The Coast - Clash Q&A

Toronto quartet The Coast are setting their sights on being the latest Canadian outfit to tickle the fancy of domestic indie-rock kids.

The band’s debut album ‘Expatriate’ earns itself a UK release via Aporia Records on February 9, with the band playing live on these shores from February 4. They’ve built quite a reputation for themselves at home, playing shows alongside the likes of Foals and The Dears.

To mark the band’s latest visit to the UK, Clash is running a microsite where all manner of The Coast-related information can be found, including a full biography and ticket links to the band’s tour dates.

Click HERE to visit our exclusive microsite.

Clash spoke to The Coast’s vocalist Ben Spurr ahead of their trip across the Atlantic.

Chances are many of our readers will be new to the band, so run us through who you are and what you do, how and when you came together, and roughly how you’d categorise your music…
We are The Coast and we play music. We came together many years ago when Luke was born, and was disappointed to find his brother Jordan had already beaten him to it. Ian and Ben met the two brothers in school. As for categorising your own music, that is very dangerous, because you could get boxed into a category you don’t want. So I’ll just say that our music is like the best in abstract painting: it is whatever you want it to be.

The February UK dates, are they your first? If so, have friends or peers told you any horror stories about the UK, its cities and crowds? Or are you feeling pretty positive about the trip?
No they are not our first. We played all over Europe at the end of last year. Compared to the rest of the continent, I think the UK is a bit tougher to crack. There are more bands and people aren’t necessarily impressed by the sheer fact that you come from somewhere else, as audiences are in places like Antwerp.

It’s the season of tipping, with a fair few bands from across the sea making their mark in the press right now in the UK. Do you think you’re a new band we should be paying attention to? Since I expect the answer’s yes, what sets you apart from the pack in your opinion?
Well, I think we have great songs. Our bassist is really good looking, too.

‘Expatriate’ is forthcoming – although it was recorded in 2007, do you feel it stands as an accurate representation of where the band is now? Is a second album already brewing, and are you excited about moving onto album two?
Yes it’s still a pretty accurate representation of the band, as we’ve been touring so much we haven’t had time to do much other writing. The second album has been put on the stove, and has begun to bubble. It is not yet in the brewing stages.

You’ve been compared to acts including Arcade Fire and New Order – flattering, or frightening given the massive profile of these bands? Do you have dreams of emulating the success of these acts?
We don’t really have dreams of emulating the success of these bands. I think the whole point of being in a band is to do your own thing.

Your MySpace shows you’re busy in February, but what’s planned for the rest of the year?
I think we’ll be doing quite a bit of touring, and some writing. Depending on how things go in the UK, we may be back again soon, or we may be heading down into the US again to do some dates.

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The Coast tour the UK in February – click HERE for dates and ticket links – and release ‘Expatriate’ on February 9. Visit our microsite HERE.

Download a special Born Ruffians mix of the band’s track ‘All The Boys’ by clicking HERE, or alternatively stream the track below.