Louie - on the Camden Crawl

Louie love The Strokes. In fact, singer Gaz openly admits that he'd probably feint if he ran into his idols. Hear their frenetic, punk-edged sound live and you can see the influence from NYC's finest, however here are a band never likely to get complacent in their own ego or distracted by the trappings of celebrity back scrubbing. Calling themsleves Louie just because "it's a word that's distinct and bold and most importantly one that people can remember and shout easily", the Leeds five-piece are about as pretentious as Maggot going to a boot sale with his gran. And they clearly love what they do, with an energy and a passion on stage that embodies their short, sharp Buzzcocksian rants. Penned as the new Pete and Carl due to the electric vocal pairing of frontmen Gaz and Jordan, Louie are slowly building a small army of pogo-loving, sweat-embracing fans, so much so that at the Camden Crawl they play two gigs - it's all about the party for Louie and you're all invited. We catch up with singer Jordan and guitarist Russell... 

VF: How are you both doing?
Russell: Good. Knackered already.
Jordan: Really good. We've just played our first gig and it went really well, it was in a little pub to open it at the G-Lounge, it was pretty busy.

VF: Yeah, two gigs at Camden Crawl - you're a bit greedy, aren't you?!
J: Well, we don't choose, you know what I mean? We get told what to do! But one of our microphones broke, so we had to share a mic for like, half a set, which is a bit annoying.

VF: How does it work with you and Gaz onstage - you've both got such energy, have you ever bashed into each other?
J: He fucking... yeah, sometimes, sometimes he gets a bit cocky.
R: He's worse with me, 'cos he just keeps on running into me when I'm trying to do a solo, he runs into you and bangs your arm.
J: I think he thinks that if you go up to someone, and instead of going 'Come on!' in their face, if you just push them, it'll make them work harder. Come on mate, I'm knackered, leave me alone. Nah, but he's a nice boy.

VF: How are you enjoying Camden Crawl so far?
R: It's cool, innit? I've never been before, it's fucking awesome!
J: It is just like a South By South West, but just a bit scrattier. It's really nice, I just love the way that it's been going for so many years, it's got really popular the last couple of years, but they've still kept it really small and in Camden. Well, I suppose it would be really shite if it was anywhere else, seeing as it's called the Camden Crawl, wouldn't it? But you know what I mean, it's been kept smaller, and there's some fucking good bands playing isn't there, so yeah. I wanted to see Dogs, but they're on at the same time as us, as it's been for about the last fucking year. I'd like to see Supergrass at Dublin Castle, but that's not going to happen. Also Dirty Pretty Things... all the bands you want to see are on at the same time.

VF: You just supported Dirty Pretty Things. How was that tour?
R: Wicked. Really good fun, actually. They're really nice guys, and the crowds were really receptive.
J: Because we were on first, we expected to...
R: ... play to empty houses.
J: Yeah. But 'cos it was sold out and it was very much like, I think 'cos people have heard our songs more than theirs, Carl and Gary and that, they were saying it's weird 'cos we've had singles out, they'd had nothing out at the time, which means we're in the lead live, so it was a weird tour, but we're all massive Libertines fans, and playing with them and to sold out audiences, and people were really nice.
R: And they're really good as well. They're not like Babyshambles where it's just shit.
J: He don't like Babyshambles.
R: But Dirty Pretty Things are actually a really good band, and Carl's really good.
J: It was good as well, 'cos the first thing we said was 'I wonder what they're gonna sound like'. They are very Libertines, but it's a complete opposite side to The Libertines, and they've got some good catchy songs as well, haven't they? I'm looking forward to their album.

VF: So where are you with your album?
R: We've got this week and next week to be mixed, so we've finished playing it all together and putting it down.
J: We're really happy with it. We've got two new songs we've put on that we just wrote. The first time we played with it was about half an hour ago. We're really happy with them, aren't we?
R: Yeah.
J: We recorded 17, but we're only going to put about 11 on. There's some longer ones, rather than a minute-and-a-half, they're about two-and-a-half, three minutes. So we've advanced!

VF: Tell me about it a bit. What should people expect from it? Is it like a live experience, or more a studio album?
J: Yeah, we tried to get that, but we also said because I know a lot of bands that have that live experience that we have in the past, and I've got their album and it's been too much like that, and it's been all over the spot. We just basically wanted to have songs, didn't we?
R: That would help really wouldn't it on an album - having songs!
J: Yeah, you dickhead, alright! We wanted to make them more songs rather than flashy, we've slowed some down a little bit, and made some faster, and it's good to work with someone who's down so much like Stephen Street. He did The Smiths, for god's sake. We're going down to do this World Cup song now after we play our next gig with Sham 69 and Graham Coxon.

VF: Coming plans at the moment - what's the next few months like for you?
J: In May we've got a tour for the 'Dead Man' single release, festivals all summer, and hopefully drop the album just after the festivals, and do more touring and touring and touring and just build it up, and we just want to give the fans as much as they give us. I'm just a nice guy, aren't I?!

VF: You're just so giving!
J: Fuck off! We've got nothing to do otherwise, we just sit at home, don't we?
R: Yeah, we don't do anything if we don't play!
J: I just sit in and play me computer.

VF: Festivals... what festivals are you playing?
J: It's early yet, isn't it? But we've got Wireless, Download, and we're just waiting for Leeds, T in the Park, all that kind of stuff. I don't know if we've got anything abroad yet, 'cos we haven't got any releases yet. But hopefully as many as we get. Especially O2 because we went last year. You get free beer! I really want to do Benicassim because you get a Jacuzzi backstage.

VF: Because Glastonbury's not happening this year, which would you tip as your favourite festival? Which one do you think people should go to?
J: I think people should go to Wireless.
R: Wireless for The Strokes day is going to be absolutely brilliant.
J: And for us of course! Fucking hell! I think the things that I've heard, from a lot of people that T in the Park is amazing, and that's one that I really want to play. We've only played in Scotland three or four times, and every time we go up there they're so up for it, and everyone's so nice. I suppose that would be cool as well.

VF: Some quickfire questions. Michael Barrymore or Noel Edmonds?
Both: Noel Edmonds.

VF: Jack Daniels or Jim Beam?
J: Jack Daniels.
R: Jim Beam!
J: You don't even know him!

VF: Dirty Pretty Things or Babyshambles?
R: Dirty Pretty Things.
J: Babyshambles.
R: Saddo. Loser!
J: Oh bugger... both!

VF: Interviews or photoshoots?
Both: Interviews.

VF: Fruit Pastilles or Opal Fruits?
R: Opal Fruits when they were... Opal Fruits. Damn! You screwed me there! 

To see how Louie fared during the Camden Crawl read VF's review here.
For more on the band visit their official site www.louie.uk.com.