The Domino Effect

Lead singer with The Beautiful New Born Children, Michael Beckett has seen his Wednesday-night band become the group on everybody’s lips following their record deal with Domino. uk-fusion quizzes Michael about everything from Julian Cope to demos to the BNBC signature sound, and more

The lack of info is intended, yes. The thing is, it’s amazing how irritated people get just by not knowing where you are from, which kind of goes to show the reason why we opted for this. We’re not 20-year-old sexy skinny kids and we’re based in Germany. Knowing what the British music press is like we just kept it a secret. Basically all the stuff we haven’t been telling people is irrelevant any way. Of course everyone is eventually going to find out where
we’re from and that’s OK.
OK, care to tell us just what "well-known electro-pop group" Per plays in?
He doesn’t and I have no idea where that info comes from.
Alright, can you clear up the following: did Kirsten play in a band with River Phoenix or was that the actual name of the group?
That was the name of the group.
Before your recent UK tour you requested the attendance of Julian Cope at one of your shows. Why and did he actually show?
’Cos he’s the arch druid but he didn’t show. I honestly think he is cool as fuck and there should be more like him. He has passion which 98% of people don’t really have.
The album cover certainly demands your attention. Just what was so offensive about your friend Stu Kincade’s T-shirt that warranted his arrest in Tampa back in November 2000?
He was wearing a T-shirt at an election rally, which said ‘Fear the Evil Gore Bots’. As in: it doesn’t matter who you vote ‘cos they are all the same. He wasn’t doing anything, just standing around wearing that shirt and they singled him out. A friend of his was actually arrested around the same time ‘cos he was carrying a sign saying "Vote Nader." As they say about Florida, "You go on vacation and come back on probation."
The album lasts all of 22 minutes and a bit. Why so short, sir?
It’s not. Most records are just too long.
Now Lorenz and Per have mastered their new instruments, will you all be swapping
instruments again?
They have no way mastered their new instruments (which is good). They’ve mastered what they do on them though and no, we won’t be swapping back.
Another review began with the words: "The sound of a garage-rock band busking atop a rain-blurred chalk mural." But just how would you describe the BNBC sound?
Realistic. Everything which is supposedly ‘rough and dirty’ is in fact super hi-end and I’m trying to work against that with all of the things I’m involved with. And I would never use the word garage. I would use the term bossa nova somewhere though.
How’s it going with Kpt.Michi.Gan?
That’s kind of on ice. It got to the stage where it was really doing my head in working alone. But I’ve got about 35 minutes of music finished. Mostly it’s full-on rock drones.
And what about SchneiderTM?
The new album is finished and mastered and will be released in April. There are lots of real instruments and it’s pretty freaky.
You also play with Super Reverb. Is your BNBC involvement an attempt to break into the Guinness Book of Records or what?
It did get a bit much, yes. At the moment it’s just BNBC and TM which is good ‘cos I’ve aged about 10 years in the last two and can’t take that amount of work any more.
How’s the second BNBC album coming along?
We’ve recorded all the basic tracks (live) and most of the vocals. In the summer we’ll be adding percussion and piano, and then get down to my favourite (not) task of mixing.
Could you explain Dirk Dresselhaus’ involvement with the band?
He’s a friend and he’s got a good tube compressor, which he used to pre-master the album (before we knew that it was an album).
Finally, Michael, what’s only kinky the first time?
Hhhhmmmmmm....I have no idea, but if it’s only kinky the first time it’s probably something extremely intense or just very fucked up.

Hey People!  Check for Live Dates

No part of this exclusive interview can be re-produced without the permission of uk-fusion.com.