Miles Kane Interview 2022

Miles Kane Interview

A great album cover tells a great deal about its artist. Miles Kane’s latest is no exception – one of a classic, direct and cool personality. Previously a member of the groups The Rascals and The Last Shadow Puppets, he took lockdown as an opportunity to dig deep into his musical psyche; the result was Change The Show. Released earlier this year in January, it’s an excellent record, balancing rock, mod, soul, glam and a whole lot more and glittering with style and enthusiasm, a closer look into the world of Miles Kane than ever before. Quench, then, were delighted to have the chance to talk with the indie supremo halfway between the release of the record and his tour ahead across Europe – including a stop at Cardiff. Brimming with answers to our probing questions, Miles tells us of how the record was conceived, his varied toybox of influences, and his irrepressible excitement to be back performing on stage. 

Hi Miles, how’re you doing?

I’m all good man, y’know, yeah, all good. 

How do you feel about the record since its release in January?

I love this album so much, but since it’s been released, it’s kinda… I haven’t even started my tour yet! We go to Europe in a week, next Tuesday we go, y’know… I’m just buzzing for it, I’m itching – y’know, you release an album, you have a big high, there’s a bit of a lull after, and now it’s kinda, like, ‘gearing up’ to go out and smash it. 

So there’s a real eagerness now to play it live? 

Yeah, just to be playing gigs… I haven’t done anything in years, so I’m kinda hoping to play loud and strut about the stage and play these great tunes that are as exciting to play live – there are so many upbeat songs on this album, and then mixed with the old ones – it’s gonna be the perfect setlist. 

The title track of the album seemed to relate to the current affairs of the past couple of years, is that right?

The song was kinda written out of the frustration of something was one more when I was watching the news – y’know, the song ‘Change The Show’, the last song written for it – that was written in about five minutes after literally turning off the news – y’know what I mean, to ‘change the show’! Y’know, I guess that’s the one which can relate to so many things, but it stems to that feeling of frustration.

And both ‘Never Get Tired of Dancing’ and ‘Tell Me What You’re Feeling’ I really liked. The impression I got of you was of a soul music fan – is that fair to say?

Yeah, I love Northern Soul, Motown, that sort of stuff. That’s what with my Mum and my Nans, growing up… that’s been my diet, to be honest. That’s embedded in me – that’s my go-to. Whenever I listen to music, when I’m going out – I wanna hear that, y’know? That’s just what I’m into, man.

A real stand-out moment is the duet with Corrine Bailey-Rae on ‘Nothing’s Ever Gonna Be Good Enough’ – how did that come about?

We’re old friends man, y’know, she did some singing on my first album, Colour of The Trap, and we’ve known each other a long time. There’s a rapport and a connection there, do y’know what I mean? We talked about it for a long time, we finally put it into fruition – it works really well – it’s kinda one of those things, I think it took people by surprise, but when you hear it – the connection between us makes it cooler. It was a great shout.

I enjoyed the final track, ‘Adios Ta-Ra Ta-Ra’; it was unusual for a closer. 

Us scousers, we say ta-ra, to say goodbye, we say it loads, so it was very funny in that way! 

Was there an intentional element of humour within the album, then?

Yeah, in points… It’s kind of, lyrically, you go deep, you write these things about your feelings, your worries, what you’ve done in the past, or what you wanna do in the future, so it’s kinda like, to lighten the mood a bit, or like my personality in general, you gotta humour, a good sense of humour, so I think, to get a little bit of that in there, won’t do anyone any harm either, d’you know what I mean?

I thought the album was immensely catchy – ‘See Ya When I See Ya’, for example, was stuck in my head for a while. I’m keen to know more about your songwriting process – did it all come naturally or did you have to mine away at songs for a while?

It’s such a f***ing rollercoaster, to be honest, y’know but certain tunes, like ‘See Ya When I See Ya’, and ‘Change The Show’ and that, those both were songs that just flew out of me. And y’know, there’s certain songs that take a bit more time, all lyrically and that, but, touch wood, it wasn’t too painful! The process of the writing can sometimes go really well, or you can question yourself too much – when that ball starts rolling, it’s a vicious cycle, y’know what I mean, and two years can go by and you’re still not further on, but this, this felt like going with that gut feeling as much as possible really. Whether it’s right or wrong, and letting that lead the way… That gives you sort of the freedom of being creative then, just write a load of lyrics and then just don’t be afraid to change it, and that’s what I sort of did. There’s definitely, I felt like, a freedom on writing these, doing these tunes, yeah. 

