British band Clean Bandit - in an exclusive interview with OK! The emergence of the Clean Bandit group – 2014: debut album “New Eyes”.
During the Big Love Show concert at the Olimpiysky Sports Complex, which is annually held by Love Radio, OK! talked to Grace and Neil, two lead singers of the British band Clean Bandit.
Photo: DR
The Clean Bandit group released their first single just a few years ago, but today they are the winner of the Grammy Award for Best Dance Track - Rather Be. They are not the first to use a mixture of classical and electronic music, but perhaps one of the few who did it so organically. The UK quartet Clean Bandit, oddly enough, has a close connection with Russia. The unofficial leader of the "clean bandits", pink-haired Grace Chatto, speaks excellent Russian - she lived in the Russian capital for several years, studying classical music at the conservatory. According to her, Moscow had a huge influence on the work of their team, in which a mix of completely different directions is heard.
First of all, I want to congratulate you on your Grammy statuette. I wonder if awards inspire you?
Grace: It really was a big surprise for us. It was so great to know that so many people loved our song. We ourselves made bets that the Disclosure duo would win.
Neil: Of course, awards are nice, but we don't write music for them. We just love what we do, and prizes give us inspiration to continue working.
We know that Russia has inspired you and continues to inspire you. Grace, why did you decide to come and study with us?
Let me start with the fact that I studied Russian at school, so I knew a little about Russian culture - it has always interested me very much. I also had a wonderful cello teacher, and it was he who advised me to go to Russia to study after finishing school. I listened to his advice and happily agreed.
How would you describe Moscow in three words?
G.: Big, beautiful and crazy.
Regarding madness, what impressed you most in Moscow?
G.: Subway! It's more than just transport, it's art! All these mosaics, chandeliers... And it works much better than in England. And from Russian cuisine we were impressed by soups. Borscht is something!
Your first video clip, for the song Mozart’s House, was filmed in Moscow. What did your friends say when they saw it?
G.: They liked it, but many didn’t even realize that it was Moscow. After all, most English people think that there is always snow in Russia, but we filmed this video in the hot summer of 2010, when there was smog in Moscow from forest fires.
You speak Russian perfectly! What word in Russian did you find funny?
G: Oh, that’s our name! When we heard the phrase “well, just a clean bandit,” we laughed a lot, because the word “clean” is used here as a synonym for the word “absolute,” but in English there is no such meaning, there is only “not dirty.” We found this very interesting. Pure truth. ( Laughs.)
How did you get the idea to relate this phrase to your music?
G.: In fact, this name refers less to the music and more to the people in the group.
That is, if I understand correctly, you are that “absolute bandit”?
G.: ( Laughs.) Exactly!
N: And I agree with this. Because she always knows what she wants.
Your team is distinguished not only by its musical component, but also by its visuals. Who is the author of the ideas for your video clips?
G.: The video is the credit of one of our team members, Jack, who, unfortunately, was unable to attend the interview. He studied at VGIK, so he is the one who films and directs everything. Well, he also offers all sorts of crazy ideas...
N.: ...and Grace implements them. She is something of a producer in this regard.
Can you argue with Jack?
G.: It’s impossible to argue with him! He simply does not accept the fact that there is something impossible in this world. ( Laughing.)
But your logo - a composition of a rhombus, a triangle, a square and a circle - is not gangster at all... What does it mean?
N.: This is a design of four string instruments in electronic form. We started out as a string quartet, with wooden instruments, but we wanted to make unusual electronic versions of them. The result was a design in the form of a diamond-shaped cello and a square violin. We never did them in reality, but maybe in the future...
This would be an interesting image detail! Do you think a carefully curated image can help an artist become more popular?
G.: Probably, maybe. But this is not our story. We generally don’t think much about our clothes or hairstyles - if we’re talking about appearance. For example, I recently changed my hair color from light brown to pink, but I did it just like that, for no reason. But, oddly enough, people began to recognize me less often on the street!
