It’s a standard rock critic ploy; take popular new band A and compare, often unfavorably, to classic rock band B. It can get a little testy for the new group to deal with, especially if the comparisons are either: 1.) wrong, or 2.) completely arbitrary, depending on the critic and the publication.
“We don’t mind being compared to anyone,” insists Tom Smith, lead singer of the U.K. alt-rock favorites Editors—who, depending on what you’ve read, may be the next Joy Division/Interpol/Arcade Fire/Snow Patrol/Coldplay. “It’s only if people dismiss us for it or think we’re a ‘second-rate so-and-so’ that we don’t enjoy it.”
Although the audience for Editors' moody, introspective rock has grown tremendously over the course of three years and two albums (including last year’s “An End Has a Start,” which a certain Metromix editor did compare to both Interpol and Coldplay), there’s always been a caveat attached to the group’s success…as if having any noticeable influence is a crime against music.
Talking with Smith, he discussed the band’s latest U.S. tour, those pesky comparisons and why a group would name itself after the very profession that lashes out at them.
You recently played with a string quartet on stage. Anything like that planned for this tour? Not really. We were asked by the BBC to do that for their annual Electric Proms show. It was great, and something really ambitious for us, but that would be expensive to do live on a tour like this. We’re sticking with the two records, throwing in a B-side here or there. I can say, though, that this is the biggest tour we’ve ever done here.
Did you start out sounding like you do now? Or were you angry punk rockers or Oasis-wannabes?We weren’t the same. I actually think we’re still changing. There’s definitely more pace and energy to our stuff, especially now that we’re playing more and more live shows. We saw how well a song like “Munich” did with a crowd and it changed us. I mean, we still do that cinematic type of sound, and we’re massive fans of Elbow and Spiritualized and Mogwai, but in a way I think we’ve stepped back to what we were when we first started out.
Are there any bands you hate getting compared to?We’re kind of numb to it. I’m not stupid; some of the songs, there are moments that are similar to certain other bands. But we’re not “the British version of” whatever. Those big sweeping major chords in our single “Smokers Outside of Hospital Doors”…I don’t hear that in Joy Division or Interpol.
I remember the good old days when bands in the U.K. would talk smack about each other. Oasis, for example, hated everyone. Now you guys all seem so nice. What happened? [Laughs] Yeah, I just read that Liam of Oasis is now even saying nice things about Damon from Blur. You know, it’s funny, on the occasion I’m asked about other bands, I never like reading back what I’ve said about somebody, good or bad. It never sounds like I meant it when I read it back. So I don’t talk much about other groups…but if they’re rude, I’m not scared of responding. But there are a lot of bands I love, and I can mention them: the National, Arcade Fire, Bloc Party, Arctic Monkeys…
While most reviews were either good or great, NME referred to “An End Has a Start,” your second album, as a record that’s “as serious as cancer, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and foot’n’mouth, all wrapped up in a terrorist warning note.”Actually, I remember they said we recorded the bleakest album since the Manic Street Preachers’ “The Holy Bible.” Now,
that was a record dripping in despair and hate. I thought ours had much more warmth. I mean, it’s serious, it touches on death, but I think “The Holy Bible” was made to make people sick. We want people to feel good, no matter what I’m talking about. But yeah, that was an interesting read.
Speaking of perception and the written word: you’re in a band called Editors. I’m an editor. What, exactly, was the appeal of that name? It’s not that exciting of a word, trust me.Oh, we were forced to rename our band at one point. We had just landed a record deal, and we knew we needed a name that would stick with us forever, and we didn’t want it to stink. “Editors” came up, and, well, editors take a story, and they see things through his or her eyes, and come up with an interpretation. That’s us. And I like that the name doesn’t give away what we sound like. It’s one word, and simple. Of course, we’ll be forever referred to as
the Editors, so it doesn’t matter so much.
It makes looking you up on the Internet a real bitch.[Laughs] Yeah, it’s a pain in the ass that way.
What do you guys listen to in your free time? Any weird surprises?Bruce Springsteen. His last record was amazing. He’s been in the business so long, and to stay so vibrant…I saw him live, in some 20,000 seat arena, and he’s just a magnet on stage. So much charisma. So, yeah, Tom from Editors is a big fan of the Boss—surprise!
You’ve had a piano on stage the last few times I’ve seen you. Ever had any incidents? I hear it’s sort of a nightmare to travel with.Luckily I never had to carry it. It does give me something to climb up [onto] onstage, though.
