The Rascals Great Escape

Liverpool three piece on Brighton and making an album

18 May 08 - 
The Rascals played a surprise show at the Great Escape Festival in Brighton last night. (17 May).

They were filling in for Santagold whose scheduled early evening set at the Digital venue was cancelled after the singer pulled out because of a sore throat.

We caught up with the Liverpool three-piece before their gig and they said fans could look forward to: "ferocious three-piece rock and roll and testosterone fuelled action."

This festival outing comes just ahead of the band's first big headline tour. It sounds like they've been keeping busy over that last few weeks though:

"This is a one off, and then the tour starts properly next week. We did a gig in Liverpool on Wednesday which was the best gig we've ever done. Then we go to London for a few days to do some press stuff, then  we go home to get a 45 minute set ready for the tour and then we can go and have it!"

And as for the preparations for their tour:

"We did a small headline tour last year but this is really getting going now. You can feel something’s coming. There's definitely something in the air."

They continued:

"We can do a bigger set on this tour. Its 45 minutes so we can put an extra 4 songs into a set. Being on the road so much, we've had no time off to sit in our bedrooms and write tunes. So, we're going to try and get a few more songs written next week then we’ve got a few extra set aside for the tour after this."

The Great escape is a very urban affair and has seen over 200 new, local and international artists showcased in 25 venues. The Rascals said there was definitely an advantage to a festival in a city:

"It’s nice because its something a bit different. It’s a bit like SXSW. We've been enjoying wandering around the city eating ice-cream.”

The boys also said they'd had chance to get a bit of writing done while they'd been travelling between gigs.

"The last couple of days we've been recording b-sides, three b-sides altogether. Shadow Dance, Sequels and Love by Gas Bite."

And as for whether these b-sides will make it on to a record, the band aren't entirely sure:

"The next single is Freakbeat Phantom which is out on the 9th of June," they said. "And we've already recorded the B sides for that. Then these new b-sides might be on the following single which is called, I'll Give You Sympathy."

"This album is scatty and there are loads of ideas in each tune but there was so much we wanted to get out of our system. And there are still loads of ideas we want to get out there."
Miles Kane

Amongst The Rascals’ tour dates over the next few months are a couple more festival appearances. The big one them though is Reading and Leeds. Front man Miles Kane told us why he was looking forward to it:

"Reading and Leeds will be a very big highlight because I'm playing with the Last Shadow Puppets and The Rascals. So, it’s going to be a huge ego trip," he joked before adding: "I'm very, very excited about it."


It’s been a bit of a whirlwind few months for The Rascals. Their debut album Rascalize is due for release on the 16th June. They told us how they got together and why it was important for them to put an album out as soon as possible:

"It’s only a year since our first gig, so it’s been pretty quick for us but in a way we've been waiting to do this since we were 15. We were in the Little Flames and we leant loads in that time, but the three of us always wanted to do our own thing.”

“This album is scatty and there are loads of ideas in each tune but there was so much we wanted to get out of our system. And, there are still loads of ideas we want to get out there."

So, Miles has already worked with Alex Turner on his Last Shadow Puppets side project, but is there anyone else he can see himself working with in the future?

"Jack White. We'd love to work with him. He's amazing. I could see it happening in a mad way."


Elizabeth Alker