They won't be secret for much longer.

“Three minutes, three minutes and three minutes again, that’s wonderful. It’s a great thing but it’s not all there is,” asserts Brandon Curtis. “There are some things that are worth saying that take 10 minutes to say. Just because it’s not concise doesn’t mean it’s not important.”

Brandon (vocals/keys/bass), along with his brother Ben (guitar) and Josh Garza (drums), make up New York City’s Secret Machines. A power trio who, inspired by everything from The Flaming Lips, Bob Dylan and Kraut rock, create a swirling canvas of brooding beats, soaring guitars and soulful Rhodes piano. Their music is psychedelic, the songs are long and building, prog even, but totally free of any bloated self-indulgence. In short, they’re far more than another posturing punk-rock band from New York.

“There’s kind of an energy and a power here, and immersing yourself in somewhere like New York City can be a life-changing experience,” says Bandon. “The good bands from NYC really reflect that side of it.” Energy and power is something that Secret Machines have plenty of. Considering there are only three of them, they create a vast, awe-inspiring sound. “Sometimes when you’re overwhelmed, even if it’s only briefly, you feel that it’s really happening, that this is real and you’re actually here and that this music is having an effect on you,” says Brandon. “And I think the best way to do that as a rock’n’roll band is volume.” And live, Secret Machines are loud. Very loud.

Last time they were on this side of the pond they played über dance club Fabric, to a very positive reaction. Surprising you might think for a rock’n’roll band, so what is it about them that appealed to a dance crowd? “Our idea of a live performance is to provide a kind of linear experience where you go from the beginning to the end without making too big a deal about the different tracks. For me, good dance music does the same thing: all of a sudden you’re feeling a new beat or in a new groove and you didn’t really notice the cross-fader. I was watching a band the other night and there was this kind of magic thing happening. Then they’d stop and you were kind of brought back, the moment was gone. I think with DJs they’re really careful not to disturb that because you’ll kill the dancefloor, you’ll clear it. The whole point about going to a dance club is that you want to kind of lose yourself for a little while. And that’s what we try to do with our performance.”

For a number of years “prog” has been a dirty word. Now, though, there seems to be a new enthusiasm for music that takes things just a little bit further. “In 1978, The Ramones were a reaction to the overindulgence that had come before. But that’s not to say that in 1976 Led Zeppelin weren’t also great,” says Brandon. “People are always looking for something to turn their heads, something different. It just so happens that now maybe it’s the longer song that’s different.” It could be the start of a new musical tide. And Secret Machines are leading the way. Matt Walton 13 February 04

Secret Machines - September 000 EP, out now on 679 Recordings.

useful link: www.thesecretmachines.com