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Agk - They're Coming For You!
Listen to AGK (128kb download excerpts):Neon Dog
Planet Earth
Shortest Romance
Velada
AGK are Paul Gathercole, Kevin Paul and Ben Ackland who formed in 2002 (before that Ben and Paul were Ackers & G). As Big Chill Recording artists they performed their debut live set on the Sanctuary stage at Eastnor 2004.
Far from being the new kids on the block, they've devoted many collective years to making music. Out next week on Big Chill Recordings is their new 12" shortly followed by a five-track CD EP, 'The Shortest Romance', which features cover versions of Duran Duran's 'Planet Earth' and Nick Drake's 'Black-Eyed Dog' plus the title track, 'The Shortest Romance'.
Sam Sofa: AGK, the artists formerly known as Ackers & G, whose new single 'Shortest Romance' was once 'Moonboots'... Ahem, are you a decisive lot generally?
Ben Ackland: Er, yes! We are a highly decisive unit who will stick to a decision until a better one is reached, then we'll change our minds.
Paul Gathercole: No.
Kevin Paul: I don't know! What you asking me for?
SS: And your mission statement is to...
A: I want to continue to make the kind of music that I would buy and listen to when nothing else is quite right. It's also about expressing something through our music that cannot be communicated in any other language. We want people to make meaningful long-term relationships with our songs :)
G: Do more of what we already do but better.
K: To win our own race.
SS: Kevin, you worked with Goldfrapp, Depeche Mode and David Bowie; tell us a telling story!
K: I'm afraid I'll have to enforce strict client confidentiality. You'll have to wait for my memoirs
SS: Ok, so guitar riffs on 'Botswana Ben', a cinematic soundscaping 'Pling' (voted number four in the Big Chill's Top Twenty Chilled Tunes, available on The Big Chill Loves You compilation), the electro cover of 'Planet Earth' then an ambient Police sampled 'Moonboots' ' whatever can we expect next?
A: More songs! We're really excited about the new material that we're working on. Some tracks on the forthcoming album ('The Liking of Things') were originally written in our past lives, so we can't wait to get them out and move forward. Expect some surprises.
G: Expect the unexpected.
K: More diversity, definitely more songs
SS: Talk us through your Eastnor live set.
A: We started with 'Pling' and let it play to an empty stage with just Handmaid's lovely visuals to accompany it. We were sitting behind the screen backstage looking up at the images and letting the music calm and focus us. We came onstage to 'The Shortest Romance' and then moved into Duran's 'Planet Earth' which was received very happily by the crowd who were looking chilled and cool despite the huge temperatures. As for details, I remember very little despite having had a calm and sober Sunday on the run up to the set. I do recall performing barefoot because my feet were too hot!
G: At the time it was all a blur. We had kind comments from people afterwards. Meeting a friend I had not seen for years who was in the audience unknown to me. And the cold beer afterwards was exquisite, and then I had to rush off to DJ at Tom's Top Tent!
K: I remembered realising that, apart from the few people who'd come to see us, no one had any expectations and therefore my nerves were unnecessary. That allowed me to really enjoy it. One personal moment was banging my head on the microphone. Overall I remembered a sense of relief at having achieved what we set out to.
SS: Any high profile fans yet?
A: We've had some great support over the last couple of years from Big Chill central, particularly from Pete, Katrina and Freddie B. Chris Coco has played a number of our tracks on his excellent Blue Room for Radio 1 and has invited us to play a live set at his Balearica night at the Social (Little Portland Street, W1) on the 15th September. The venerable Mixmaster Morris has been playing our EP all over the world which is doubly great as we are huge fans of his.
G: Unexpected support from Mark Moore who picked up on the electroclash mix of 'Planet Earth' a few months ago.
SS: And who else are you great fans of?
A: Too many to mention.
G: Buy me a pint and I'll tell you.
K: I'm a big fan of individuality, whoever they might be.
SS: So, who's the Nick Drake fan?
A: We all like a bit of autumnal melancholy, but having played Nick Drake's songs on my guitar to passing trade in various cities, mostly me.
SS: On to DJing then, you have a penchant for Japanese disco...
P: Not just disco but Japanese in general. I played a Japanese set at the Big Chill Bar cos I'd been there a few days before and felt it would be fun to do a set with a particular angle. The crowd got some electronic classics like Sakamoto and Hosono and modern stuff like Susumo Yokota as well as some video games music, piano music from Toru Takemitsu and some cheesy pop.
SS: Anything else..?
G: Next up, I'm only going to play records on coloured vinyl!
SS: What can we get you at the bar?
A: Somewhere to sit.
G: I've heard the cocktails are good. What do you recommend?
K: A Long Island Iced Tea if it's your round.
SS: Finally, vital statistics gentlemen, please...
Age:
A: 33
G: Roughly 12,000 days.
K: 33
Height:
A: 6'4"
G: 170cm
K: 6'4"
Lives in:
A: Camden Town.
G: Halfway between Camden and Islington.
K: Islington.
Lives with:
A: Optimism and lots of music.
G: Pushkar, King of the Urban Jungle.
K: The hope that things will be OK.
Record you would love to have made?
A: 'The Old Man's Back Again' Scott Walker
G: 'Spirit of Eden' Talk Talk
K: 'Tour de France' Kraftwerk
AGK's new 12", followed by a five-track CD EP, 'The Shortest Romance', is out now on Big Chill Recordings.
AGK's EP is available in the Big Chill's online shop here priced £4.
The official AGK website is here
Written: 27th Aug, 04
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