inthemix | Features | Klaxons: Finding NeverEverLand

Oh, they’ve been busy, those Klaxons. Busy releasing a debut album Myths of the Near Future to massive acclaim (and nabbing the coveted Mercury Prize for their efforts), touring like madmen, getting engaged to other hot, young musicians, then accepting nominations and awards all over the place (for example, ‘Best Album’ at this year’s NME Awards). Not to mention that age-old favourite among musicians: partying.

With a schedule like that you’ve got to take a break where you can get it. Touring does not always allow for sightseeing, so on the latest trip Simon Taylor, the band’s guitarist, planned in advance.

“We got back from South America last week,” he explains. “Me and Jamie went to New York on the way home – we thought for some reason that New York was on the way back from Brazil – we thought, before we finished the record we’d have a small holiday in New York, cause every time we go there, it’s more hectic than any place on planet Earth and we never have any time to look around. So we just chilled out there for a few days. The last few days it’s been like, paying bills and all that jazz. It’s nice to be back in England actually.”

Simon’s Brazilian fiancé Lovefoxx, lead singer of CSS, had previously speculated that they might get married around this time, but sadly I don’t care enough to ask if that’s what they were up to over there. While researching this story, I Google Simon’s name to find that nearly every post has something to do with Lovefoxx. For two musicians, I tell him incredulously, you would think there’d be some mention of, you know, music. We laugh as he moans, “I know, how exciting.” While in Brazil, he says, it was “‘just constant questions. It’s like, give me a break.”

Gossip aside, there is no break coming. After a huge couple of years of touring, festivals, touring and more festivals, Klaxons have bunkered down to commit their second album to tape before heading over to Australia for the second NeverEverLand festival.

First things first. After a debut that apparently launched a new genre (nu-rave) and a tonne of copycats, Simon told Pitchfork that they seemed to be making a prog record. I express disbelief. “If you can imagine, like, a full-fat prog record, we’re like a diet version of it,” Simon starts convincingly, before admitting, “It’s not prog to be honest. This is serious – I don’t think we’re musical enough to write a prog record. We can’t play our instruments that well. They are really good musicians, people who do prog records.”

Riiiiight. So, what are the new tracks like then? “At the moment, there are bits that are really heavy and bits that are really wimpy…we’re trying to find the middle ground.”

While it seems the boys – Simon, Jamie Reynolds (bass), James Righton (keys) and Steffan Halperin (not oft-seen drummer) – haven’t left themselves long to write and record an album, the guitarist explains that they demoed a few tunes ahead of touring. “Most of the songs we recorded – we’ve been playing a few on tour – we now want them to be heavier than when we first recorded them. It’s been good to have that distance on stuff so we can go back and re-evaluate and re-record. It’s been a good process.”

I’m a bit confused about when Klaxons actually made it to Australia last. So is Simon. They had been booked for shows twelve months ago, gigs that were canned after Jamie snapped his leg in a dismal attempt at crowd surfing. I don’t think they’ve been back. Simon thinks it was last year. “It’s a year ago? I’ve got no idea. I can’t wait to go back though.”

Unfortunately for mad Klaxons fans, it won’t be a huge tour. As guests of the NeverEverLand festival, the band are playing the tour and skipping town again. What a shame. “It’s sad isn’t it?” agrees Simon. “Whenever we go, we have an amazing time. The crowds in Australia are among the best in the world. We will have, literally, just finished our record by then so we’ll be going straight from the studio to Australia which will be great. Nice little holiday!”

Are you going to get up to shenanigans? I ask coyly. He laughs confidently, “What kind of shenanigans?” Have you seen the video from the Brit Awards? “Yeeeeeeah, I have seen that.” His confidence turns to sheepishness. Footage on the Brit Awards site shows the nominees on the red carpet looking decidedly ‘tired and emotional.’

“There is a logical reason behind that, though,” offers Simon. “When we found out about the Brit Awards, they told us we had to mime. We did rehearsals at seven o’clock in the morning… before you knew it we’d been drinking all day and we didn’t realise we had to go back out on the red carpet. Obviously, that’s not when you arrive, it’s all faked. So we got in this car, and – I still had a drink in my hand and Jamie didn’t have his shoes on – they just drove us around [to the carpet] and we were like, ‘Oh Jesus Christ, here we go.’”

Well, I laugh, that is completely understandable then. He has a giggle too, before assuming a serious stiff upper lip. “I think we looked amazing though, Jamie looked like Harry Potter. It was great.”

The Klaxons are one of the headliners of the national NeverEverLand Festival later this month…

Sat 13 – Hordern Pavilion & Surrounds, Sydney
Sun 14 – Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne
Sat 20 – Riverstage, Brisbane
Sun 21 – Members Equity Stadium, Perth