
with them and we met them, and they were really nice guys. I
can’t wait,” Argos said.
And, as if they weren’t already busy enough, Art Brut is
also in the process of recording its sophomore album, which is
expected in early 2007. Several of the tracks, including
“Direct Hit,” have made it into the group’s
recent live sets.
“We’re supposed to have the album done by
December,” Argos said. “We have five or six songs
finished, but I still have to write a lot of the words.”
For Argos ““ whose lyrics focus on everyday topics like
forming a band, troublesome relationships and his love for modern
art ““ the real challenge is to keep things exciting.
“We’ve just got to find different things to write
about, really. Otherwise it’d be a bit boring. Nobody would
want to hear it, you know?” he said. “”˜Still in a
Band?’ ““ that wouldn’t work.”
Argos’ honest approach to songwriting was one of the
things that made “Bang Bang Rock & Roll” such an
enjoyable listen. One track, “Emily Kane,” saw Argos
lamenting the loss of a girl who, he believed, was his true love
and calculating down to the very second how long it had been since
he had last seen her.
“It’s difficult to be that honest at first, but then
it’s quite exhilarating. I mean I love modern art, but the
things about Emily Kane are more real to me,” he said.
In fact, the song was responsible for a phone call Argos
received from his long-lost love, a scenario that he described at
several of his summer concerts before explaining his realization
that he was never truly in love with her to begin with.
“It was very surreal for me, but it was more surreal for
her,” he said. “She would tell everyone the song was
about her and no one believed her, and she would say,
“˜I’m that Emily Kane!’ and they would say,
“˜Oh yeah, well… .'”
Despite inhibitions many artists may have about making their
private lives too accessible to the public, Argos admits that he
has little desire to keep secrets.
“I like being me,” he said. “I like being
honest. It’s invigorating.”
Another secret Argos isn’t ashamed to admit is his desire
to strip down to his waist and ride a Harley on Sunset Boulevard,
which he describes in the song “Moving to L.A.”
“I actually took my shirt off in L.A. before, but I was
just changing shirts,” he said jokingly. “We looked
into it last time, but I’d probably get arrested because I
haven’t got a license. Plus, I’m a very pale
man.”