British pop sensation Hurts is loved in Estonia. Their debut album Happiness stayed in our sales top ten over half a year. Due to tremendous interest, the first Hurts’ concert was transferred from in Rock Café to Kalev sports hall, the next one to Saku Suurhall Arena – filled to the brim.
Meanwhile, aspiring starlets have turned superstars, mild-mannered in music but living it all out, rock’n’roll style. While debut LP could boast a song with Kylie Minogue, the fresh second album Exile features Elton John.
Exile, also, took the Estonian charts with a bang. The weighty UK top ten as well. With home audience now calling, Hurts is still most welcome in Germany and Eastern Europe. Estonia included – Hurts being back again in November. Again in Saku Arena. Smaller places just won’t do.
Last Friday, Hurts went live in the popular Finnish star contest The Voice of Finland. On their sunny yet snowy trip to TV studio, keyboard wizard Adam Anderson took time to answer questions posed by Postimees.
Congrats on new album! How’s it being received so far?
Thanks. The reaction’s been real good. We still can’t believe it, at times. All of this, our lives the way they are now, it’s real amazing. We’ve been able to perform first time in many countries, and are invited back. The new album is out now, and we’re real satisfied with it, Proud of it. The fans as well, seems.
It’s been close to three years from your fist, debut album. What’s different, musically?
On this album, we have tried to stretch the boundaries a bit, expanding on the initial album’s musical style. More guitars, more live instruments. More work at arrangements, more drama in the music, more excitement. Preach the message more clearly. For sure it’s more exciting and better-thought-thru than the initial LP.
But other than the music, how does the 2013 Hurts differ from times back then?
All’s changed a lot. All is really different. We’ve travelled the globe many times and this has helped to make the music, make Exile correspond with the experience we’ve gained over the years. To do the album we envisioned. And grow as a band, of course.
Has the last years’ success added extra stress, both from fans and record company? Or are you free to keep doing what you wanna do? Both musically and in other aspects?
Probably we’re the ones laying that stress and tensions upon ourselves, on each other, pushing ourselves to work real hard and active. But what else can we do? I don’t think we pay overly much attention to all the stress and tension, but that’s a factor, for sure. Writing songs is hard as it is, without external pressures to consider. We just concentrate on the music, writing songs. And work as hard as we can.
Fans do pay loads of attention to your lyrics, just like the music side. In today’s pop-world, that’s quite a phenomenon.
Yeah, that’s right. And, in my opinion that’s a reason we’ve been able to tour the world like this. Our lyrics at times have this simplicity, the déjà vu thing. Understood even by those not really fluent in English, perhaps. This helps us to be heard and reach places and peaople not reached by many. We do have an unbelievably loyal fan base around the world. Maybe that’s a reason, also.
You have the reputation of a band with somewhat obsessive fans?
Yeah, true. Our fans are incredible.
Gets scary at times?
Maybe, a little bit. I guess it’s from out music, being very emotional and causing people feel certain thinks. It’s emotional music, slight obsession is part of the parcel. In one way or another, this may, at times, turn quite extreme. Which makes for incredible live shows. As we play live, all these emotions come up visibly in people, we also passing them on.
In former interviews, you’ve mentioned weird situations from tours. Polish gangsters and the like. You carry this crazy rock’n’roll lifestyle with you?
Seems so. I don’t know… for years we sat around in a bedroom in Manchester, never went out. Then, to our surprise, we got an opportunity to do stuff and travel the world. This lifestyle might be inevitable, one has to go along with it.
Endless party?
Quite so. Party every day.
Been to Estonia twice, already. And back again in November. How’s Estonia – as a place to play?
Incredible. The last time especially, incredibly strong. Su much people, that was one fantastic night. Well, both times in Estonia were so much fun. And we can’t wait to get back.
The difference isn’t that great any more, perhaps, but you seem to keep on being more superstars in Germany, East-Europe, Finland and Estonia – than back home?
That’s the way it is. We never really get it, why’s that. But it’s incredibly cool.
Is it the lyrics again? Or music? Or do you just have that something in you that really resonates around here?
I guess it’s a combination of both. And now, as we have been to these places many times over – Helsinki 6-7 times – it helps to strengthen the fan base, strengthen the ties even more. Makes fans more loyal. It’s a slow process, but that’s the way it works.
What inspires your music?
We get lots of inspiration from our idols like Depeche Mode, Tears For Fears, even Prince – a very very great favourite of ours – but movies as well, David Lynch and Cohen brothers’ movies, soundtracks… Greatly depending on what we listen to or watch at the time of writing our music.
I can’t shake it: a young band as you are, you’ve managed to work with both Kylie Minogue and Elton John...
Yeah, Kylie was super. And Elton John plays piano in one song on Exile. Cool it came about.
November, time of your 3rd coming to Tallinn, is far away. But once it comes, what’s gonna happen?
A massive show. Lots and lots of lights. Songs from both albums – a lot longer concert than last time. We cannot wait to come to Estonia.