The Black Keys
The Black Keys were an unplanned birth. When Dan Auerbach showed up at Patrick Carney’s basement studio to record, he wasn’t meant to be playing in The Black Keys at all. There were no Black Keys, even though the pair had known each other since school. Dan was in another band who Patrick was meant to be recording, over at his place. Except that other band didn’t show up. Loathe to waste studio time, Patrick and Dan started jamming. Then there were Black Keys (even though they didn’t have a name until a local Akron, Ohio artist friend assigned it to them – it was his term for people who ‘just weren’t quite right’).
The demos they recorded that very afternoon landed them a deal with Alive records, who released their debut LP The Big Come Up. Despite its success, they keep their day jobs mowing lawns in order to save up for a US tour, that is, until they were fired for not even being able to mow lawns correctly. Subsequently, with only the band to fall back on, they decide to make the Black Keys their job, throwing themselves in to it full time, rehearsing, touring and, so it turns out, getting rave reviews every waking minute.
The next part of the story, discography wise at least, comes in 2003 with the release of The Black Keys’ second LP, Thickfreakness, again recorded in Pat’s basement (typical of their preference for ‘medium fidelity’ records) but this time for Fat Possum records. It took all of 12 hours to lay down on to tape. Sensing that they worked best on a tight schedule, they set up a new studio in a factory and record their third album in as many years, Rubber Factory, in 2004. Oddly for a third record, it was their rawest yet.
The pace didn’t slow from there on in. Just over a year later, the band had found a new basement (this one didn’t have rats), and in it birthed Magic Potion, their fourth LP in total but first for new label Nonesuch records. The year, since you ask, was 2006 – the same annum in which their Chulahoma EP hit stores, and the band found themselves opening for Radiohead at the personal request of someone called Thom Yorke. Other famous fans have names like John Peel, Robert Plant and Kirk Hammett. And probably some of your friends. And hopefully you, after reading this ‘band of the week’ piece.
Their most recent project is their also their most ambitious. Originally intended to be a collaboration with Ike Turner, until he sadly went and died, the album still sees them joining with outside forces for the first time. The force in question? None other than legendary producer Danger Mouse – he’s behind the boards for the forthcoming LP Attack and Release. Quite what he’ll do with their blues rock template is anyone’s guess.
They still live in Akron and have barbeques with their mates and still record in basements. It’s just that now, more people are listening.
MYSPACE>COM/THEBLACKKEYS: One of those MySpace pages so heavily modified that it barely looks like a MySpace page at all – great, we say: that means all the usual musical goodness whilst not looking like crap! ‘Strange Times’ and ‘Lies’ from the new LP to stream.
THEBLACKKEYS.COM: Go on, take five minutes out and play the ‘nerd killing’ game.
FREEWEBS.COM/BLACKKEYSUNOFFICIAL: One of the most charming fan sites we’ve come across in an age.
10AM AUTOMATIC: “tells you just about everything you need to know about The Black Keys”, reckons Matt Tomiak of this BK classic.
HAVE LOVE WILL TRAVEL: “Stomping, cutesy-wootsy vocals-a-blarin’, porch-a-hangin’, distorto-groove-punk…” – we reckon Toby L enjoyed juxtaposing those words.
YOUR TOUCH:
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