The Man Don’t Give a Fuck: Keith Top of the Pops in interview

ARTOCKER: Keith, hello. How do you know so may B-list indie stars?

KEITH: Ha. well, I wouldn't call them B-list. A few of them have been on Top Of The Pops, some of them have headlined Glastonbury! I think all their bands are amazing. They're the A-list in my heart!

To answer the actual question, ages ago I produced a song for Art Brut called "Top Of The Pops" which was being put out on Angular Records "Rip Off Your Labels" compilation. It consisted of 20 or so bands shouting their band names and top of the pops.

I met most of them there and the others at various gigs & things, or in the pub through the friends I met then.

Keith Top Of The Pops & His Minor UK Indie Celebrity All-Star Backing Band - I Hate Your Band by abadgeoffriendship

What is your usual method for enrolling them into your band?

For the album, I just phoned them up and asked, or asked them when they were in the pub. Everyone on the album is a friend of mine and I've been in various other bands with most of them, so there was no problem there. For gigs, I let them know there's a gig happening and hope some of them turn up.

Can anyone join your band? Would you refuse anyone?

Pretty much. I've had members of the audience up to play bass before. Nathan who plays French Horn in the live band just got up on stage during a song and started playing. I think that's how I met him. It helps that most people I know are in great bands so I can trust them to be great. I don't think I've refused anybody yet.

We thought your album was funny, melodic and ace. We can imagine sensitive Beatles fans getting the wrong end of the stick with one tune especially, however ['Two of The Beatles Are Dead'] What's the story behind that one?

Thanks. The song was written for a charity album called "Two Of The Beatles Have Died" with all the profits going to the British Lung Foundation. Everyone on it had to either cover a song called that, which was originally written by a five year old girl, or write their own. I wrote my own but got the title wrong.

Someone has actually got angry at a gig before because I was "disrespecting" the Beatles. But I really like the Beatles. There's a lot of little musical references to them in that song, as well as the more obvious ones. It's actually a really factually accurate song. I challenge anyone to find me a more accurate song about the Beatles, at least for the next few years.

Should TOTP come back or would they make a dog's dinner of it?

I'd like it to come back, but it's inevitable they'd mess it up. They'd probably have interviews and gossip like the Andi Peters years. I still hold a grudge against him for that. Also, they might sue me. I'd love a decent live music programme on telly. Especially on the BBC. The only good one I can think of at the moment is "The Hollyoaks Music Show sponsored by Matalan" and I think that's digital telly only so doesn't count.

Most of Art Brut are in your band - can you reveal any controversial secrets about them?

I'm trying very hard to think of something, but apart from Eddie's illegitimate son and that time Jasper killed a man, I've got nothing.

What is the best song of all time and why?

I have no idea. My LastFM tells me my joint most played songs are 'Game Shows Touch Our Lives' by The Mountain Goats, 'Yeah, Oh Yeah!' by the Magnetic Fields, and 'Ten Years Asleep' by Kingmaker. So it's probably one of those.



'FUCK YOU! I'M KEITH TOP OF THE POPS' - THE ALBUM IS OUT NOW
READ THE REVIEW HERE