The Enemy Reveal T-Shirt Secret

Andy Hopkins wears a T-shirt with a hidden story

*pic: Piia http://deadflower.cjb.net/

Coventry fans of The Enemy were left perplexed at the recent Ricoh Arena gigs by a T-shirt worn by bassist Andy Hopkins. As seen in the picture above, Andy Hopkins had printed on his T-shirt "Free The Finbarr's Two". It set tongues wagging following the hugely successful tour and now we can reveal the story behind the t-shirt.

Long time friend of The Enemy, John Kelly, is the reason Andy wore the t-shirt "Free The Finbarr's Two". John used to sell T-shirts for the band at the early gigs but was recently jailed for a year for disorder. Known for his charity work and described as "a really peaceful lad", Tom Clarke went on to explain the story of how the incident happened at the end of a night when things were heated. There was some kind of incident and "I think he had a momentary lapse."

Kelly picked up a metal stand used to secure the velvet rope into the club and brandished it. The incident was caught on CCTV and Kelly was jailed for a year.

John Kelly

"He's in prison now. He probably won't serve the full year because it's a first
offence, but I just think it's terrible that a momentary lapse ..... I think
that when you disrupt the community you should have to put something back -
maybe a bit of community service - then he might have thought twice about
jumping in. I just think it's really unfair to have a good lad, who's helped the
community anyway, put away for a year."

The Enemy dedicated "This Song" to John Kelly at the Ricoh gig while his family were among the 8,000 fans in attendance. So now you know why Andy Hopkins had the words "Free The Finbarr's Two" printed on his T-shirt, and a very fitting tribute to John Kelly who had sold many T-shirts for The Enemy.

I think I may have even bought a T-shirt from John back at the early Colosseum gig...................

*visit: www.theenemy.eu - all the latest news on The Enemy.

The Enemy: Relaxing Back In Coventry

Andy Hopkins enjoying the Coventry scene

The Enemy may be one of the hardest working bands in Britain, but they are also normal teenage lads who need time off to unwind and enjoy a good night out. Following a very hectic few weeks promoting their single "Had Enough" and album "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" - Andy Hopkins, Liam Watts and Tom Clarke finally got to chill out and have a few lagers with mates in Coventry.

It must have made a refreshing change not to be the ones on stage performing but instead they could just relax and not be on show. In all the surreal experiences of the past few months, being able to be "normal" and have a good Saturday night out has become a luxury of late. The lads were still able to go clubbing at a certain Coventry night club last night and not be surrounded constantly by fans. Another proof that The Enemy really do love Coventry and whenever possible would still like to be able to go out and mix with real people, away from the spotlight and trappings that comes with being musicians on the world stage.

The picture above was taken by my housemate, who knew I wouldn't believe him when he phoned to say he'd seen The Enemy while out clubbing last night, he was right I didn't believe him - until I saw the photo of Andy Hopkins. Sadly I'd not been able to afford to go out because I'm making cutbacks with the Royal Mail strike, yet it made my night knowing the lads were out in Coventry.

The Enemy: NME Awards Launch Brixton Gig

Liam Watts @ NME Awards Launch, Brixton

The Enemy performed in front of 200 excited fans during the NME Awards Launch, held at The Prince in Brixton last night (26/11/08). The Coventry trio took a break from the Welsh recording studio to be at the event hosted by NME magazine.

Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts were in high spirits as they belted out ten songs from their debut album "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" and had time for a little back stage humour with Chesney Hawkes "I Am The One And Only". The song appeared on the set list but thankfully The Enemy didn't perform the chart topping cheesy track.

Tom Clarke on stage in Brixton

The Enemy are set for a busy year themselves as they put the final touches to their follow up album and get back to their roots with smaller gig venues around the UK and Ireland. This is then followed up with a stadium tour with the mighty Oasis.

Fans are treated to a special gig

Fans reacted positively to the performance, once again singing along to the anthem tracks and soaking up the exciting atmosphere being created once again by The Enemy. Time and time again Tom, Andy and Liam have managed to ignite a room with their viberant mix of social sounds and upbeat tunes. Sending out a clear message that there will be more to come in 2009.

