I love Keane.
They are seriously just the best band ever.
Went to see them Friday night at the Roxy. We got there late-ish compared to everyone else but still got a spot right next to the stage on the end.
Super great show.
The new songs took a bit of getting used to but "Spiralling" is just such a fun song - we were "wooing" it up after the gig.
Anyhow, as luck should have it, I ran into my friend outside who works at their label. Silly me, why don't I remember that I actually know a few people? Anyhow, she hooked us up after the show to meet the band.
I made more friends from their label - so super super nice - who knew label folks could be so cool! Anyhow, met a few super cool peeps and then the drummer came over to our group. A bunch of guys were chatting him up, then he moved to talk to more people. This group seemed like real fans, I remember some girl with pink hair? Anyhow, now there was a second for me to step up and introduce myself and he was so nice.
After he talked to his fans, he talked to me for a few minutes but they were throwing everyone out of the VIP section so we moved over to the main floor of the Roxy. Then they threw us out of that area and to the bar. All the while, we're still chatting and I'm trying to smile and not look weird as I'm so nervous because Keane is my favorite band ever. Yes, ever. I'm not sure what it is but their music is just such feel good, happy music, and their shows put you in such a great mood, it's truly like a drug.
Anyhow, the girl I met that night, I think it was her, well someone told me that I speak in paragraphs, which I'm pretty sure is a compliment. Anyhow, I digress, my new friend said I look Polish because I have high cheek bones.
Anyhow, back to Keane's drummer, Richard.
He was just such a cool, nice, down to earth bloke (I have to say bloke because he's British). Anyhow, I asked him what it was like to work with Jon Brion as their producer. The first thing he said was that was funny because someone else had just asked him that question before me but he wasn't annoyed or anything, I think just surprised at the irony that we were both asking him about Jon Brion.
Anyhow, I thought Jon produced more than one song but anyhow he's talking about Jon's flight to Europe, I was still in a daze at this point but all I remember is something about lost luggage and having problems with his seat and him falling asleep in his hotel instead of going back to the studio (jet lag). Richard said he took away his entire drum kit except his ?? and that they only had 3 days to work with him because he was scoring a film. He was impressed he had worked with Kanye West and Richard asked me if I'd seen Jon's show at Largo and I said yes (I'm assuming he had).
He also said they thought about recording in LA (and I almost made a comment about how I'm glad they didn't - making an album in Paris and Berlin sounds was more inspring and fun) but I think I held my tongue on that one...
It was so cool talking to him because the whole time it was just the 2 of us talking. At one point my new friend came over to give me her business card so we could keep in touch. Richard commented that he had no cards (cute, I don't think he needs one) and then the girl exclaimed that she knew me from brunching ladies and he kinda got a surprised look on his face like "what on earth is brunching ladies that she's squealing about?"
At that point she clearly had no idea I was talking to someone in the band and she said something like, "oh what do you do, were you in the band tonight" and he was so humble and said "yes" - ha, see, unless you're a major Keane fan/groupie like me I guess you wouldn't recognize him, even though she was at the same show I was.
I remember saying something about seeing them 2-3 times before, including a TV taping of "Jimmy Kimmel" and Richard commented that was like their first TV appearance ever....but now in retrospect I think I might have been to a "Carson Daly" taping I don't know, I get those guys mixed up. Anyhow, he commented about how sorta doing a TV taping is odd because they aren't in control of things and you know someone has a mic on working production and you know someone is yelling in her ear but they know doing TV is all part of the deal w/what they do so they don't mind. But it's funny he should say that because the TV taping I did go to was so weird, they were all clearly giving each other "looks" while they were on stage like they thought it was weird and strange that fans had to applaud loudly and on cue, etc. Definitely they aren't into the whole Hollywood/showbiz thing.
Then his assistant manager or someone came to talk to him. He was so polite. During our 15-20 minute chat he must have introduced himself 2 or 3 times.
Anyhow, I then asked what the inspiration was for the new album and he said something about trying something new.
He also talked about "Spiralling" and how one day Tom just came over and did the "woo" part of that song just spontaneously.
He talked about recording in Paris but seemed more impressed with Berlin - made some comment about how there are bullet holes in the buildings. Amazing. I've never been to Berlin before. Crazy to think of stuff like that. He said Berlin is a lot more modern and new and Paris is old.
What else? It was so cool, like I got to do a mini-interview with him. The whole time he was so friendly and just normal and down to earth - like he isn't in a band that tours the world and has sold millions of records.
He rattled off all the places they are going next, taking December off for the holidays and that South America is great because Keane is "like the Beatles" there.
Again, I spaced out on some of what he said here because I was still so nervous - silly me. He's jut a dude, a regular guy like everyone else but he happens to be in my all-time favorite band ever. I think I told him at least twice that Keane is my favorite band ever. And thank goodness he was so nice and didn't ruin Keane for me by being a jerk.
At one point one guy wanted us to move out of the way of the Keane gear being loaded out and I found it ironic that one of the members of Keane was almost run over by his own gear. Anyhow, then the guy telling us to move realized he was in the band and said something nice to him and something like, "Do you want another drink?" Something about "nine drinks" and Richard said something about he'd be on the floor if he had nine drinks...
It was almost like he would have talked with me all night and I felt bad that I was taking up so much of his time but he never acted bored or annoyed or like he wanted to get away from me. I sorta said, "it was so nice to meet you" and then he asked me such an LA question, "so what do you do?" Ha. It is LA after all and you had to know someone to be at this meet and greet as it wasn't for fans but industry folks.
Anyhow, I told him that I used to manage bands but that now I do music licensing and I asked him if he knew one of my contacts at his publishing company (guess not). Anyhow, I said something like, "I know you're repped but sometimes I can recommend songs to music people for films and TV and obviously I wouldn't make anything from doing it" and I made a comment that they had a song on "90210" recently and he kinda nodded like, "Oh yeah, we did".
At this point, I figured I would give him my card, which usually I wouldn't do with a famous band member but he was so nice and he said, "Let me introduce you to my manager" and I said, "It's ok, you can just give him my card" but he insisted on going to find him like, "Let's go meet him, come with me".
Alas, we couldn't find his manager, but met their assistant manager who took my card and asked, "How do publishers feel about what you do?" in sort of a concerned tone and I told her that many of them hire me. Anyhow, at that point I decided I should let Richard go back to work as he was being pulled away to meet some other people.
I said goodbye and was just left with such a happy feeling.
What an amazing show.
What a cool band.
What a nice guy that Richard is!
Ah, and that's only my Keane story part I!
After we went to The Rainbow for pizza, and drinks and "woo'd" it up ;P
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