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We Are Scientists are a funny band, that’s undeniable. However they are also a proper band, they write songs, they tour hard and they’re really great at it.
The band released their third album ‘Barbara’ this week and Gigwise caught up with lead singer Keith Murray to discuss all things Barbara and Science related.
Gigwise: What can we expect from the new album 'Barbara'?
Keith Murray: All the songs are really brief. The whole thing is about thirty-five minutes long. We decided to use that as a sort of model based on the first few Weezer albums which we think are supremely satisfying and don’t out stay their welcome at all. We hope to have achieved something similar.
Are the short songs going to appeal to people with short attention spans?
It should do very well with those people. I have to say, the theory that MP3 listening is destroying the album as a concept is definitely true for me. It’s rare now that I will start an album on my iPod or computer and stay with it until the end, I feel a real need to shuffle. Although not with vinyl, I’m happy to put that on and stick with it until the end. The new album is not brief to accommodate for people shuffling though, it’s more for the purpose of the songs. It’s like a swift punch to the face but a pleasurable one.
What made you decide to call the album 'Barbara'?
We are always coming up with names for things, we’re forever naming things and writing them down. We started talking about how we wanted to name the record but somehow got put off giving the record a title so to speak. We were talking about how people name boats, how they give them a title like ‘Daddy’s Revenge’, and wanted to move away from it. We wanted to give the record a name that was more like a pet or a friend, an entity in its own right. Barbara seemed like a good one because it’s not a weird name, it doesn’t seem unusual but you don’t really know anyone with the name. I don’t have any friends called Barbara. It’s unique without being strange.
Who are your favourite famous 'Barbara’s'?
I have an aunt named Barbara who lives in Puerto Rico. She is currently very high on the list as is the lead character from Night Of The Living Dead, also called Barbara.
Have you heard of Barbara Windsor?
No, I have not. Who is that?
She's probably the most famous Barbara in Britain. She's on a soap called Eastenders.
Oh yes, I'm aware of that programme.
I think that's all you really need to be. Aware.
Well the most famous American Barbara is Barbra Streisand but she spells her differently to our Barbara. She feels no need for that extra 'a' in the middle of her name.
So you're a real Barbara purist then?
Haha, yes indeed. Barbra Streisland does not fit in our rules of what a Barbara is.
She's a rebel.
She is but then it's got her a long way, not playing by the rules.
Here at Gigwise we all love your single 'Rules Don't Stop Me', which rules are you talking about specifically though?
It's more wishful thinking on my part, I'm an incessant rule keeper. The nearest I get to breaking rules is not knowing the rules of card games.
Is that because you're scared of what might happen if you break the rules?
Absolutely, I'm generally pretty scared of everything. I was the sort of person who turned up for school on time every single day. I'm pretty nervous of all kinds of transgressions.
Do you look both ways before you cross the road?
I absolutely do, yes and I would never cross against the light. Jaywalking is a rule for a reason, people get knocked down every day.
What about if you're in a supermarket and want something from the bakery section and there is a sign saying 'Please Use The Tongs'?
I was not aware that was even a rule but I'm glad that I now do. It's another thing for me to adhere to.
Is 'Rules Don't Stop Me' pretty indicative of how a lot of the new album sounds?
All of the songs are pretty much to the point but trying to incorporate a lot of different ideas in a short space of time. A lot of the songs are brief but not necessarily simple, it never does the same thing twice. But yeah, structurally a lot of the songs are nice and upbeat like 'Rules Don't Stop Me'.
What sort of music were you listening to when you made the album?
I think we're really bad at incorporating what we listen to into what we sound like but my favourte band is Pavement and I really got into the last Wild Beasts album last year so I listened to both of those bands a lot.
And you recorded the record with Andy Burrows who used to be in Razorlight. Is he a permanent member now, an honorary Scientists as it were?
I'm not sure, all we knew was that we wanted to record this record as a band and Andy is a good friend of ours so it made sense to get him involved. It was a lot of fun to work with him and didn't feel like work at all.
We Are Scientists play Glastonbury festival this weekend and will also appear at T In The Park, Oxegen and the Reading and Leeds festivals. ‘Barbara’ is out now.
