Kendal Calling 2016 28th -31st July 2016 Words: Gary Lambert Photos: Kendal Calling Official The low-key opening of Kendal Calling’s Thursday is very, very much the antithesis of low key. Despite the occasional wafting of rain through the site, everybody in the fields seemed to be ready to wage war on body, mind and soul, creating a thrilling party atmosphere. I don’t know how many tickets were…
We chatted to Sean O'Donnell from Alias Kid about being discovered by Alan McGee (Creation Records), their upcoming tour with the legendary Happy Mondays and the future of Rock & Roll.
Please take us through the origins of Alias Kid; How did you guys form and where did the name Alias Kid come from?
We’re from Manchester and we met through music really. Maz (vocals/guitar) was at my school and James (lead guitar) is my cousin so I actually had him forced on me, unfortunately. As for the name, Maz thought of that. He refuses to tell us what it means, but I don't care anyway as I think it's a shit name. The band love it though so it's fine with me.
For those who haven't yet heard your music yet, how would you best describe your sound and who are your influences?
Well, if I'm honest I don't think we have found it yet. We went and did the album and that brought us along loads, we learnt a lot about arrangements etc. Then our manager, Alan McGee sent us on tour with Black Grape. The last thing he said to me was go watch them sound check and watch the show, learn from it and take it in, so we did. Sean Ryder's band are f***** unbelievable musicians. During that tour we became a different band, myself and Maz would talk after gigs about the way we were doing things and what we wanted change. We have been introduced to some mega producers who we are discussing demos for the next songs with. We know what we want, it's just getting it down on record now. I'm f***** obsessed with Steve Jones (Sex Pistols) guitar sound and keep sending James (our lead guitarist) videos. There's still a couple of people I want to track down who's music I buzz off and pick their brain about couple of things. Influences for me; I'm obsessed with the Sex Pistols, Oasis, Kasabian, The Ramones, Green Day, T-Rex, The Happy Mondays, Black Grape, The Beatles, The Stones, Primal Scream, Jesus & The Mary Chain etc. Maz is into Take That, Boyzone, Westlife and One Direction. Stuff like that, keep that in. He f***** mugged me off on stage last week, so I'll leave the boot in there!
Alan McGee, owner of the legendary indie label Creation Records (Primal Scream, Jesus & The Mary Chain and Oasis to name a few) saw your potential and signed you to his new label 359 Music and Creation management company. Can you tell us how this came about and what influence/advice has he brought to the band?
Yeah, I wasn't really doing anything at the time, just working and following Man City around. Maz and me were writing some tunes and McGee said to throw a band round it and come play a club night he had at a district in Liverpool. Jayne Casey from Pink Military owns it, she’s a star. Apparently McGee thought it was going to be shit but we pulled it off. He came and saw us again in Manchester, where we played a little pub called The Ducie Bridge and we smashed it. McGee had already gone when we came off stage but he rang me the next night and said, "I'm signing you." We were f***** buzzing! As for influence and advice from McGee; well first off, we were on Creation. F***** Creation Records. Go watch Bobby Gillespie, Noel Gallagher talk about Creation Records on the Upside Down documentary (which is one of the best things I ever watched). I told McGee the only way he's getting me off his label is in a body bag. If I drop dead right now I'll take that. McGee has taken me to one side and told me to watch what he does. Ask him why and when I don't understand but above all learn. He's kept me in the loop on loads of stuff. We have a trust that won’t be broken. And I'll say this, he's deadly serious with Creation. Him and Simon Fletcher (Creation Management) have big plans. It gets bigger by the week and It's a great place to be at the moment in music.
You released your debut album ‘Revolt to Revolt’ earlier this year. How's the response been so far?
It's gone great. As McGee said, it's put us on the football pitch. People know who we are now. It's very early stages but it's up to us now to go out and play it everywhere. Then go do it again and again.
