Interview - Keane

The polite, self-effacing Sussex trio emerged in 2003, and a year later, after a handful of now highly collectable limited-edition releases, released their debut album, Hopes And Fears.

It very quietly went on to become the second biggest-selling album that year, outsold only by the camp juggernaut that was the first Scissor Sisters' album.

Keane could now lay claim to being one of the biggest bands in the world. But they don't.

"We're not really into posturing," says singer Tom Chaplin, while drummer Richard Hughes, when it's mentioned that the band's new EP, The Night Train, contains some of their best songs, simply leans forward and says: "Tell everyone you know, would you?"

As though it might be too vulgar for the band to do it themselves.

Keane have received criticism over the years for their private school background and perfect manners. In reality, however, the band's polite ways are simply endearing.

The Night Train EP, follows just 18 months after their last album proper, Perfect Symmetry, which, in today's world where artists generally take three or four years to follow up an album, is like lightning.

Released in October 2008, their third album added more electronic sounds and danceable beats to the band's usual soaring pop melodies and anthemic songs.

It caught many by surprise, and even those critics who'd slammed the band were forced to admit the album was actually quite good.

"Perfect Symmetry was a very rhythmical album, and more exuberant," says Tom. "It was a step in a different direction for Keane, and introduced a lot of people who'd never heard of us to our music.

"It opened a few doors for us too, that last record. And now this slightly illogical step."

Unlike Keane's three albums which have all involved spending months in a studio, The Night Train was recorded while they were on tour.

"Inspired by all parts of the world," says Richard. "South America, largely, but everywhere. Each night we'd play a song that we'd had for years, and writing and recording on the road meant that we could be creative.

"We did days in studios in South America, Australia, Denmark, all over Germany, everywhere," adds Tom, both indicating the wide reach of Keane's last tour and the freedom afforded to the modern rock star.

Collaborations play a major part in the EP, too, most notably the two tracks recorded with Somalian rapper K'Naan.

"The first time I'd heard of K'Naan was when we were doing an interview

and Tom mentioned him in a Tracks Of The Year-type list he was doing," says Richard.

"K'Naan then mentioned he liked Keane in an interview, so we thought we'd see what happened if went into the studio together. Three songs came out in three days, and two of them are on the EP."

Keane now insist they plan to take things easily, but following the release of this EP comes a 10-date tour; a mixture of large shows in assorted forests across the UK, including Dalby in North Yorkshire, and arenas dotted around the country.

"Trust me, that is taking it easy compared to if we'd released a full album," says Tom. "We actually did more tracks that aren't on the EP. We didn't want to release a full album as we would have had to go on the road for 18 months to promote it.

"In a way, this EP is born out of laziness."

There goes that self-effacing streak again.

"We're looking forward to the forest tour, though," continues Tom. "Bedgebury Forest, in Kent, is somewhere my mum used to go to and would drag me along and make me learn the names of the trees.

"Maybe that could be my patter between songs?" he says. 'That, everybody, is a Scots pine...', and so on. Maybe not.

"I think that this will be enough for everyone for a while," he says, hopefully, changing the subject.

"I think it'd be nice to have a break, completely.

"For a while, at least."

Keane play Dalby Forest on Jun 25.

The Night Train EP is released on Monday, May 10.

BAND FACTS

At 31, Tom Chaplin is the youngest member of Keane. Tim Rice-Oxley is 33, while Richard Hughes is 34.

While at university with Chris Martin, Tim was asked to join Coldplay, but declined because he didn't want to leave his own band.

Tim wrote a song, Early Winter, for Gwen Stefani's 2006 album The Sweet Escape.

When Q magazine had a poll to find the best British albums of all time, Keane had their first two records in the Top 20. The only other acts with two entries in the Top 20 were The Beatles, Oasis and Radiohead.

The band take their name from Cherry Keane, the mother of a mutual friend and were even called that for a time, but dropped the Cherry from their name in 1998.