On February 14 you were participants in the Big Love Show. Why did you agree to perform on this platform?
N.: We were very pleased to perform at the show dedicated to Valentine’s Day. And we happily congratulated all lovers, without exception, on the holiday.
Would you like to work with any Russian artists?
G.: With Zemfira. We haven't talked about it yet, but I would be very happy to record a composition with her.
In the media, your style is often called “baroque house”. Do you agree with this definition?
G.: Not really. The concept of “baroque” is probably attributed to us simply because of the presence of violin and cello sounds in our music. But in general our record is a mixture of a variety of styles.
N.: We are closer to the definition of “electronic chamber music”. But I would call it all just pop music.
How do you like “The Dostoevskys from Disco”? This was the first time The Guardian called you that.
G.: Oh yes, we really like this! I love Dostoevsky’s work, I read “Crime and Punishment” and “The Idiot”.
That is, if we write that you are “the Dostoevskys of disco,” you won’t be offended?
N.: No! On the contrary, we will happily agree to another interview in the future!
Officially a British band Clean Bandit appeared in 2009, although its future members knew each other several years before the idea of forming their group, being students at Cambridge University. The team consists of four: Jack And Luke Pattersons, Grace Chatto And Milan Neil Amin-Smith. The latter two were already playing in their own string quartet, and at that time Chatto was dating Jack Patterson, who offered to record their performance. Later the recording was processed, and everyone liked the result. This is how the group’s own style emerged, when classical works (for example, Shostakovich and Mozart) were mixed with electronics and house.
The name of the group was not chosen by chance, albeit with humor. Patterson and Chatto lived in Russia for some time, where they became familiar with the phrase “ complete idiot" Translating the phrase into English they received “ clean bandit", which was chosen as the name. In 2010, the newly formed band released the single Mozart's House, which got into rotation on British radio and brought attention to the musicians. The guys began to release new singles, perform a lot live, and collaborate with promising and established vocalists.
After several mini-albums, the band released a full-fledged studio album New Eyes in 2014. The album cannot be called a super hit, but it took quite high places in the international charts and has already received gold certification in the UK. So the debut can be considered successful. At the moment, the most successful single of the group can be considered the song Rather Be, which topped many European charts and brought the group Grammy for the best dance recording in 2015.
Electro
K:Wikipedia:Articles without images (type: not specified)Clean Bandit are a British electro band formed in 2009. In 2010, this group released the track “Mozart’s House”, which was awarded 17th place in the UK Singles Chart. And in 2014 they released a new single “Rather Be”, which reached 1st place in the same chart. In 2015, the composition was awarded Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.
Musical style
Clean Bandit's music combines influences such as electronica and classical music, creating deep house-style tracks.
Music career
Formation and beginning of a career
Band members Jack Patterson, Grace Chatto and Milan Neil Amin-Smith met while studying at Jesus College, Cambridge University. By that time, Chatto had already formed a quartet with Eimin-Smith. Chatto was dating Patterson at the time and he decided to record her performances. Patterson began mixing her songs with electronic music, and after presenting the fruit of his labor to her, Chatto stated that she liked the idea. One of their friends, Ssegawa-Ssekintu Kiwanuka, was writing lyrics for songs at that time, and together they created the track Mozart's House. And thus the idea of creating a musical group came to them. Name, Clean Bandit, they took from a translation of a Russian phrase that in English means "a complete moron." It is also worth noting that Chatto and Patterson lived in Russia for some time.
year 2012
First debut album New Eyes was released on May 12, 2014 by Warner Music UK and contains 13 tracks on the regular edition and 16 on the special edition.
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Excerpt describing Clean Bandit
- And you’re still afraid! “Eh, you learned people,” said a third courageous voice, interrupting both. “You artillerymen are very learned because you can take everything with you, including vodka and snacks.And the owner of the courageous voice, apparently an infantry officer, laughed.
