Beangrowers, das sind Alison Galea, Mark Sansone und Ian Schranz, die auf "Dance Dance Baby" unüberhörbar Indie-Rock fabrizieren, welcher sich bezugnehmend auf den Albumtitel oftmals doch recht hüfteschwingend in Szene setzt. Hierzulande sicher weniger ein Begriff, kann das Dreigestirn aus Malta auf eine bisher recht angenehme Biographie zurückblicken. So weißt diese unter anderen Zusammenarbeiten mit Produzent Gareth Jones und wie soll es fast anders sein, Phillip Boa, dem Wahl-Malteser, auf. Strange Ways Records hat sich nun dieser angenommen, um Ende August das Album "Dance Dance Baby" zu veröffentlichen, welches vor knapp einem Jahr bereits in Malta erschien. Wie auch bei den Beangrowers selbst, gibt Alision in unserem Interview den Ton an.
For the readers who don't know you please give us a quick overview about the history of Beangrowers.
We are a 3-piece band from the sunny island of Malta. Beangrowers first started off as a local, alternative, college band in 1994 and then moved on to sign an international record deal and have released 2 albums in Europe and New Zealand. The third and latest album is "Dance Dance Baby". (don't really know what else to say, if you want to know more, read our biography on www.beangrowers.net)!
You haven't really had starting problems. In the beginning you already started working with big names like Gareth Jones, Vivid and Phillip Boa. A real uncommon way. How would you describe your success? Writing good songs is one thing, having success with it another.
We were lucky to meet and work with a lot of great people from the start. Germany was our main base in Europe and where we first toured, but it was in Malta that we met Vivid and Phillip Boa (who both recorded albums on the island) and other producers. We were the first Maltese band to sign an international record deal which helped spread our music abroad and to this day we still feel proud for putting Malta on the "musical map".
Strange Ways Records is going to release your album on August 22 in Europe. You've already released it in Malta and Austria last year. What was the feedback to "Dance Dance Baby" like?
So far, the feedback we received is what we hoped to hear when we finished recording the album. It is different to the first two, because it is more direct/straightforward and mostly guitar-based, just as we are naturally as a 3-piece band. We wanted it to be easy for our listeners to understand the songs without adding too many "frills" to them. We consider it to be the best out of the three, although we probably think that because it's the most recent one and therefore, still quite fresh.
What status as band do you have on Malta? I can't think of so much Maltese bands…
Malta is a tiny island with a big music scene, mainly rock and dance music are most popular – unfortunately the rest of Europe only knows our Eurovision acts but it's a far cry from what actually goes on here. Because we have been around for a long time and also because of our career abroad, we are well-established here and I dare not say everyone, but most people on the island know who we are….on the other hand, everybody knows everybody here so it's no big deal really.
In what way did get Strange Ways Records notice of you?
With "Dance Dance Baby" finished and with the "master" in our hands, we started looking for new record labels to release it in separate territories. We met up with our publishers in Berlin and they passed it on to Strange Ways, who then decided to release it.
Your actual album is done since October 2004. Are there moments of doubts when you have a certain distance to the release? So you see the things differently now than months before?
Actually it has been quite some time since it was ready but there are absolutely no doubts or insecurities with any of the songs on the album because we feel they represent the band extremely well.
The album still sounds very fresh to our ears, which is the best reward for us. Nowadays, we tend to throw in a few newer songs in concerts to keep things interesting for us as well.
When did you start working on "Dance Dance Baby" and what was really important for you?
We took a long break between our last album and this one, changed record labels, travelled around and started gathering ideas for "Dance Dance Baby". We started working on the songs in 2003 and completed the album in 2004. All along, we had one mission in mind: to create an album that surpasses the other two and that we can stand behind proudly, which is exactly what happened. It was also easier and freer for us to work at our own pace, without any pressure from record companies or the music industry. Again, we recorded it in Malta and felt completely comfortable. That was the most important thing for us.
I don't know about your first two works. Could you tell us about the main differences of your records? If I'm right you have already worked with electronics?
Our last two albums include a feast of sounds and it was very exciting to discover new instruments and toys to play with in the studio. On our last album "Beangrowers" the guitars took second place – instead we experimented and used more electronic sounds and machines to add to the atmospheres of the songs. This is mainly why we are so satisfied with the new album, because it was as if we re-discovered ourselves and the instruments we originally play.
Do you need a certain degree of arrogance to keep your independence while working with these big names?
Arrogance is a terrible thing and Beangrowers certainly never had it or used it. Instead, we have always believed very strongly in ourselves and our music and we have been very lucky to work with people who believe in us and who truly appreciate what we do.
In what way would you describe your music and what artists did influence you?
It is always the hardest thing to describe our own music because it is who we are. Categorically speaking, it would fit in the "indie" section in music stores but to us it is simple, melodic, guitar-based music which stands out from the rest. I personally, cannot compare it to anyone or anything else I have heard or seen, because it is my own.
Our influences are so varied, I could go on forever (but I won't, don't worry!). Our first "loves" as a band where The Pixies, The Cure, Joy Division, Belly, James, Portishead, etc. etc. but we are also very influenced by films, countries and their cultures and also human beings in general and all these contribute to our song-making.
You also took two older songs from the archive, which never have been completed. What was the reason to work on these two tracks again? What tracks are those?
"Russian Boulevard" was actually first written when we were 16 years old and had just started off. There was only the bass line and vocals to it because I hadn't learned how to play guitar yet. It was forgotten for many years but suddenly came back to us during a rehearsal and we liked it enough to finish it off in time for this album. The other song is "Dance Dance Baby" which was an instrumental track we wrote a long time ago but which we always wanted to finish off. It somehow did not fit the first two albums but finally it found it's place on this last one and to honour it, we made it also the title-track.
The track "The Priest" on your album is part of the film music of Wim Wenders "Land Of Plenty". Did you write this song especially for the movie?
No, we didn't. Wim Wenders heard it and thought it fit perfectly to a part of the film in which he needed a dark and sombre track. Originally he wanted a White Stripes track but they were too expensive I think, so instead he replaced them with us. We of course are thrilled at his decision and are honoured to be on the soundtrack amongst big names such as David Bowie and Leonard Cohen.
What are your further plans after the release of your album in Germany? Will there be a tour or are you going back in the studio?
A European tour is being planned for autumn and preparations are also being made for the album's release in the UK and Australia (first time for us) so we are looking forward to a busy schedule and plenty of travelling.
This was it from my side. Thanks for the interview.
Thank you for your time and for your interest. It was our pleasure.
Interview: Thomas Tröger & Beangrowers [Alison Galea]
August 2005
Beangrowers:
Alison Galea
Mark Sansone
Ian Schranz
Internet: www.beangrowers.net
