Great Escape 2006
"Brakes just went to pieces in the hallway, bang goes any indie credibility"
In forty short minutes, Electric Soft Parade finish off and look to pack up. With a crowd baying for more, a deal is struck whereby if Eamon (Brakes frontman) is in the house, they'll play Cheney. Eamon duly fights his way to the front, and after a quick band re-shuffle, the ten second outburst against the American Vice-President really does bring proceedings to a satisfactory close.
Electric Soft Parade are on at the Freebutt, but that's another bloody long walk almost back where I came from with no guarantee of getting in there either. Fuck fuck fuck. I really don't know what to do... I know precisely three other people who live in Brighton. And then... two of them are standing in front of me! It's Eamon and Marc from Brakes, and they're heading up to the Freebutt themselves and offering me a lift. I'm so happy to be in the warm, dry Transit van that I don't stop to consider that the man currently driving me through a hectic city centre is best known for banging a big drum with a pigeon and/or shrieking "Spikey spikey!"
I get to see Brakes for ten seconds, as Eamon gets up onstage to do Cheney towards the end.
Saturday 20th: Brighton supergroup, Brighton supergroup blah blah blah. It's time for headliners Brakes to finish the night off in their very own country-punk style, as only they know how. We know what to expect from them by now, but it never fails to be anything short of brilliant.
Frontman Eamon, relieved from his role in British Sea Power and now a full time Brake, snarls his way through the songs in his own unique way - sly digs at people irritating you at gigs (Hi How Are You, Heard About Your Band), dancing monkeys (Ring a Ding Ding) as well a great cover of Shut Us Down by Americans Camper Van Beethoven. Marc Beattys throbbing bass on past single All Night Disco Party gets the crowd dancing all over the place, while the band are joined on-stage by Phil Sumner of fellow Brighton band Actress Hands to play cornet on You're So Pretty. Plus, not one, but all 3 of the lovely Pipettes are welcomed to sing their duet with Eamon on their cover of Jesus & Mary Chains Sometimes Always.
Recent b-side If I Should Die Tonight proves to be a beautiful countrified ballad, and no doubt many a person goes away into the night shouting SPIKEY SPIKEY! after the awesome punk racket of Porcupine or Pineapple. Funny, slightly off the wall, extremely entertaining and the best band of the whole weekend damn it! Oh and if there's a better way to end a set than the six second shout-a-thon of Comma Comma Comma Full Stop then answers on a postcard please. As is said here in Brighton... that was lush!
Friday 19th: Despite no plans for an encore the crowd are insistent, and eventually the Electric Soft Parade give in, as Eamon Hamilton (yes, he of Brakes) is called on stage to add his vocals to the 6-second madness of Brakes tune Cheney. Short but sweet - it's all that's needed!
You were at Great Escape because it's on home turf for you. This was the 3 day festival in Brighton which took place over the weekend.
Eamon: We were invaded by bands and kids, it was superb.
It must've been so busy though, it seemed like every train was full of people arriving for this event.
Eamon: Also it coincided with The Brighton festival, Brighton's invaded anyway during May.
Where did you play? Did all your bands play?
Eamon: Brakes played at The Zap, we had a superb one, kind of finished it off didn't we.
Marc: Tenderfoot played at The Zap as well...
Tom: ...with British Sea Power and then Electric Soft Parade played The Freebutt, the old stomping ground for most of us.
Now I've worn out my copy of Give Blood...
Marc: Buy another one.
I don't think it's sold enough copies, this record, everyone listening to this, just phone up someone tomorrow morning and say "look I've got one it's really good" and just get a friend to buy a copy.
Alex (I think) Cheers Steve, here's that twenty quid we were talking about.
Are you going to do some more recording though?
Marc: We're starting in 2 weeks.
Eamon: We're going to Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashville doesn't know what it's about to be hit with. So why are you going all that way, it'll only take about half an hour to record it.
Marc: It's cheap.
Eamon: And it's warm. It's not raining.
Eamon asks when Sonia's turning up (she's late for the show) Marc says they've been driving around all day moving gear and listening to Radio 2, then he admits they listened to Juice. Eamon says they stopped touring 2 weeks ago, first time in a year, they're going to Nashville in 2 weeks to record their 2nd album at the House Of David studio - Roy Orbison, Elvis and Yo La Tengo recorded there. It's really cheap 'cos of the strength of the pound. They talk about their gig tomorrow. Playing with a "mystery guest" - because they're not sure who they're playing with (3 good bands) DJ asks for a sneak preview. Marc says it's a "summer hit for a rainy day". They play NY Pie. DJ says thankyou. A while later: Sonia's there - "Brakes just went to pieces in the hallway, bang goes any indie credibility"