Le Reno Amps
AL NERO: LEAD VOX, GUITAR.
SCOTT MAPLE: LEAD VOX, GUITAR.
Where did the name Le Reno Amps originate form?
AN: Le Reno Amps originate from Aberdeen, Scotland. Only one of our squad was actually born in Aberdeen however. That one being me, Al Nero, a couple (Scott Maple and Jason Sinclair) come from a more northerly part of Scotland called Elgin. The other (Lindsey Scott) is a southern girl who also lived in Aberdeen early in her life!
SM: Lindsey’s from ‘all over’, that’s not the same as when my Granny says “Paris Hilton has been all over”. When my Granny says that about Paris Hilton, she’s calling her a slag.
Anyway, to answer your question, the name Le Reno Amps is simply an anagram of our second names. Is it a melting pot or a mixing bowl? Is the product more than a sum of its parts?
Yes.
Can you give us some background on how the band got together?
AN: Scott was washed up on the local circuit. I was a fresh faced young kid. We were thrust together for a performance at an Industry showcase event. I learned a country harmony from Scott and Scott was inspired by my youthful exuberance. Together we decided to write some great fucking songs and so we did – and to this day the songs are generally still about fucking and the repercussions!
SM: What Al refers to as ‘youthful exuberance’ was like when you go into someone’s house where they’ve got a Yorkshire Terrier. It’s a year old and it’s going through heat before they can neuter it. It won’t stop humping your leg and it gets annoying.
How did you get involved with the label?
AN: Mutual appreciation – Le Reno Amps are a relatively small band and Drift Records are a relatively small label. We both have very strong independent morals, we like holding our own reigns. They’re based at the bottom of the UK and we’re near the top, it just made sense to come together and obliterate everywhere in the middle.
SM: Hartlepool preferably
How does the songwriting process go in the band?
AN: Chords first, then melody, then words, then harmonies. Mostly Scott and I to-and-fro ideas, flesh them out until we have something we’re chuffed with. Although recently we’ve been diving into things with the full band more off-the-cuff to see what’s working and what isn’t.
SM: Actually, we did write one song with no chords, called ‘Marigold’.
Unfortunately, whether played or not, a melody will have Chords associated with it. We could only sidesweep this particular law by writing the song IN THE FIFTH DIMENSION.
Where it currently languishes until album 5.
What are some of the musical influences on your music and you?
AN: Well Scott and I have always enjoyed the music of Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV, whether it be Pixies, or Frank Black or with the Catholics or under the guise of Black Francis. We like the cut of his jib. Other than that, Johnny Cash, Beck, Violent Femmes, Gonzales, Elvis Costello and Dolly Parton have all played their part in the great LRA sound.
Your new record “Tear It Open” is one of your finest works to date. Are you pleased with the results?
AN: In a word, Yes! I think we’re all of the opinion that everything just fell into place on this record. It’s concise but diverse at the same time. The songs are bovine; the playing is unbelievable, even the artwork is shit hot. Yeah it was a good result.
SM: Round of applause for Andy (Andy Miller Producer) and Chem19 (the studio we recorded the album), better still, a ‘golf clap’.
I am a big singles fan. So do you have the next single already selected? What about bsides?
AN: Well you see the process of selecting a Le Reno Amps single is a fairly lengthy one. Essentially we pair off against one another for a round of Chess (Best of 3). Then the winning pair has to face each other in order to determine which song from the current album will become the next single (Best of 5). Whilst that’s going on the team that lost split into two, and have to write a b’side each to accompany the chosen track.
Don’t ask me how we chose album track listings!
SM: How do you select a single from an album of singles?
And how do we write a b-side? Everything we write is A material, even our B-sides.
What do you think of the whole social networking world such as facebook and myspace?
AN: Well they’re great for a band at our level (or any level I guess) to be able to directly see and have contact with your fans. To be able to instantly upload songs, pictures and videos with great ease is brilliant. We maintain our own myspace and facebook pages and try to keep them as fresh-out-of-the-box as possible. I think people tend to look at these more than they do the official website of bands these days, out of convenience really.
SM: There must be a tipping point, where managing all our Myspace and Facebook and Twitter and Youtube becomes impossible and the fabric of social networking collapses in on itself. If that were to happen we’d have to hand-deliver written updates to our army of fans. That could take as long as a whole afternoon, depending on how you define evening beginning!
Any goals for the rest of the year?
AN: Yeah we’re going to be pretty busy from now up until the summer, touring the UK and getting behind the new album which is out at the end of March so we’re all looking forward to that. Then in the second half of the year we’re going to get cracking on a new record which will hopefully see the light of day next year if we pull our fingers out!
SM: Yeah, our current schedule has us finishing the next record before the end of the year. It all depends on how successful Tear it Open is really, if Tear it Open generates further commitments it could push the recording into 2010. One of the hazards of doing everything ourselves I guess, but we enjoy our omnipotence.
Le Reno Amps – Tear It Open
Everyone’s favorite Scottish popsters return from a two year hiatus with their new record “Tear It Open.” The thing that always got me about Le Reno Amps was that they never sounded like they were from Scotland. They always did American indie better than most American indie bands. “Tear It Open” continues that tradition with short burst of irresistible pop. New single “Outlaws” is one of the stars of the album. The track starts off with a sound that would fit in a western movie. I feel like galloping along with this track as cool stuff happens around me. “If You Want Love” moves things into the acoustic love song range. It pops up much earlier than expected. “You Do Your Thing” is a fun sounding break up song. One of the albums true bright spots is saved for the last track “The Gilded Road.” The heavy guitars are supported brilliantly by alternating shouts of “hey,hey,” The band finish the record a nice loud and messy manner that leaves you on this high note. Another quality release from a band who deserve to get a little more attention. This release should help right that wrong.
Le Reno Amps – Send Me On My Way
Le Reno Amps are set to release a new track next month. If you remember last year we were rather smitten with this band and their debut album “So For The Thrills.” “Send Me On My Way” continues their pattern of American indie/folkisms. The song at first does not hit you right away as it sounds like a country song in a lot of sense. The acoustic guitar and that foot pounding drum gives it the sense of something from the south. The guitar parts also at times draw out a slight twang to each riff giving it this pseudo country sound. The band just really write some nice and friendly tunes that are instant fun.
By John Siwicki
Le Reno Amps – Wound Up
North East Scotland’s Le Reno Amps release a high energy pop song. “Wound Up” is a fast and furious three minute tune. The guitars are chugging along and there is a piercing organ in there as well. “Wound Up” won’t win any awards for originality but it’s a good time while it lasts.
By John Siwicki