NEWSLETTER

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Right now, New York bands come in two flavours. There’s the Brooklyn groups that all have Neanderthal beards, plaid shirts and want to sound like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Then there’s the angel-faced Manhattan pixies that want to sound like The Virgins; the bitch and the butch, if you like. Apache Beat were dissatisfied with the choices of two strands of ball-less indie pop vibing. They decided to fuck it off and make music that sounds like Nick Cave dangling above the mother of all K-holes, at the bottom of which lie Cluster waiting to bludgeon him to death with blunt, rusting instruments. They’re kind of the black sheep of Williamsburg at the moment. No one talks to them at parties. Come Saturday afternoon you can even spot them kicking their heels in charity shops on their own.

Vice: Why is your accent so weird? It sounds like it’s kind of cancelled itself out.

Ilirjana Alushaj (vocals): Yeah, I am proper international. Born in Australia, moved to Serbia, went back to Australia, then over to New York. I have learnt various languages, so I think my brain gets confused. The accent changes on occasion. People always like to try and guess where I’m from, and I generally agree with wherever they say. Makes for much less effort in menial conversation. I mean, no one really cares, so why should I?

How girly do you think Apache Beat are?

Girly enough for girls to wear pink at our shows. Probably girly enough for boys to wear pink at our shows too. That’s even better. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with pink.

Your music sounds pretty menstrual. Discuss.

Perhaps. I have never really thought about it, shockingly enough. I am told most women get all angry and moody when menstrual, but I’m grumpy all the time. There is no real difference for me. So I guess I just naturally write menstrual-sounding songs. Feel my wrath. It’s dangerous.

Are you into ponies?

No. They are freakishly small and don’t seem to do anything except bite kids and eat carrots. I mean, what would you do if you had one? They’re so boring. I did however own a My Little Pony. They were cool. Like, if real ponies came in like purple glitter or glossy black, I would totally be all up in that shit.

Hair straighteners?

No need. I have straight-ish hair. I prefer to use a crimper. It’s much more exciting. People always seem bewildered or shocked by this, for reasons beyond me.

Is your mother proud?

Always. Not necessarily of me, but she’s a very proud woman.

JAIMIE HODGSON
www.myspace.com/thisisapachebeat

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