“I remember first feeling good when we wrote “Bullets” in what, 2003? That’s when I first knew — or I thought I knew — we could do something with the band.” Tom
Editors share their history as a band, play a few songs unplugged in a conference room, and, a day later, bring joy to the hearts of some long-suffering NYC fans
I was hoping to take Editors to play few songs around a fire-pit I found, but it was the end of the day and time was tight and so we shot this story of the band plus two acoustic performances – “Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool” and “Papillon” — from Tom and Chris in a conference room. There’s also some devastating bits from their recent NYC show, shot in still-hybrid mode. (on a PEN, if you’re curious)
At the 6:32 mark a woman screams, the chorus “You came on your own” goes out, and everyone’s rapturous.
“Papillion” and “Eat Raw Meat = Blood Drool” acoustic, plus some more moments from that NYC show
Nobody really wants to tell you the history of their band after doing eight or nine hours of interviews with only you standing between them and dinner and the rest of their lives, but Editors started at the beginning anyway, sharing casual moments of reflection.
“In university we really bonded over two records…that were the reason we started the band actually. One of the records was Is This Is It by The Strokes and the other was Elbow’s debut record Asleep At The Back.” Begins Tom. Recalling meeting Elbow’s front man, who “Hunted us down and recorded with us” he meditates in the honest mindset of a fan: “I wouldn’t have guessed when we were buying the records that we’d be recording with Guy a year or two later”
Editors’ nee Pilots’ earliest days were characterized by obligatory bedroom sessions and gigs at the only two spots in town, both now closed. They were “taken under the wing” of the other bands, and “it was very supportive,” notes Tom, laughing as he recalls collecting 50p at the door stamping hands. Chris shares a simple formula that’s probably been in place since the earliest drumming circles: “When you’re trying to get people to come to your gigs if you’re trying to charge 5 or 6 quid at the door, no one’s gonna come — but if you guarantee them cheap entry and guarantee them that they’re gonna get pissed then people are gonna come to your shows — it makes the gigs better” – “makes the scene better” finishes Tom, adding: “There was one band called Chester Road; we did loads of shows with them — some of the best shows I’ve ever seen.” “Yes, a three piece, a kind of At The Drive-In – that’s what I like some times.” [ED NOTE: Amen, brother]
The two constants in this story are touring, and scary new beginnings, especially the sophomore slump: “ We needed help; we were tired” is the confession Tom makes, adding twice that while they’re proud of the second album “It was a hard record to make” They were also oblivious to the fact that they were relatively unknown in America, despite breaking into the UK Top Ten (#2). Conquering America by way of L.A., they found themselves actually starting all over again, playing Spaceland, and “On the rooftop of the Hyatt…with an eye infection” deadpans Chris. “Thinking like we were celebrities, when no one knew who we were.” laughs Tom “Still don’t know who we are…it’s great” finishes Chris
After the second record, Chris says they were again, after not really feeling the first few songs they’d started to work on, “Taken out of our comfort zone, and it was like starting band all over again in 2003, which was exciting” When they started “settling on a synthey sound”, UK producer and legend Flood “came calling”. While they found in Mark “Flood” Ellis a “pretty unassuming guy” for someone with a single word moniker, they admit that given the sounds he’s known for, they were expecting a “Dark Lord” replete with “long black leather coat”. “He wears an awful lot of brown for a dark lord quips Chris”, and both add that they plan on working with Flood again, citing as has many a musician, his unique ability to bring something out in them and their music that wouldn’t happen otherwise.
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