“But you’re still afraid,” continued the first familiar voice. – You’re afraid of the unknown, that’s what. Whatever you say, the soul will go to heaven... after all, we know that there is no heaven, but only one sphere.
Again the courageous voice interrupted the artilleryman.
“Well, treat me to your herbalist, Tushin,” he said.
“Ah, this is the same captain who stood at the sutler’s without boots,” thought Prince Andrei, recognizing with pleasure the pleasant, philosophizing voice.
“You can learn herbalism,” said Tushin, “but still comprehend the future life...
He didn't finish. At this time a whistle was heard in the air; closer, closer, faster and louder, louder and faster, and the cannonball, as if not having finished everything it needed to say, exploding spray with superhuman force, plopped into the ground not far from the booth. The earth seemed to gasp from a terrible blow.
At the same moment, little Tushin jumped out of the booth first of all with his pipe bitten on his side; his kind, intelligent face was somewhat pale. The owner of the courageous voice, a dashing infantry officer, came out behind him and ran to his company, buttoning up his boots as he ran.
Prince Andrei stood on horseback on the battery, looking at the smoke of the gun from which the cannonball flew out. His eyes darted across the vast space. He only saw that the previously motionless masses of the French were swaying, and that there really was a battery to the left. The smoke has not yet cleared from it. Two French cavalry, probably adjutants, galloped along the mountain. A clearly visible small column of the enemy was moving downhill, probably to strengthen the chain. The smoke of the first shot had not yet cleared when another smoke and a shot appeared. The battle has begun. Prince Andrei turned his horse and galloped back to Grunt to look for Prince Bagration. Behind him, he heard the cannonade becoming more frequent and louder. Apparently, our people were starting to respond. Below, in the place where the envoys were passing, rifle shots were heard.
Lemarrois (Le Marierois), with Bonaparte's menacing letter, had just galloped up to Murat, and the ashamed Murat, wanting to make amends for his mistake, immediately moved his troops to the center and bypassing both flanks, hoping to crush the insignificant one standing in front of him before the evening and before the arrival of the emperor. him, squad.
"Began! Here it is!" thought Prince Andrei, feeling how the blood began to flow more often to his heart. “But where? How will my Toulon be expressed? he thought.
Driving between the same companies that ate porridge and drank vodka a quarter of an hour ago, he saw everywhere the same quick movements of soldiers forming up and dismantling guns, and on all their faces he recognized the feeling of revival that was in his heart. "Began! Here it is! Scary and fun! " the face of every soldier and officer spoke.
Before he even reached the fortification under construction, he saw in the evening light of a cloudy autumn day horsemen moving towards him. The vanguard, in a burka and a cap with smashkas, rode on a white horse. It was Prince Bagration. Prince Andrei stopped, waiting for him. Prince Bagration stopped his horse and, recognizing Prince Andrei, nodded his head to him. He continued to look ahead while Prince Andrei told him what he saw.
Expression: “It has begun!” here it is!" it was even on the strong brown face of Prince Bagration with half-closed, dull, as if sleep-deprived eyes. Prince Andrey peered with restless curiosity into this motionless face, and he wanted to know whether he was thinking and feeling, and what he was thinking, what this man was feeling at that moment? “Is there anything at all there, behind that motionless face?” Prince Andrei asked himself, looking at him. Prince Bagration bowed his head as a sign of agreement to the words of Prince Andrey, and said: “Okay,” with such an expression, as if everything that happened and what was reported to him was exactly what he had already foreseen. Prince Andrei, out of breath from the speed of the ride, spoke quickly. Prince Bagration pronounced the words with his Eastern accent especially slowly, as if instilling that there was no need to rush. He, however, started to trot his horse towards Tushin's battery. Prince Andrei and his retinue went after him. Behind Prince Bagration were following: a retinue officer, the prince's personal adjutant, Zherkov, an orderly, an officer on duty on an anglicized beautiful horse and a civil servant, an auditor, who, out of curiosity, asked to go to battle. The auditor, a plump man with a full face, looked around with a naive smile of joy, shaking on his horse, presenting a strange appearance in his camelot overcoat on a Furshtat saddle among the hussars, Cossacks and adjutants.
