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Getting the scoop on the Black Keys

By Ben Peyton

Right about now Akron, Ohio is pretty much famous for two things: Rubber and Lebron James. Akron has much more to offer then just polymers and the world’s greatest basketball player, though. For example, the city is home to a very vibrant and exciting music scene that is worth checking out. At the forefront are The Black Keys’s singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Pat Carney. The Black Keys are on the heels of their fourth album, the follow up to their critically acclaimed effort “Rubber Factory.” I got a chance to rip Pat Carney away from recording for a few minutes and ask him some questions about touring, the new album, his new label, and why he hates it when people call the Black Keys a blues band.

U-Weekly: Are you guys recording in Akron again, or have you opted for somewhere else?

Carney: No, we are recording in my basement (in Akron).

U-Weekly: How’s the basement?

Carney: (Laughs) Cold.

U-Weekly: So are you guys going out on tour to try out some new songs? What’s the occasion?

Carney: Well, we haven’t played a show since early December. Just to get out there and play. We don’t like sitting on our asses too long.

U-Weekly: Are you guys planning on putting out an album this year some time?

Carney: We have an E.P. coming out in April, and this album should be coming out in late summer.

U-Weekly: You guys are once again traveling to Australia and Europe for your tour. Do you enjoy traveling to such far-off places and do you have a big following in places like Australia?

Carney: Yeah of course. It’s awesome. It’s (Australia) like the population of two states of Ohio, pretty small, but the actuall country is huge.

U-Weekly: So with this new album that you are working on, are you trying to take the music in a new direction or is it going to be more like the older Black Keys albums?

Carney: Yeah, definitely. I mean we are about 75 percent done right now. And it is a lot heavier.

U-Weekly: I know in the past you guys have voiced that you would not want to sign on to a major label, has that opinion changed at all?

Carney: Yeah, we have been talking to some major labels...we are definitely interested if it is to work out.

U-Weekly: I’ve read recently that you have just started your own record label called Audio Eagle, how is that going?

Carney: Jamie from Party of Helicopters and I talked about starting a label for a while and our first album came out a few weeks ago.

U-Weekly: And who was that?

Carney: Gil Mantera’s Party Dream...and they just got done with their first tour. They played New York on Friday and Philadelphia on Saturday...they got almost 250 people in New York and they are going on tour with that band Art Brut.

U-Weekly: How did growing up in Akron and experiencing the music scene there help or hurt you guys when it came to making music?

Carney: When we first started the Akron music scene didn’t really exist...there were a few bands in Kent. But now there are a bunch of really cools bands in Akron, and I think it is mainly because of the fact that people in our age group totally like better music now.

U-Weekly: Specifically for you, what were some of your influences growing up and what made you want to make music?

Carney: Led Zepplin, Jimi Hendrix, Cream... the kind of stuff that my dad played for me. Later I got into Sonic Youth and Nirvana... I was into indie rock and Modest Mouse and stuff like that, too.

U-Weekly: I have read several places that people referrer to you guys as a blues duo, is that blues-ish sound something you guys try to do or is that something that people find in the music by themselves?

Carney: Dan (lead singer) was always into the blues, and the stuff I liked growing up was like Howling Wolf...I like blues music that has been totally f**ked with. I don’t like listening to music that has been recorded on the back porch. I’d prefer to listen to Led Zepplin over some true blues musicians. So, I’m more into that rock...

U-Weekly: Does it bother you...

Carney: ...When our first record came out people starting calling it blues shit ...I don’t mind when its called blues-rock, but blues, for me it is kind of offensive.

U-Weekly: How come?

Carney: I don’t know, because so much bad shit is called blues...like that Stevie Ray Vaughn bullshit and stuff like that. Like rock is just a general term...while blues has always reminded me of that whole genre that has been f**ked by lawyers and bad bar bands.

The Black Keys will perform on Thursday, 2/23 at the Newport Music Hall. Doors open at 7:00 pm. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the Newport Box Office for $15. Miss Alex White & the Red Orchestra support. For more information call 294-1659 or visit www.promowestlive.com online.

Originally Published: February 22, 2006

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