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Childhood friends from Britain change the concept of a typical indie rock band by doing the unthinkable – going without a guitarist. The Record profiles garage grown Keane for whom everything is definitely changing.
The Band
At the outset, British trio Keane are quick to clarify that their name has nothing to do with Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane. Instead childhood friends, singer Tom Chaplin, pianist Tim Rice-Oxley and drummer Richard Hughes took their name from a lady who looked after them when they were young. "Cherry Keane" was eventually shortened to Keane and they conjured up a brand of Radiohead meets Coldplay meets A-Ha pop that is literally home-grown. The band rehearses and records in a little old room in Tim's parents' house in Battle. Add to this unusual setting the fact that they have no guitarist and you can understand why this trio’s sound is constantly referred to as ‘unique’.
Beginnings
The band was formed in 1997 when the boys were still in school. They started out playing Beatles, U2 and Oasis covers. At the time they were just another aspiring act, guitarist included. The strain and struggle of a band starting out began to get worse until one day the guitarist just dropped out. Left with only vocals, keyboards and drums, the band could have disintegrated as well. Instead they took it as a fresh new start and a way to create their own individual sound.
Not taking the easy way out proved to be a good thing for them. After a difficult period working hard on their new sound, Keane began to play live again. It was at one of these gigs that music mogul Simon Williams saw the band. Impressed by their songs he asked Keane to put out a single on his label.
They chose Everybody's Changing, a sweeping, majestic ode to feeling lost in a world where everyone else has found their place. This song like many others was recorded at home yet had the sound and feel of a sure-fire hit. "The recording session was a little rough and ready - the song was literally made in a room in someone's house," Tom laughs. "And we had to go round to a different house to mix it, because the speakers broke." The single hit gold and things were looking up for the band.
Comparisons
As with all new bands Keane have got a fair share of comparisons. Names like Coldplay, Beautiful South, Radiohead, and A-Ha frequently come up and everyone is looking for a reference point to slot their distinct sound. The band is clear about their place. Says Tom, “People often say that they wish they’d been around in the 60s. But we’re happy just where we are. We love rock’s back catalogue, and now we’ve got a chance to add to it. After all, tunes never go out of fashion.”
No Guitarist
While everyone seems to focus on the fact that the band has no guitarist, the trio themselves insist that they are not looking to make some kind of statement by being that way. "All we were after was the opportunity to make the right record with the right people. We've never wanted to be a small, cult band," Tom adds. "We want to get our music heard by as many people as we possibly can, because that's why we're making it."
You can read the complete special feature in the July 2004 issue of The Record Music Magazine available at your local newsagent.
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