The Black Keys’ Patrick Carney has spoken to NME concerning the band’s upcoming tour of the UK and Europe, their “epic” new album, working with Noel Gallagher and why they’ll by no means play Glastonbury.
The blues rock duo are set to kick off their European tour in Paris on June 19 earlier than taking part in their first UK headline tour in over 10 years.
“We’re each excited to recover from there however we don’t really feel any strain about taking part in,” drummer Carney informed NME. “Our first present in London was on the Camden Barfly to possibly 30 individuals and for a decade, we performed each single venue possible to get to Ally Pally and The O2.
“Whenever you’re developing, it might typically really feel like competitors and also you’re continuously careworn. Now, we’re on the level the place we will simply get pleasure from every thing.”
The band are touring in help of 2022’s ‘Dropout Boogie’ and will likely be joined onstage by a bunch of “unimaginable musicians.”
“The important thing to our sound is embracing the human component,” mentioned Carney. “None of us are virtuosic musicians, there’s simply numerous uncooked rock ‘n’ roll.”
In addition to these headline exhibits, The Black Keys are additionally hoping to host extra DJ nights, the place they completely play tracks through 45 vinyl. “It’s simply us, partying,” defined Carney. “We don’t wish to go to some crummy bar after the present and hearken to shitty music. We’d keep backstage and play music however there’s nobody else there, which is type of boring. This can be a means for us to manage the jukebox and hang around collectively.”
The final time The Black Keys totally toured the UK was in help of 2011’s ‘El Camino’. Talking about what’s modified for the band between then and now, Carney defined: “We’ve carried out numerous rising up within the final 10 years. Dan [Auerbach, frontman] and I’ve at all times been shut however we’ve received a really deep friendship proper now. We get pleasure from hanging out. Attending to go on tour along with your good friend, it makes the entire thing really feel extra thrilling.”
Carney went on to name 2019’s ‘Let’s Rock’ a “transitional file” for the band, following a four-year hiatus. After touring it, they recorded an album of Hills nation blues tracks known as ‘Delta Kream’ earlier than COVID pressured them to take one other yr off.
“After we received again into the studio in 2021 to file what would turn into ‘Dropout Boogie’, one thing had modified,” mentioned Carney. “Clearly the entire world had modified however a yr of isolation was sufficient to alter the dynamic between Dan and I. We had been actually, actually, actually excited to see one another day-after-day.”
They labored for 9 weeks on ‘Dropout Boogie’ till they needed to flip it in forward of a deliberate headline tour. “However we simply stored working,” Carney continued. “By the tip of the yr, we had 17 new concepts down and we simply stored going.”
The imaginative and prescient for The Black Keys’ upcoming subsequent album actually got here into focus after Beck visited Simple Eye Studio in Nashville final April, although. “We began writing with him and that was the start of what we’re ending now, an epic album that’s our greatest file for positive,” mentioned Carney. “It gained’t be out till subsequent yr although.”
Carney continued: “It’s a bizarre, full circle factor. Our first tour was with Sleater-Kinney and so they took us to a Saturday Evening Stay afterparty as a result of they knew the musical visitor, Beck.”
Whereas on the get together, Carney approached Beck and handed him a bootleg model of their upcoming 2003 album ‘Thickfreakness’. “Who’s going to hearken to that shit? Beck did. And he invited us on tour a couple of weeks later, which was our first huge break,” Carney recalled. “We’ve recognized him for 20 years now and he’s the lynch pin within the new evolution of The Black Keys.”
Whereas “not wanting to provide means an excessive amount of away” concerning the subsequent file, the drummer described it as “clearly a collaborative factor,”.
“We’re working with lots of people and the vibe of the file is enjoyable,” he mentioned. “It’s reflective of our DJ nights in a means, it’s a giant Saturday evening get together file. We simply had individuals come by the studio and throw slightly little bit of particular sauce at every music.
“There are simply so many various collaborations however there’s a thread by it with Dan and I filtering every thing. It simply feels actually fucking superb.”
