Biffier than thou

Voices in the wilderness
IT'S been a while since we caught up with the Biffy Clyro boys, and since our last meeting the Scots trio have stepped over the line and are now firm favourites on the British rock scene.

Their sound is unique, their musical principles? Still intact. Biffy are now on their fourth album, and as fresh and exciting as they've ever been.

But plenty has changed in the camp – not least the inking of a new record deal with 14th Floor. Beggars Banquet are now an act down, so why the switch from the label that had resolutely stood by you?

"I think we knew that if we stayed there, we knew that we could always do another album and it would have a similar release, but it wouldn't really take us any further," drummer Ben explains. "But we've got a lot of respect for the label.

"It's been hard too with the legalities. Before, we would put out an album every year, and so it's been pretty horrible for us, and this new one has been a while coming – some of the songs on the album are new, but some feel pretty old now...we've got different ambitions, y'know? We always though that we could be the biggest band in the world," he says directly. "We write songs and we want them to be heard."
So to this new, fourth elpee release, and you can expect to hear Puzzle in the summer.

Their first two albums were put to reel here in Milton Keynes, at the famed Linford Manor Studios, but not so this time around...what's wrong with us?
"You've got too many roundabouts!" is the quip.

Biffy actually employed the knob-twiddling talents of Garth Richardson (aka Gggarth) – who has previously given the magic touch to artists including Rage Against The Machine, Melvins and Red Hot Chili Peppers – and de-camped to Canada to work with the chap.

"It was strange and wonderful," Ben says with hindsight. "Although we did butt heads a few times along the way. It took us two and a half months and we recorded in Vancouver City and in the wilderness at Garth's farm in the middle of the woods.

"It was a different process for us – before we were used to banging the stuff out fast, with this punk ethic.
"We spent a long time on this one, getting it right, playing it really well and song-wise things are more direct. A lot less messing around and a lot more direct.

"We have definitely been guilty of playing around and going off on tangents...."

It sounds as though this album will be simpler – more cut and dried in the song department...

"Yeah, it'll be easier to get into, and I think that the new extra quality outweighs anything else...it's about the song structures and the quality of writing."

Ben admits that his band's third album – Infinity Land – sold well, but how well, he won't divulge...

"I don't know..." Come on, you must. "That's for the money people...I don't know really, I just hit things!" he giggles.
And he'll be hitting those skins again imminently, when the band embark on their largest British tour to date.

It'll be extensive in size and length: "It's going to be the biggest one we've ever done, yep, it's the next step up for us.

"In Britain it's just a joy, the hard work has paid off and we always come off stage buzzing.

"It's been a slow steady build getting there though...and we'll be starting all over again when we head to America," he says with relish.

Biffy Clyro issue a new single, Saturday Superhouse, on Monday March 5.

By Sammy Jones
08 February 2007

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