English foursome Art Brut play stupidly fun rock and roll for the intelligent—but fun—music fan. The band’s 2005 debut Bang Bang Rock & Roll garnered critical praise at home and across the pond for its faux-metal guitar heroics and churning punk rhythms. This year’s It’s a Bit Complicated refines the debut’s pop formula while retaining its dry wit. The Voice spoke with lead singer Eddie Argos in anticipation of his band’s concert with the Hold Steady on November 20th at the 9:30 Club.
Argos has been a self-professed “fan boy” of the Hold Steady ever since a 15-year-old gave him a mix tape with the Hold Steady song “Your Little Hoodrat Friend.” The two bands share a love of enormous guitar riffs and spoken-word vocals. Argos was excited to play with the Hold Steady—whom he’s never even seen live—though his admiration occasionally gave way to feelings of inferiority.
“I think [Hold Steady lead singer] Craig [Finn] sings better than me.”
It’s true. Argos doesn’t sing so much as he drunkenly chatters into the microphone. But that’s what makes Art Brut’s songs so endearing. Any devoted fan can break out a dramatic rendering of Argos’ most memorable lines, such as “I’ve seen her naked / TWICE!” The band even promoted It’s a Bit Complicated by letting fans sing along to the new songs karaoke-style at Beauty Bar locations across the United States.
“From what I’ve seen of the footage that people have sent me … it’s just people doing imitations of me, which is quite funny,” Argos said. “All these Americans, they want to speak in thick English accents! I saw some really good ones. Some people did actually sound just like me. It can’t be that hard. I’m a bit scared for the safety of my job.”
Those impersonations, Argos explained, invariably involved a fake mustache fashioned after his own black ‘stache. Facial hair can be a powerful weapon in the world of rock – just ask Frank Zappa. Unfortunately, Argos had to part ways with his furry little friend.
“My mustache is gone now,” he said. “The kids kept thinking I was in my 40s, so I had to shave it off. Someone said to [guitarist] Jasper [Future], ‘You’re a good band but why’s your dad in it?’ He thought that I was Jasper’s dad! … I had to shave it off.”
Mustache or no mustache, Argos and the Brut crew promise an incendiary show on Tuesday. Just don’t call him “dad.”