Andy Hopkins

Following The Enemy's performance the voting for the 2009 NME Awards opened up ahead of the London ceremony at London's Brixton Academy on February 25 next year.

For more on this story check www.nme.com and more exclusive pictures can be found at http://theenemy.eu/NME.aspx

Liam Watts

VIDEO: The Enemy - Had Enough / Aggro @ NME Launch Awards, Brixton

*More videos of The Enemy performing live at NME Awards Launch can be seen: HERE

http://www.theenemy.eu/ - for all the pictures and videos of The Enemy from the gig.

The Enemy: Kasbah Gig In Coventry

Here are a couple of pictures and videos of The Enemy as they performed at Coventry's Kasbah music venue to raise funds for Alexandra Emery:

The Enemy @ Kasbah, Coventry
Tom Clarke

Liam Watts


Andy Hopkins

The Enemy performed their final gig of 2008 back home in familiar territory in front of the Coventry faithful as they helped raised much needed funds for Alexandra Emery. Their was a festive feel about the gig and it seems everyone was up for a party as almost 1,000 turned up to show their support for this worthy cause.



Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts gave the crowds just what they wanted - the anthem tunes from their debut album and some new tracks thrown in as a little Christmas present!



I was feeling in a party mood as I had a houseful of Enemy fans from around the country stopping over for the gig. Instead of finding a safe spot to stand, I got into the thick of it and just enjoyed myself. The bodies of crowd surfers, the loss of my camera batteries, the moshing, the sweat - they all reminded me why I love gigs, why I love The Enemy and why I love Coventry.



Security did a stunning job of looking after the crowd surfers, and even in my drunken state I could see how professional they were. I could also tell from Andy and Tom's face (I couldn't see Liam without my glasses!) that they were happy to be back home, performing at the Kasbah (formally The Colosseum).



It was another great night out and an honour to be a very small part of something so worth while.





The Enemy - "This Song" - Kasbah, Coventry


The Enemy - "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" - Kasbah, Coventry

Set List:

Away From Here
40 Days And 40 Nights
Checkout Girls
Pressure
Technodanceaphobic
Had Enough
Aggro
We Live And Die In These Towns
It's Not OK
This Song
-------------
Elephant Song
Jane
Sing When You're In Love
You're Not Alone


http://www.theenemy.eu/ - for the latest news on The Enemy

Q Awards Winners 2007

Andy Hopkins,Tom Clarke and Liam Watts at the Q Awards

Coventry's The Enemy have scooped "Best New Act" at this years Q Awards held yesterday in London as the lads debut album, "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" spent a thirteenth week inside the UK Top 40 Album Chart. Tom Clarke, Liam Watts and Andy Hopkins took time out from their hectic nationwide tour to be at the Q Awards at London's Grosvenor House Hotel.

After the lunchtime ceremony, Tom, Andy and Liam travelled 243 miles up north to play at Middlesborough's Town Hall as part of the "NME Rock 'n' Roll Tour". It's not an easy life being in a band but they wouldn't have it any other way!

Tom Clarke talks to the media about winning the award

Here are the Q Awards Winners:

Best act in the world today: Arctic Monkeys
Best album: Amy Winehouse - "Back to Black"
Best track: Manic Street Preachers - "Your Love Alone is Not Enough"
Best video: Kaiser Chiefs - "Ruby"
Best new act: The Enemy
Best breakthrough artist: Kate Nash
Best live act: Muse

Classic song award: Stereophonics - "Local Boy in the Photograph"
Classic album award: The Verve - "Urban Hymns"
Classic songwriter award: Billy Bragg
Innovation in sound award: Sigur Ros
Lifetime achievement award: Johnny Marr
Q merit award: Ryan Adams

Q hero: Anthony H Wilson
Q legend: Ian Brown
Q inspiration: Damon Albarn
Q idol: Kylie Minogue
Q icon: Sir Paul McCartney

For full report on the Q Awards check out the Q Magazine website, there is also an extra picture of The Enemy on: http://www.theenemy.eu/

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The Enemy - New Album and New Tour Announced

*pic: Guy Eppel

Coventry band The Enemy have announced details of a new UK tour and the release of their second album. Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts will be hitting the road in March and April 2009 for the 22 date tour.

