14/8/08I’m handed a cup of coffee in a red Mercury Records mug, which later, I unsuccessfully attempt to steal, brandishing a press release, I’m led through a warren of desks amidst a cacophony of tapping keyboards to a small, glass room. Inside, sit the charismatically raffish singer/songwriter Charlie Fink and a smiling, stoically slouching bass player named Urby. This interview was more likened to friendly exchange of banter than a grilling by the press. very nice boys.

The pair, polite and friendly, along with the rest of their band, the cleverly named self-styled folk/grunge outfit, Noah and the Whale, have toured with the Zutons, played at Glastonbury are tipped for huge success this summer. The band re-released their single ‘5 Years Time’ on August 4th, followed by the debut album ‘Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down’ on the 11th august. Did they have a go on the modern musical equivalent of the village bike, Valerie? Read on for their thoughts on Robson and Jerome and ex band member Laura Marling also.

noize: You have been together a little over a year and you’re already signed to Indie label Young and Lost Club, toured with the Zutons and played at Glastonbury, how do you feel about your success so far?

Charlie: (chuckles) I mean like its been maybe like a longer process than people realize, the band properly formed, I guess, about a year ago, but there’s umm… 6 or 7 months before that of writing and starting to build up stuff and playing gigs, I mean we have played, before we got signed, we must have played about 150 gigs

Urby: Often night after night.

Charlie: We’ve never been scared of, like, working hard and touring a lot, I mean its been good but now it been quite a steady gradient and it’s definitely picked up, to me it been like a natural progression I guess. It’s been quite organic.

n: So why Noah and the Whale?

Charlie: We will never tell – never tell

n: Sure?

Charlie: Yeah, I think one of the best things about the name is it implies a lot, so people kind of read into it with different things and I wouldn’t want to stop people doing that.

Urby: Plus, we just needed a name which it fits with the music, that we we’re happy with. Finding a band name that reflects, and you’re chuffed with is (chuckles) hmm, really tough. It’s regardless of why it’s there, it just works for us.

Charlie: I remember when I was a kid; did you used to do that, before you’re in a band just think of names?

Urby: Yeah, definitely

n: Yeah, me too.

Charlie: I remember I once did art project, I designed an album cover for a band called ‘The Angels of Anarchy’.

Charlie, how long have you been writing songs and is it something you’ve always wanted to do?

Charlie: yes, well I guess I started writing when I was about 16 or something. They were all pretty insubstantial, they didn’t mean that much. Then I took a year off from writing and did a bit of traveling and thinking and stuff. Then I started writing songs that meant something to me after that, I guess. For the past two years I’ve been writing properly.

n: How would you describe the writing process and what does it entail?

Charlie: It’s completely erratic. I find it fascinating. The biggest thing is to not beat yourself up if you’re not writing. One week you’ll write three songs then you won’t write anything for three months. You can’t force yourself to write something. I guess that’s the key to it, to just be patient about it. (Bob) Dylan had that prolific 60’s period and then had a few years in the wilderness, he’d run off the track. He describes it like he felt like he had to do something consciously which he could previously do subconsciously.

n: And as a band, do you come to the band with a song then develop it together?

Charlie: Yeah, basically. I’ll come with the melody and the lyrics. It defiantly mutates once the band have played it.

Charlie, The drummer in the band is your brother Doug, what is it like being in a band together, any Gallagher-esque family feuds and tantrums?

Charlie: It’s good actually. The good thing of having a brother in the band is you can be as rude as you want to them. You can say anything that you want to your brother and its fine. It’s got to the point in the band where we can basically say anything. No one really treads on anybody’s toes, there’s no line anymore.

Urby: There’s also a kind of weird telepathy. It’s a relationship where you know each other so well you can tell what they are thinking even if they don’t want you to know. You gage a room just by walking in, you can’t pretend you don’t know each other but you can often work out if sometimes someone is in the mood for something some people aren’t, you just go with it.

n: You lost Laura Marling to her solo career, has this changed the band dynamic, if so how?

Charlie: Erm, we were a band before Laura joined. She joined for a year. I guess the band really came into it’s real formation when Urby and Laura did join. She had her solo stuff going before that. It is different I’m mean it’s just a different thing, Laura is absolutely fantastic, her solo stuff is amazing. She obviously brings a lot to when she plays with us and she’s on the album and she adds a lot to that. It’s a different thing when we do it without her.

n: Did you mean the dynamics of performance or of the band?

Charlie: Both, It’s always bad to lose a pal. It’s just a different kind of thing. It’ sounds like I’m, sort of, a bit like…what’s the word?

Urby: Ambivalent?

Charlie: Yes. Ambivalent. Minimizing what she does, coz she brings a great deal to the band no doubt but we have got this thing that works without her.

Urby: Plus we are lucky enough to be able to occasionally play with other great female figures, plus when they not there it means the rest of us have to step up our own backing vocals and either allow for it, or just the sound sound’s rawer and there’s more space so we got to fill that in other way as well.