You have been accredited by numerous publications on your explosive live Rock & Roll performance. How important is it that you’re considered an impressive live act?
100%. Live is where you earn your money these days. If you’re not shit hot, you’re in trouble. Again, on the Black Grape tour we became a different band. As much as it pains me to say Maz has become f***** immense. Bosses the gaff. Yeah, we're very good live but you know what I think, we can be even better and we will be. Again, I'm not happy until we have perfected it.
You’re supporting the illustrious Happy Mondays across a string of UK dates throughout November and December. What does it mean to you to be supporting such an influential band and what can Mondays fans expect from your live performance?
Well, first of all yep; WE ARE SUPPORTING THE MONDAYS!! We picked up guitars because of bands like the Mondays and now we're supporting them. Ryder has been f**** great with us; first the Black Grape tour and now the Mondays. I've been warned that some of our heroes won't be like what we think but Ryder has been and more. In fact all the Mondays have been class with us, giving us advice etc. Mad when you think about it, we used to have posters of these people on our bedroom wall! Now we’re supporting them and they’re telling us that they're buzzing off our band. Mental! There's more and more of these people saying these things too, even Sergio Aguero! As a city fan that blows my head clean off. My 2 year old daughters middle name is Zabaleta, that shows you what I thought when I heard about Aguero liking our music. The crowd on the Mondays tour will get our usual powerful full on performance but hey will get it from a big stage and quality speakers. Can't wait to be honest.
What else does the future hold for Alias Kid?
Well, less than a year ago I didn't see all this coming, so I really don't know. What I do know is Creation is smashing it and we’re on their label. We’ve got our first headline tour next year. Myself and Maz are starting to record some demos and we’re talking to some really big names about the way we are recording stuff. We’ve also got some big names in the business backing us and I personally think, if we get this next album right, we will fly. But even then you still need some luck, nothing is guaranteed. So we need to keep doing what we’re doing and don't take our foot off the gas at any point. McGee has already said he wants us on the road for the next 12 months. Play, play and play again. Suits me, I love it on the road. The future, we will see mate. One thing’s for sure, we're going to have a good time finding out.
What are your thoughts on UK Rock & Roll bands at present and what do you think the future holds for the genre amongst popular culture?
I don't think there is rock n roll in the mainstream at the minute. The culture etc at the moment seems to be quite 80s; the music, the fashion. A lot of what I hear is very keyboard driven. That's fine but that's just not us, that's not what we play. Music changes very quickly and I think the rock n roll we play is very close to coming back in again. To me the biggest worry is the lack of working class bands. The majority seems to be posh kids deciding if they want to do music or be a doctor in their gap year, while Mummy and Daddy pay their bills. Everything seems so controlled. We were branded the new Oasis by the press. Why? Because they like a f***** laugh and a party. Absolutely f***** ridiculous. Lazy journalism. It's like the reporters have said; they are from Manchester, they play rock n roll, they like football and a party, and they are on Creation, so let's say... Gets on my tits that does, to be honest. I picked up a guitar because of Oasis, you don't get better than that band, they’re the top of the tree. They have set the standard in my opinion. It's like they used to say about the Beatles but we’re Alias Kid and need to be our own thing. But don't be giving me all this rock n roll animals etc just because we have a laugh. We have worked in factories and on building sites so when we go out doing gigs it's like being on day release. Do the gig and let's have a party. That's the normal thing to do. Not go to bed with a f**** hot water bottle. It's a f***** big lads holiday in our eyes. We just have to make sure we play good, or I'll have McGee on the phone bollocking me, haha.
If you guys could play any venue in the world and be supported by any 2 artists/bands (dead or alive), where would it be and who would be on the bill?
Well, as a City fan obviously the Etihad. To be honest, I like being the support because that means I can get smashed while I'm watching the main band. So I'll say us supporting Oasis, the Sex Pistols and Kasabian at the Etihad. Throw the Mondays, The Ramones and the Roses in as well on the next night.