Although the second album title has yet to be revealed, The Enemy confirmed that the tour will feature new songs from the album. The hotly anticipated follow up album to 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns' will be released to coincide with the tour.

The Enemy bassist, Andy Hopkins revealed that the band had over 30 songs to choose from for the new album and continued to write even more. Fans have already heard 'Sing When You're In Love (Sing When You're Out Of Love)' at various live performances and Andy gave further revelations for the new album when he said, "We've got another song we're hoping to put on the album called Don't Break The Red Tape which we played at Reading and wanted to play at Leeds but we ran out of time. That one is a more or less definite to get on the album."

*pic: Ben Weller

Tom Clarke spoke about the upcoming album saying, "We’re preparing to record our second album in October/November and coz I already have both the album title and 99% of the tunes down I’m going through loads of artwork ideas."

The tour is taking The Enemy back to their core roots in smaller venues, which allow them to get closer to the fans. Some have questioned why The Enemy will not be playing their home city, Coventry this time. Tom answered that question by telling fans, "Its just because in Cov we have two venue sizes 1000 and 8000. 1000 is too small and denies most people the chance to see us and 8000 is just too big for what we wanna do on this tour. Loved playing the Ricoh (stadium) those nights In fact was the best couple of nights of my life but I want to go back to venues of 2 to 3 thousand on this tour. So back to Brum (Birmingham) for a couple of nights."

The Enemy Tour Dates 2009:

13 March 2009
Inverness, Ironworks , Scotland
14 March 2009
Dunfermline, Alhambra, Scotland
15 March 2009
Glasgow, Barrowlands, Scotland
18 March 2009
Oban, Corran Hall, Scotland
20 March 2009
Newcastle, Academy, England
21 March 2009
Manchester, Academy, England
22 March 2009
Manchester, Academy, England
24 March 2009
Sheffield, Academy, England
25 March 2009
Liverpool, Academy, England
26 March 2009
Leeds, Academy, England
28 March 2009
Nottingham, Rock City, England
29 March 2009
Lincoln, Engine Shed, England
30 March 2009
Birmingham, Academy, England
31 March 2009
Birmingham, Academy, England

2 Apil 2009
Exeter, Great Hall, England
3 April 2009
Swindon, Oasis, England
4 April 2009
Bristol, Academy, England
5 April 2009
Margate, Winter Gardens, England
7 April 2009
Norwich, UEA, England
8 April 2009
Brighton, Dome, England
9 April 2009
Southampton, Guidhall, England
11 April 2009
London, Brixton Academy, England

*visit: www.theenemy.eu - for the latest news on The Enemy

Godiva Festival Coventry: The Enemy

Tom Clarke and Liam Watts @ Godiva Festival, Coventry


Headlining the Godiva Festival in Coventry was the natural choice for The Enemy, having achieved so much during the past year. While Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts have enjoyed a number one album and awards, they have always remained firmly down to earth and loyal to Coventry.

Coventry welcomes The Enemy

Tonight was the night The Enemy returned home to Coventry and put on a free performance in front of thousands. This year there was no tent to restrict the numbers and no matter how much it rained it didn't stop the masses from standing firm in their support of the lads who have done so much for this city. Slowly the umbrella's came down and the hands went up in unison as the whole of Godiva sang "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" and "You're Not Alone" - being reminded by Tom Clarke that the song was dedicated to the ex-workers from Peugeot.

Liam Watts on drums

Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts proved as energetic as ever through out the show, with Andy darting from side to side on stage - wisely avoiding crowd surfing and thus keeping his clothing during the duration of the set. As well as playing hits from the debut album, the Coventry crowds were treated to a new tune as a taster for things to come. The debut album went to number one exactly a year ago and has remained in the UK album chart virtually the whole year, sitting at #85 this week.

