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Interview
by SashaS
16-10-2002
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| Lupine Howl at their fave watering hole |
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Tall grass and florets
Lupine Howl – something special this way comes
“No, I’ve never read that book but remember the series being on TV when I was a kid,” Lupine Howl’s singer Sean Cook explains about the band second album’s title, ‘The Bar At The End Of The World’, “but it hasn’t been inspired by (the cult-favourite, currently being made into a feature film), ‘Hitch-hikers Guide To The Galaxy’, and its ‘Restaurant At The End Of The Universe’.”
“It was the artist who does layout for our covers who first mentioned it,” Cook continues, “and it did ring the bell… But, no, it is named after a bar in Bristol where we go and the picture on inside cover is taken there. It is the bar owned by Massive Attack, called ‘Nocturne’, and the idea is that once you get there, you get lost in vices and never leave. That’s the general gist of the record, as well.”
That’s one misconception out of the way; the other theory that might be touted about is that the band’s debut album, ‘The Carnivorous Lunar Activities Of…’, was riding psychedelic wave before it got formed. Now, with The Corals and The Music making new-psyche noises, the path to recognition should be clearer and easier to navigate.
“Let’s hope so,” Cook smiles, “because we all need money… But, yeah, you may be right, and a lot of people told us that. Before the first record came out, when we were trying to get signed, we were continually told that our kind of music wasn’t selling anymore, there was a dance culture and we should get on a crossover bandwagon if we wanted to get somewhere… We were branded ‘rock’ then, which was very unfashionable at the time but now, everyone is making guitar music…”
But, it is not only the psychedelic field that is being sawn, there is even an element of countrified rock, then bluesy… it is a combo of The Spencer Davis Group grooves and Crosby Still Nash & Young’s riffs.
“I’ve got the albums by all the original artists,” Cook evaluates the current scene, “and it seems that a lot of copying is going on: The Strokes are like Television, it’s repackaging old riffs, image and scene for the 18-year-olds who don’t know any better. We can’t do that, we have to be honest with ourselves and we have to attempt to re-invent… If not the wheel, at least a spoke.”
Swell heat
When the band, based in Bristol, gets into a full-flight on the album, alike in ‘The Pursuit Of Pleasure’, it reaches way beyond anything bands like Doves and Elbow can truly imagine; ‘Centre Of The Universe’ is so far-out and ethereal even Radiohead could face problem matching it; ‘Signing Off’ soars toward the heights Pink Floyd once marshalled so well but it was such a long time ago…
A song like ‘Trust Me?’ makes one question the autobiographical tone of the disc.
“A lot of it, not quite…” Cook slowly explains, “As every creative person, a lot of the initial spark is personal and then become generalized. That is true of the whole record and to me was very important; I was coming out of a relationship and my situation corresponds to many others’…
Life works to a pattern of cloned individualities; what’s your take on the future?
“I’m more sceptical, I’d say,” Cook is cautious, “but there are some encouraging signs like The White Stripes selling Robert Johnson’s type of music to general public!? They have a new take but it is so obvious to see Robert Johnson as well as The Cramps and The Gun Club. I love those bands and I love bands that try to do their own thing.”
Gawping history
Cook and Mike Mooney emerged as Lupine Howl (named after a computer file spoilt by dog’s in-studio howling and when they needed a name this seemed to fit the oblique level of music) after being ejected out of Spiritualized in 1999 and since have added another full-time member, drummer/percussionist Jon Mattock (also a former Spiritualized member). ‘The Bar…’ is actually a dark sounding record, dealing with vice, death, graves…
“Well, life in general,” Cook corrects. “I’m confused about most things but one thing I do know is that I’m clearly f**ked but at least I’m clear about that. I hope there is a bar at the end of the world so that at least, when I get there, I can get a drink.”
Which way are you going, my son?
“I don’t know,” Cook pauses for a second, “and that’s the beauty of it. Whatever you plan something else happens in a studio and surprises you. But then, I have no real knowledge of any competition because I don’t really follow what’s happening in the world… I’ve been to see Del Rays and The Datsuns recently and really enjoyed myself. But, I have too much music in me to need outside entertainment…”
You must have listened to the Spiritualized album?
“No, there was no point,” Cook laughs, “we know what Jason (Pierce, leader of the band) can do…”
He claimed in an interview that he didn’t fire the rest of the band but you upped and left…
“That’s no true and another case of Jason’s revisionism,” Cook remains calm, “but I still have the letter that effectively fired me… I can send you a copy of the letter but you just look at the other side of that story: we were in a successful band with a platinum (UK) selling album, getting paid handsomely but we decided to jack it all in?! We didn’t go temporary insane, we weren’t in need of therapy… But that’s was a long time ago now…”
Here we all go, heading for the bar at the end of time.
Tour dates:
16 October – Barfly, Cardiff
17 October – Barfly, Sheffield
18 October – Barfly, Liverpool
19 October – Rocket, Leeds
21 October – Soundhaus, Northampton
22 October – Adelphi, Hull
23 October – Barfly, Glasgow
24 October – Metro, London
25 October – Louisiana, Bristol
26 October – Moles, Bath
SashaS
28-2-2001
Lupine Howl album ‘The Bar At The End Of The World’ is released 14 October 2002 on Vinyl Hiss/Beggars Banquet
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