2019-07-01_Uncut_UK

JULY 2019 • UNCUT• 69

Elsewhere,a HeeHaw
pinballmachine,a fully
loadedsodamachinewith
softdrinksandwaterand
lotsofsnacksaretherefor
additionalentertainment
breaksbetweensessions.
It’seasytoseehowself-
containedthisplaceis;
a clubhousereally,and
arguablythereason
Auerbachdidn’tgotaround
tomakinga newBlackKeys
albumforfiveyears.
If nothingelse,EasyEye
Soundrepresentsthe
distanceAuerbachhas
travelledsinceheandCarney
formedTheBlackKeysin
theirnativeAkron,Ohio,in
2001 – frombasement-dwelling
purveyorsofprimalbluesto
becomingoneoftheworld’sbiggest
andbestbands.Notthatthey’ve
compromisedaninch.“We’ve
alwaysleftthingsrelatively
unadorned,sothisis warts’n’all
music,”notesAuerbach,“We’re
prettyblessedthatthingshave
workedoutthewaytheyhave.Ever
sincewe’vestarted,it’s never
stoppedbuilding.”
“Ittakesa lotofcouragetogo
onstagewithtwopeople,”says
EaglesguitaristJoeWalsh,a
fellowOhioanwhorecordedat
EasyEye.“Ona goodnight,
there’snothingbetterthana two-
pieceband.It’sfuckingamazing.On
a badnight,there’snothingworse.Butthethingabout
comingfromOhio,fromtheMidwest,is theideathat
weareallinthistogether.Wearefamily.That’sa
connectionDanandPat will never lose. It’ll get them
throughanything.”
ChuckAuerbachandJamesCarneylivedinthesame
neighbourhoodinAkron.Theirsons,DanandPatrick,
wereinthesameLittleLeagueBaseballteamas
children.Asidefromsport,theydiscoveredanother
sharedpassion:music.Coincidentally,bothhad
unclesworkingontheoutsiderfringesofrock:one
ofAuerbach’swasthelateRobertQuine,a former
memberoftheVoidoidswholaterworkedwithLou
Reed,whileCarney’suncleRalphCarneywasformanyyears
TomWaits’saxophonist.“Pat’sthefirstpersonwhotalked
aboutAkronasa musictown,”saysAuerbach.“Ididn’t
realise.I justlivedthere.RobertQuinedidn’tliveinAkron,
butPat’suncledid.SoPatwasveryinvestedinthe
neighbourhoodandthelocalscene,whileI was
driving 12 hourstoseeT-ModelFordinGreenville,
Mississippi.HewasobsessingaboutTin Huey
records,TheWaitressesandDevo.”
TheBlackKeys’earliestrecordingswere“just
thesoundofmeandPatanda four-trackinhis
basement”,saysAuerbach.“Thereareno
rehearsalspacesforbandsorwhateverin
Akron.If youwanttoplaya show,youhaveto
driveatleasttoCleveland,whichis 45minutes
away.TheDIYmentalityis ingrainedinyourbrain.
“Icouldneverdonowwhatwedid,”hereflects.
“Weusedtodriveninehourstogettoa gig,get
paid 30 dollars and then, because we couldn’t

affordtostayintown,drivetwohourstosomewhere

cheapoutsideofthecity.I mean,everyday.Weweren’t

abletopartyorhavea drinkaftera showreallyuntil

2008.Wewouldgetriders– butwhatwerewegoingto

do?WehadtodrivetotheMotel6.Patwasalwaysable

todrivelateatnight.Noproblem.I thinkwewere

awarethatbeingina bandwasgoingtobehard work.

butwedidn’tknowhowmuchhardwork.”

Their 2002 debut,TheBigComeUp, wasrecorded

beforethey’devenplayeda show.“Weweren’treally

aimingforanything,therewasnogreatplanor

aesthetic,”recallsAuerbach.“Wehadnothingexcept

a pureloveofmakingmusic.Theideaofthebluesis

a turn-offforhipsters.Butforpeopleforwhomblues

musicis forlife,I thinkthere’ssomethingdeeperthere.”

Eachoftheband’salbums– markedbyAuerbach’s

garageriffs,Carney’sswampygroovesanda combinedear

fora bighook– outsolditspredecessor.Their

breakthrough,2010’sBrothers, cutatMuscle

Shoals,wentontowinthreeGrammys.

“IstillthinkBrothersis thebest-sounding

recordwe’veeverdone,”saysAuerbach.“We

didn’tseeanyofthehugesalesandGrammys

coming,butit wasthefirsttimethatthe

soundweheardinourheadswasfinally

there.Finallywegotthelo-fi,distorted

fucked-upsoundthatwelovedsomuch,buthi-fi

atthesametime.I lovethesimplicityofit.I thinkthe

enthusiasmshowsoneverylevelofBrothers.”

TheKeysfollowedthesuccessofBrotherswithEl

Camino– co-producedandco-writtenwithDanger

Mouse,akaBrianBurton– whichfinallyelevated

the duo to stadium status in America and Europe. frazer harriSon/Getty iMaGeS; ebet robertS/redfernS; Steve Granitz/WireiMaGe

“AllWehAd

WAsA pure

lov eof

mAking

music”

dA n Au er bAch

Keyinfluences:

Carney’suncle

Ralph,saxplayer

for Tom Waits...

...and

Auerbach’s

uncle,former

Voidoid

Robert Quine

Igotmine:at

theGrammy

Awardsin

2011

Outsidethe

Wilternin LA,

October 2003