The Enemy headline Godiva Festival in Coventry

Thousands watch The Enemy

visit: www.theenemy.eu - for the latest news on The Enemy

The Enemy: Birmingham Carling Academy

Max and robmacca holding up Max's new Enemy poster

The Enemy gave the Coventry faithful another night to remember at Birmingham Carling Academy with yet another stunning performance as Andy Hopkins braved his illness to make it to the gig. The Wombats sadly couldn't say the same as they had to pull out due to "unforeseen circumstances" but Lethal Bizzle and his crew put on a cracking warm up and were warmly received by the crowds.

I had a good view of the crowds from the balcony and can honestly say - everyone was up for a good night. Long after the gig was finished the singing and chanting continued as several thousand fans streamed out of the Carling Academy and back home to Coventry. The New Street train station must have resembled a post football match scene when fans filled the platform. These fans tonight were celebrating another victory - for The Enemy.

Rob, Max and robmacca enjoying The Enemy gig in Birmingham

The Enemy kicked off their show with "Away From Here", so it was no messing about - just straight into an anthem. The crowds loved it as plenty of plastic lager glasses made it to the stage and the whole crowd danced, sang along and partied like it was a New Year party! The videos captured the scene quite well and can be seen at: http://www.theenemy.eu/gigvideos.aspx .

Tom Clarke asks "How the fuck is it going Birmingham?" to which the crowds respond with cheers and shouts, then The Enemy launch into "40 Days and 40 Nights". It was hard to define where the mosh pit started or finished because so many in the crowd were dancing. The press and photographers must have got a few good pictures during "Pressure" with lots of flashing lights and egar supporters. For "Technodanceaphobic", Tom said he wanted to see the "whole fucking room" dance to it and he got his wish because we all went mental! By "Had Enough", everyone was singing along. Could the Saturday crowd out do the Sunday crowd for "Aggro"? Well, by the looks of the video the Saturday crowd put on a good show with lots of crowd surfing to keep security busy at the front.

A funky and fancy introduction to "This Song" calmed things down a little as the alcohol kicked in and my vision became some what blurry but about 1:38 seconds into the song the Coventry faithful were back on fine singing form. Making up for the blurred video I'd managed to record! Could this be another fine anthem in the making? The clapping supporters certainly think so.

Andy Hopkins jumped from the stage to crowd surf, even though as mentioned earlier, he had been ill in bed the day before so we were lucky he was here at all. That didn't stop the people crowd surfing and "It's Not OK" always guarantees results.

The next song, "You're Not Alone" has always been a special song to Tom Clarke and means a lot to the people of Coventry as well who have witnessed the demise of Peugeot and Royal Mail's determination to ruin postal services in the city. Watching the video through again and it looks like a scene from the miners strike of the 80's as the security separated the band from the crowd. But this crowd were 100% behind The Enemy, so no danger other than possible stage invasions threatened security. Arms were raised in the air as an act of solidarity as Tom, Liam and Andy performed. Another personal song "Happy Birthday Jane" and then finally "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" provided one last chance for everyone to sing-a-long before making a joyful loud exit from the Carling Academy in Birmingham.

A view of the crowd, stage and The Enemy

Finally, why not capture or re-live the atmosphere from the night by watching these crowd videos I recorded:


Crowds straight after The Enemy gig.


Chanting fans at Carling Academy and train station.

My Website: "The Enemy" - Click to read the latest on The Enemy.

The Enemy Coventry HMV

Andy Hopkins, Liam Watts and Tom Clarke signing for fans in Coventry.

Hard to believe that a year ago Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts were just about to make it big in the music world and put Coventry firmly on the map. With a number 1 album ("We'll Live And Die In These Towns") and four Top 30 hits, The Enemy were back on home turf in Coventry with family, friends and fans loyally out to support the lads that have done so much for the city.

The Enemy have grown in confidence over the past year and that clearly showed today as they performed, yet even after so much accolade and awards Tom, Andy and Liam have remained firmly down to earth, grateful and loyal to their city and fans.

I've been following The Enemy for quite a long time, and can honestly say that I am proud of how all of them have turned out. It would have been easy to follow the bright lights of London and leave Coventry far behind - but The Enemy have promoted Coventry time and time again, giving back so much to the city that has believed in them and their music. We can look forward to a second album with more gritty real life lyrics and tunes about life in modern Britain.