You’ve spoken about how your age became more of a factor in your work than before. 

Yeah, I think it’s just anyone, I’m thirty-six now, y’know, it’s kinda like… when you’re thirty, you do grow, don’t ya? You learn so much – I’m open to more things now, and you give less of a f***, as well! But you’ve grown as a man, and as you are as a person, and I’ve tried to put all that I’ve learnt and what I’m learning into my tunes – that’s all I can do, y’know?

I read you celebrated the album’s release with a pop-up event in a chicken shop in Hackney – how did that go?

Well, I’m pretty a simple guy, just to be honest man: I love music, I love boxing, I love wrestling, I love food! It’s kinda like; any opportunity I can to incorporate all of that in one space I will, do y’know what I mean – clothes, that in as well! I just love fried chicken and wings and sh**, and there was this idea of doing for the launch day – this little thing – I was like ‘yeah’, we’ll make wings and do this acoustic thing’… It was almost like a drunk idea you’d say but in reality, it worked really well, and everyone had a good time. I’ve been asked about it a lot, so I’d say it was a success. 

I saw Change The Show is available as a special red-colour vinyl record – are you a fan of the format?

I mean, yeah, that’s kind of, my fans’ vinyl-buying, y’know what I mean? I always, or – touch wood, for as long as I can – make physicals sure, it makes sense for me. 

I found the album cover interesting for its sparseness, containing only yourself looking directly at the viewer in a nice suit… Did you have any input?

Yeah, the whole thing – and that’s exactly what I wanted, I wanted It to be so simple, direct and, y’know, stylised, with a super-classic haircut. Even on the cover itself, there’s no writing or no fonts, there’s no name or title. My mate Aiden, who’s an amazing artist, drew it. I was fully immersed in everything in this album – the videos, the artwork… the f***ing font! (laughs) Yeah, yeah, the whole f***ing thing, man. 

So, the tour is the next big thing for you?

Yeah, we go next week, and start rehearsals in a couple of days, I can’t wait. I’ve had so much time to dwell on things, think things… I just can’t wait now to get on stage. 

I imagine it’s a very curated setlist? 

Yeah, well, I picked twenty that I told everyone to learn, and we’re gonna rehearse them for three days starting this weekend, but the setlist is kind of, when you’re writing it out and telling the lads what songs to learn, it’s kinda like… on paper, it looked f***ing mind-blowing! So I hope it’s like that in real life, mind! 

The album should be well-recreated onstage?

Yeah, there’s no sort of weird lull in it, it doesn’t look like, so I’m super excited for it. ‘Tell Me What You’re Feeling’, ‘Caroline’, ‘Change The Show’, ‘Nothing’s Ever Gonna Be Good Enough’… those pumpin’ tunes are gonna be absolutely mega, I think, right! I feel pretty – touch-wood – confident about that. When they’ve played them round in the rehearsal room, it’s big, y’know what I mean, it’s pounding, you can let rip to them! 

Is there anything else we should be looking out for from you in the future?

Not really, man, I’m just trying to write some new tunes and crack on, to be honest mate. But no goss to give out! 

Thank you very much for the interview – really enjoyed talking to you about the new record! Take care. 

Thank you brother, alright mate – take care man, ta-ra ta-ra! 

Miles Kane’s latest album, Change The Show, is out now. He comes to Cardiff on the 23rd of May, playing the Tramshed. Tickets are available here.

Miles Kane Album Review

Lockdown is an opportunity too good to miss for rock stars. Miles Kane is one of the busiest: a member of the Last Shadow Puppets, formerly of The Rascals, and a frequent co-writer with Lana Del Rey, he has naturally borne a fourth-solo album out of his unexpected free time. Taking a step back to look around and consider the music he wanted to make. Change The Show has a sound akin to the excitement of thinking about what to do its end; voluptuous, fun and energetic, it’s a blast of uplifting and much-needed escapism from his “lad-rock” detractors and often a tribute to many of his musical heroes. 

