TLC vs. The Metros: The New Year Interview

Over the course of 2007-2008, The Metros emerged as one of the most promising young bands in London. TLC made no bones about the fact that we've become quite enamored with this rabblerousing Peckham 5-piece and their infectious debut album, More Money Less Grief.

After a year of touring up and down the UK (including a stint supporting The Streets) and a detour to Japan, vocalist Saul Adamczewski chatted to us in true good-humored Metros fashion about what the band is looking forward to in 2009 like growing up a bit and not letting their hometown confine or define them.

With no current plans to release the album in the US, they recently made a small splash with a track featured on Gossip Girl. Watch out for The Metros this year!

> Happy New Year! Congratulations on a busy and successful 2008! The first time I heard of The Metros was when you played the BBC Electric Proms in '07. You've certainly come a long way since then. What moments stand out as highly significant for you from the past year?

SA: Playing Japan was wicked, the girls all dressed like school girls. Also Glastonbury was fun and all the rest of the festivals and obviously putting a record out.

> How did you meet Baxter Dury? As a producer, how much of an influence did he have on your sound and the overall direction of the album?

SA: I bet Baxter he couldn't swallow a huge lump of cheddar cheese for a tenner and the rest is history. He brought a raw blues sound to the album and kept it feeling as close to live as possible.

> Your songs are mostly about the experience of being young in London – particularly South East London. How important is it to you to represent and bring attention to where you come from, considering how much attention is paid to the scenes in North and East London?

SA: When I wrote the songs, South London was quite important to me, I grew up there but now it doesnt really matter to me and we are writing songs about other things, more interesting things like boneless human beings.

> I lived in SE London for a time myself and was lucky enough to witness the growth of the music scene there, especially in and around New Cross. How do you feel about being lumped into that scene? Who are some of your favorite fellow SE London bands and is there a sense of camaraderie amongst you?

SA: Most of the bands I hung around with have now disbanded. There isnt much of a scene anymore but it was a blast and it lives on in my kitchen on Thursday nights. The bands I like now include soon to be smash hit Koran Koran and Rum Shebeen, The Coolness, oh and The Pepys are a shower of shit...!!!

> Mike Skinner is a veteran of rock n roll indulgence and excess, did he impart any wisdom to you while you were on the road together?

SA: He came into our dressing room once and I was locked in the fridge so he left and I think he may have rightly thought that we were a bit juvenile.

> Now that you've been through the process of recording and releasing an album and touring rigorously, what kind of advice would you give to a band just getting started in the music industry?

SA: Touch the leather, open the limit, come on out to play and enjoy it (something I almost forgot how to do but have recently remembered!) sniff sniff

> Are you working on any new material? How will your experiences as a successful band be reflected in your songwriting from now on?

SA: Yes we are going into the studio tomorrow - it's all a bit top secret, but yes all our experiences are reflected in our songs.

> If The Metros were showing us around SE London, where would you take us?

SA: Brixton or my dad's house for partridge

> We're hoping to see The Metros play in NYC at some point in the near future! What are your plans for 2009?

SA: Overcoming my fear of flying, making a record I am proud of and generally just opening the limit. I would like to marry Anna and have skinny babies.

MP3: The Metros - Live a Little or zShare
MP3: The Metros - Robbin Hood or zShare