, Baroque pop , Classical music electronic
- Jack Patterson
- Luke Patterson
- Grace Chatto
participants
- Milan Neil Ameen-Smith
- Ssegawa-Ssekintu Kiwanuka
Clean Bandit- British electro band based in 2008. This band released the track “ Mozart's House", which was awarded 17th place in UK Singles Chart. And in 2014 they released a new single “ Rather Be", which reached number 1 on the same chart. In 2015, the composition was awarded Grammy Awards in nomination " Best Dance Recording » .
Musical style
Clean Bandit's music combines such trends as electronics And classical music, creating tracks in style deep house.
Video on the topic
Story
Formation and beginning of a career
Band members Jack Patterson, Luke Patterson, Grace Chatto and Milan Neil Amin-Smith met while studying at Jesus College Cambridge University. By that time, Chatto was already creating a quartet with Amin-Smith. Chatto was dating Jack Patterson at the time and he decided to record her performances. Patterson began mixing her songs with electronic music, and after presenting the fruit of his labor to her, Chatto stated that she liked the idea. One of their friends, Ssegawa-Ssekintu Kiwanuka, was writing lyrics for the songs at the time, and together they created the track Mozart's House. And thus the idea of creating a musical group came to them. Name, Clean Bandit, they took from the translation of a Russian phrase, which in English means “pure (in the sense of natural, real) bandit,” as her neighbor’s grandmother called her (from an interview on Megapolis FM). It is also worth noting that Chatto and Patterson lived in Russia for some time.
2012-14: debut album "New Eyes"
As of June 19, 2017, Voice UK 2012 finalist Kirsten Joy is traveling with Clean Bandit as the group's lead singer.
At the 2015 Coachella Festival, Clean Bandit performed the song "Disconnect" with Marina and The Diamonds. The track was released on June 23, 2017.
On October 16, 2017, Clean Bandit announced their new song “I Miss You”, recorded with the participation of the American singer Julia Michaels. On the same day, the group announced their American tour, which will take place in March-April next year. The track “I Miss You” was released on October 27, 2017.
In early December 2017, the band announced that they were set to release a second album in the early months of 2018. They also revealed that all the songs they have released so far since their debut album will be on the new album.
2018 to present: Clean Bandit's second album released
In early 2018, Clean Bandit performed at the 2018 Brit Awards with their two latest hits, Symphony and I Miss You, both performed by Kirsten Joy. In addition, the group was awarded two nominations for the same award: “ British Single of the Year And " British video clip of the year", both times Symphony was nominated.
Composition of the group
- Grace Chatto (2008 - present) - cello, percussion, vocals
- Jack Patterson (2008 - present) - bass guitar, keyboards, vocals, piano, sound effects, some brass instruments
- Luke Patterson (2008 - present) - drums, percussion, some wind instruments
Former members
- Neil Amin-Smith(2008-2016) - violin, keyboards, backing vocals
- Ssegawa-Ssekintu Kiwanuka (Love Ssega)(2008-2010) - vocals
Concert participants
- Nikki Kislin(2012-2013) - vocals
- Yasmin Shahmir(2012-2013) - vocals
- Florence Rawlings(2013-2016) - vocals
- Elizabeth Troy(2013-2016) - vocals
- Kirsten Joy
- Yasmin Green(2016 - present) - vocals
- Aron Jones(2016 - present) - violin
- Patrick Greenberg(2010 - present) - bass guitar
Nominations and awards
| Year | Prize | Nomination | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK Music Video Awards | Best Dance Video - Budget | "Mozart's House" | Nomination | |
| Best Pop Video - Budget | "Telephone Breaking" | Nomination | ||