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Dan Kert, singer and guitarist of London alt-indie band Plastic Barricades talked to us about the release of their brand new album: ‘Self-Theories’ – “…an album about despair and hope, anxiety and optimism, lack of self-esteem and active search for it, maladies of the modern world, our responsibilities and reinventing ourselves for the sake of a brighter future.” Check out Plastic Barricades below…
What are the origins of the band, how long have you been playing together?
Barricades first became Plastic in autumn 2007 in Tallinn, the capital of tiny Estonia. This feels like a lifetime ago. Many line-ups and gigs and studio sessions later we find ourselves in London and Paris in 2020, with a brand new album “Self-Theories” fresh from the studio oven.
How did you feel performing your first gig? And how was it?!
Gigs are the ultimate way of releasing all the feelings and energy, and the first gigs were very happy and innocent times. Plastic Barricades played hundreds of gigs and many of them felt like the first: you go on stage and you cannot stop smiling, because you are about to make amplified noises and run around and try not to fall down or forget the lyrics. But somehow, you are levitating above the stage and the amps pump the air that moves you across dimensions. I really miss gigging, 2020 has been a proper write-off in that sense. Let’s hope 2021 will be a different story.
What should people expect when they check the band out? How would you describe yourself?
We are daydreamers, obsessive self-reflectors, and optimists by nature. We make music because we cannot stop. We want to hug you and help you and soothe the pain.
The new music scene is bursting at the seams with fresh talent, in what ways do you feel that a band has to stand out from the others trying to build a name?
I have a pessimistic/realistic answer – a band needs to have a big marketing budget and friends in high places. I also have an optimistic answer – if a band can sound brave and honest, that will carry them far. They will be polarising and they will evoke strong opinions, it might even take them several albums to figure themselves out. But if you look back at all the truly iconic bands, they were all misfits and non-conformists by nature.
What are you working on at the minute that people can check out?
We just release our brand new full-length album that we called “Self-Theories”. It has all the feelings and hopes and fears and dreams translated into electro-acoustic noises. We wrote and recorded and partially mixed it in a tiny backyard shed – and we tried to be as sincere as possible and embraced our limitations and idiosyncrasies.
What band out there at the minute do you feel that you would be best suited to open for?
I really love Death Cab for Cutie and dream about touring with Ben and co one day soon. Their sincerity is invigorating and their melodies are addictive. It has been a while since I felt such a strong connection to a certain band.
Who do you feel is the next band to break out?
There are some really awesome bands here in the UK, that I am sure will be travelling the world very soon. Check out the epic wall of sound from Bison Face, beautiful 1990s rebirth of Dutch Mustard, and thought-provoking melodies of Victory Kicks.
What are your first musical memories? And what was the light bulb moment that made you go “I want to do that”?
I’ve attended classical music school since I was 6 till I was 16, studying piano and guitar. Strong feelings and connection came when we moved past Bach and Mozart and onto romantics, like Chopin and Debussy. Those eerily melancholic compositions made me want to compose my own. And then, when I was about 11, I discovered Nirvana and Kurt Cobain. Now it was time to rebel and to discover the distortion pedal. My life was never the same again.
What was the last gig that you attended as a fan?
Biffy Clyro supporting Foo Fighters on an open field in Riga, Latvia. This wasn’t the last gig I’ve attended, but definitely one that I still remember vividly. Two incredible bands with so much energy and soul and positivity!
The album that you have in your album collection/Spotify playlist that would surprise most people?
Everyone knows me as the “indie kid”, but I do enjoy my fair share of Vulfpeck. Their “Live at Madison Square Garden” live album is truly incredible.
Although 2020 has been a year to forget for many reasons, there has been some incredible music released; what would be your album of the year?
“Jump Rope Gazers” by The Beths is quite great! First heard these guys back in 2018 supporting Death Cab For Cutie and since then really enjoyed their open-minded and honest music.
How active are you on social media and where can people connect with you?
We try to stay active on Instagram and Facebook, although sometimes it feels like a very difficult task. These platforms are perfect for everyone who dreamed about participating in a reality show. I was never one of those people, but a band has to do what a band has to do, right?
All photographs and art credit – Elina Pasok
