An Interview with HINDS
I guess the saying rings true: you never forget your first time.
I first saw Hinds back in 2016 at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town and have been firmly under their spell ever since. Not only does that night stand out in my mind as one of electric excitement and rapture but it also happened to be the first gig I ever reviewed, which in retrospect is a pretty pivotal moment.
Hinds are without doubt one of the most exciting bands around and, just like certain cheese or your favourite leather jacket, get better and better with time, Hinds are that band that we all wish we had found sooner, we'd love to have had them to look up to when we were 14, a bit lost and searching for musicians to blu-tac to our walls: four ferociously fun, strong, empowered & talented women who just really love making music.
Their new record, 'The Prettiest Curse' comes out on June 5th. After two albums that have dominated our playlists for the last few years, we cannot wait for their new music. Their debut album 'Leave Me Alone' was released in 2016 and since then we've only done the opposite: we can't stop listening.
LB: Hi Carlotta, how are you doing?
CC: Hi Lily, I'm feeling really good today!
Any particular reason?
Yeah, in Spain today the rules have slightly changed. Now we are able to take walks and exercise from 6am - 10am and then from 9pm - 11pm and my whole day has changed! I organise my time so much better...and the sun has come out!
Heaven! Have you got a quarantine routine going?
Absolutely zero routine. Things I’ve repeated: I’ve worked out (not a lot), I’ve read a lot, I’ve cleaned a lot… I’ve tried everthing! For two weeks I was so into garage band and producing, I then had this other week of drawing all the time, doing lots of little doodles and stuff. Oh! And video games! I started a Twitch account and decided to be a pro gamer, I bought these headphones *points to microphone gamer headset* and got really into it! I haven’t cooked at all… I only eat pasta, officially.
Photos taken over Zoom by Lily Carr-Gomm
After a short delay, your album release date is just around the corner! Are you excited to almost have it out there?
It’s weird to say about something you've created but I’m just so, so happy about it, I’m so proud and think we’ve done a really great job with this album. You always have a little bit of vertigo every time you do something new and then once it’s all done and you are proud of it, it’s just so relieving. Such a great feeling.
How does it feel to be finally releasing songs in Spanish?
It’s cool! I thought it was going to potentially be a little bit cringe, like mixing languages, but not at all. I’m so happy with how our voices sound and I think it’s cool that we can prove that we actually speak Spanish you know?
Did the writing process change at all from writing in English to writing in Spanish?
It wasn’t weird but it was the first time we were writing songs in Spanish, so we didn’t know how we wanted the things to be said. We didn’t know what was actually artistic and what was a sentence… what was beautiful and what wasn’t. I didn’t know my own taste! How do I like to say ‘I love you’ in Spanish? There’s a million ways to say this and I need to find my own style, you know? It was a pretty interesting experience
We love the super-hero music video you released for Good Bad Times. Who was your musical super hero when you were younger?
To be honest, I never really had a particular super hero. I always wanted that, and still do, I wish I could choose someone to be my role model forever… I think it helps to have a role model because it gives you strength and self-esteem sometimes, like “I can do this because Bowie did it first!” I never admired only one person...I guess I admire a lot of things from a lot of people.
You are known for being an enigmatic live band and have played countless festivals. Do you have a favourite?
The main thing we are picky about with festivals is the weather. The sunnier it is, the more we’re going to love it! In general though, we really love playing anywhere. We loved FujiRock in Japan, that was super cool… we actually saw Bob Dylan play there! We love Glastonbury too.
We love festivals in the UK that are also a bit smaller as well. I think UK festivals need a new name or adjective or something, as you guys are so ready and prepared for things that we [in Spain] would not expect at a festival - for rain, for mud, for wellies, it’s just like a totally different thing – like an adventure. I think that’s so, so cool. And Brits really care about the music… I think the less you can be preppy in your clothes, the more you care about the music.
If you had your own Hinds Festival, who would you have headline it?
The Strokes have to be there, now that we are best friends we can’t not! [Hinds are huge fans and recently supported The Strokes in Paris, London & Belfast.] If we are having a festival, they’ve just got to be there.
And they'd do the same for you, of course...
Of course! I would also like to have a lot of Spanish music actually, to do a stage of upcoming and exciting small bands – can I be in charge of that? If we were making a festival between the four of us it would be very… like Primavera Sound ! You can have either reggaeton, hip hop, guitars, rock n roll… everything! I think it could be cool. But yes, for sure The Strokes. And I’m in charge of the small stage.
"I admire almost any person that tries to do ‘art’, I actually do. Any person that exposes themselves to that world in any kind of way, I think is so brave and so generous."
A lot of people shy away from the term because it carries a significant amount of weight but, I think you are all wonderful, strong role models for loads of kids (especially young girls) that want to make music. What advice do you have for those strumming their guitar in their bedroom?
I think generally there are two types of people: those that do and those that don't, so (sorry Nike) just do it. Sometimes it’s tough, maybe you’re not the best in the world, maybe you don’t end up enjoying it and stop, either way it doesn’t matter, you just have to try it. Maybe it’s the dream of your life, maybe not but what if it is? And you’re not even trying. During this quarantine I have a lot of friends not related to music at all, from school and I’ve been hearing their thoughts that my other creative friends don’t have, that they don’t want to go back to the same normality. Like, they might throw away their own jobs. They’re wondering whether they really like sitting down in front of a computer and why they’re receiving orders from their boss (that they probably hate) and are having a moment to rethink their life. So, I think when you dedicate your life to something that you love, you will never regret it.
If you could quarantine with any musician from history, who would it be?
I don’t want to quarantine with anyone! No, okay… maybe Patti Smith. Age-wise it would be cool, because we could talk about her generation and then I would tell her all about ours and I bet she has a million stories. I would just spend the whole time asking her questions.
What’s the first thing you’re going to do when quarantine is over? What bar are you running to?
When they allowed us to walk, I woke up at 6am and was walked for three hours straight which was awesome, because this city is so beautiful. Now that I’ve already walked, I think I really want a beer in the square of Dos De Mayo, that’s what I really want to do.
Who have you been listening to?
I haven’t really been listening to much new stuff, I’m actually listening to a lot of music from Spain.
Anyone in particular?
Yes, Solea Morente. Right when quarantine started she released her latest album and it’s so cheerful, it’s been my companion during this time and it makes me feel good.
So your number one feel good song at the moment? Solea Morente?
Ooh! Good question, can it be Spanish?
Of course.
I’m going to put Cariño by Solea Marente. Si!
And that just makes you feel good? Makes you want to get up and dance?
100%! When you listen to it, you’ll understand.
Picture this: Lockdown is over. You’ve had a big night out and you’re on the Last Bus home. What are you listening to?
Good question. What day is it? Is it today?
What’s the difference?
Because I really, really enjoy listening on my own to HINDS, to the things that we haven’t released yet. Once the album is out, I’ll miss it forever and I’m never going to listen again, but right now I still have six songs that I can listen to and I’m enjoying them so much.
That’s such a wonderful sign.
Yes, but whenever they’re out I never listen to them again!
Okay so say that the album is released before, who would it be?
I’m listening to a lot of hip-hop and I like listening to rap music when it’s late at night… actually no forget that! Psycho Candy by The Jesus and Mary Chain. That’s my late night song.
Credit: Keane Shaw
