Miles Kane: “This is the start of a new crossroads on this album”
Miles Kane discusses inspirations, fashion and his latest record.
Ahead of his January UK headline tour for his recent record Sunlight In The Shadows, we spoke to Miles Kane on his decade-long journey in music creation, delving into his references of past influence, the power of curiosity in creation and the translation of studio versions to live renditions.
A fixture of British indie music, Kane’s career spans collaborations with The Last Shadow Puppets and Lana Del Rey, alongside a consistent solo catalogue. With years of experience behind him, Kane possesses a rare instinct for knowing when to push his sound forward and when to trust his musical gut, coming from his fondness to test boundaries whilst also staying true to his core identity as a songwriter and performer.
Do you think the New York music scene has always been more influential than Manchester’s?
It’s a tough one that, because you’re talking about The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs compared to the likes of Oasis, The Stone Roses, Joy Division and Happy Mondays. Both have had a big influence on me, but I’d probably go for Manchester just because there is a deeper connection, and maybe that’s because I’m Northern — it gives it a more realness to me.
Would you say routine kills creativity in the music industry?
I like a routine to be fair, and I quite like working — this does not sound sexy or rock ‘n’ roll — but I quite like working a bit like a job. When you’re in your own zone, let’s say in your house watching Coronation Street, and you pick up the acoustic, yeah, ideas do come to you that aren’t planned, and maybe you can take that to your sessions. But, in terms of working, I like to do it in a nine-to-five style, to be honest, and that’s what we did on this new album and with that, I think you can just get more done in that time frame. It’s also something to look forward to because I love to dedicate six to eight hours to that and go back fresher. For me, I like doing it like a job because I think I just care about it so much and that is sexy and does thrill me as much.
Does Paul Smith have better clothing items than Lacoste?
That’s a tricky one, that is a great question though. It depends on what day we’re talking because I love both of them, and I don’t want to throw one under the bus. Paul Smith is a higher-end thing, but I do love the Lacoste classic tracksuits but, then again, with Paul Smith you’re getting your jumpers and suits. This is tough. I love my Lacoste — and I’ll happily be a tracksuit model for you — but for the sake of this question, I’ll go Paul Smith.
Are Fontaines D.C. more interesting than most British bands right now?
I’m not in the loop fully with these trending Irish bands right now and that scene, but I know Fontaines probably kick-started that, haven’t they? Or at least opened the door for other Irish bands. They are a cool band, I like the first track on the last album, and I like Starburster — that’s good. They’re leading the way and good on them.
Is Miles Kane a better all-around musician than Alex Turner?
No. No is the answer.
Sunlight in the Shadows is your sixth solo record, now spanning over a decade of work, and it really feels like you’ve come into your own sense of sound on this record. In terms of depicting a sense of theme and musicality on this record and from now on, do you feel more driven by the curiosity of trying new sounds or by the certainty of sounds that you’re more comfortable with and know and love?
It’s a curiosity of writing the songs, I think it is for me, like how deep can you go lyrically, and how catchy can you get your chorus, how good can I get my riff? This is my eleventh album in total — if you add all the other projects — and I feel like you come to a crossroads when you get to 40, and I feel like this is the start of a new crossroads on this album. You can hear other albums that I’ve done in this album, like it’s got a bit of [The Last Shadow] Puppets stuff in there, maybe a bit of my first album, and I love all those things, and I just want to do more of it.
You may listen to certain tunes and think, ‘wow, a tune like that would be good to make’. Like, I listened to the new Bruno Mars song the other day, and he’s got that gang and funk vibe that I like, and there’s something I find inspiring in that.
In terms of this new record, you’ve always shown your influence clear to see, with you citing inspiration from the likes of T.Rex and Motown. For Sunlight in the Shadows, you took this psych-infused, glam rock approach. What I want to know is how these influences directly show up in the sounds and themes of this record, and are there any present-day artists that spark the same sense of excitement and creative challenge in you to push yourself in your music?
All those things you mentioned, like the rock ‘n’ roll with T.Rex and Motown, that is what I listen to all the time, and my go-to style of music and when writing the latest album, that probably was in my mind purely because it felt right for the songs. If I’m having a riff on it, it’s going to be big and fuzzy, almost a cowboy western vibe and truly that is just my thing that I love. These stylistic influences will probably never leave me because I get a real buzz from them.
In terms of bands I like, I know they’re not a new band, but my favourite band are Sleaford Mods, who have great riffs and these fast, intense lyrics. I love them, and I went to see them on Sunday and look at their delivery of lyrics and dark undercurrent that I really relate to and really gets my blood going in a good way.
When making a record like this, you must always have in your consciousness ‘what is this going to sound like live’? Does this material transform the same feel to a live audience? How important do you find mixing music you’re making with a studio version that feels definitive, whilst also leaving a strong impression live at gigs?
Even when we were doing the vocals while making the album, or doing the riff we’re imagining, yeah, we could extend this bit and that’s what I want to do on this tour. When I’m recording the album, I was always thinking, yes, this could go off live, and it almost just happens naturally, like I can see it in my head.
Miles will be taking his new album, Sunlight In The Shadows, on tour in the UK and Europe. See below for full tour dates.