This is a record of an unapologetic self-dubbed “old-school orchestrator”, looking at his own record collection and seeing the moments and people of his life, moments of bliss, love and soul locked in the grooves, High Fidelity style, and enigmatically painting those experiences through an album. Its instrumentation is surprisingly playful in style; sometimes such a departure from his indie credentials that his fans may have to take some time to get to know this Kane. Injected with an outsider view of living in Los Angeles and channelling such varied influences as Bowie, Weller, Talking Heads, 50s rockabilly and Motown – “call me an old romantic”, Kane downplays – you’ll relish in the delight to hear something so openly freeing for its creator.

It’s hard to beat opener Tears Are Falling as the stand-out track: Kane invites us into his unexpected post-lockdown milieu of the sensibilities of 1970s pop-rock. Its tip-tap piano, accompanied by lilting harmonies with a high-pitch croon, paint glorious shades of Harry Nilsson: not to mention the biting country chorus, reminiscent of when said, decade’s most beloved piano-player said goodbye to his yellow brick road. Its theatrical bombast is a strong surveyor of where we find Kane on Change the Show, before he flips over his side of America on the slick Don’t Let It Get You Down, a champion-horse bass-heavy stampede. It’s surprise gun-ho turn after turn, yet all these tracks carry far more muscle in production compared to his previous work, gifting the rhythm section a particularly keen soundstage, promising likely riches for the quality of its sound on vinyl record, a format which sounds like it’s natural home. 

See Ya When I See Ya is like a smile-power-generator right from its opening-guitar solo – when was the last term you heard one of those?! Swinging honkytonk abounds; I was almost punching the air at how well it captures the spirit of the carefree moments of John Lennon, his imprint on Kane evident in the excellent vintage film-mimicking music video, featuring a glimpse of the Beatle on a mug. Á la A Hard Day’s Night, this is an album made up of infectious three-minute pop songs with nothing outstaying its welcome; the tempo continues to rise with Never Get Tired of Dancing a power-pop track with an emphasis on the power. It’s a swinging and thumping fusion of glam and mod R&B, featuring Miles roaring in his craves for dancing, all in the rather quaint way, when “dancing” in the use of pop was often a euphemism, ending on a “wooo-aargh, I’ll neth-tha get tired of dancin’ with yooooou!” against a crushing guitar riff as a tip-of-the-top-hat to Marc Bolan. 

Its cheerful eclecticism continues with Tell Me What You’re Feeling, a progression of the northern soul covers released in lockdown as the lead vocalist of The Jaded Hearts Club supergroup, having a go at writing one himself. Getting suitably low in the groove with a raw call-and-response chorus, its rapid funk-brothers beat even makes a boogie-woogie piano solo sound like a cool thing to do again. It’s surprise turn after turn, following this eruption of tension with the lush, dream-like Coming of Age, painted in pastoral colours, whilst also a tasteful waltz that will surprise many. His lyricism sometimes struggles at points to live up to his skill for melodies, but Coming of Age hits the mark with a compassionate soul-searcher of a youthful imagination starting to feel old for the first time: “there’s always something in the way, there’s always something left to say, there’s always a little hesitation…” 

Kane confronts head-on his maturation as a person, all whilst doing the very same as a musician with little hesitation in its country twinge, dropping into a rumbling guitar solo. The new-found self-assuredness present within Change The Show is reflected in its relaxed conception, apparent in Nothing’s Ever Gonna Be Enough: Miles is joined by the effortlessly-sweet Corinne Bailey Rae to act out an image akin to a couple half-heartedly bickering during a picnic under a sun-drenched tree, a charming song originally devised over a wine-fuelled zoom meeting. However, it leaves you with the impression the timing of the release of this summer-appropriate record hasn’t been as well-timed as it deserves. 

With pretty melodies, experimentation and confidence in spades, Change The Show is a great album, and should be a suitable show-changer for Miles Kane, his fans and his critical reputation. in the same way, the music within makes an enjoyable change from his previous work, supplemented by the most ear-pleasing of spacious productions. In what will be worth the wait of well over three years for fans, “When you listen to your own beat / you can be anything you want” he not only imparts but demonstrates wonderfully over his irrepressible enthusiasm on Change The Show. 

Miles Kane Live Review

Miles Kane was not afraid to be fine-tuned to his crimson-red guitar, his band and his audience in a stunning show inside Cardiff’s Tramshed. Acutely aware his audience were hungry to see and hear him live following a few postponements due to the pandemic, he put forward what must be his finest showmanship.