Here are the videos from the Coventry performance at HMV:

The Enemy - "It's Not OK" - Live@ HMV Coventry



The Enemy - "Had Enough" - Live@ HMV Coventry



The Enemy - "This Song" - Live@ HMV Coventry



The Enemy - "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" - Live@ HMV Coventry




The Enemy - "You're Not Alone" - Live@ HMV Coventry




Visit:

http://theenemy.eu/

The Enemy: Nokia Pictures

Earlier this summer The Enemy took part in a "Question and Answer" event for Nokia, here are a selection of pictures from the day, as seen on NME. Next week "You're Not Alone" is released in the UK and the Coventry lads will be busy promoting the single as well as preparing for the NME Rock n Roll Riot Tour.

Andy Hopkins.

The Enemy entertain.

The Enemy prepare for questions.

Tom Clarke and Andy Hopkins tune up.

My Other Blog: robmacca random stuff

The Enemy Updates

*picture from Manchester Evening News

I've been busy on my new website http://www.theenemy.eu/ this week, so most of my blogging has been over there (rather than post a million topics on The Enemy on "robmacca entertainment news").

Just click on any of the links below to find out what The Enemy have been up to this week and several interviews, exclusive pictures and a message from Andy Hopkins.


11/10/07: PICTURES - Manchester Evening News - Apollo Pictures
12/10/07: PRESS - Belfast Telegraph - "With Friends Like This..."
12/10/07: PRESS - Post Chronicle - "The Enemy Stage Diving Injury"
11/10/07: PRESS - Daily Record - "Why The Enemy Love The Rolling Stones"
11/10/07: PRESS - Coventry Telegraph - "The Enemy's Delight At Top Award"
11/10/07: PRESS - Manchester Evening News - "The Enemy @Apollo Live Review"
12/10/07: NEWS - Tour Update by Andy Hopkins
11/10/07: NEWS - The Enemy on Channel 4
11/10/07: NEWS - Vote for The Enemy
10/10/07: NEWS - Manchester Evening News: "Pooley's Pick of the Day"
10/10/07: NEWS - Three audio links to an interview with Tom Clarke
10/10/07: PICTURES - Gig pictures by Valerio Berdini

My Website: "The Enemy" - Click to read the latest on The Enemy.

The Enemy Invite Lord Mayor For A Curry!

The Enemy

The Coventry Telegraph has reported this week how The Enemy have turned down the pomp of a civic reception in favour of a poppadom at a local curry house. Below is the full article from the Coventry Telegraph:

CITY indie rock band The Enemy have sent an invitation to the Lord Mayor of Coventry asking him out for a curry.
The chart-topping group fired off an e-mail to Councillor Dave Batten suggesting he joins them for an Indian meal.
The offer came amid calls for a civic reception to be held for the group.

Cllr Batten wants to honour the Holbrooks-based band for putting Coventry on the map with number one album We'll Live and Die in These Towns, the first band from the city to achieve such a feat.
Following a ceremony held by the city council for street dancing group Kombat Breakers, Cllr Batten agreed with fellow councillors that it would be a good idea to do something similar for The Enemy.

Liam Watts, Tom Clarke and Andy Hopkins (Stung Photography)

Invitations were dispatched but, ironically, at the same time, band members Tom Clarke, Liam Watts and Andy Hopkins demonstrated their more informal tastes by e-mailing the Lord Mayor and suggesting he join them for a curry.
A spokesman for Coventry City Council said: "We sent a formal invitation to The Enemy inviting them to a civic reception.

"At the same time the Lord Mayor received an e-mail from The Enemy offering to take him for a curry!
"We haven't heard back about the reception yet but it would be great if we could arrange both."
The Lord Mayor said: "Hopefully I will get to meet them soon, although they are very busy, which is very good news."

Cllr Tony Skipper, shadow cabinet member for culture, sport and libraries, believes a civic reception for The Enemy, currently at number 18 in the charts with the single You're Not Alone, would be a great idea.
He said: "The lads' achievement certainly deserves civic recognition.
"It will be a good opportunity to thank the families and backstage staff who have supported the lads in achieving success."

