Leaves - London, UK, Winter 2001
By: Toby L
2001 has been a most interesting year for alternative music. The Strokes, Gorillaz, Starsailor and The White Stripes are just some of the acts that have helped shape the scene back into a successful state, whilst also enhance some new life into it. However, seemingly, another group has come along that are looking to create the same effect - only, this time, they may be breathing out - suitable to the title of their debut EP - something which is wholly more beautiful and moving. The people concerned? Leaves.
Although a simple name, their music is far more complex. A thorough and brave mix of wavy, epic guitars, haunting piano, hazy vocals, scattered drums and driving bass, perhaps the difference between this act and the others out there is that they can pen a fine top-20 legible tune, whilst also appeal to the masses which get by without seeking guidance from the charts to form their music-tastes. Such credibility will thus get them the accolade - or pitfall - of being labelled the next 'cool' thing, but - what with a live set to enchant and touch all potential viewers - like the above names, they'll no doubt be able to bypass any hype to ensure success. But what do they think about the matter?
'I think if these things pop up so quickly, they can burn out in a short time,' bassist Hallur ponders. 'So, I think it could be better, you know, if you slowly build up a fan base...'
Guitarist and accordion-player, Arnar backs this up. 'Yeah, it could be best step-by-step. If we got that attention, though, we'd probably be OK,' he comments, prior to smiling, indicating that they would quite enjoy such celebration from the critics.
However, surely it would be impossible to live up to any similar hype?
'I don't look at it that way,' Hallur starts again. 'We just do what we do and don't think about what other people think - and that's the most important thing.'
'Yeah, we don't feel any pressure... Well, not yet!' Lead-singer and guitarist - another Arnar (we'll name him 'Arnar no.1' for convenience) - nervously laughs to himself.
Well, if it's any consolation to the group, there's little reason for concern at this stage of their career. Already establishing their sound, on a first listen of their strangely irresistible repertoire, you'll be rather shocked at how long it's taken them to get their act together (frontman, Arnar, commenting on this, 'The band has only been together for, like, four months.'). So, how did they come together?
'It was when we were like ten years old or something,' opens Arnar, no.2. 'We all lived in the same area and went to the same school as each other.'
What attracted you to each other to become friends?
'Of course, the music,' he continues, casting his mind back to when they first met. 'The old ones? Well, probably Pink Floyd...'
Hallur contributes his own artists. '... David Bowie, The Beatles...'
'Nick Drake,' returns the tall, six-string strummer, with a burst of inspiration.
'And Neil Young,' finalises Hallur firmly. 'We were just into all the same things.'
'Yeah, we're just too similar, I guess,' grins Arnar again.
Obviously, such a list of legendary musicians prompts a new question: what is it about music that makes you interested in it?
Singer Arnar, whose remarks during the interview are intermittent yet valuable as additions, explains. 'It's really got to mean something from the person that's playing it.'
His bandmate of the same name summarises the topic. 'Yeah, it's just got to be a way of living, you know. We just play what comes natural...'
Natural, eh? As if the nature connotations of their name weren't enough already, this band really would prefer you to think that what they produce is something they can't totally control: a sound that just comes to them without much effort.
The setting for such a chat is actually in the rather new, plush London venue, Cargo, located in the Capital's trendy East End. The four men present for the interview - drummer Bjarni absent, due to an important date with his dinner - are seated around a table, in a dark room, lit mainly by just a few candles.
This evening, they are set to support The Coral, a group that the UK press has been running after for the last couple of months. Expectedly, the night ahead for them is a support-set in front of a largely industry-orientated crowd - just like their debut UK show, held last night at the Camden Barfly.
Now, two key things that you may have picked up on so far, whilst reading this, are the following:
1) They have interesting, clearly foreign names, and
2) If Leaves have just played their debut UK show the evening prior to now, and have only been formed for four months, just how many concerts have they played to date?
Let's pick up on the second point first: basically, last night's gig was their third one ever. Yes, ever, making tonight's show their fourth in total. Exactly - to call this a new band, you are genuinely making full use of the word 'new' (this is even their first ever face-to-face English-speaking interview, for example). And - to answer for number 1 above - the reason they possess such names is not because they're new age hippies - well, they could be, but this hasn't been confirmed - but instead due to the fact that Leaves come from Iceland.
This, in itself, could draw extra interest on to the group, though this is clearly not something that they'd deem important, musically, for people to know about.
'We don't just want to be known as 'Leaves: The Icelandic Band,' Hallur semi-jokes.
'We want to do something different, you know,' responds Arnar no.2. 'And we're not trying to compare us with Iceland.'
Incidentally, Iceland is actually recognised as a country that produces bands with a more open-minded outlook on making music - is this a fair judgement would you say?
