Rocking the world
British indie rock band Editors this week kicked off the US leg of their world tour and today take to the stage in Seattle.
For one member, guitarist Chris Urbanowicz, it’s a far cry from his early years in Aslockton and his days at Toot Hill School, Bingham.
Chris (28) certainly lives the rock star lifestyle, being based in Brooklyn, New York, and has achieved enviable music success, with platinum-selling studio albums, sell-out shows and critical acclaim.
Yet, Chris has his feet firmly on the ground, and still has a flat in Nottingham, home to Rock City, the band’s local venue.
His main focus is to produce great songs for the band’s growing number of fans, continuing an interest in music that began at Toot Hill.
“I was 13 when Brit-pop hit and that was big for everyone,” Chris said.
“Everyone at school started to learn guitar, but I had already been playing for two years.”
Chris does not often get the chance to return to Aslockton. Instead his parents and friends travel to wherever he is on tour as part of their holidays.
When he was last in the area, he went for a meal with his friends from home.
“It is a bit weird for them but I am just the same bloke,” he said.
Chris said he enjoyed his lifestyle in Brooklyn, and had always wanted to live in New York even before he went there.
“After our gig at Rock City in October, I walked through Nottingham but I just don’t understand how people walk around the streets shouting and fighting,” he said.
Chris said that just would not happen in Brooklyn.
The band — also comprising lead singer Tom Smith, bassist Russell Leech and drummer Ed Lay — have played at Rock City three times.
“What I like most about Rock City is that there is no sponsorship of the venue,” Chris said.
“Other venues are becoming generic and even the backstages are looking the same. Rock City has still got that personal feeling.
“People can still have a little bit of disrespect when going to a gig there.”
Chris said touring the world was a bit strange and he did miss home comforts.
“It is not like when you go travelling and stay in one place for a while,” he said.
“We are there only for one day. Everything just feels weirdly the same.
“The hardest thing is remembering to say: ‘Thank you’ in the different languages and being away from home.
“I really miss the basics. When you live on a bus you have to do all your showering at the venues and it is strange not knowing where your next shower is coming from.”
The US leg of the tour finishes on February 21, after which the band will return to the UK for a month-long series of shows in March.
The tour began after they completed their third album, In This Light And On This Evening, and included performing at the Falls Festival in Tasmania on New Year’s Eve.
In This Light And On This Evening, which was released in October, debuted at number one in the UK charts and achieved top 20 placings across Europe.
Synthesizers
It followed the platinum-selling debut album, The Back Room, in 2005, and An End Has A Start in 2007.
“I’m not really that bothered about the charts. It is more important that the tours do well,” Chris said.
He plays synthesizers on some of the new songs, something he has always been interested in doing.
“I have always played the keyboards on records. Not much has changed. I just swap around a bit,” he said.
Chris said he was surprised by how well the band had done.
“I thought we were just a dark, culture band. It is strange that that has become popular music,” he said.
Chris and the band have experienced some surreal situations including being on Friday Night With Jonathan Ross when Kerry Katona was having a public breakdown, and having a beer with actor Will Smith.
But Chris said he would much rather speak with his own friends.
“The celebrity culture doesn’t impress me whatsoever,” he said.
After the tour, which includes playing at The Engine Shed, Brayford Pool, Lincoln, on Saturday, March 6, the band intend returning to their studio in London to record more music, and perform at UK festivals.
