The Ordinary Boys - Hull, UK, Winter 2004
By: Matt Tomiak
Music does still matter. Even the dingy confines of a gig at Hull Adelphi on a rainy Wednesday night in March bear testimony to this. As Franz Ferdinand's album reverberates from the venue's PA, the sight of a cluster of wide-eyed, 15-year-old indie-girls singing along to every single word brings a warm glow to your correspondent's heart. There's just no escaping it - it is the done thing to once again treasure great British guitar-pop.
And whilst they perceive themselves as ploughing a strictly individual furrow, there's no denying The Ordinary Boys are on course to form part of a vibrant current movement in these Isles. With the rejuvenated Libertines going into overdrive, the aforementioned FF, Keane and Snow Patrol all scoring top-five singles, a seemingly endless wave of crazy Scouse bands emerging from Merseyside and any number of ace new guitar-wielders on the horizon, Preston and his gang seem, in fact, to fit in rather flawlessly. Young, angry, literate, defiantly British, a chance to chat with Worthing's Ordinary Boys' charismatic singer - a man who sees no need in disclosing a surname, rock fans - is not an opportunity to be passed up.
Resembling a slender version of Wayne Rooney topped off with Paul Weller's 1977 hairdo, Preston fronts a band that has only existed for about two years. But the young Sussex quartet are already are causing quite a stir with their melodic, articulate yet fiercely passionate chimes. Only one major-label release under their belts so far - 'Maybe Someday', a record imbued with 'as much panache as Chaz & Dave caught shoplifting from the local pawn-shop' (copyright rockfeedback.com, 2003).
But, Preston, your forthcoming single; 'Week In Week Out'; it reminded us a bit of Blur, circa-'Modern Life is Rubbish'. Yes, you chaps seem particularly, insolently British. Was the whole mid-90s Britpop faction significant for you in assembling the band?
'They were all the first records I bought,' he nods. 'In 1994, I was 10, 11 and that's when you start buying records. Also, my brother was really into in The Kinks, The Jam and all that. He bought me my first Morrissey record when I was that age. It's always been mainly British music I've been into. Although I am actually American - I've got American citizenship due to my parents. I used to live in Philadelphia so I had a lot of influence from a lot of American hardcore bands. It all collided together to form The Ordinary Boys. We don't strive to be British; we just pride ourselves on being a really honest band.'
From reading a lot of the band's press, you posses a rampant dislike of 'fake'; is that something that you believe exists a lot in, specifically, the homegrown arena at the moment?
'Definitely,' he spits back. 'I think people read too much into their own reviews - they try and make up for a bad review.' And if here at rockfeedback we were ever in doubt as to the power and influence we bear, Preston's willing to confirm others' opinions really do matter to bands. 'It's terribly depressing reading people slating us on the Internet... In fact, I read one the other day from when we played in Stoke-on-Trent. (Preston then goes on to detail said-scribe's uncomplimentary thoughts in gory detail). This is the lesson, not to search for your own band on the Internet. I just think if I'm going to ignore the bad ones then I'm going to ignore the good ones too.' He pauses, acknowledging the topic-swerve. 'See, I just did a politician's thing of changing your question into something completely different...'
This isn't a particular problem - such verbosity in an interviewee is a rare thing indeed. But let's see what you make of this one, sir. The template of The OB's sound seems to be infused mainly with the 'classic' British bands. There's, well, The Jam in particular, but also the 'Pistols, The Buzzcocks, The Clash - these last two bands are even paid tribute to on one of The Ordinary Boys' T-shirt designs available - (Preston: 'Not many people pick up on that. That's good!') - and The Smiths. And, again, Blur. Drawing so heavily on so many well-established inspirations of yore, do you find it hard to ensure your sound remains current?
'I also listen to a lot of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. We've got to the stage where the influences aren't so evident as there's such a mish-mash. We've got this Ordinary Boys sound. I think there's a lot of songs on the album that are going to surprise a lot of people - there's a lot of really unexpected little twists.'
Hell, the boys' connection to Brit-rock heritage is even further enhanced due to the man who produces 'em: one Stephen Street, long-time associate of The Smiths, Morrissey, Suede and, again, Blur. What's it been like working with him? Whilst clearly in thrall to Street (overall the experience is described by Preston as 'just perfect'), a tale of youthful exuberance tempered with professional maturity crops up.
'I wanted to put trumpets, full orchestras and gospel singers on every song on the album, pretty much- really layer it, make it sound like a cross between Motown and 60s psychedelia,' he notes excitedly. 'But Stephen managed to hold us back - a lot - which is really important on a debut album. You don't play all your cards.'
One contemporary act who The Ordinary Boys definitely resemble are The Libertines, who they have supported. Preston acknowledges the groups' similarities - 'we cross over on a lot of the things we were doing'- and pays tribute to them as 'marvellous - I got on really well with 'em. Really nice lads.'
Yet, even still, Preston has no desire to fit in, musically. 'I don't want be a part of any scene. I want to cut myself away from all of that...I don't want to be relying on other bands. I think we're doing something that no-one else is doing at the moment. People can accept that, and really seem to like that. But some people want bands to be all avant-garde and bizarre, and that's just contrived and pretentious. I like my pop songs with lots of trumpets, obvious chord-changes... as long as you can do something interesting with it.'
They may draw upon the greats, but with an uncommon urgency, brashness and verve, The Ordinary Boys are most certainly are doing their best to stay fresh. And, for one night only - via a compulsive, frenetic live-display - bringing fiery hope to a drizzly, north-eastern urban-wilderness that truly needs it. The cards are on the table: and they've got what it takes.
Artists in this article: The Ordinary Boys