I LIKE TRAINS

[ Interview with David Martin from I Like Trains by Diego Centurión. Photographs: Ben Bentley. ]

I LIKE TRAINS IN OVERDRIVE: NEW PHASE, NEW LP

Within weeks of the release of a new album called "Kompromat", announced for August 21, we wanted to approach this post-punk band from Leeds to get to know them more closely. Born in 2004, they have released four albums, "Elegies to Lessons Learnt" (2007), "He Who Saw The Deep" (2010), "The Shallows" (2012) and the soundtrack "A Divorce Before Marriage" (2016) and various EPs. The band consists of David Martin (guitar and vocals), Alistair Bowis (bass), Guy Bannister (guitar and synthesizer), Simon Fogal (drums) and Ian Jarrold (guitar). And after the first three singles that advance the new album, "A Steady Hand", "Dig In" and "The Truth", we have contacted David Martin to talk his music.

Hi David! Before starting with the questions, I want to thank you for the space you provide us so that we can get to know you, beyond music.

To begin with, and thinking about this precise moment in which we have to live, how and where did this pandemic find you?

I am at home with my family in Leeds. Trying to keep my kids educated and entertained while also working and promoting our album. We’re all fit and healthy and still friends most of the time!

Thinking of the song "We All Fall Down" from your first album "Elegies to Lessons Learnt" (2007), have you thought about writing about the Covid-19?

A few people mentioned ‘We All Fall Down’ when the pandemic started. I wouldn’t rule out a song about Covid-19 I guess, although I suspect it would concentrate on the terrible response certain governments took in dealing with it, and the profiteering and corruption which is being revealed. Quite the opposite of the selfless actions the people of Eyam took during plague to isolate themselves.

Did the post-production or the Kompromat strategy change anything because of the Covid-19?

I guess the key difference is that we would be heading out to play some live shows. We did an interview livestream on the day we should have been playing in Leeds. That approach has become more popular during this time. I was worried the subject matter would be a little too heavy at this point, but people seem to be enjoying it.

Listening to their previous productions, all the albums have a story to tell, tell us a little about the research work you do to write the songs.

I find I need to read and research a great deal for the lyrics to come. One song will usually lead onto another

quite naturally in this way. During my research another story or subject will be mentioned and I’ll make a note to come back to it. There are certain songs which tell the same story from a different view point. ‘Spencer Perceval’ and it’s b-side ‘I Am Murdered’ for example. The truth is never simple!

The songs always talked about characters, but in "He Who Saw The Deep" (2010) you talk about climate change and in this album you focus on the political and commercial manipulation of personal data. What inspired this new approach?

Even in dealing with these subject, I do tend to take on character roles. He Who Saw The Deep took its name from an epic Mesopotamian poem, and various characters are referenced in the songs. On KOMPROMAT I think I generally play the villians. Politicians and special governmental advisors pulling the strings and manipulating the narrative.

I believe that at this moment the personal data of each one of us poured into the networks is being more manipulated than ever, this pandemic and this global quarantine will be the cause, but I feel that in a way we are more enslaved by the monopolies, either using social networks or platforms for communication or with the home office. What do you think about it?

I think you’re absolutely right. It’s difficult to know how we break free from that at this point. I think democracy itself is under threat as a result. I guess we try to stay aware. Call out the people and the companies that need to be called out. Try not to spend our money with those companies and vote with our eyes open.

You have your own record label (ILR), but you just signed with Atlantic Curve. What motivated this new path? And what situation is ILR in?

Self-releasing simply became too much work. We have families and jobs that take up a great deal of time, so it was the right moment to find a label to take this album to the world. It’s good to have a team around us. Absolutely no plans at this point to do anything with ILR, but that may change in the future. Everyone dreams of having their own label! Most people don’t realise how much hard work it is.

Already speaking of "Kompromat", the three singles they have released, it has a much harder sound than everything they have recorded before, they seem more angry. What difference do you find in the new album compared to his previous works?

I feel like there’s lots to be angry about. The global political situation is worse than it’s ever been in my lifetime. It was a cathartic process to make

this album. I get to shout at all the lizards who are putting power and money above human life.

Speaking of the new singles preview, tell us what can we expect from the new album from the strictly sound?

It’s all pretty dark. I think the influences have broadened. I was keen that the album didn’t sound polite. So there’s a fair bit of abrasive noise.

To finish and thank you for this opportunity, waiting for the release of the album, I have read that for this album, you have listened again to those bands that served for the birth of I LIKE TRAINS ... Is it a new beginning again?

It’s true. We took a long time to write the album, and it felt important to reassess why we formed a band in the first place, and to do that we needed to find the original source material. I feel like we took it, and ran in a completely different direction. Being in a band is supposed to be fun. I think we found that in noise and chaos.

Thank you David and Shameless Promotion PR for bringing us such brilliant artists!