"Black Sabbath invented heavy metal..." - You better listen, because Russell is giving you a history lesson and it's solid gold truth.
He's been keeping it low-key during the campaign for Black Gold, but King Leetch reappeared on what I think is a very important interview. This comes to us from a friend in South America called Facundo via Hannah, and it's an interview with the man himself about Black Gold on Radio Urbana in Paraguay.
There's a technique that politicians use during interviews called "staying on message", that enables them to take whatever question they're being asked and always bring it back around to the point or theme they originally planned to convey. I think it's also called pivoting. I bring this up because for the past 15 years Editors have been "staying on message" when it comes to Joy Division. The comparisons were thrown at them in interviews a lot during their formative years, and probably as a reaction to that they were rarely the ones introducing it into conversation themselves. I even have an interview somewhere where Chris accidentally mentions them and actually jokingly apologises before correcting himself. JD were "the band whose name shall not be spoken". As with a lot of things lately, things seem to have changed.
During the recent press engagements featuring Tom, Elliott and Justin reference was made a few times to New Order's Substance album which although technically isn't a greatest hits, its better categorised as a bringing together of their 12" singles and b-sides, it's still pretty much bullet proof as an introduction and overview of the band. What I found interesting here is that instead of citing New Order's album when answering a question about choosing the title Black Gold, Russell actually brings up Joy Division's own Substance record instead and effectively breaks a 15 year long tradition of discussing them in any way without provocation.
It could have been a mistake, a slip of the tongue but I think it might also have been Russell and Editors in general just being more relaxed and comfortable about who they are. Given the amount of work they've done, and the amount of time that's passed, the time to worry about their own creative identity being restricted or defined by comparisons with Joy Division are long gone. They can talk about them without having to brace themselves for the inevitable derision that would follow. Love it.
As Editors fans we often complain about having to wait for things. When it seems like there's not enough activity going on or we're getting anxious passing the time prior to release dates etc. However, there's one group of people whose patience puts most of us to shame. South American Editors fans have been waiting for the band to play there for years, and this interview gives them a little sparkling glimmer of hope. I'm crossing my fingers that you all get your wish in the future because I think Editors in South America would be a hell of a show. Enjoy the chatter ;)
brought to you with lots and lots of lemming-love :) x
