INTERVIEW: Little Comets

When it comes to the 21st century music scene it’s hard to figure out who’s making music and whos singing off a lyric sheet or who’s there for the cameras and who’s there for the fans. Step forward Little Comets, Newcastle’s indie rock band who pen songs oozing with politics, throw honest intimate gigs and have all the time in the world for their fans. Finding a spare moment from their October/November tour and the release of their The Sagnuine EP, frontman Rob Coles happily responded to a few of my questions after I was unable to attend a gig. His answers provided me with laughter and a reminder that the rare species of bands like Little Comets need to be treasured, encouraged and not lost in the glitz and glam of a corporate industry.

Jess: I can’t name a single band that is as in touch with their fans and down to earth as you guys. On twitter and in real life, you always have time for us lot – take now for instance. Is there never any temptation to diva it up a bit?

Rob: Hi! Actually just as I type this Mickey is busy trashing the dressing room because there aren’t any mirrors with his image already screenprinted onto them (this is our standard request). Plus, our helicopter was 2 minutes late this morning so we shotgunned the pilot on the spot. Disgraceful. Other than that we are pretty normal.

Honestly though – when we make music it is such a cloistered environment that when it gets released it is a relief. I think we are really lucky as the people who listen to the music are very passionate about it, so it’s lovely to engage with them. Plus, a lot of people we see at gigs have been coming for years so we know them – it’s lovely to have conversations about how life is going as it gives a real sense of familiarity that reminds us of home. I don’t know, I suppose it is important to us that our music is just an extension of ourselves and we are pretty normal people so hopefully that comes across.

Jess: You are clearly big ambassadors of hard work and independence, how do you feel about shows like X factor?

Rob: I think it is such a shame that talented people see a television show as a sensible career path. The idea of rejection or success being such a black and white thing is ridiculous – it’s not a constructive process: you are either highly valued or dispensable week to week. Also, I don’t think it does anything for creativity or development as throughout the process people seem to become automatons, behaving at the whim of a director or choreographer. Plus it is a corporate roadshow with making money at the centre of it which is never good.

On top of that it supports bullying and the exploitation of vulnerable people in the early stages of the show – you are encouraged to laugh at someone because they sound or look different. What’s that about?

Jess: I remember on your last tour you mentioned Russell Brand’s cry for revolution in the form of us all not voting (eek) and a lot of your songs have political messages that have really made me think / engaged young people in politics. Is that something you aim for or is it just a musical rant? 

Rob: I do think people should engage with the system – it’s fundamentally flawed from gender imbalance, to voting systems, to how parliament looks and sounds, to motives for going into public service, to how local politics becomes diluted. But I suppose that this would just be a happy by-product of writing a song if someone chose to investigate an issue further.

I find that when I have a large amount of space to discuss an issue (whether in conversation or via email), my emotions often take over and I can’t make the points I want in a logical or succinct way. I am pretty passionate about lots of things so in the last few years I have found discussing them through music (where I have a limited number of syllables in which to express a view) is a much more enjoyable way of doing it.

So I suppose to answer your question directly, it’s just a musical rant haha.

Jess: Similar to the political aspects of your music, there is a lot of social injustices highlighted and feminist issues brought to light. From sexual violence in ‘Violence Out Tonight’ to blurred lines in the blur the line and the thickest of onions, do you think working in an industry that constantly sexualises women has influenced your music? 

Rob: Yes, but also in a society that does that – the music industry is an objectification machine but look at newspapers and magazines, television programs, the make-up of parliament and business, gender stereotypes in schools – it all adds to the problem. Even the news – it’s all about what men are doing or what men are doing to women, you often have to wait four or five minutes for a positive story that involves women, if at all.

I think it is just worrying that if you ask most people if we live in a sexist world they would say no, that is the most shocking aspect of it. You just have to look around – it’s everywhere.

Jess: Who would be your ideal Glastonbury headliners?

Rob: I’d start a rival festival next door called Glassed and Buried. It would be free with local primary school children in charge of security and catering. I’d get Paul Simon to headline with Joni Mitchell doing alternative songs. Bowie would do the lights and Bjork the sound. Prince could build the stage. There wouldn’t be a backstage area but I would go round with a bullshit detector and encourage any music industry people who had stumbled in to go to the NME Tent which would just be a hole in the ground filled with albums by artists that were on the front cover but then got 4/10 for their albums.

Granted, sitting at home in bed with your laptop isn’t the same as dancing in a sweaty crowd to The Dancing Song, but on this occasion it’s come a close second. If you haven’t already, check out Little Comet’s new release The Sanguine EP or get yourself down to one of their late November shows. A guaranteed good night or a free ticket to Glass and Buried 2016 as compensation? See Rob for details…

@jessreadett