Charlie: Also, I think our live sound is now very different to when Laura left, not just coz of her leaving; we’ve brought a horn section in. The sound’s kinda evolved anyway.

n: What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Charlie: Ermmmm, for me probably recording the album and being happy with it.

Urby: My highlight, Glastonbury this year and we did a show in Paris, as well, because of the crowd and they way it got received. and we were allowed to play a varied set. Everyone who went was elated for the right parts and they were silent for the right parts.

Charlie: Do you know the bloggertech? A website that films band playing around Paris. They were the one’s that were trying to get into Paris; it was the most amazing gig. They had every band starting and finishing their sets in different ways; we started with our violin player playing in the lighting booth so everyone turned to face the lighting booth. It was just an amazing night.

n: You played the queens head stage at Glastonbury with the likes of Elbow, how did you find it?

Charlie: it was absolutely amazing, the crowd were just so, so good.

Urby: I walked through the stage about an hour, an hour and a half before we had to go on and there was no-one there. We were playing the same time as Leonard Cohen, who I really wanted to see. Totally gutted, we were totally gutted we were playing at the same time as well because you know he was one of the highlights of Glastonbury. And then we walked out on stage and the whole tent was filled, they had a one-in-one-out policy you could see queue-ing for the tent as far as you could see. Just to walk out to that, people going nuts…

Charlie: It was amazing

Urby: the audience reaction was amazing they had like little pink heart shaped balloons it sounds really corny.

Charlie: its really hard to really tell, even when people tell you things are going really well or what ever and your going to be played on the radio and this and that, you never really never really know – like at festivals you can see your hard work’s paying off .

Urby: We played that stage a year before, we were penultimate this year on the Sunday, I think we were second on, really early, and we really enjoyed that gig , you know obviously we were both proud of that show, it was very early on in our career. I mean that was a proper massive event – Glastonbury. I remember we got management and about 3-4 weeks later we were playing Glastonbury and you know we’ve done a year of gigs and a ludicrous number of shows but you know they were brilliant.

n: So what did you think about the weather this year then? Was it sunny when you were on?

Charlie: Yeah it was good actually

n: I went and it was on and off

Charlie: Really? When did you go Friday?

n: No I went Wednesday which was fine, pissed it down on Thursday then Friday it was crap, but the rest was lovely.

Charlie: Yeah, Yeah we went on Sunday it was really nice, there was no mud

Urby: compared to last year.

Charlie: last year was a joke.

n: Were you swimming in the mud?

Charlie: I was only there for a day but they were there for the whole weekend, but even after one day it was you know, honestly…

Urby: The problem is when it gets that muddy is you miss more, you can’t see as much ‘cause it takes three times longer to travel.

n: Out of the festival you have played to date which have been your favorite?

Charlie: The two that made me realize personally about how well things are going were the Camden Crawl and the Great Escape because of the phenomenal audience response.

n: You have played a number of dates with the Zutons, what was it like touring with such an acclaimed band?

Charlie: Good actually, really cool. They were really welcoming.

Urby: They were really nice guys.

Charlie: And it was a really cool crowd because of the setting (a clearing in a forest) it put people in a certain mindset. It was really great really amazing.

n: Did you have a go on Valerie?

Charlie: (Stifled laughter but continues to chuckle) No, no we didn’t ‘ave a go on Valerie (more bemused chuckles from all parties).

n: Who would you like to tour with in the future?

Charlie: I would like to tour with Tom Waits, that would be cool.

Urby: If Neil Young has got any support slots coming up or Wilco, Bonnie Prince Billy, there’s loads of ‘em.

Charlie: Kanye

Urby: (Agrees) Kanye, there’s loads of amazing acts out there. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to play with some amazing people like Adam Green. We’ve been really really lucky.

n: You say Kanye West, that’s a bit of a contrast.

Charlie: I’ll tell you what, I think Kanye is just brilliant, absolutely amazing! He has this amazing mass appeal to him. Bonnie Prince Billy made a video for that song, ‘Can’t Tell Me Nothing’ independently, I think it was brilliant.

Urby: He’s got a real sound to him, as well, as a rapper, which I really like.

Charlie: I think his biggest skill is his production, I think his production is awesome.

n: Out of all your tour dates and festivals so far, do you have any stories of back stage and tour bus antics to report?

Urby: We had a Chinese with Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top.

Charlie: There’s only embarrassing stuff

n: Oh, do tell.

Charlie: We’re probably one of the least exciting bands on the road, we have our fun and stuff. It’s been a while since a night out for us.

Urby: (reminisces, giggles) I used to celebrate gig being on tour all the time. The most important thing when you’re touring is the gigs. We all take the gigs really seriously, we constantly try to improve our live act. If you are doing 28 shows in a month, or something silly, you’ve got to make sure that the gig is the highlight. We do enjoy ourselves. If you do an amazing show there’s no better feeling.

n: How did you celebrate tours and gigs, what was your particular thing?

Charlie: (to Urby with more than a hint of slightly embarrassed enthusiasm) Go on then!