The Tramshed was filled with mods, indie fans and rockers kitted out to welcome Kane to Cardiff. There were two impressive opening acts to savour before, however. The first was Tom A Smith, an impressive youngster who served up spiky guitar as the assembling crowds began to sip at their first drinks. He sported the ‘New York City’ t-shirt made famous by John Lennon, apt for a set that evoked the edginess of his Plastic Ono Band solo record – Kane would later raise a hat to his fellow musical Liverpudlian in the main act. Scottish soul singer Brooke Combe followed with a rousing set, including a cover of Arctic Monkeys’ “Why Do You Only Ever Call Me When You’re High” – this indie classic was a likely nod to their lead singer Alex Turner, who was Kane’ collaborator in The Last Shadow Puppets. 

 Miles Kane at Tramshed / Billy Edwards

The theme tune to Rocky signalled Kane’s set was about to begin – perhaps a little pompously – yet the crowd were proficiently roused by the time the band entered the stage to new song ‘Don’t Let it Get You Down’. They were immediately impressive for being particularly well-dressed – the keyboardist João De Macedo Mello however stole this fashion show with his velvet smoking jacket and trilby, which had a feather tucked in. Kane wore a smart red shirt and narrow blue trousers as well as an armband, which was aptly emblazoned “Change The Show”. Although he wasn’t wearing the pair of boxing shorts available to purchase at the merchandise stand, Miles’ love for the sport was reflected in his great performances as he returned round after round with big hitters from his considerably large catalogue. After increasing the pace even more with ‘Inhaler’, imploring “let’s have it”, he turned to a few tracks from 2018’s Coup De Grace, such as the pounding funk of the title track and the glam-infused clap-a-long ‘Cry on My Guitar’. 

Miles relished the wonder of being close to his fans, very much enthused by the very warm reaction to his latest tunes, whilst proving they couldn’t have possibly forgotten the older ones – a few such as ‘Don’t Forget Who You Are’ created moshpits amongst the audience to match the band’s wall of sound. When other players would take over in a solo, Kane would gingerly approach the front of the stage and a swarm of raised hands would rise in admiration; he would then crouch down to the audience and study their faces as if committing them to memory. 

 Miles Kane at Tramshed / Billy Edwards

The turns into the work of The Last Shadow Puppets were very much welcomed – the performance of the snappy ‘Bad Habits’ was an edgy major-chord bonanza which proved Alex Turner wasn’t necessary to have around to make these songs sound great. Miles’ voice was impressively still not letting up after many yelps, cries, and screams, illustrating he was feeling his music just as much as his audience was. Kane was so enthused to be playing these songs that it implied the setlist was a summation of the favourites. The new tracks were becoming anthems in their own right, evident in how the audience rejoiced in the infectious chorus to ‘Never Get Tired of Dancing’. His bundles of attitude commanded you to join in the dance. Their power seemed almost superhuman – for ‘Change The Show’, the keyboardist took out a saxophone and joined the band at the stage’s front akin to the suitable formation of a superhero team.

Around halfway through, Miles introduced a personal stand-out from the new record, the jaunty ‘Nothing’s Ever Gonna Be Enough’ – with RAHH fitting comfortably into the duet with a cheerfully cosy rapport with Miles. They appeared to have a strong rapport which made the songs even more likeable, whilst Kane swang on the spot and grasped his hands towards the roof in the song’s most impassioned moments. He seemed to enjoy the moments of classically soulful pleading to the heavens the most, such as on heartfelt ballad ‘Colour of The Trap’. He had perfect pitch on the higher tones of ‘See Ya When I See Ya’, likely inspired by one of his heroes, John Lennon. Kane had previously launched into a surprise cover of ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ by The Beatles, currently in vogue due to the recent ‘Get Back’ TV series. The band ensured the crowd sang along wonderfully to the classic and daresay improved upon it with a blistering guitar solo by McClorey, who bragged a curtain down on a winning tribute. The show then on was a gleeful victory lap, resulting in ‘Come Closer’ as a clean-cut closer to an excellent gig, a song that is likely his most well known as it is a great summation of Kane – bouncy, infectiously entertaining and cheekily seductive. Due to his excellent star power, Kane certified his audience not only went home with tired dancing feet but his classic tunes rattling around their heads.