Kingdom of Doves

Exclusive interview about new album Kingdom of Rust, 'a Lancashire spaghetti western'.

15 February 2009 - Doves return after a four year hiatus with their fourth album Kingdom of Rust, recorded in a barn in Cheshire in the north of England, which is out on 6 April.

Band members Jimi Goodwin and Andy Williams gave the Music Week an exclusive interview and admitted it's not about topping the success of their last effort Some Cities, it's about reflecting where the band is now:

"You ignore your other records and don't believe the good or bad things written about you," Andy explains.

Jimi says that pressure to live up to their former glories is just not something that bothers them: "We take our previous records for granted cos we made them, it's not even an issue. It really isn't something we pore over. We just think what are we doing? You have up and down days, you have to justify why we're in a band still after 23 years."

Time lapsed

It's four years since Some Cities, a period of time which Andy says is no bad thing: "Not in the commercial sense, but in the creative sense. Because you change as people, you know, everyone's listening to different kinds of music, you naturally change. We never force a change, like, we've gotta make a disco sounding record, it just naturally evolves that way."

"I hate it when I hear other people bang on about how great it is to be in the north. It's not that great, it's just where we live" - Jimi Goodwin, Doves

Dan Austin on board

Doves like to stay in control in the studio, but have worked with Radiohead producer John Leckie on two of the album's tracks, 10.03 and Winter Hill.

However, it seems that Leckie's lack of availability led to them working with long term Doves collaborator and Massive Attack producer Dan Austin for the rest, as Jimi explains: "We went in with the full intention of making the whole record with him but John had other commitments. We worked with Dan before... John was like, 'I am busy, I have other things to do - you should just do it with Dan.'"

Andy described what it was that Dan Austin brought to the studio proceedings: "Incredible enthusiasm. He loves recording, loves music, is a total and utter workaholic, above all his enthusiasm about music - it's infectious."

Jimi continued: "It was good to have someone arbitrary there to find a way through our dynamic."

Chemical Brothers 'nip and tick'

Doves enlisted the help of Chemical Brothers man Tom Rowlands on this album, for the title track Kingdom of Rust, which Tom called 'a Lancashire spaghetti western.' 

Jimi says they love that description: "Tom Rowlands from the Chemical Brothers was involved from early on in an arrangement capacity. We just wanted to try working with him and it ended up he helped us nip and tuck, it were him who coined it and we just loved that phrase."

Although Doves are a Manchester band, and recorded the album in Cheshire, Jimi says it's not all about having the all-important 'northern' sensibilities on the album, it's just about being close to home: "We all wanted to be at home, it's not a northern thing, its only cos we live in the north. I wouldn't say we need to be based in the north of England to get any result or truth out of it - it's just because we live here."

Jimi went on to say it's part of the band's identity but not something they want to harp on about: "I hate it when I hear other people bang on about how great it is to be in the north. It's not that great, it's just where we live. Of course we love it, but we don't have to beat our chest and say we're a Manchester band through and through."

Doves tour dates:

Mar 12 - Warrington, Parr Hall
Mar 13 - Middlesbrough,Empire
Mar 15 - Glasgow, ABC
Mar 17 - Coventry,Kasbah
Mar 18 - Portsmouth,Pyramids
Mar 19 - London,Forum

See the The Music Week's interview on video

Ruth Barnes