Ubry: (mumbling) I’ve got a couple of daft stories, I’ve got a pointing walk.

Charlie: When he gets drunk he points to one person, walks over to them and points to where he was and just walks back. You need to see it, the way he walks it’s more of a Mick Jagger strut.

n: You have a very busy schedule and you’re lined up to play a number of festival inc the completely sold out attitude and V, which festivals are you looking forward to?

Charlie: Hopefully we’ll be going to do the Lollapalooza, in Chicago. That would be really good.

Urby: I’m looking forward to Oxygen festival. Secret Garden Party as well, I heard a lot about it but never been.

Charlie: (to Urby) You’re just listing the festivals we’re playing at.

Urby: We are very excited.

n: Your new single, 5 Years Time, featured Emmy the Great, what was it like working with her?

Charlie: Basically 5 Years Time has been re-recorded and it’s now Laura (Marling) singing it.

Urby: We had to update it because of Laura being in the band.

n: Describe in a short sentence what 5 Years Time is about

Charlie: erm, 5 Years Time is like a fantasy love song, a long song that never happened. It’s all there in the song you can find it.

n: Your debut album is released August 11th, what can the listener expect?

Charlie: If you’ve seen us live, no even if you’ve seen us, I think people will be surprised by the album. I think it might make sense to people, hopefully. I think it might complete the picture for people.

n: What was the recording process like, did you have fun?

Charlie: Yeah, the thing is with the album, because we’d been touring it for so long, it was a quick process recording it because we knew the songs. We did a lot with the songs in the studio, but we all knew the songs back to front. We did the whole album in 3 weeks.

Urby: We were in the studio every day working long days, it was a pleasurable to do.

Charlie: We did it with a guy called Elliot James. He was awesome to work with, really, really talented.

n: Did you have much creative license over the album?

Charlie: All the songs were completely written and arranged before recording them. Elliot defiantly brought some stuff to it. The songs were already there, he was more about getting the sound. I do some production as well, I did Laura Marling’s album for example with her she had all the song written on a acoustic guitar, we had to fill in an arrangement, create something in the studio in the studio. Whereas, we brought in an arrangement and it was just a case of turning it into a recording arrangement rather than a live arrangement.

Urby: The useful thing is we were able to make the record we wanted to make, Elliot just came in and, where we were lacking…Well, not even lacking…

Charlie: (intercepts) you tell him you want this sound and he could just…

Urby: (continues) …He could realize and we had exactly what we wanted.

n: The guardian’s Paul Lester has, in the past, described you as Blue Peter Pouges and Magic Roundabout Magic Numbers, how do you feel about these descriptions?

Charlie: It’s defiantly not true. I Think he might have had something…and that’s fair enough. That quote is completely out of date now, it was written over a year ago.

n: What would be your greatest achievement of 2008?

Charlie: I’d like to start on the next album by the end of 2008, have it written and be happy with it.

Urby: I’d like to have a really fun UK tour. I’d like to get out and see the fans, we haven’t done a UK headline tour for about… a month ( giggles).

Charlie: We have been on tour, we came back last week. It’s really great to go around the all the cities, we really love it because we can see the crowd grow.

Urby: It’s nice to see new people come down, see the band and get to grips with the music.

Charlie: I definatly think the crowd has grown since making the album.

n: Name the five most influential artists for you.

Charlie: For the band: Bonnie Prince Billy,

Urby: Definatly.

Charlie: Bob Dylan and Tom waits. For me I’d have to say Sam Gooding just because of personal influence and Jonathon Rickman.

n: What are the most random things on your iPod’s?

Urby: I’ve got an Italian learning CD.

Charlie: So have I actually.

n: What is your favorite Whale?

Charlie: Sperm Whale

n: I knew you’d say that!

Charlie (giggles)

Urby: Humpback Whale

Charlie: They all have rather filthy names don’t they.

n: If given the choice which pop stars would you choose to anilhilate?

Charlie: (Laughing profusely)There’s no one I’d really like to anilhilate.

n: As in musically…

Charlie: just to tell ‘em to stop making music? Ermmm, I don’t know, there’s no-one.

n: There’s got to be someone. You don’t want to incriminate yourself, do you?

Charlie: Exactly, I just think people making music isn’t a bad thing and if people like it then it’s ok.

Urby: Jerome Flynn could’ve done it without Robson.

Charlie: So you’d get rid of Robson?

Urby: No, not necessarily get rid of him. Let Robson do his thing and let Jerome do his thing.

n: See who gets the most sales?

Charlie: Robson Vs Jerome!

Urby: To ascertain which is the better half.

n: Finally, do you have anything to say to your fans?

Charlie: Thank you…and goodnight (giggles) no, really thanks.

Urby: See you at the next show.

Charlie: That is hugely optimistic! (giggles)

Urby: It was lovely to see you at the last show…

Charlie: …and see you again soon

Interview by Matt Jones

www.myspace.com/noahandthewhale



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