Page 20 - BN1 July-Aug 2019 web

BN1 CHATS WITH...
THE DOVES

SEMINAL BRITISH ROCK BAND HEADS TO BRIGHTON
BY REBECCA WELLER

After nearly a decade away, Doves are thrilled to bring dance music explosion meant Doves first band, although
their high-octane rock and roll back to Brighton, the place still a rock band, took heavy influence from American
they call a city of music. Andy Williams, Jez Williams dance and electronic music. Andy refers to them as a
and Jimi Goodwin from the Manchester-based band are music magpie; picking the best of what they like and
gearing up to play alongside Feeder, The Twang and The trying to put it through their own filter. “We all listen to
Coral at Brighton Racecourse on Fri 6 July. such different stuff and bring different things to the table,
but that is the strength of the band.”
Drummer and vocalist Andy says: “It has been 9, maybe
10 years since we have played Brighton, and we have Doves’ new music is inspired by the musicians’ lives,
never played a racecourse, so we are really looking taking a different approach to their previous work. “It
forward to it.” Working and touring together intensely for has got a different, more organic feel. It is hard for me to
20 years has taken its toll, causing a break in 2010, but say but it is definitely different, but it is also unmistakably
this was always a hiatus and never the end for the trio, he Doves.” Nearly ten years since their last musical get-
tells me. “It’s just good to mix it up every now and then. together, they all felt no time had passed and meeting up
Creatively there was a dip, the gigs were still good and the with old friends was as natural as ever. “We all met at a
last record was still good but it was just getting harder.” Lebanese place, had a big meal and a good laugh about
old times. We started getting together, working on new
music and it just kind of sprang from there really.”
Doves’ music dips in and out of various genres, spanning
indie rock to electro, house and pop. “Growing up in
Manchester, the Factory bands were really influential, Their big comeback came through playing at the Royal
just in terms of how they were self-sufficient and very Albert Hall for the Teenage Cancer Trust last year.
independent minded.” Forming around the time of a Although there were a lot of nerves, it was a special night

20 bn1magazine.co.uk