8 Questions With: Locksley

We're so thrilled that Locksley decided to participate in one of our favorite features here on the site. Here are their TERRIFIC responses!

1. What's your fave venue in NYC? You can be honest.

Jesse: Bowery to see shows at, we've never played. To play? CBGBs was excellent, but now? I don't know.
Sam: Bowery.
Kai: CBGB
Aaron: We haven't played there, but Bowery Ballroom is hands down the best place to see a show in the city.

2. Would you rather be fergalicious, bootylicious or a hollaback boy?

Jesse: I'm not sure what those things are. But I know Gwen Stefani is not a hollaback girl, so I probably wouldn't want to be the counterpart to the thing she isn't. Or, um, ain't.
Sam: I am bootylicious... So that one.
Kai: Hollaback Boy
Aaron: Apparently you haven't heard our new single, Locks-tastic. (TMS note: BEST RESPONSE EVER!)

3. Excited about the Rapture mini-tour? Dream tour partner?

Jesse: Very excited. We love the Rapture and they are actually a great touring partner. Dream? Maybe the Hives. I think it would be nigh on impossible to stand out, but just the challenge to be touring with the best live band in show business. That would be something.
Sam: It’s pretty awesome. Hives would be fun.
Kai: Very excited, I think playing with the Coral would be great.
Aaron: We're very excited about our shows with the Rapture. They're a great band and they've been really generous in helping us get on these tours. As a band, you sometimes end up playing with groups you don't like that much, but with the Rapture we're all fans so it's like going to an awesome show every night.

4. Are you guys all sick of the endless Beatles references?

Jesse: Not really. It’s a good band to be compared to and not inaccurate. I'm just sick of references in general. It seems like people can't just listen to an album and judge it on its own. Our album is a really good album, comparisons aside. People seem to see that though, through everything.
Sam: It’s always flattering so no.
Kai: Yes, sick of them, but then again we set ourselves up for it.

5. What inspired such young guys to create such a retro-sounding album?

Jesse: It’s still the most fun music. I haven't heard anything before or since that gets me excited quite the way that stuff does. It combined a beat with fun and fun with sex and it’s just excellent.
Sam: Because of what our parents listened to it’s the sound we were collectively most used to.
Kai: This sound is our genetic musical make-up. The sixties sound was the way I learned to lay, so it was unavoidable. Our sound will evolve.
Aaron: It wasn't a pre-conceived notion that we were going to make a retro album. We wanted an album that sounded like us and as close to our live show as possible. Albums today tend to have a much bigger sound and more production. Our producer, Guy Benny, focused on making all the songs sound great without adding too much on top.

6. What was up with not dressing like a superhero on Halloween like everyone else, Sam? Is it because the drummer is always the cool one?

Jesse: Nice question. Stick it to him. He was supposed to be Mr. Incredible, who he very closely resembles.
Sam: We had planned to do super hero costumes. On devil’s night they decided not to do costumes. So I went out and got a costume. Then of course not to look stupid they rushed out and got costumes, leaving me the odd man out. (sad face)
Aaron: The drummer isn't always the cool one. But yes, Sam is the cool one.

7. How do you feel about corporate appropriation of your songs?

Jesse: If the ad/corporate world recognizes our quality and potential and wants to both pay us and get us great exposure, I think it’s excellent. Major labels sign so few bands with real quality. And they NEVER take chances on an unknown quantity. Something has to be already successful before they'll pick it up. If we could be constantly working in commercials and stay independent I would take it any day over signing with a major label.
Sam: It’s cool. It gets our name out there. And it has funded the release of the record. Because of ads we can be more in control of our business decisions.
Aaron: We just think of it as a good way to get our songs out there and fund our band / label at the same time. Without those commercials we couldn't have done our first 2 U.S. tours or our British tour. Obviously we wouldn't want to have our song backing a product we hate (insert funny or embarassing product here), but overall it's good for exposure. And I get lots of phone calls from relatives saying, "I just heard your band in a commercial!" Hurray!

8. Would you let an American Idol contestant cover one of your songs?

Jesse: Absolutely. That's when you know you've got something that really sticks. We don't put out anything we don't believe to be quality, so if they're into it, that's a good sign, it means the appeal is broad. There's nothing wrong with broad appeal. It means a lot of people like what you're doing. Its up to you to make sure everything you put out is quality. We never set out to appeal only to a niche. We do what we like and the more people that are exposed to it and get into it, the better.
Sam: Only if we could play as the backing band.
Kai: Would we have a choice?
Aaron: I'd love to hear an American Idol version of one of our songs. It's always hilarious on that show how they can turn an epic song, into a 1 minute infomercial of a song. I saw a guy on there do a version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" in about 45 seconds. I cried a little. That being said, I'd love to hear Clay Aiken sing "Don't Make Me Wait". It doesn't get better than that. (TMS note: It really doesn't get any better than that.)

Hear more Locksley here on their MySpace! How can 10,000 friends be wrong?

MP3: Locksley - Don't Make Me Wait

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