Education, Education, Education: Polytechnic Take The Reins

New Labour once promised the British public they would deliver in three main areas – “education, education, education”. If given the same opportunity, Tim, according to his Polytechnic bandmates, would opt for “women, women, women”. “By that, I mean I’d much rather have women in power than men,” Tim counters, shooting down in flight any fancies we may have had of the drummer turning the tour van into some kind of mobile Playboy mansion. “That said, Margaret Thatcher was the only woman we’ve ever had in power here – and things went pear-shaped. But I think that, looking at the people I know, the world would be a better place if women had the control.”

Gigwise has caught up with Manchester’s latest indie gems Polytechnic in their neck of the woods with the ink of Tony Blair’s resignation from Number Ten barely dry on the letter. Gordon Brown is likely to be unopposed in his bid for the leadership – so why don’t Polytechnic give it a crack?

“I don’t think we’re really qualified!” laughs Dylan, the band’s singer and the man behind much of their cover artwork. Bassist Yuri, however, can hear his country calling. “I think I'd promise ‘adult education, adult education, adult education’. Give everyone a course in something they want to do. Learn something – maybe make an ashtray.” Peet, the band’s latest addition on keyboards, looks aghast. “But the world would be full of people making pottery… ”

Of course, when Blair and his cronies were dreaming up their political manifesto for a new socialist party that would finally wrest control from a crumbling Tory government, they weren’t preoccupied in Bryn Derwin, grafting away at an album. Polytechnic, on the other hand, have had no time to rehearse their answers. Their creation,'“Down til Dawn' is one of a few sparkling debuts to be released in a year dominated by follow-ups and it smoulders with independent spirit. The feisty English cousin of the music of Pavement, Tapes n’ Tapes and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!, 'Down til Dawn' is to be cherished like a cloudless day in a grimly British summer.

“We’re happy with how it turned out – we think it’s a great album,” beams Yuri. “I guess it will be a slow burner as we didn’t release it with fireworks nor plaster every magazine with adverts – we can’t afford that! We’ll probably disappear into obscurity for four or five years now!” An additional obstacle was the cancellation of the Transgressive showcase tour (“a bummer,” laments Dylan) after Larrikin Love split, but that inertia should shift with dates to promote the release of their next single, the re-recorded album version of 'Won’t You Come Around'.