The LaFontaines have released their new album “Business As Usual’.
The new release marks the band’s fourth studio album, 15 years since their formation.
Speaking of the album, frontman Kerr Okan said: “To be a band at this point, 15 years deep, on the verge of releasing our 4th studio album says it all really. To still be going hard at it shows the love we have for the music. To have a fanbase that continues to grow proves we’re not f%@kin’ mental, and to have a live show that is genuinely one of the best in Britain, is the reason we keep selling out shows with no industry backing. This record is far from a farewell; it’s a resolute declaration that it’s ‘Business As Usual”
To celebrate their album release, Jamie Keenan from the band shared with us 5 tracks that influenced ‘Business As Usual’.
Plastic Bertrand – Ca Plane Pour Moi
This is the first one that comes to mind for when we were writing ‘Business As Usual’. For a good few months during deepest, darkest lockdown times, it wis gettin’ rattled left, right and centre. From dusk til dawn it soundtracked an amazin’ period of time. As I was tryin’ to learn a bit of the French language at the time, it had influenced me to try writin’ songs in French, none of which made the cut sadly, however a few tracks then got translated and adapted to which then appeared on the album. At one point I knew the lyrics fluently to this punk inspired three-chorder and I wis adamant that we would cover it live but unfortunately (or fortunately) my multi-lingual dreams have never came to fruition. The hook of the chorus translates as ‘it’s going well for me’ which became my unbeknownst modus operandi!
The Jacksons- Blame It On The Boogie
I can still mind hearin’ this infectious little ditty on Craig Charles show on Radio 6. Obviously, I’ve been aware that such a magnificent piece of music existed for maist ae ma days, even havin’ won a dance competition at the mini disco on a family holiday to Cala D’or in Majorca at the ripe auld age of eleven. This time, Craig Charles managed tae captivate me (as he often can) in the kitchen, as I wis experimenting with one of ma many exciting pasta sauces. The culinary adventure had tae be culled as ma twitchin’ feet had become seriously compromised. The voyage into the wonderful world of condiments had to wait as the pasta boiled over and went yon mushy way. I could really only blame it on the boogie that ah had succumbed to, elicitin’ the same routine that ma former pube-less self had once mustered. There wis ample time in which to create as one does when left with soggy fusili and a trip was hastily scheduled to the studio which luck would have, wis in the next room. Ah made the perilous journey and composed a thrilling bass line that was cough nothing like the Jacksons infectious little ditty and went to work creating what would be the last song on the album ‘Overstayed My Welcome’. As fate would have it, the finalised track sounds absolutely nothing like ‘Blame It On The Boogie’. Probably as far away as you could get from it actually.
U2- Stuck In A Moment
Most people tell me that I’m a wannabe Bono but I think it’s just because they themselves can’t pull off a fringe jacket and stetson like my fine self. In recent months, I reckon I resemble The Edge more as I kept getting told not to wear ma stetson at work on the scaffolding and so have had to swap places with a more fitting beanie-style hat that fits under my helmet. I thought about a goatee as well but cannot for the life of me remember where a put ma shaver charger. Always had a wee soft spot for U2’s music, or at least certain songs. There’s maybe about six or seven that get a modest rotation on building site playlist, ‘Stuck In A Moment’ being one of them. When I wis havin’ trouble tryin’ tae get a melody for one of the songs on the album ‘Keep me on the outside’, I put ma stetson on and done what Bono would do. It turns out what he would do when stuck in a moment, is sing ‘Stuck in a moment’. I think in the music industry they call it plagiarising but what I cleverly done was change the words which is a great trick of mine which not a lot of people are able to do and painfully took me many years to master. When Bono inevitably hears this masterpiece on all the worlds biggest radio stations, I can imagine that he’ll put his hands behind his head, put his feet up and smile his biggest ever smile. With a tip of the stetson and a wink from behind his tinted wrap-arounds, he’ll just know. It’ll be like that bit at the end of Batman where Morgan Freeman moves to Paris or whitever it is.
Townes Van Zandt – Waiting Around to Die
I first heard Townes Van Zandt when I seen a film called Heartworn Highways which documents the outlaw country troubadour movement based out of Nashville. This song in particular got me hooked on the man and I digested everythin’ ah could about his wayward ways. It kicked off a particularly bountiful period of song writin’ especially in the finger-picking way that exudes from the majority of ma guitar playin’. Again, most of the stuff I write is total pish and the majority of those songs, I would never even consider showin’ them to the other guys in the band but there’s was wee snippets and excerpts that made it into the final album but a lot of those songs genuiuses would have been from listening to Townes Van Zandt
Nina Simone- I Wish I Knew How It Feels To Be Free
Mama Nina has blessed thyne eardrums since I can mind, her bein’ a firm favourite of ma dear sisters. Her music has always un-nerved me in the most beautiful way. It makes me listen. She’s one of those artists for me that everything that is bein’ done round aboot me must cease and listening becomes the one and only activity. For years and years I’ve always loved this track but in the wake of the George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter movement, this song got spun on the radio and it geuninely moved me. It wis quite a moment. I really took in the lyrics and what she was conveying. The musicality in it is second to none. The drums and bass are so fucking good, its not right. I love the way the full thing sounds, holy f*ck, her voice is just soaring by the end of it. Goosebump material. There’s no way that I could write anything like that at all, considering I’ve spent ma full life in complete happiness and safety. One thing it did though that influenced the music bein’ made, was ah spent a full afternoon learnin’ how to play the tune on the piano. That would kick off a few months or so where the guitar was seldom picked up in lieu of the auld tinklin’ ivories. Once again, it inspired me to write a whole load of guff.
Listen to The LaFontaines album influences below:
Stream The LaFontaines ‘Business As Usual’ via Spotify: