Rockezine.com interview with Oceansize on Dec 15, 2003

with Steve Durose on Dec 15, 2003

What is going on in the UK?? Is it the LSD in the drinking water? Is it the movies they watch? Bands like Aereogramme, Mogwai and Pelican keep on surprising us. Just like Oceansize. Making spherical and minimalistic music. Long songs, intense and melancholic. Before their gig in Tivoli in Utrecht, I asked Steve Durose a couple of questions.
		So, how is the tour going so far? Well, the tour is going pretty well. This is our second day of the tour. Yesterday we played in Germany. It is also the first time we play outside of the UK, and that is pretty cool.
		How is the relationship with Aereogramme, cause they’re Scottisch and you guys are English, those 2 cultures didn’t seem to go well together in the past. Well, there had been some conflicts between the two countries, but not with us and Aereogramme. They’re nice people.
		Can you tell me something about Oceansize? We formed 5 years ago. Just 5 guys from the UK. We just released our cd Effloresce and things are going pretty well at the moment.
		What is a Effloresce? The cd title does not mean something. We were just bored and could not find a good name, till our singer suddenly said ‘Let’s call it Effloresce’. It’s a sort of chemical change, like a flower to bloom. But it’s just a name. I thought it was alright.
		You guys make some original music. Is that something you want to achieve, and are you guys more a live band than a studio band? Well, I think everyone who is in a band should make music that suits them. Everyone should do what they like to do. And we like to play this kind of music, we like to put our own stamp on our music. About the live band, I think we are more a live band. Cause the music expresses itself more live.
		But you have to make albums to do gigs. Exactly.
		How often are you guys compared with Mogwai? Well, Mogwai opened a door that made this kind of music more popular. Along with Radiohead. Those 2 bands make some original music, and opened the door for other bands to make this kind of music as well.
		Mogwai is also from Scotland, as well as Aereogramme. Is there something in the air in the UK? I think so. Scotland has his own unique sound.
		What do you want to achieve with the band? Well, of course do this for a living. Selling records, just touring around.
		A question about the lyrics. What are they about? Well, for the exact meaning of the lyrics you have to ask our singer. But he uses words as a form of art. Just painting words. Letting it free for intepretation. It’s hard to explain. But he’s like a painter. He paints words.
		Can you name 3 Irish people? Eeeeh. Why? Ok. I’ll try. Liam Neeson… Bono… Oh my god there should be thousands of them. Why do you wanna know?
		Just a trivial question to test your knowledge. Ok… The last one is the singer of the Popes.
		That were pretty much all of the questions. Thank you. And thanks for the interview.
(Friso Veltkamp)