How would you describe the music of Alphabeat?
Anders B (guitar): Well, it’s influenced definitely by classic pop music. We were very much into old music when we made this album. We are listening to maybe more contemporary stuff now. Our influences are Nile Rogers, Madonna, Chic and all that stuff. Our sound is colourful.

Was classic pop music the original motive and focus for the band’s sound?
Anders SG (vocals): We kind of fiddled about with lots of guitar stuff, but we were really young when we started. I think it took us maybe a couple of years to find out if it was the pop thing we wanted to do.

What was it about pop music, over say, indie or rock, which had such a creative influence over you as musicians?
Anders B: It’s just music with great melodies. Anything with a good hook really.

You are currently in the middle of a U.K tour, how’s that going?
Anders SG: It’s going really well. We can really feel that people are starting to get our music. We did a small tour in November last year, and it was all about playing the right places and hoping people would enjoy us. Now we feel that people are starting to know us, from the radio and stuff you know?

How did the band come together?
Anders SG: We formed at high school and started doing some music. About six years ago now.

Your music is already transferring well into the club scene (with last year’s ‘Fantastic Six’). Did you ever imagine your songs going in this direction?
Anders SG: Not really in the beginning, but once we started getting remixes done, we discovered kind of a new potential in the songs. Maybe that’s a direction we could move into.
Troels (Drums): People were already dancing a lot at the shows, but we had these songs that people wouldn’t really dance to, so we got rid of those songs and tried to create a dance band. Not as in techno or house, just something you could dance to...

The way Madonna’s early records moved people in a disco sense?
Anders SG: Yeah, yes exactly.

Tell me about the current music scene in Denmark.
Anders SG: It’s very good. We have a couple of really good rock-indie bands, bands that are also doing stuff over here and in Germany as well.
Anders B: I think it’s pretty much like here you know. There is a pretty big indie or indie rock scene ,and some of the bands are good and some of them are not.
Rasmus (Keyboards): There is a really great underground music scene with a lot of small labels releasing stuff on CDR’s. Just getting the stuff out there. Playing at street parties and stuff.

How did the British labels pick up on you as a band?
Anders B: I think it was through MySpace mainly. Pop justice (online music feature) discovered us from there too. Our ‘Fantastic Six’ record was pretty successful, and then we did a showcase at the Water rats in London last year. Some labels came down, and yeah, here we are.

The NME described you as ‘the best Scandinavian band since ABBA’ How do you feel about that?
Anders B: Yeah, that was good! (laughs). A bit over the top maybe but...
Anders SG: Pop justice called us the best band in the world ever! (much laughter). It’s nice, but Denmark people are pretty modest!

Who are your own musical heroes?
Anders SG: The reason we mentioned like Nile Rodgers and Madonna and stuff, is to not confuse people. We listen to so much more stuff, loads of different music, but it would take too long.

What can we expect from the forthcoming album?
Anders B: We have done a lot of work on this album over the last six months, so it’s really different from the one we did in Denmark. We have tried to keep it very much upbeat, stuff you can dance to. There are also some songs that are maybe moving in another direction. A bit darker, but still pop music. We have managed to tie it together all right now.

Do you think the sound of the band might be radically different in say a year’s time?
Anders SG: Yeah definitely. The interesting thing is, with pop music there’s so many elements to try. Think of someone like David Bowie, he’s produced loads of different sorts of records, and the same with Madonna. Pop allows a lot of change...


‘Fascination’ the brand new single from Alphabeat is released on March 3rd.