Scots band, saidflorence decided to go it alone under their own label,
Safe.
David Belcher reports on their progress
POP is what sells. Kit Cummings embraces this reality warmly, driving
saidflorence towards the musical marketplace with much enthusiasm.
Undaunted by his band's less-than-positive treatment by the record
business over the past two years, Kit will not be deflected from his
path: the happy enslavement of teenage hearts and minds.
Kit's old label, Epic, told him it was impossible to market an album
with a mini-bar of chocolate attached to it. Wrong, Mister Faceless
Corporate-Suit of London, as has been proved by the yummily choctabulous
release of Milliontrillion, saidflorence's debut LP for their own label,
Safe, which they run from their Glasgow base.
''It was frustrating to move so slowly,'' says Kit of the band's
unproductive spell with Epic, at the same time professing no bitterness
towards his ex-employers. ''At least now we know that a single will come
out when we want it to.''
Likewise with Milliontrillion, of course, which emerges contrary to
conventional recordbiz wisdom, ie Christmas is coming; the goose is
getting fat; only drop a catchpenny greatest hits compilation into the
old man's hat. But Kit views Milliontrillion's appearance, almost two
years after it was recorded, as a necessary clearing of the decks.
''We've been told it may not even get shelf-space in record shops at
Christmas, but we want it out there, hanging around and being talked
about.
''Looking back, Milliontrillion feels more right now. When we recorded
it, we had self-doubt about where we fitted musically. And we've
realised that we don't, we fall through the cracks. Plus it's an album
that dealt its strengths in our flaws, which is hopefully something that
makes us more lovable.''
Pardon? ''I look at our mistakes and think that they're the best
things about the LP. Our naivete; trying things and they haven't worked,
but at least we tried.''
Staying true to this spirit, Milliontrillion is a guitar-pop opus
which sports one track, the punningly titled Buy M#, with a techno
re-mix by TTF's Jon Campbell.
''Jon has complete self-belief, which I find attractive. We also share
musical influences . . . we're both sure that the early eighties are the
be-all and end-all.''
Two particular icons of that era -- arch-manipulator Malcolm McLaren
and Adam Ant, piratical leader of the Ant-People -- provide Kit with an
answer to critics who would accuse saidflorence of leaping aboard the
dance bandwagon.
''Techno re-mixes are totally not saidflorence. But we're open in our
cynicism. Honest in our dishonesty.''
So much so that Kit has recruited a bogus female three-piece
saidflorence who will be promoting the Buy M# single by miming to it in
clubs. Kit is unrepentent.
''The female saidflorence are three models who are fans of ours; who
understand the gimmick. Hardcore techno venues constitute a huge market
in Scotland, and we're not a dance act, so I wasn't sure reaching them
was feasible, but the female saidflorence have already started getting
bookings.''
Via his Warner Publishing deal, Kit himself is booked for some
collaborative tunesmithery with John Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo, of
Duran Duran. A new saidflorence LP is 70% completed, due for release on
Safe early next year.
Kit's final say: ''The majors are acting as big indies, signing bands
who aren't ready and failing to break them as commercial successes.
Instead, they should concentrate on big sales numbers. But they want to
be credible; they prefer a full-page NME feature to 5000 sales. That
convinces us there's a space for a mainstream-minded independent.''
NB: Tonight the saidflorence playing at Harley's in Hamilton will be
male.
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