Photo:
It’s 11.30pm on a Friday night and KOKO’s club night is in full swing. The balconies are packed out and a mass of heaving bodies twitch and jive on the dance floor as the indie anthems blast out of the speakers and echo up into the dressing rooms. And that’s where Gigwise is- the dressing rooms. Louie’s dressing room to be precise and everyone’s buzzing as the countdown to stage time begins.
Louie are a six piece, a bona fide rock n’ roll six piece with a shot of punk thrown in there for good measure. There’s Andy, Russell (the guitarist currently offering someone some fruit), Luke and Mikey (the drummer), and two singers- Gaz and Jordan. “We like playing music and having a good time” says Jordan sitting next to us on one of the venue’s plush sofas. That’s something evident in their shows, particularly in their recent appearance at the Tin Pan Alley festival where they pretty much owned the crowd - but hey Louie appear to be quite the seasoned pro’s when it comes to festivals. “The first festival we did, actually it was our tenth gig, we played a festival in Portugal” continues Jordan, “We did O2 and Reading & Leeds last year when we were unsigned. This year we did O2, Download, and Truck and Tin Pan Alley… Ohh! Don’t! Don’t!” Fruit starts to fly around the room and as Jordan warns the offender “Fuckin’ hell! I don’t want to get a strawberry in the fucking face!”
Thankfully after the brief fracas, he resumes his festival-related chat. “It’s really nice playing in the day. Like playing now at 12.15 at night it’s great but you’re worried all day, I like the feel of playing coming off, drinking and watching loads of bands.” So it’s much more relaxed Jordan? “It not just that- you can meet and idol and you can meet a mate from a band. Everyone seems in a really up mood and anyone who goes to a festival and is miserable they shouldn’t be in a band because you’re a lucky bastard to be playing any festival!”
Festivals aside now, Louie are currently recording their album with Stephen Street (noted for his work with The Smiths, Jordan proudly proclaims). Between writing and gigging, about half the album is completed and if all goes to plan, the band are back in the studio in November to finish it off. As yet it doesn’t have a title but “it’ll be good when it comes out” we are reassured. Speaking of names you may think that there’s a witty story behind that of the band’s but in truth it is quite simple; The guys wanted something short sharp and snappy that a crowd could shout, so ‘Louie’ it was.
Much the same can be said for the relationship between the dual singers Jordan and Gaz - most bands would struggle to support the egos of two frontmen but here again it’s simple. “What we do is both write lyrics together and separately and bring it together or we’ll sit and write lyrics together.” Jordan explains. “It’s not I write for him or he writes for me; I can write something that means a lot to me and he (Gaz) can sing it and it comes out in a different way. It’s weird… and I don’t mind that and he doesn’t mind either.” Another factor Louie have to deal with is getting the right balance between all their influences, ‘cause with six of them it’s a case of pulling out the perfect elements of each and turning it into their own music. “What got me into starting a band? I heard The Strokes when I was at college and I was like ‘that’s cool as fuck!’ Our guitarist was into metal when he was younger; our drummer is really into 70’s punk which is where we get the punky influence. What did from day one was we didn’t really talk about music together we just went in the studio and played.” Smart lads.
When Louie first started it was done more as a laugh and a way to get the boys in the band out of drama school. Jordan had a load of CDs and was handing them out in the street, he gave one to this guy and a phone call later and they had a manager. “It just happened and happened and happened and I think we just realised actually we are good and can actually do this.”
Reflecting on his band’s situation he adds, “It’s just lads with guitars and rock n’ roll, and that’s what I love and I thinks that’s what a lot of people love at the end of the day. I don’t get how you can call a scene… (he trails off slightly) but then like I don’t listen to much new stuff. The only person I’ve heard with that’s made me go ‘that’s fucking great’ is Jamie T- he’s got shit loads of talent. If a band makes me feel what they feel, if I look at the front row and they’re looking at you and they’re feeling as fucking knackered as I am that’s the way is should be. Like when people saw The Clash or The Sex Pistols they shit themselves ‘cause they didn’t know what happened. It should be fucking in your face right there, you should be able to touch it… I’m a bit pissed. Music gets turned around … I’ve gone off on one I can’t remember where I am, tell me!”
There’s time for one last question before Louie hit the stage. What’s the one song you wish you’d wrote? “That’s well hard.” There’s a long pause before “One song? (Another pause). That’s well hard! That’s the hardest question I’ve ever been asked! Errrm. Beatles- Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds!” Why? “Because I wish I could have the bottle to get that off my rocker and write music and know it would work well… Actually that’s probably a bad answer ‘cause we could spend 20 minutes and discuss it together and come up with a really good one. I really…that’s a hard question...that’s fucking…that’s one of the best questions I’ve ever been asked. Luke!”
Clearly excited, Jordan proceeds to shout across the room to his fellow bandmates; “If you could write one song you wish you could have wrote, what would it have been? How good is that question?!” “’Heroin’ by Velvet Revolver” Luke replies, then we notice Jordan’s looking at them funny. You gonna change your mind? “Waterloo Sunset maybe? The Jam – ‘Modern World’! What about you?” Personally we’d have chosen ‘High Voltage’ by AC/DC. “That’s good” comes the reply “I never really got into that kind of thing but I would have love to have wrote ‘Someday’ by The Strokes.” Hopefully that’s Jordan’s final answer. “No! Mikey!” Another consultation later and Golden Brown by The Stranglers is chosen.
Thankfully there’s not enough time for another change in answer, as Louie are due on stage. A few minutes later and the band appear amid a blast of sound and hurtle through a face and furious set. And they certainly know how to entertain with rip-roaring tunes and lively singers who have enough daring to start pushing security around down in the pit. All too soon the set comes to a close but not before a few more numbers are punched aggressively out. It’s true what Jordan said, they’re just lads with guitars and rock n’ roll. That’s what they love and tonight is sure proof of that.
Live photo by: Roisin Warner
