Kinesis

Designer Magazine first interviewed Kinesis over a year ago when they were one of many unsigned bands tipped to be the next big thing. Interviews were strewn with political bile and now a year on with an album "Handshakes For Bullets" in stores the band seem happy, dare I say it almost contented. Alex McCann caught up with Tom and Conor backstage after a hometown show in Manchester to find out where Kinesis go next.

Q: It was over a year ago since we first spoke and now with the album finally out you must feel that everything's come through?
Conor: Were just really pleased to have the album out. To have something to show for a years work towards the album. It's just good to be able to hold a copy of the album in your hands and no matter what happens we can here's what we've created.

It was about this time last year that we'd played ITC and got signed and this year we were playing the main stage. It was nice to see the whole street packed with people and, not giving something back, but playing a free gig for all the fans that have been to the gigs...

Tom:...especially in Manchester which is the centre of our youth. We didn't give a f**k that all the bands that played before and after us were these acoustic Manchester types.
 

Q: I guess the album finally lays rest to the Manic comparisons. It must feel good to be just Kinesis after the constant comparisons.
Tom: People have been asking exactly that question and we've proved that were not the Manics and never were the Manics. It only becomes a rope around your neck if you let be. We always knew that there were going to be comparisons, but we knew we had our own identity and we were our own band. Therefore we felt it was just going to be a matter of time before everyone else realized that as well.
 

Q: As you said before, you go to a Kinesis gig and the room is full of the white T-Shirts. There is a real connection with the fans. What you do you expect them to take away from a gig or from listening to the album?
Conor: It's always nice to see people being inspired by what were doing. We were inspired by bands when we were young. It's always the important legendary bands which inspire people. You can go and see a band and say good gig whatever, but i'm sure if people saw Nirvana, The Pixies, The Clash or At The Drive In they'd be inspired people to form bands. Hopefully one day we'll sit alongside those bands.
 

Q: This tour has seen you covering the Smiths. Not necessary something people would expect from you guys is it?
Conor: It was just trying to do something else. It's maybe going to be a B-Side on our next single and maybe it's and influence people wouldn't expect from a band like us.

Tom: And quite a lot of our fans maybe have never heard of the Smiths. Hopefully it will turn them on to something they wouldn't normally be into.
 

Q: You seem a lot more chilled and contented than previous times we've spoke. Are you completely satisfied right now.
Tom: In some respects were never going to be satisfied until were playing absolutely massive places. It's always amazing playing a gig when it was packed out like tonight, but we want more. I think that's the difference between us and a lot of other bands. Hopefully it will elevate us.

Conor: I think the next album is going to be an album of extremes. The quieter tracks we want to be quieter and more atmospheric and the louder tracks will just grow. We've already started writing songs and because this album has taken so long to come out it's been natural for us to carry on writing songs. There's always a lot of pressure with second albums and were just trying to live up to everyone's expectations and more importantly just live up to what we want to do. If we keep trying to set the bar higher for ourselves then we can't really fail.

Tom: Whenever we've got a break we don't just sit around. We practice or write songs and we've got 11 songs ready...out of them 4 or 5 are album quality.

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"Handshakes For Bullets" is out now on Independiente
For more info
www.kinesis-official.com
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