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 Intervurt are a band on the rise. They're about to unleash a new EP, taken from the bands upcoming debut album 'Union', and the the South London based electro rockers aren't about to start taking prisoners now. Intervurt have also been hypedd by Papa Roach, who apparently haven't stopped playing the album since a chance meeting in New York saw them given a copy.
They've been recording at Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studio's in New York, and Komodo Rock's Mike Elliott caught up with singer Paul O'Keeffe to find out more about the band, where they're going, and what we can expect from them in the future.
Mike Elliott: Can you give us a little bit of background on the band?
Paul O'Keeffe: We formed in 2002. We had worked together in different
bands but never really all at the same time, so it was a natural thing
for us, especially as we shared so many musical tastes.
ME: How did the name Intervurt come about, and what's it's significance?
POK: When we were looking for a name for the band, we had a strong idea
of what we wanted as well as what we didn't want, we didn't want to be
a "The" band and we wanted a name that didn't mean anything so that it
only represented the music we made. I was reading a book by Jeff Noon
called Vurt and we always liked the idea "inter" as in Inter Milan, so
we put the two together and it stuck.
ME: Your about to launch a new EP, 'Translucent'. Can you tell us a little more about it?
POK: Yeah this is our debut EP and it's to be put out by Dead Planet a
new south London record company. The idea of the EP was to show the
range of the band musically, so in a sense it's a mini album or album
sampler. Ranging from the Title Track "Translucent" to the darker and
moodier "City Of Moods" which was the final song recorded and being the
newest song written at that time, it show's where we're heading next.
ME: The EP comes from your upcoming album 'Union'. What can we expect from the album?
POK: We're really conscious that it should sound like an album and not
a collection of songs, for instance we want the opening song to really
signify the albums sound, and for it to be a song that couldn't go
anywhere else on the record because it would sound wrong. Likewise the
closing song and the others really. That's why the working title for it
is "Union", we want the songs to work together to make a whole.
ME: Any news on when it's going to be released?
POK: The idea was for spring this year but we're in a really strong
vein of writing at the moment and we'd love to get back in the studio
to record three or four more songs for the record. But we definitely
want it out by the end of summer.
ME: You've been recording at Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios in New York. Can you tell us a little more about that?
POK: It was just an amazing experience all round, the studio itself
still had that sixties/seventies feel to it, and to be in a place that
has had so many great artists record their including The Clash, was a
pleasure.
ME: Mark Plati, who has worked with Prince, David Bowie and The Cure
among others, has been producing the album. Why did you choose to work
with him, and what has he brought to the table for you?
POK: The funny thing was we drew up a shortlist of producers 6 months
before recording started and Plati was high up there. It ended up that
he got to know us through "In The City" in Manchester, and wanted to
work with us as much as we wanted to work with him. And of course Bowie
the Cure and Prince....three of the best.....ever!
ME: Do you have plans to head out on the road, either in support of the EP, or for the album when it's released?
 POK:
We are currently in talks with booking agents, but have a few key dates
lined up in support of the EP. So far we have 23rd Jan Dublin Castle
Camden, 11th Feb The Water Rats Kings Cross confirmed with others to
follow. Then we hope to have a tour to support a full blown single
release in early spring, and as soon as the album comes out there will
be a full tour.
There's also a couple of very exciting support slots being talked about, but I can't say any more yet!!
ME: Any plans to record any videos from the EP?
POK: The video is done for Translucent, directed by Rob Thorpe, who's
worked on videos for Bloc Party, White Stripes, and Travis. Hopefully
it will be on MTV, Kerrang, etc. soon. But it's also on our myspace
page as a taster now, as we're really pleased with it.
ME: Your highly touted by Papa Roach. Tell us a little bit more about that relationship.
POK: That's a strange one, basically when we finished the recording
sessions in New York, they were also there as part of their tour and
someone passed on a CD, and apparently it became their most played tour
CD.
ME: How hard have you found it to get your music heard?
POK: It's always a struggle, I suppose more than ever as there are so many bands and artists trying to break through.
Having Dead Planet records focus on us has been a real help, and
allowed us to concentrate on making music, which of course is the main
reason we're in a band, but that does get lost sometimes when you spend
your days fighting with the telephone instead of your guitar.
ME: Has Myspace, and the internet as a whole helped with building your fan base?
POK: Myspace is great for reaching out. You can get things up on
Myspace, whether it's a video or a song, and ask people what they
think. It makes the whole process a lot less precious. And yes of
course it's great when you start getting fans from all over the world.
The internet gives you the option of reaching a lot of people but I'm
not sure if it's all good. In some way's it's made music a little too
easy to find, and for me I like the chase.
ME: As a band, who has influenced you the most, and why?
POK: Bowie is always a major force for me. I mean he's able to somehow
effect every generation musically, and in a different way every decade,
he's special. I think we have a lot of 80's influences but that's more
as a sound as opposed to anything in particular, although I'd say
Depeche Mode and U2 have had an effect, and so has the great guitar
bands of the past like Led Zeppelin and the Stones right through to The
Pixies, Nirvana and Radiohead.
ME: Can you give us links to any important Intervurt related websites please?
www.intervurt.com
www.myspace.com/intervurtrocks
www.deadplanetrecords.com
A big thank you to Paul for taking the time talk with us. You can check
out Komodo Rock's review of Intervurt's debut EP, Translucent, here.
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