We’ve all experienced it, the sight of a new band playing to a new audience and failing miserably to connect on any level. It’s a challenge that Nine Black Alps have been facing all summer as they hawk their Everything Is debut around the circuit, yet they feel that the nature of their songs is what stands them in good stead.
“They’re all fairly immediate”, says vocalist Sam Forrest, “there’s nothing complicated there. It’s in your face short pop songs. It doesn’t take a lot of thinking about, hopefully people can enjoy them straight away. That’s always been our philosophy, don’t waste any note and just get on with it”.
As with any band from the city, much has been made of the Alps’ Manchester roots but Sam is a little ambivalent about the whole thing.
“There’s not that much competition because the bands don’t sound like each other. People ask us is there a scene in Manchester and there is but it’s not like everyone’s copying each other. It’s really diverse. We’re away so much that we don’t really know what’s going on”.
Part of that being away has involved trips to the US, appropriate since much of the band’s sound is rooted in the country’s alternative rock heritage.
“Definitely”, he agrees. “We love the States and we’d love people to hear our stuff over there and see what they think.”
He does agree though that the American audience’s approach to rock is an odd one, tending to swing from trend to trend.
“We did the album in the States and were watching MTV and it’s full of emo bands that all sound the same, with their little side partings. It’s become saturated”.
For all its homogeny, the US is still full of healthy little scenes inspired by those who are prepared to work that bit harder at discovering an alternative culture.
“That’s the kind of people we’re hoping to pick up, get a word of mouth thing going with people who listen to music properly. Our EP’s coming out on a small label called Tiny Evil. Bands can survive in America by being different, making money off touring and selling CDs, rather than becoming these massive entities”.