Words With: Kid Carpet

Whilst waiting for Kid Carpet to arrive backstage at the Wakestock festival, Gigwise grabs him and his ever dutiful girlfriend in the distance crawling under the VIP tent.

The guy always knows how to make an amusing entrance. Emitting a cheeky grin, he puts out a grubby hand for me to shake. We perch our backsides on the sodden grass and slowly the madness commences…

Gigwise: Alright Ed. Is this your first time at Wakestock?
Ed: "It is. What’s all this wakeboarding stuff anyway? Do you lie on one and wake up on it the next morning? This is all a bit it new to me".

G: You’ve played some interesting gigs this year. From sell out shows in your hometown Bristol to performing on top of an NCP car-park. What’s been your favourite?
E: "There isn’t a particular one that springs to mind but I did support Arcade Fire in London recently and their lead singer came up to me and said (adopts mocking Canadian tongue) “Hey man that was, so, you know, interesting”. It’s the best put down I’ve had so far".

G: The press have been very kind to you and subsequently Ideas And Oh Dears has received some good write-ups.
E: "Yeah that’s coz the guy who does my press is the same person who does Oasis. I want to take this sound global. I’m off to the Fuji Rock Festival and I’m not sure how well I’m going to go down there. The Japanese seem to crave that zany angle".

G: Well if Shampoo can crack the Japanese market…
E: "That’s true! It could blow up both ways".

G: When did you get your hands on your first Fisherprice guitar and how many have you got now?
E: "Oh God, there’s too many to count now. I started going to car boot sales and the collection just built up from there. Everyone has its own unique part to play in my repertoire".

G: Isn’t this all a bit of a gimmick? Where will the sound take you after Ideas And Oh Dears?
E: "Everything’s a gimmick these days isn’t it? We all buy into a certain sounds or a particular movement. After touring with this LP I’m really interested in twisting the listener’s perspective on things. I’ve compiled a collection of children’s choir samples singing dark rhymes so I might start cutting and pasting those onto an EP. Really dark and sinister shit, put the crappers up people".

G: You describe your current sound as ‘Kiddie Punk’. Who influenced you as a kid?
E: "All sorts man. From the Beastie Boys to Mel and Kim to…"

G: Shampoo?
E: : "Well, maybe not that shit but the amount of diverse genres that were spinning on the decks was unbelievable, and it still is. For me it’s about living life, being on the dole and finding out what it’s all about, where you figure in the grand scheme of things. It’s about relating to certain scenarios rather then pasting together the best tunes possible".

G: Are you getting all philosophical on me Ed?
E: "No I’m just telling like it is. I’d rather some dolers bought my record than music purists because they're the dudes who’ve lived their lives through the mire". G: What’s the plan for the rest of the year then?
E: "Loads more touring and taking this album to a global audience, I’m gonna be big in the West-country and Japan! Tonight I’m just gonna chill on the beach and then go back to my cosy Travel Lodge".
   
G: No Wakebording then?
E: "Nah I’ve got a bed to sleep on, I’ll catch yer laters…"

And so the Carpet rolls up his promotional duties and exits sheepishly with his girlfriend who has been watching her man adoringly throughout the whole interview. Ed is forever the Kid, and reassuringly, he’ll never grow up.

Photo by  Michael Took