Uoči njihovog posjeta u Hrvatsku razgovarali smo s basistom britanskog The Talksa, Iain "Easy" Allenom. A njihovo dobro raspoloženje garantira nam odlične žurke u Zagrebu i Rijeci.

Reggae hr: How did you decide to dedicate to ska music, who has the greatest impact on you as a band?
The Talks: I wouldn't really say that we've fully dedicated the band to Ska music; it's true that a big chunk of our influences come from the English 2-tone Ska bands, but our style is really set within a cross over of a lot of indie, punk, hip hop and more, which is what really fuels what we do. We listen to lots of stuff, always on the search for something new.

Reggae hr: Do you notice differences in development levels at the beginning of your career so far?
The Talks: The band has developed and changed a lot since the start of our career. I think as time passes and you play more gigs, with different bands of different genres, and as you grow and develop experience, your outlook and tastes change and in turn your influences come from different areas. I think when we first started we didn't really have a specific direction and theme and just wanted to write songs in widely varying styles, but we've since created more of a straighter theme. We've met a lot of great people along the way and been really lucky to play with some great bands, and still continue to be won over by the bands and people we meet.

Reggae hr: How, in your opinion, ska music evolved from its beginnings?
The Talks: Ska has evolved greatly over the years, with many cross genres and hybrids coming into play, but I don't think you can beat a bit of roots Jamaican Trad-Ska. The migration over to the UK with the birth of the 2-tone movement in the 70's had a huge impact on British pop culture and in turn inspired many other genres, even in the most subtle of ways. Then the re-birth of the American Ska-Punk movement was something totally different again, inspiring many other forms. I think Ska has played a big part in the evolution of many forms of pop music, and continues to do so.

Reggae hr: How was it to work with Neville Staple on "Can Stand The Rain"?
The Talks: Neville is a good friend that we've known for many years and also a man that has been influential to us since the start, and it just seemed obvious to have him perform on this track with us. The nature of 'Can Stand The Rain' just lent itself to his vocal style really well.

Reggae hr: What is ska scene like currently in the UK?
The Talks: It's getting stronger and stronger all the time. There are so many great bands that are on the up. The one thing that sets the Ska and Reggae scenes apart from other movements in the UK is the sheer determination and passion of the bands. Just a few of these bands to check out are Buster Shuffle, The Skints, Counting Coins, The Stiff Joints, Imperial Leisure.

Reggae hr: I heard that on your new album "Commoners, Peers, Drunks and Thieves" you flirt with dub and jungle. How did that come about?
The Talks: We like to try to extend the limits of what we do and experiment with variations where we can. I think its healthy for a band and its audience to try different grooves. Ceasefire is the track where we gave this a go and with Itch (ex - The King Blues) featuring on it, it really took on a form of its own.

Reggae hr: Does the new album brings more surprises?
The Talks: It's the first time we've actually sat down and written an album, give or take a few songs, and really given ourselves the chance to compile a body of work, so it was the perfect opportunity to work in the quirky bits, different bits and collaborations with other artist that might have been left out had we not created it in this way.

Reggae hr: What can we expect on stage in Zagreb (23.10.) and Rijeka (24.10.)?
The Talks: Sweaty, jumping mayhem, haha.