Kate, Sarah and Emma, your music is a mix of the electro underground and touches of Nu Wave – who were your early musical influences?
“David Bowie… I think he’s everyones favourite influence! Roxy Music, Joy Division, ABBA, New Order, Throbbing Gristle and Madonna!”
For people out in the DMC world who don’t know the real story, what’s with your names – why the cover of darkness with the Client A, B and E disguises?
“Client A and B were names we gave ourselves as we wanted to be judged on our music not our identities. We wanted to create an image that we could live and breathe Client when we performed – as Client. We wanted to be the female version of Kraftwerk and by wearing uniforms wanted to portray a true work ethic – very Eastern European…in fact, we got the idea for the first outfit backstage with Depeche Mode in Moscow where we saw lots of Communist old ladies sitting in pencil skirts and beige shirts backstage guarding the dressing rooms! We thought they looked soooo cool we copied them!”
The new album, ‘Command’ – your fourth that you’ve written, recorded and produced yourselves with the help of Youth. Kate (Client A) I believe you even took an evening course in programming to help the album. Talk us through the album, what are your favourite tracks?
“I am currently obsessed with ‘Blackheart’.Its about fighting on through everything life is throwing at you…almost taunting fate with the words “Bring it on, what’s it gonna be” but it’s also about appreciating when it all goes right…..it’s just about taking it as it comes and loving it! ‘Don’t Run Away’ is about an ongoing, utterley unrequited crush on someone. ‘Ghosts’ is the mourning of a relationship that just had to end even though neither wanted it to…so very sad. Every album seems to just coincide with some major drama in my life…”
Your new clothing brand coming out this Summer…?
“We want to turn Client into a brand that we can take forward for the next 5 years and we have created a small line of clothes and accessories which we hope follow the ethic of client and mirror real Life Client girl (or boy !)…It’s part call girl, part bank clerk and would be the kind of clothes that we think Krafwerk would wear in 2009! We are designing the website at the moment and it should be online soon at clientlondon.com.
So what’s with the Scandinavian Air Hostess uniforms look, how did that all begin?
We wanted something smart and efficient but sexy – and Kate was surfing the net, as she tends to do and found an amazing website called uniformfreak.com which had every possible permutation of uniform you can think of! We loved the Scandinavian Airhostess look and modified it to suit our requirements!”
You are one of the busiest btouring bands out there – playing all over the world in countries such as China, America and Germany – which country’s music fans ‘get you the most’ – which is the best country to perform in?
“We love playing in Rome and Mexico because we always get mobbed!It was such a suprise to find that the Latin countries have embraced us. Andy Fletcher always told us that Germany and Scandinavia would love us so it was an added bonus to win over those territories too.”
What’s the skirt in Rome story?
“Myself and Kate have been sharing rooms on tour for years and we are SO messy. We open our bags and they just look like they have exploded. My idiotness checks cover places like under the bed but not the wardrobe Well I left it behind before the show. So we had to make do with a really nice Top Shop skirt but it just wasn’t the same. I need to feel constricted and restricted to sing the songs!”
So ‘Command’ was made at Client A’s home studio – I believe Client B recorded her vocals in a wardrobe with a Tandy microphone?
I did! I serenaded Kate’s shoe collection!!
What was it like working with Joe Wilson from the Sneaker Pimps who played drums for you?
“Joe is wonderful….really patient which is definately a virtue when working with us as we change our minds frequently, as is the woman’s perogative!!!”
Client B – is it true you cry at those adverts for dogs on the telly – quite an emotional little thing huh?
“I am unbelievably soppy. I wear my heart on my sleeve and it is easily and frequently broken!!” What has been the best ever gig you’ve done?
“Gosh thats a tough one. I remember doing a festival at Balatan Lake a couple of years ago and we were headlining a massive tent.We kept peeking round the side before the show to see how many people and it was quite empty so we made our way calmly to the stage, only to find it was absolutely rammed, everyone was singing along with their hands in the air and when we turned round and wiggled our bums in the tight skirts for ‘Lights Go Out’ they were cheering so much I was nearly overcome with emotion and my eyes filled up but i didn’t dare cry in case my false eyelashes slid off!!!”
Who would you most like to perform with on stage?
I’d love to sing with Scott Walker.”
Tell us about your club night ‘Being Boiled’ – what’s that all about?
“Its an underground post punk dirty Electro club.We try to encourge female bands and DJs…but boys will do too!”
How would you describe your sound?
“Restrained rock and roll”
What are your thoughts on the whole download scene?
“It’s destroyed the music business. It’s got rid of greedy record labels, but its the struggling artists who are paying.”
Which band member is the craziest on tour?
“Depends on the cycle of the Moon!”
“You have some big music fans out there – Kraftwerk’s Karlo Bartos was quoted saying “‘I love Client, you are what I think electronica should be. You’ve got the image, you’ve got the music”. Dave Graham from Depeche Mode admits “Client B has the voice of an angel”. A pretty special couple of big ups… which out of the two bands do you think is the best in the world of electronica?
“I couldn’t possibly comment.”
‘Command’ – the album is out on June 15th, the single ‘Can You Feel’ out on June 8th.
