Did you know Bloc Party's favourite West London curry house is most certainly not the same curry house preferred by Franz Ferdinand? Neither did I, until I hung out with these quirky, cool guys backstage before a Montreal concert. They were all enthusiastic about giving me a solid, proper guide to their favourite West London hangouts and really explaining how London -- and London's nightlife -- shaped them as a band and as humans. I love how they kept referring to themselves as nerds. Now we can all go on a Bloc Party pilgrimage.
Photo by Susan Moss
“As a band, we owe a lot to London,” says Gordon Moakes, bassist of London-based electronic-meets-indie-rock foursome Bloc Party. “Growing up in London and going out in London... and learning that indie music’s not just about boys and guitars.”
THE END
When I first got to know [band members] Russell [Lissack] and Kele [Okerke] in 2003, we liked to hang out in the same places. One of those places was Trash at West London club The End. Trash was renowned for its eclectic music and intimidating door staff, who’d veto you on the basis of your fashion. That stuff is always bound to be slightly elitist, but I’m a complete nerd and I never had any problems getting in, so they were probably looking for people who wouldn’t beat up the people inside. [Frontman] Kele’s said Trash really influenced him when it comes to writing music -- that you don’t necessarily have to choose between genres. - Matt Tong, drummer The End & AKA: 18 West Central Street, London WC1A 1JJ; (44) 020 7419 9199; www.trashclub.co.uk, www.endclub.com
ROUGH TRADE RECORDS
It’s my favourite record shop in London. Wen I was a teenager I’d take the tube to the Royal Oak station on the Hammersmith line, which is not a very hip area, but there are nice buildings and it’s a nice walk. I used to go there looking for very specific, specialist sort of records; the kind of obscure indie you look for when you’re... into obscure indie! And I’d fantasize about living in London. Years later, we did a photo shoot there... Of course, Rough Trade is famous not just for the [two] shops, but for the label that came out of the shop. - Gordon Moakes, bassist Rough Trade: 130 Talbot Road, London, W11 1JA; (44) 020 7229 8541; www.roughtrade.com
ANGLO ASIAN
I live in Stoke Newington, an area that’s got more young families pushing [baby] buggies than anywhere else in London. It’s also got really good curry houses. Apparently, [Franz Ferdinand singer] Alex Kapranos’s favourite curry house is on that same road, but I’m going to name a different one: the Anglo Asian. It’s a very ‘familiar’ sort of British curry house, not posh but it’s always super friendly and they give you loads of stuff! They’ll give you a sherry when you come in, and they’ll come around afterwards and give you a free drink and fruit salad. I’m a bit predictable, I always have the chicken roti. That’s my dish of choice. - Gordon Moakes Anglo Asian: 60-62 Stoke Newington Church Street, N16; (44) 020 7254 3633.
SOUND REPUBLIC
Oddly enough, this is where we did our first ever show as a band. It’s a funny place because it’s set up as a venue for bigger bands so I think we got a slightly exaggerated sense of what it was like to perform at that level - it just sounded really good on stage. There were probably, lke, twenty people there, but it felt like we were playing a massive rock show... then for the next six, seven months it was all downhill! - Matt Tong Sound (formerly Sound Republic): Swiss Centre, 10 Wardour Street, Leicester Square, London, W1D 6QF Tel: +44 (0)20 7287 1010
