Dead Flowers Interviews Adam from Babyshambles

Adam Ficek is best known as the drummer with Babyshambles. He has played on both of the band's records, Down in Albion and Shotter's Nation. Adam has a solo project called Roses Kings Castles, whose self-titled debut LP was released in the UK in September. He was gracious enough to answer a few of my questions about drumming, Babyshambles, and that elusive Pete Doherty solo record...

DF: I saw a very early incarnation of Babyshambles (Summer 2003) when they could barely play. The current lineup seems much more focused musically. Could you talk a bit about the musical evolution of the band?

AF: Well in the early days Peter just had help from friends to get the music out, it was when he asked Patrick (Walden) to form a band for him that things really became more focussed, he asked Drew (McConnell) and Gemma (Clarke). Gemma left I joined - blam

DF: How did the band change when Pat left?

AF: It was a different type of band, Pat is much more improvisational where as Mik (Whitnall) is very much 60's based riffage, the band didn't change that much just musically it leant to a different direction.

DF: How was it working with Stephen Street?

AF: Stephen is one of the most underestimated producers of our times. Without Stephen Shotters Nation would have not been made. He isn't just a recorder, he shapes and sculpts the words and melodies that we come up with. He took the rough edges off of our shamblisticness.

DF: With The Libertines, Pete seemed really fond of that hopping, shuffling rhythm that the Smiths used. It still pops up in Babyshambles songs, like "Baddie's Boogie", but it's not as prominent. Is that because of a conscious decision on Pete's part, your own drumming style, or a combination of the two?

AF: I'm not sure really, I know what you mean but it wasn't a conscious decision, perhaps that rhythm had been exhausted in previous songs.

"Baddie's Boogie" Live:

DF: Any headlines you can give us regarding Pete's solo record?

AF: It's released in March.

DF: You were in The White Sport with Andrew Aveling. It's taken on a sort of mythical status among Libertines obsessives. Can you talk about your time with the band and that record?

AF: That record was made by myself, Patrick and Andrew Aveling, whilst Pat was writing with Peter. It was a good time, we supported the Libs and Babyshambles and that's how I got to know Peter initially.

DF: How did your solo project come about? What sort of things can you do with the group that aren't possible in Babyshambles?

AF: I play and write all of it so I have total control. I can use the instrumentation that I wish, whether thats synths, strings or coconut shells

DF: How would you describe Roses Kings Castles to the unitiated?

AF: Good old fashioned indie pop.

Listen to "Horses" by Roses Kings Castles:

DF: Can you tell me about live performances by Roses Kings Castles? Is it just you with an acoustic or have you recruited a backing band?

AF: It's just me live at the moment, I will get a band but I don't think it's fair on the Babyshambles guys. They are my band, I am loyal to them...

"Entroubled" Live:

DF: I was a Libertines fan before the tabloid furor, and it always bothered me that that was the way they got noticed. They never got the credit they were due for some amazing musical output. Same goes for Babyshambles. I thought the second record was fantastic, but Pete fading as a tabloid sensation sort of colored people's perceptions of the record. I can imagine that there's an even greater sense of frustration within the band....

AF: Not really, it is what it is, the media attention got us noticed on a different scale but yes it does cloud the music sometimes. Everyone has heard of us or Peter but few have heard the music!

DF: How has London influenced you musically ?

AF: It doesn't really, probably the people I meet and the lives of characters in London, there's a lot of fakes in London - which annoys me..It's very fashionable to be in a band so this brings out lots of poor quality, insincere music..

DF: Do you have a preferred instrument other than drums?
AF: Vibraphone, it's melodic yet percussive, I play it on every track of my album..

DF: What other drummers have influenced your playing?

AF: Max Roach, Mitch Mitchell, Alan Wren

DF: How do you approach arranging for your own group as opposed to other projects where you play drums?

AF: It's much more melodic and chordal then playing the drums, I can get much more emotion into a guitar and piano rather than drums, it's great to rock out with shambles but it's also important for me to be able to express myself melodically.

Thanks to Adam for speaking with Dead Flowers. He's currently on tour, so try to make it out to one of his shows.

Tour Dates:
Dec 13 2008 8:00P legends - Luton
Dec 29 2008 9:00P Spaceland - L.A . USA
Jan 5 2009 8:00P Leicester - Charlotte
Jan 6 2009 8:00P Cambridge - Portland Arms
Jan 7 2009 8:00P Nottingham - Bodega
Jan 8 2009 8:00P Liverpool - Academy2
Jan 9 2009 8:00P Manchester - Ruby Lounge.
Jan 10 2009 8:00P Wakefield - Escobar
Jan 11 2009 8:00P Birmingham - Bar academy
Jan 13 2009 8:00P Newcastles - Academy2
Jan 14 2009 8:00P Hull - Adelphi
Jan 15 2009 8:00P Preston - 53Degrees
Jan 16 2009 8:00P Derby - Rockhouse
Jan 18 2009 8:00P Castleford - The loft
Jan 20 2009 8:00P Cardiff - Barfly
Jan 21 2009 8:00P London
Jan 23 2009 8:00P Sunderland -Voodoo room
Jan 26 2009 8:00P Captain’s rest - Glasgow
Jan 27 2009 8:00P York - Fibbers
Jan 28 2009 8:00P Wrexham - Central
Jan 30 2009 8:00P Bern - Switzerland


Listen/Download:
"Beg Steal or Borrow" by Babyshambles
Roses Kings Castles Myspace
Babyshambles Wiki