So I know I have been very vocal of my support for Glasvegas over the last year. They are without doubt, potentially the most important band to emerge from these shores in the last decade. With that in mind, I took the opportunity to catch up with Rab from the band for his take on the last six month’s. Before I start this I must say that Rab is such an unassuming guy and a pleasure to chat with every time I bump into him..
Mark: So hi Rab here we are at muddy Hydro-Connect good to see you again
Rab: And you how’s it going?
Mark: I’m good a little bedraggled, so how have things been since I interviewed you in February?
Rab: Amazing we made the album in New York, that took two month’s. We have just been touring doing all the festivals and promo stuff getting ready for the album.
Mark : So when you were in New York what was the deal with the crash you all had in a Taxi?
Rab: Yeah, that was really surreal, we were all like in the back of the cab and this guy goes through a red light and we went into the back of him. It was really bad he went through the windshield. We just got back to the hotel and got really drunk it was only then we could laugh about it all.
Mark: So did you manage to get any buckie over there at all (Buckfast is a fortified wine drunk mainly on the West side of Scotland)
Rab: (Laughs) Yea we did actually some people came over and brought like five or six bottles with them!!
Mark: So like the album’s done now and Daddy’s Gone is racing up the charts and every festival I go to now there are full tents - must be a whirlwind ?
Rab: Yeah it is, this is our last festival then we have a break till Wednesday when the tour starts in Dundee, then we are off to the States on Tour in October!
Mark: Are you headlining those dates Stateside ?
Rab: Yep apart from one in New York at Radio City Music Hall which we are playing with Echo & The Bunnymen.
Mark: So lets move onto the Christmas Album you are recording, have you actually been out to Transylvania yet to record it? That was the plan last time we chatted at Latitude I seem to remember?
Rab: Yeah, it’s all on demo at the moment so we are going to New York to record it then onto Transylvania to finish it.
Mark: So what’s the Transylvania angle on all this?
Rab: Well it’s kinda James idea. He always used to get dressed up as a vampire and had always wanted to go. We all thought it was in like America but apparently it’s in Romania so we thought it would be good to go (Rab laughs)
Mark: So have you enjoyed the festival circuit then? Is there anyone you are looking forward to here at Hydro-Connect?
Rab: Well I really wanted to see Camera Obscura and they are not on till tomorrow. That was really it I think a lot of the other bands I have kinda seen already this summer round and about.
Mark: So what do you think to this as a festival setting Rab ?
Rab:Yeah, it’s really cool it reminds me of Glastonbury but on a smaller scale in the fact that it’s quite family orientated as opposed to say Reading and Leeds or T in the Park. Yeag I’m really liking it.
Mark; I know you were really rushed at Latitude and you had played Spain the day before. I think it’s a great festival!
Rab: That was one of the best ones we did! The crowd were amazing, the tent was really packed. Plus we got our photo’s taken with Blondie and got to hang out with them which was incredible.
Mark: I must thank you for the wine at Latitude was much appreciated!!
Rab: No problem man it was my pleasure.
Mark: I want to thank you as well for the music and taking the time out for Rock Sellout - I know you get lots of interview requests now.
Rab: No problem, you have been really kind to us with your words and I remember reading your interview way back with us. It was a really good one so many thanks for that man! [Read Mark's interview with Glasvegas back in February here]
Mark: Wow I’m feeling very humble right now the last post I did I included the lyrics to ‘Daddy’s Gone’. I feel it’s important to get the whole thing across don’t you? I find it really hard to interview you Rab the whole thing always ends up as more of a chat.
Rab: That’s a good thing man and on the lyric front yeah, we always try to include stuff like that ourselves.
Mark: Yeah, cause like you have the very distinctive sound I still don’t know what it is man. I don’t want to try to pigeonhole you and I believe you are unique to me. You are Glasvegas. I mean, there are the JAMC meets Phil Spector comparisons and I mean you have like the surf experimental thing on your Myspace…fuck it, let me ask you how you describe it?
Rab: I mean all those comparisons are incredible. I love the whole Spector thing he is amazing. JAMC I love as well, it’s great that we don’t get compared to like shit bands. Lately, I mean everyone’s been going on about an Oasis comparison which I don’t get really (Me neither says mark). I like to think they are good pop songs but intelligent pop songs. It’s not rock and it’s not indie ?
Mark: I’m going to wind it up now Rab, I could sit here all afternoon man but then you would end up asleep mate!! Cheers again and see you soon!
Rab: Yeah thanks Mark! Look forward to reading the review and catch up soon I hope!
Guardian Writeup about Glasvegas
- Mark
September 9th, 2008 at 3:48 am
Sean you have set that out really well im over the moon with it cheers p.s the band have just announced new dates thru late nov -dec finishing up in Glasgow
September 9th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
[...] weeks now until Hydro 2009, eh? Rock Sellout have put up a guest blog from the festival, along with a better (and more indepth) interview with Rab from Glasvegas than we [...]
September 9th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Another awesome interview Mark - well done!
September 9th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Nicely done, Mark!
September 10th, 2008 at 10:57 am
THANK YOU THANK YOU, The reason we got such a long interview was due to the fact that we were the only online publication granted permission for an interview.Hence the fact that the other guy from there goes the fear grabbed a couple of minutes by a porta-loo with the bass player paul.We did indeed lord it in the media area with Rab with iced drinks on offer.Like it when other blogs mention us in a kind of envious way.The amount of journo’s trying to photo and interview Glasvegas was crazy it’s like a media frenzy at the moment around them.I love the fact that we are ahead of the game with them !!!!!!
September 12th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Great interview Mark, but you have left out one essential thing…….PN!!!!!! lol