In addition to Beck, The Black Keys have additionally labored with Dan The Automator, Greg Kurstin and the “unimaginable” Noel Gallagher. “He’s hilarious and tremendous gifted,” mentioned Carney. “We had been referring to him as ‘The Chord Lord’ as a result of he’s only a perfectionist with it.”
“Dan and I are huge followers of him and Liam,” he continued. “Truly, the Liam music ‘Every thing’s Electrical’ is why we determined to work with Kurstin [who produced the track].”
He went on to say that The Black Keys have most likely reached their restrict for collabs on this file, however that he “hopes that folks hear the album and it provides us extra alternatives to work with extra individuals”.
“Hazard Mouse confirmed us the trick to collaborating and that’s somebody we have to work with once more quickly,” he added. “We was once fairly insular. We had been two mates from Akron who didn’t actually participate in any music scene, and we weren’t ready to hang around backstage early on in our profession, as a result of we needed to drive to the following present.
“Now, we’re thriving as a result of we’re together with our mates and being extra inclusive. That’s what the vibe is with this file.”
21 years after the discharge of their debut album ‘The Huge Come Up’, The Black Keys discover themselves taking part in arenas whereas nonetheless excited round what they’ll do subsequent. “A very powerful factor to Dan and I has at all times to be related,” mentioned Carney. “We wish to be making music individuals give a shit about, and never simply making music to make music.
“So long as that’s taking place, then you’ll be able to proceed on. Once I see a band like Fleetwood Mac who’ve not made a file in 30 years or one thing, that simply fucking sucks. It’s not inspirational for me. That’s like purgatory.
He continued: “I’m listening to the brand new file we’re making now and it’s the primary time in a very long time the place I believe we’ll must play six or seven songs off it stay. We discovered that making good music is what will get us off, and it’s simpler to do it with your pals. As I become old, I’m realising you wish to be making music and creating stuff that’s thrilling. In any other case, what the fuck is the purpose?“
Eagled-eyed followers could have observed a Glastonbury-shaped gap in The Black Keys upcoming tour schedule, nevertheless we most likely gained’t be seeing the band at Worthy Farm this summer time.
“We received a suggestion from Glastonbury that was so insulting, we’re by no means going to play the pageant once more,” mentioned Carney. “We all know it’s a giant deal for individuals within the UK however the weight of what the pageant is doesn’t translate to most Individuals. We have now little interest in taking part in it.”
This upcoming tour is the largest run of dates The Black Keys have performed after Carney made headlines final yr following the general public break-up and subsequent reconciliation of his marriage to Michelle Department.
Again in August, Department informed cops known as to her residence that she had slapped Carney within the face “one or two occasions”. Two weeks later, the case was dismissed on the request of the state. The pair additionally introduced they’d be getting divorced, earlier than that was placed on pause.
“I’ve by no means talked about my private life, however is it that surprising that somebody in a band has a considerably tumultuous relationship? I don’t assume so,” Carney mentioned. “You need surprising? Tomorrow I’m going {golfing} with Alice Cooper. He likes to golf, he’s actually well-read and well-spoken and he doesn’t wish to drink. That’s actual shock rocker shit.”
The Black Keys’ upcoming tour comes because the ‘00s rock scene has undergone a resurgence underneath the ‘indie sleaze’ banner, thanks partly to the movie Meet Me In The Rest room. The Black Keys got here up alongside that wave of guitar bands together with The Strokes and Interpol – however in accordance with Carney, had been by no means actually a part of it.
“I noticed Yeah Yeah Yeahs earlier than ‘Fever To Inform’ got here out and so they had been actually fucking good however that scene by no means had an inclusive vibe. It was by no means a pleasant vibe and everybody was kinda an asshole.”
“We by no means frolicked in Brooklyn as a result of we couldn’t afford to,” continued Carney. “We simply did our personal factor. That mentioned, The Strokes had been huge influences on Dan and I. To see a band play the Mercury Lounge after which make waves internationally was large. Watching all these bands succeed was inspirational however we by no means felt notably supported or related to them.”
The Black Keys upcoming UK tour dates are under, with tickets accessible right here.
JUNE
21 – The O2, London
22 – AO Enviornment, Manchester
24 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
