++INTERVIEW++
Emily Warner caught up with Mike from slightly mad alt-poppers Dead Kids ahead of their performance at Surfstock later this month. Warning: this interview contains references to a disturbing feet conditions...
Artrocker: Playing a gig on a cliff by the sea is an opportunity most bands don’t get, how does it feel to be playing Surfstock? And will this be the most outlandish location you’ve played?
Dead Kids: We did a gig by the sea recently and even a gig 20 000 leagues under the sea off the coast of Japan... There's a lot of love from the people of Atlantis right now. Naked on mountain tops filmed by helicopters is pretty standard nowadays but I would say that Middlesbrough had to be the most outlandish place we’ve played.
Artrocker: What other festivals have you descended upon so far this year, and are they your first festival appearances?
Dead Kids: We played Glastonbury which was messy; the Great Escape which went from gig to riot; Lovebox which was hot and screamy; London’s Calling in Amsterdam was trippy…All these stick in my mind plus a load in France. We love festivals! Hot outdoor festivals with the sound of squawking sea birds, cold beer and a nice breeze sounds good to me.
Artrocker: Do you prefer going to festivals as punters or as Dead Kids?
Dead Kids: Always as Dead Kids. I like to go shopping at Tescos as Dead Kids. I even prefer to make love as Dead Kids, except Jan our keyboard player who is a very selfish lover. Watch out girls and boys!
Artrocker: What’s your typical festival experience?
Dead Kids: The same as yours, waking up sweating in a tent on a drugs holiday and dying for fresh air.
Artrocker: Can any of you surf and will you be catching some of the waves across the Surfstock weekend?
Dead Kids: I surfed a couple of times in Morocco and Seb surfs as he is from America but I don't know about the rest. I personally have such long flat feet that I don’t even need a board
Artrocker: Who else are you looking forward to see at Surfstock, and who will you be avoiding?
Dead Kids: We will avoid no one as we are all great friends in it together. I most definitely will watch Black Lips because I like them, I’ll also have a little dance to Santogold and check out Primary 1. It's an indie festival down by the sea and that’s a good thing. The sun will be out and every single person who buys a ticket is going to get laid with a hot girl in a bikini or a muscley tanned guy in surf shorts called Luke. That’s who I ended up with last year anyway.
Artrocker: What makes you guys one of the ‘must see’ bands of the weekend?
Dead Kids: We bring the party. Whether it’s the ecstatic, hands in the air, screaming with big fuck-off smiles on your face party or the 'o god, what’s happened, where am I, what the fuck is this mess?’ party. You must see us for we must see you. You’re invited to let go of your inhibitions and have fun. I'll share barbeque with you.
Artrocker: Besides gigging what else are you up to at the moment? Any releases or big tours planned for this year?
Dead Kids: We are just finishing off our next single now and its sounding really big. That will be out when summer ends so that there can be some hope for everyone through the long winter months.
Artrocker: Anything else Dead Kids want to say to Artrocker?
Dead Kids: I just want to say that you have very pretty eyes and I like the way you feel in my hands Artrocker. The way you are all shiny and smooth, you are not like all the other magazines. There's a loneliness there that I connect with and it makes me want to cry.
"* * * * DEAD KIDS PLAY SURFSTOCK ON AUGUST 30 * * * * "
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++ Emily Warner ++
