leaders of menHaving formed over two years ago Leaders Of Men are just about to release their first single For Want Of A Better Word; out on Friday 14th February and taken from their EP ‘Alexander House’. Goldenplec caught up with the five piece in what was one of the most entertaining interviews we’ve had in a long time. Describing themselves as “very beautiful, handsome, hairy men from Tallaght” Leaders Of Men, in their own words, make “melodic, beautiful and intense indie music”.

Recording an EP with a producer like Cameron Blackwood, who has worked with London Grammar, We Are Scientists and Jamiroquai to name but a few, would be daunting for some bands. Leaders Of Men were under no such illusions. “Strangely enough we weren’t too aware of who he had worked with before,” they told Goldenplec. 

“Our publishers just told us to go work with him. It wasn’t until we got there that we realised who he was. Luckily enough there wasn’t that anticipation because we just didn’t know. His studio was originally owned by Alabama 3 who had bought it from David Gray so it was cool being in this study with so much character.”

With work on their debut album well underway, the guys are in no rush to release something they aren’t totally happy with. “If we were asked about an album release this time last year then we would’ve said ‘yeah we have an album pretty much done’. But because everything has changed so much with us and our music has evolved so much I think we would say we’re almost there now.

“By the end of this year we will have the album. It feels natural to have it ready by then. You only get one chance to make your first album so we’re very conscious of that. It has to be great. It’s all about the first record.”

Being a relatively new band in Ireland at the moment is exciting with the amount of new and well established acts making music. The band are well aware of this. “We’ve been listening to a lot of Villagers and Codes. Other Creatures too, they’re only nippers but we saw them live a few times and we were blown away by them.”

The Choice Music Award is a perfect example of the talent evident today. “We haven’t listened to everyone nominated but it’s very hard to look past Villagers for album of the year. Hozier for song of the year seems pretty obvious too.”

Apart from listening to Irish musicians the band take inspiration from The Walkmen and Interpol as well as the more obvious ones like The Beatles and, in their own words, “all those other clichés. Lyrically, and as a band, we draw on our surroundings. Where we grew up and worked. Everyday life. Its clichéd but it’s really true in a way.”

Over the summer, Leaders Of Men played some really well received festival dates all over Ireland. To them it was no different to playing a sweaty and cramped venue. “It felt normal to us. Like we were supposed to be doing it,” they said. “We kind of go for that stadium sound so when we get to play big stages everything feels comfortable. As much as we love playing small venues, playing big stages just feels great.”

With these festival dates the band have some pretty brilliant stories, “Nothing that we can ever print though. We missed the boat in Holyhead once. Sorry to anyone from Holyhead but that place is a shithole.” After an eruption of laughter they finally let the cat out of the bag. “We’ve pretended to be Kodaline a few times to get free drinks. That worked out really well for us. In England especially.”

The band took a brave step by releasing their single Fear without the aid of a radio plugger of a label. It turned out to be a huge success with the song gaining extensive radio purely down to its quality. “Luckily enough they played it a lot. Paul McLoone (Today FM DJ) played it something like sixteen out of twenty shows, which was massive. That usually doesn’t happen without serious backing from a label. The album should probably be called ‘Paul McLoone’ after that actually.”

With an almost sold out gig in Whelan’s coming up on the 6th of March the excitement is building within the band. “It’s just going to be face-melting beautifulness,” they tell us. “We know that’s not a word but who cares. We wanted to get a small venue and sell it out and make it hot and sweaty. It all sounds a bit kinky but sex sells. We will have a few new tunes as well.” If all else fails, a career in PR or Marketing awaits them.

With 2014 still in relative infancy the band have big plans. “We want to be on Emmerdale,” they tell Goldenplec with straight faces. “We don’t want to talk about Fair City. We are focused on Emmerdale. We tweeted them a while ago but they never got back to us.” 

“On a serious note though hopefully it will see our album and our first UK release. Lots of festival dates and bigger gigs too. That’s the foundation of what every band looks for.”

Leaders Of Men release For Want Of A Better Word on Friday 14th of February and follow it up with a gig in Whelan’s on the 6th of March.