Thursday 21 July 2011

Indietracks interview #25: Pocketbooks


Today's interview questions for Pocketbooks are kindly provided by the good folk of A Fine Day For Sailing, following part one of this daring cultural exchange a few weeks ago. Pocketbooks are a pop group from London and will appear on the Friday night at this year's Indietracks. They've just released a free download for their new single Promises, Promises, and their new album 'Carousel' is available now on Odd Box Records.

Hi, we'd love to know, as a band, what your top desert island discs would be?

Ian: You Can't Hide Your Love Forever - Orange Juice.
Daniel: Hot Head - Captain Beefheart
Emma: A compilation featuring all my karaoke favourites - Kirsty MacColl, Madonna, Cathy Dennis, Jane Wiedlin, Belinda Carlisle, Ronnie Spector.

Have any of you ever done anything on tour or at a gig that you woke up the next day and really wished you hadn't?

Ian: There's probably loads but I'm very quick at forgetting these things ever happened. Ladyboys on tour with The Loves in Newcastle then chucking my guitar down a flight of stairs to round off the evening - it was in its hard case, thankfully.
Emma: Many, many tequilas.

What is the one single thing that you are each most looking forward to doing at Indietracks? This can be seeing bands, dancing, camping, going on the train etc.

Ian: The people.
Daniel: Also The People
Emma: I always love watching people arrive on the Friday and excitedly greet friends who they haven’t seen since last year’s festival.

Do you have anything special planned for your Indietracks appearance, or is that top-secret?

Ian: If we have, then I've not been told. Maybe, hopefully if something goes to plan we'll have something very exciting for everyone but I'm not sure if I can say what that is yet.
Emma: I might plan a special outfit.

How is work going on the next record? We all love your first LP!!

Ian: Thank you. Album number two is in the can, not the bin, the other can. It's all done and released and everything. We're all really happy with it, I think it's our reflective second album. We finished the record toward the end of last year which feels like ages ago so I'm desperate for everyone else to hear it. I'm hoping it might surprise people a little, it's a definite step forward.

This is a two-parter! a) What is your favourite type of pocket and b) what is your favourite type of book?

Ian: We always get asked this. Always. My favourite type of pocket is the back pocket, usually the right one. Sometimes I'll put a wallet in mine and, occasionally, some paper. My favourite type of book is a penguin classic, probably The Great Gatsby.
Daniel: A Clown's Pocket/Matchbook.
Emma: I once had a pair of trainers with a secret pocket on the back of the tongue. I think you were supposed to hide drugs in there but obviously I would never do a thing like that. Favourite type of book is anything set in the 1920/30s (I'll second The Great Gatsby), or anything about psychopaths, which tend to contain a surprising amount of humour.

If you could collaborate with one indiepopster, dead or alive, past or present, who would it be and why?

Ian: Given your band name I'm sure you'll appreciate this one - I'd have to say Rose Melberg. I've found all her bands inspirational ever since I heard Tiger Trap way back in the early nineties - I'll never get tired of her voice. She's a great songwriter too, I can't believe how quickly she wrote those Go Sailor! songs and they're all timeless indiepop. If we collaborated then I think she would write the songs, sing the songs and then play them whilst I made the tea.
Emma: I’d love to sing a duet with Patrick Fitzgerald from Kitchens of Distinction, but even though I’ve met him a couple of times I’d probably be far too star-struck to actually go through with it.

A Fine Day For Sailing ask this to everyone they we meet (!): who is your favourite Beach Boy and why?

Ian: Brian Wilson. Without him then 'Hold On' by Wilson Phillips would never have existed.
Daniel: Mike Love. He has the best latter-day touring band.
Emma: I’ll have to say Brian Wilson because he’s the only one whose name I ever remember. And I just saw him on The One Show.

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