The Checks - They Will Have Their Sway
Author: Ben Martin
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The disappointment of a four album deal being quietly torn up and the grind of relentless touring through some of the UK’s less appealing towns would have been enough for most young bands to call it a day. Having been given an astronomical budget to make an album that was produced by Ian Broudie in one of London’s finest studios, they had also sung karaoke with The Hives in Tokyo, talked guitar pedals in London with Muse and shared the stage with a who’s who of modern rock bands – Oasis, Muse, AC/DC and REM to name but a few. As their own rock’n’roll dreams faded to a grim and soul-destroying reality The Checks would have been forgiven for drifting apart, seeking new projects, slinking quietly home to Devonport and finding a new quieter life. But, to their enormous credit, the five high school pals have stayed together. Spend time with them and you are struck by how little they brood on the past, how strongly they give off the feeling that their best is very much yet to come. Ben Martin caught up with Ed Knowles, Sven Pettersen and Jake Moore in their Auckland HQ to talk about their new album ‘Deadly Summer Sway’.
There is real anticipation lingering in the air of the second floor empty office space that has been The Checks’ base since work began on their third album, ‘Deadly Summer Sway’. It’s the day before they start their Antipodean tour; promotional posters are piled on the floor, ready to be plastered on hoardings across the country. The van parked outside is soon to be loaded with equipment and driven to Wellington for the album’s first show. Sitting around on an assortment of beaten up furniture, presumably donated by the previous occupants, the boys seem as excited as if the tour was their first. This is by no means a band looking backwards.
Early conversation turns to some of the feedback on the new album. It doesn’t officially come out until the next day, but there have already been web-land mutterings about the evident diversion from the band’s trademark, anarchic-rock sound.
“Not as guitar-heavy,” says lead guitarist Sven Pettersen when I ask them to compare the new album with their first two records, ‘Hunting Whales’ and ‘Alice by The Moon’.
“Less heavy generally,” adds drummer Jake Moore.
“More songy,” says lead singer Ed Knowles, prompting laughter from his bandmates – but that’s probably a fair description of the balance The Checks have managed to strike between structured, melodic arrangements and the unrestrained energy that they have been known for.
“It’s a more listenable record – the dynamic’s not so in your face all the time like ‘Alice by The Moon’ was,” Jake continues. “I mean, we can still play the songs at any dynamic we might feel appropriate. There’s no doubt that people will come to our gigs and want to be rocked out and that’ll still happen, but it’s just going to be a bit more interesting.”
“Not as guitar-heavy,” says lead guitarist Sven Pettersen when I ask them to compare the new album with their first two records, ‘Hunting Whales’ and ‘Alice by The Moon’.
“Less heavy generally,” adds drummer Jake Moore.
“More songy,” says lead singer Ed Knowles, prompting laughter from his bandmates – but that’s probably a fair description of the balance The Checks have managed to strike between structured, melodic arrangements and the unrestrained energy that they have been known for.
“It’s a more listenable record – the dynamic’s not so in your face all the time like ‘Alice by The Moon’ was,” Jake continues. “I mean, we can still play the songs at any dynamic we might feel appropriate. There’s no doubt that people will come to our gigs and want to be rocked out and that’ll still happen, but it’s just going to be a bit more interesting.”
This album was recorded at Auckland’s Roundhead Studios, where the boys were joined by US producer Bob Brockman, who must be one of the few people they have met in music, locally, that can drop more names than them – Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin and Christina Aguilera all appear on his Grammy award-laden CV. With children living here, ‘Bassy’ Bob Brockman has become a regular visitor to NZ, teaching audio engineering at SIT in Invercargill and growing a local industry profile that will be considerably enhanced by the results of his first major Kiwi recording project.
“Bob was amazing,” Jake says. “Just an ultimate enthusiasm for music. He wasn’t afraid to tell us when things weren’t working, but he was the first to jump out of his seat and be screaming, ‘Fuck yeah!’ when it really was.”
“Bob was amazing,” Jake says. “Just an ultimate enthusiasm for music. He wasn’t afraid to tell us when things weren’t working, but he was the first to jump out of his seat and be screaming, ‘Fuck yeah!’ when it really was.”
