Meet Nevski, a French indie pop band from Paris that will make your ears smile with interwoven harmonies. Band members Rudolphe Binot, Quentin Laclere, Simon Barret, and Leonard Mule recently took the time to answer a few of our questions.
People say I sound like…
Julien: French Indie pop doped with Madchester vibes on a Glaswegian rainy day.
Rodolphe: Or Simon & Garfunkel on crack. Actually we’re the other pop band (guitar/guitar/bass/drums) trying to write good songs.
Tell us about the scene in Paris…
R: If you consider indie pop/rock, I don’t know. There are many people dedicated to music and places where you can see some good bands. That said, most people are doing their own stuff without a real sense of community. But we’re ok with that.
J: It’s shite.
Quentin: It mainly takes place in arched basements where the sound reverbs so much that you can’t hear a thing.
Simon: I feel that people here are starting to reconsider music as something vital to them, which is good I presume.
What music has influenced your sound?
J: Psych 60s, Madchester, Britpop.
R: Syd Barrett, The Beatles, The Velvet Undergroud. Punk Rock.
Q: The Pixies, The Beach Boys, David Bowie.
S: Pink Floyd, Boards of Canada, Aphex Twin.
Tell us about your live show…
R: It’s basically the four of us playing with a direct sound and energy. It works pretty well in the small and crowded venues we’re doing right now. No light show, no disguise. Julien wears a hat sometimes.
Q: He stands up in the centre, between Rodolphe and I, staring at our feet .
S: And I use a cowbell sometimes.
What influences you lyrically?
R: The same feelings that’s been written and sung about for thousand years. It has to sound good, the words and the music should melt together. Sometimes it’s just nonsense.
Q: We write in French about love, travels in space and air crashes.
Best concert I’ve ever seen…
J: Arcade Fire, aka. The Reflektors in Paris.
R: Philippe Katerine. ‘Mes Mauvaises Fréquentations’ is one of the best French pop records.
Q: Philippe Katerine, the same concert. There were only about 60 people and the band was awesome.
S: Manu Chao for the energy that he and his band deliver. The drummer is a machine!
If you could travel back in time for music, what year would you go to and who would you see?
R: I’d go to a time when you could not record music. Bach playing the harpsichord in an empty German church might be the real deal.
J: 1992/1993, to attend U2’s Zoo TV Tour.
Q: Reading festival 92′, to see Kurt Cobain coming on stage in a wheelchair.
S: I’d rather travel to the future. 2080 for exemple: ‘Have you heard about this new non-human band ?’
What are you listening to today?
J: Californian garage music (Ty Segall, Thee oh Sees, Brian Jonestown Massacre…) and Australian psychedelism (Tame Impala, Pond…)
R: The Stone Roses, Pale Saints, Novos Baianos. Among recent releases, Hospitality’s last record.
Q: Sonic Youth, Franz Ferdinand, Lou Reed, The Jesus And Mary Chain.
S: Floating Points, Arthur H, Connan Mockasin.
If you could open for any band or artist today, who would it be and why?
R: Lawrence Arabia, because ‘The Sparrow’ was a great album and he lives in New Zealand.
J: Franz Ferdinand, Belle & Sebastian.
Q: Blur. Because, Blur!
S: Yes, definitely a good choice.
If you could bring only one album on a tour/bus/plane, what would it be?
J : Arcade Fire – Funeral
R : Blonde on Blonde, because it’s a double album and it’s good from the beginning to the end. If you like harmonica.
Q: Surfer Rosa + Come On Pilgrim by the Pixies. I could listen to Frank Black singing “I like Lou Reed” all day long.
S: Meddle by Pink Floyd.
When you’re not playing and have some time off, where would we find you?
J: In a Scottish pub singing Flower of Scotland.
R: Hunting mushrooms in the mountains or in a Spanish bar singing Flower of Scotland.
Q: Walking around the city or eating a quiche lorraine at Rodolphe’s.
S: I would join Quentin and Rodolphe for the quiche and then I’d go to the English pub to practice my dart techniques.
What do you have coming up in 2015/2016?
First album + more gigs!
