Exclusive Interview: Attack!Attack!

For starters, your called Attack!Attack! (2 exclamation marks). Fans, Spotify and new music scouts must surely get you confused with Attack Attack! (1 exclamation mark). Do people ever turn up to your gigs expecting an American hardcore band?
Haha, Yeah its happened a couple of times but in general most people are able to work it out and because the music is so different its easy to tell apart

So, you've toured with Kids in glass houses, Lostprophets, Youmeatsix and just done a headline tour. Impressive! But if you could tour with any band who would it be?
I would love to play with Pearl Jam , they are my fave band and it would be a dream to share the same stage as them

You've got a new album coming out, could you tell us about it please?
Its called "the latest fashion" . The title refers to how in music it seems more important to look "cool" than to actually write good songs. As a band we always put song writing first , image isn't important to us , writing great music is. It's 11 tracks of rock classics :D

How important for the band was your single "You and Me" getting onto Guitar Hero 5?
It gave us exposure that we would never have had on a worldwide scale . We got to play our music to millions of people who would never of heard it. And all of our friends thought we were awesome too :p

Wales has turned out some amazing music. But who do you rate; past, present and future, as the best?
The best for me are lostprophets and stereophonics , both bands have written some amazing songs , but there are so many great bands from Wales , The manic street preachers , skindred , funeral for a friend plus there are loads of new bands coming through that are amazing like straight lines and tiger please for example

One of this blogs first articles was about Attack!Attack!s live performance in Blackwood Miners Institute. You've gained a local reputation for having crazy gigs, but what was the best you've played?
Our fave gig was reading festival. It blew our minds how many people showed up to watch us on the really small Radio 1 stage, it was an amazing experience

The singer of Attack!Attack! Neil Star has another band - Dopamine. A band that is reforming. Is this just for a while; a few one off gigs or are you looking to have an album out?
Dopamine never really split , they just took time out whilst Neil concentrated on A!A! Dopamine have written a new album , the first 3 songs are being released as a 3 track EP at the end of the year

Describe Attack!Attack! in less than 10 words.
Nice guys , fun to watch live , kick ass on CD

Finally, What's the funniest thing that's ever happened on tour?
We had our passports stolen in Amsterdam along with our sat nav, it wasn't really that funny at the time but trying to get to Germany using printed instructions in DUTCH was a challenge , looking back on it we laugh!

Album: Hurts - Happiness

We've had copies of all sorts of sounds from the 70's and 80's. Joy division's unique vogue has been repeated in the sounds of Interpol and The Editors. The Cure's pleasant indie sound was the inspiration of the likes of Bloc Party and such. I could go on. But what I'm getting at is - Its been done. But has it? Yes, the electro, indie and general modern rock scene has all come from the 80's. BUT 80's crossovers are few and far between. Hurts have managed to create the polished style and sound of Roxy Music, whilst venturing into new romantic lyrics and music.

They've been on the lips of any new music enthusiast and critic since early 2009. Appearing in newspapers and having interviews. Until the hype machine packed in and they disappeared until BBCs Sound of 2010 list, finishing an impressive 4th. They built up anticipation for their album that was released last week. Happiness is an album about how relationships or lack of really affect people. It doesn't dance around heartbreak with merry rhymes and sing about love like its mans greatest gift. Happiness should be called 'suicidal tendencies due to women being so cruel'.

Never mind. Because they do it incredibly! Radio has allowed the track 'Wonderful Life' to be brought into the mainstream and not so much, its superior single 'Better than love'. Which talk about sex and failing relationships from a sometimes bi-sexual stand point. Bringing these songs in a mainstream isn't a bad thing for once. Because its a very poppy sound.

The stand out songs from the album are 'Blood, tears and gold', 'Illuminated' and 'Devotion'. A song that shows the pop potential for the band, featuring Kylie Minogue, but not as you know her. She sings a heart felt verse with words that echo sadness and affairs. "I feel so ashamed. Right now you seem so far away".

The thing that fascinates me is the really clever marketing on Spotify. Simply type in A5M4 into the search bar and begin your journey into author Joe Stretch's dark (and fitting) interactive audio book, narrated by Anna Friel. Telling the story of a woman with a gun, a story that leads wherever you want in a sexually and emotionally confusing world. In the background is Hurts music. Simply Brilliant!

It's a truly unique album for the time. But I cant help think its a bit... boy band. Maybe. Excellent effort nonetheless and worthy of the awards I'm sure they will win over the next year. So buy it.

Here is a song you may not be familiar with - Blood, Tears and Gold. A video that sums them up pretty much.