Since signing to Vertigo Records in the summer of 2004, Liverpudlian retro rockers The Black Velvets have toured with Stellastarr* and The Killers, supported both The Who and John Squire, and released their debut single ‘Get On Your Life’. Now they’re headlining a tour of the UK, so Gigwise caught up with Paul Carden (vocals) and Dave Dutton (bass) to find out a bit more about them.
How long have you guys been together?
Dave: About a year and a half.
Dave: About a year and a half.
How did you get together?
Dave: We were all in different bands, and Robbie (guitarist) was in university studying art. We all got out of our bands, me and Nick (bass player and drummer) started writing songs together to form a band, and it kind of went on from there.
Dave: We were all in different bands, and Robbie (guitarist) was in university studying art. We all got out of our bands, me and Nick (bass player and drummer) started writing songs together to form a band, and it kind of went on from there.
Why did you decide to call yourselves ‘The Black Velvets’?
Dave: It was a mixture of stuff – it’s a nice Irish drink that we like…
Paul: …And a wise old tramp in The Cracke (a pub in Liverpool) told us it was a good name!
Dave: It was a mixture of stuff – it’s a nice Irish drink that we like…
Paul: …And a wise old tramp in The Cracke (a pub in Liverpool) told us it was a good name!
Some people have accused you of sounding like a rip off of Jet. How would you describe your music?
Paul: (sarcastically) Yeah, I reckon we sound like Jet!
Dave: No I don’t think we do. Jet are doing something that’s rehashed and so are we, but we’re doing two completely different things. People get mistaken by the fact that we both are into the same style of music, but we just don’t sound like them at all.
Paul: Yeah and Jet are always pissed up on stage and they can’t even play their instruments properly – I’ve seen them live so I know.
Paul: (sarcastically) Yeah, I reckon we sound like Jet!
Dave: No I don’t think we do. Jet are doing something that’s rehashed and so are we, but we’re doing two completely different things. People get mistaken by the fact that we both are into the same style of music, but we just don’t sound like them at all.
Paul: Yeah and Jet are always pissed up on stage and they can’t even play their instruments properly – I’ve seen them live so I know.
OK, so what are you guys like then?
Paul: Well, we can play our instruments for a start! But sound-wise, I’d say we are more glam-punk.
Paul: Well, we can play our instruments for a start! But sound-wise, I’d say we are more glam-punk.
Your new single, ‘3345’, is about bar ‘3345’ on Parr Street in Liverpool – why did you decide to write a song about it?
Paul: So we’d never get barred again! – And so that we could get free drinks!
Did it work?!
Paul: No! (laughs) But the bar means a lot to us - we spent a lot of time together there when we first formed the band and that’s where we became good friends.
Paul: So we’d never get barred again! – And so that we could get free drinks!
Did it work?!
Paul: No! (laughs) But the bar means a lot to us - we spent a lot of time together there when we first formed the band and that’s where we became good friends.
Who writes your songs?
Paul: We all write the songs together.
Paul: We all write the songs together.
You’ve toured with The Killers and Stellastarr*, and supported The Who and John Squire among others. How did you feel playing with them?
Paul: Well it was only The Killers second tour and Stellastarr* were the headline act. We were just kind of made up that we were on tour!
Paul: Well it was only The Killers second tour and Stellastarr* were the headline act. We were just kind of made up that we were on tour!
I guess its lucky for a band who haven’t been together that long to get opportunities like those…
Paul: It depends really on how you look at it.
Paul: It depends really on how you look at it.
OK, well how do you look at it?
Paul: …If you look at it as being lucky then you’re not really considering the fact that you’re good and a lot of people believe in you.
Paul: …If you look at it as being lucky then you’re not really considering the fact that you’re good and a lot of people believe in you.
But supporting The Who is a rare opportunity…
Paul: Yeah, when we supported The Who it wasn’t really until afterwards when we sat down and thought about it that we realised how amazing it was!