Arnar thinks for a second, before fully answering. 'Yeah... It's because we live in this North Atlantic sea and we get all the sounds from the UK and America and probably mix it all together to create something new, or at least create something Icelandic-sounding.'
'As it's so small,' reasons Hallur, 'Everyone does know each other, so if someone's imitating someone else, you immediately hear about it... There's a really huge lo-fi scene in Iceland and everybody's trying to do something that they haven't heard before.'
Something that's interesting in the group's development was the way that they all lived separately - frontman Arnar recording original demos on his computer, singing gently at evenings so as to not wake his family - before moving in together within a 'red house in the centre of Reykjavik', which they rented from a reputable pianist. How has this change of environment inspired them?
'Yeah,' bursts Hallur with enthusiasm. 'It's amazing how this house changed the way things were going! We were all going different ways, but - as soon as we moved in - everything just happened by itself; People started hearing about us and called us up, and that's how it started.'
Singer Arnar notes as a confirmation, 'We wrote about ten songs in one month!'
Obviously, you're a very young band in the grand scheme of events, but your live set seems very polished despite yourselves having performed so few times - have you been rehearsing consistently?
'No,' guitarist Arnar replies, almost surprised by the question. 'Just through the last few months and probably about three days per week.' Suddenly, his eyes light up and he seizes the chance to make a joke. Pointing to their lead-singer, he proceeds, 'But, he's been playing guitar since he was ten... And it all just really started with the interest of heavy metal in Iceland!'
'No, death-metal,' corrects Hallur, laughing.
What are your early, initial feelings on the industry that you're entering into?
Arnar no.1 states happily, 'It's nice! If you work with the right people and like the person that you're talking to, then it's OK.'
However, the bassist then clearly reveals their current favourite aspect of the business: 'We love the Visa cards!'
'The Visa cards' aside for a moment, there is another fuel that's keeping the Leaves' fire alight in their quest for stardom - football.
'We're doing OK,' affirms Hallur proudly. 'Our team is really well known in Iceland!'
Go on then - just what positions do you each play on the pitch?
'Striker,' exclaims the frontman abruptly.
'I'm a right full-back,' distinguishes Hallur.
'I'm the left-wing,' Arnar announces.
Silent until now, keyboardist/guitarist/backing vocalist, Addi (now not part of the new group line-up), pronounces bemusingly, 'And I'm everywhere!'
Lead-man, Arnar, looks to his side, peers at the man who has committed such an odd return, and reassures his place. 'No, you're a striker!'
Addi looks despairingly downwards. 'Ah, whatever, whatever!'
This progressed to the main question - what's better to play: a concert or a football match?
The part-time accordion-player answers with ease, 'A concert,' whilst the Leaves frontman gives an opposite view. 'A football match,' Arnar professes.
Hallur prefers to find the fine line between the two experiences. 'Erm, both are really not that different, you know; you get adrenaline and stuff like that, and you need to concentrate a lot.'
Despite this, when asked if they want to be known for their ball-skills - in the innocent sense of the phrase - they all surprisingly murmur a collective, 'No!'
However, to conclude, let's mention that first release of theirs, to surface in January of 2002, the 'Breathe EP'. Comprising three tracks of mellow, though - at times - frantic bliss, the modest production and sweeping songwriting suggests a group with a long and fruitful future ahead of them. But how would the artists themselves describe their work? Only Arnar no.2 is willing to answer.
'It's just nice music with melodies... Melodies that are going to capture hearts!' He laughs cheekily, and the matter is extended to the rest of the group - this time, the topic arising of, if each member were a reviewer, what would they say of the music in question?
'F**king brilliant, mate,' sniggers Hallur, who donates his response in a glorious interpretation of a British accent.
Arnar no.2 is more serious. 'People hear different things in our music; everybody is comparing us to some other bands that they have been listening to, like, 'Oh, you're just like Radiohead,' and then another person will say it sounds like something else. It just depends on the people, and what they sense and feel.'
'It's just the way we love music,' Hallur simplifies. 'Or at least I do!'
Yeah, good point - it may be your preferred choice of music, but the others could be in it for the money!
'Well absolutely. I'm not,' smiles Hallur, before looking and gesturing towards Andri, 'But he is!'
Before long, the stars are up onstage in the venue proving themselves to yet more faces - an activity that they'll no doubt have to be doing for a certain amount of time.
However, it's quite obvious that they shan't be waiting too long for what they're setting out to achieve - and the world's ears will most definitely be ringing with excitement once the secret's let out of the bag in regards to their startling brilliance. Take a rockfeedback tip on this one - don't Leave it too long to get into this band...
Artists in this article: Leaves