Talking Shop: Klaxons

Jamie Reynolds from indie-rave outfit unveils new album progress

29 April 2009 - Klaxons are now in the finishing stages of their second album and revealed why things went a bit "wonky" for a while.

Their hugely successful debut, Myths Of The Near Future, scooped the prestigious Mercury Prize back in 2007.

However, the new album has been surrounded by rumours, including one that claimed half the album was scrapped for being too experimental.

"We are again entertainers," said Jamie Reynolds, who admitted the pressure they felt early on has now dissipated.

We hear the studio sessions are going well contrary to popular myth and rumour?

I love the myths, I love the rumours, wait for the record, it's a big one.

How close are you to finishing it?

There's a couple of vocals to do on four tracks, we start on Tuesday- they're big! Then afterwards it gets mixed in a room.

We're a Simian Mobile Disco production now. We're going to mix while we go along, so in the next 12 days we should have a rough idea of exactly how it is.

Is 'big' the keyword for the album?

No, it's not. Wonderful, fantastic and heartfelt.

Was there continuing pressure in the back of your heads about following up the success of Myths Of The Near Future?

No, not for any sense. And I think that's probably why things went a bit wonky for a while, because we never think about ourselves. That's always been rule one. We're entertainers we don't think about ourselves.

"Most of the songs are about earth and natural phenomenon."
Jamie Reynolds

We're there to provide, and for a minute we stopped thinking about providing and we indulged. That indulgence has now turned around and we are again entertainers.

When will we see the full tour machine rolling into life?

We'll be fully touring as of June 5. We support Blur in Manchester- the first comeback gig - which is the biggest honour of all time.

Will it be good?

It'll be fantastic! I think I'm going to cry, or something like that.

Can you give us any song titles that are included on the record?

There's three that are out and I thought that maybe wouldn't make it. But there's The Valley Of The Calm Trees - which I now want to be called The Parhelion.

The record's pretty much based on natural phenomenon and we think at the end of the last record that we tried to destroy the world, and now we want to celebrate the fact that there's the possibility of another one.

Most of the songs are about earth and natural phenomenon and the Parhelion is the illusion of having three sons at the same time, so that's one.

And another two?

Moonhead's probably still going to make it because he's a psychopathic, hypomaniac.

And three, it must be Marble Fields And The Hydrolight Head Of Delusion

Nice song titles.

Thanks.

Georgie Rogers