BIOGRAPHY: Deadsets

'Any other Belgian bands we should look out for?' A worthy contender for the lazy journalist's favourite question, closely followed by 'what are your influences?' and 'how would you describe your sound?'.. The latter forces you to start using your imagination when answering ('our biggest influence? Lexington Steele!'), but with regard to the first question, I always know what to say: Deadsets.

Throughout the past few years I've seen Deadsets perform in the most awkward of places. There was a pub called 'Vogelenzang', which was temporarily remodelled to an indie stage, and where hairy 50 year old truckers were suddenly forced to share their local with a bunch of hip 19 year old students in matching Iron Maiden t-shirts. Second in line was a colourful circus-tent whose existence, to this very day any satnav will deny. Halfway through the show, Deadsets were suddenly promoted to be official backing band to the world's worst comedian, who happened to be in town that day (what's purple, around 30 centimetres big and drives all women crazy? A miscarriage!'). There was a scruffy pub in central London (usually always jam-packed, the owner swore) where the entire audience existed solely of a smiling Chinese family of three, who only stayed because according to their ancient 'keqi' customs they had no other choice.
Do remember these details, for one day you might be asked where you saw Deadsets first. Then one has to admit that 'next to the toilets in bar Vogelenzang' sounds a heck of a lot better then 'on the main-stage of Pukkelpop', don’t you think?

Deadsets, as you can already tell, are destined for great things. 'One Hour', the second song on this 'Mature Swingers' EP, is already in it's third version, and every-time I think 'this is as good as it gets, stop touching it!', singer/ guitarist Mich comes running once again with another brilliant guitar riff, catchy keyboard doodle or dreamy background choir. 'Two Twenty Six', with its angelic male/ female harmonies and nostalgic eighties synths, easily rides the wave of the current chill-wave hype. Lastly, the ever inward pulling 'Bettie Page' deals with the same type of problems as 'Hey Jude' by The Beatles or, ahem,... 'Bad Romance' by Lady Gaga: verse, chorus and bridge compete each other for 'catchiness' and all possess that sought after, irresistible hook.

We might nearly forget the beauties that didn't make it onto the EP: I still can't understand why the superb 'Rifle Song' is missing here, but it might be that Deadsets would like to see this unrivalled live pearl grow into a lost song of mythical proportions such as 'Carnival of Light' (The Beatles) or 'A Place With No Name' (Mich's personal hero: Michael Jackson).

'Any other Belgian bands we should look out for?' Curious to see how Deadsets will answer this question, lying on their mohair sofa, thoughtfully sipping their monocru champagne...

Jonas,
The Hickey Underworld