The Chapman Family Come To Tea

On a cold night, it’s not unusual to find a frontman chuffing on a cigarette outside a venue. It’s certainly a place not so unfamiliar to Kingsley Chapman – affable frontman of Artrocker’s favourite ‘family’ – who, on this particular night, was talking to us about the hometown bleakness of Southampton.

“I’ve been here twice before – the first time was to go to a university thing when I wanted to go to Southampton University; I didn’t get in, so that’s happy memories,” says Kingsley, with a quickness that doesn’t drop throughout the whole conversation.

“The second time we came down to the Joiners because we thought we had a gig; it was all on our itinerary and we got down in the afternoon and looked at the listings… and we weren’t on.”

With tales on the road only a mother could love – including a ruckus at Belgium’s Puckelpop festival– we’re keen to find out just how rock n’ roll these boys are.

“I’d never been to Belgium before, so all I knew about was Poirot and chocolate. I was maybe goading them a touch from the stage – they didn’t seem to have a clue what I was talking about – but I didn’t see anyone with bowler hats and those little moustaches!”

This year, The Chapman Family has witnessed something of a turn to favour. Speaking of their stint on the NME tour with La Roux, he admits, “It seemed like we were shoe-horned onto the bottom of it, but it was fun. I like a bit of an eclectic mix.

“There were lots of confused 14 year old girls with quiffs – you know ‘am I lesbian, am I not, I don’t really know’ – then lots of kids who really like Magistrates, a few weirdoes who like Heartbreak, and a smattering of people who enjoyed us… or people who didn’t enjoy us, heckled us and told us we were shit to our faces.”

The last time Artrocker spoke to the Chapman’s they were, as Kingsley remembers fondly, confronted with a man in a shellsuit (Johnny Awesome). Since then they’ve been cover stars and had some whopping singles in the form of ‘Kids’ and ‘Virgins’. But what’s next?

“We don’t really stop for Christmas. December, January, February is just full of trying to record. I’ve got to write as many songs as possible, which I don’t find easy on the road; you just wanna be at home, shit-faced, watching Jeremy Kyle in the middle of the night.”

Uncomfortable, drab and with reliably cringe-worthy locals: home is definitely where their heart is, and no doubt the fuel for one of 2010’s must-hear albums.