Paul: Yeah, when we supported The Who it wasn’t really until afterwards when we sat down and thought about it that we realised how amazing it was!
How’s your tour of the UK been going?
Dave: We’re about half way through now and it’s been going really well, people’s reactions have been good - especially considering it’s our first headline tour. Most of the gigs have been either sold out or almost sold out.
Dave: We’re about half way through now and it’s been going really well, people’s reactions have been good - especially considering it’s our first headline tour. Most of the gigs have been either sold out or almost sold out.
So you’re gonna be headlining the ‘New School of Rock’ tour of the UK in April…
Paul: It’s actually a kind of a revolving headline thing so different bands will be headlining on certain dates. I don’t really know much about it. All I know is that we’re playing with Hurricane Party and the Glitterati. It should be good because I think the gigs will be really popular.
Paul: It’s actually a kind of a revolving headline thing so different bands will be headlining on certain dates. I don’t really know much about it. All I know is that we’re playing with Hurricane Party and the Glitterati. It should be good because I think the gigs will be really popular.
What are you gonna be up to in March other than the two gigs in London you’re doing?
Dave: March is going to be filled in with some more dates soon. I think we’re supporting Razorlight on a few dates in March – its all a bit vague at the moment though like.
Paul: The record company never tell us anything unless they’re sure it’s going to happen, but getting the gigs would be cool because it would pull in a big crowd.
Dave: I think we’re gonna be doing a lot of promo stuff for the new record as well.
Dave: March is going to be filled in with some more dates soon. I think we’re supporting Razorlight on a few dates in March – its all a bit vague at the moment though like.
Paul: The record company never tell us anything unless they’re sure it’s going to happen, but getting the gigs would be cool because it would pull in a big crowd.
Dave: I think we’re gonna be doing a lot of promo stuff for the new record as well.
I heard a couple of you had your bags stolen a little while ago and there was an appeal on your website asking if anyone knew anything about it… did you manage to get them back?!
Paul: It was Robbie and Nick (guitarist and drummer). No, they didn’t get them back.
Dave: I think that’s been blown out of proportion a bit by the record company. I think they’re more bothered about the bags than what we are! – Instead of putting our dates up and stuff they’ve made the bags being stolen big news!
Paul: It was Robbie and Nick (guitarist and drummer). No, they didn’t get them back.
Dave: I think that’s been blown out of proportion a bit by the record company. I think they’re more bothered about the bags than what we are! – Instead of putting our dates up and stuff they’ve made the bags being stolen big news!
I’ve also heard a random rumour that you guys may actually be dropped at the end of the year or next year… is there any truth in it or is it just vicious lies?!
Dave: Nah that’s just random bullshit!
Paul: That doesn’t even make any sense though, getting dropped at the end of the year. Why would they bother with us now if they’re just gonna drop us?! If we were gonna get dropped we’d get dropped now, and I’m sure we’d know something about it!! It’s not true at all.
Dave: Nah that’s just random bullshit!
Paul: That doesn’t even make any sense though, getting dropped at the end of the year. Why would they bother with us now if they’re just gonna drop us?! If we were gonna get dropped we’d get dropped now, and I’m sure we’d know something about it!! It’s not true at all.
So I’ll dispel any rumours then!…
What are your plans for the summer? - Any festivals?
Dave: I think we’re gonna appear at most of them… Glastonbury, Leeds, Reading, T in the Park - not V though.
Dave: I think we’re gonna appear at most of them… Glastonbury, Leeds, Reading, T in the Park - not V though.
When are you going to be releasing your debut album?
I think it will be sometime in May – we’re not entirely sure though.
I think it will be sometime in May – we’re not entirely sure though.
Do you have a title for it yet?
No.
No.
…Perhaps another visit to The Cracke to find the wise old tramp is in order?!
The Black Velvets new single, ‘3345,’ is due to be released on March 14.
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