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The Enemy UK Tour in America

The Enemy UK in America backstage @ Lollapalooza, Chicago. *pic by Guy Eppel (NME.COM)


The Enemy are enjoying reaching new audiences in America this week as their very first tour of the United States continues. After doing a series of festivals in Europe the Coventry trio - Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts headed out to America for the launch of their Warner Brothers album, "We'll Live And Die In These Towns".

The website theenemy.eu has all the pictures and press stories featuring The Enemy in America so far. NME magazine had one of their top photographers on hand at the Lollapalooza Festival. Guy Eppel's pictures can be seen at theenemy.eu and NME. Plus an interesting review from Music Snobbery of The Enemy's Download Festival performance and pictures of the lads in action.

Liam Watts and Andy Hopkins on stage at the Download Festival, New Jersey, USA

The Enemy will also be appearing at:

6 August 2008
Trubadour - LA, California

7 August 2008
330 Ritch Street - San Francisco

11 August 2008
Bowery Ballroom - New York

visit: www.theenemy.eu -for the latest news on The Enemy

The Enemy - The Album Pictures

Here are the EXCLUSIVE album pictures from The Enemy, taken for their debut album released today. This is the moment Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts go from being three working class lads from Coventry to rising superstars in the music world. They have worked bloody hard over the past few months getting there and Coventry is proud of The Enemy for what they have done for the city.
The album "We'll Live And Die In These Towns" even features the names of the stations - Tile Hill and Canley as well as Coventry itself on the cover and the album is "dedicate to the fans and the good people of Coventry". A truly historic moment in Coventry's music history, something not seen in such a grand way in 30 years since The Specials burst onto the scene.


"We'll Live And Die In These Towns" CD CoverTom ClarkeAndy Hopkins Liam Watts

Jo Whiley Meets The Enemy

Radio 1's Jo Whiley and crew descended on The Enemy in Coventry and ended up at drummer Liam Watts house (well, his mums!) -because mum, Carol makes lovely tea!

Conversations soon start about The Enemy's recent tour in Japan, with Liam Watts saying he hardly ate anything while in Japan because it was "all squid and fish".
Tom Clarke: "We're just not big fish fans to be honest"
Andy Hopkins: "I found a Pizza Express in Tokyo anyway!"
Tom Clarke: "We spent most of our time there while in Japan, the menu was better than the one in England!"

Jo: "What were the gigs like you did there"
Liam Watts: "Really good, we were a bit worried cos you hear stories of Japanese crowds not going really mad, just standing there being really polite."

Tom: "It's not that case at all - they are just like the British fans, crowd surfing etc"

Jo: "Did you do a lot of shopping?"

Liam: "I did a bit, I spent quite a bit on Adidas trainers actually"

Jo: "Are you all obsessed with Adidas trainers?"
Andy: "I wouldn't wear anything else."



Liam Watts reveals that his mum buys him and his brother identical cards each time so that there are no arguments..............

Jo to Liam "Are you a tidy person?"
Liam: "Erm........"
Tom: "He's not the tidiest!"
Jo to Tom "Are you a tidy person?"
Tom: "I'm not the tidiest!"
Jo to Andy: "Are you a tidy person?"
Andy: "I'm actually alright!"
Tom: "Andy's mum does everything, Andy's mum wakes him up with a cup of tea and tidies his room. It's a disgrace!!"


Jo: "What's your memory of Glastonbury Tom?"
Tom: "As little as possible, we'd never been to Glastonbury before, let alone play at it. I was really excited and then we turned up and it was covered in mud!"
"We did two gigs, one in a small tent and the other on Sunday morning. It inspired me as we looked out and could see people up to their knees in mud and just getting rained on.You just wouldn't get that unless people love music and it's a privilege and an honour to play to people who love music."

Jo: "Have you done rehearsals around here (at Liam's) or demo's?"
Tom: "Probably listened to parts of our first demo 40 Days and 40 Nights, but generally it's just been chilling."


Jo: "What do you feel about bands reuniting or getting back together?"
Tom: "I think the big question on every one's lips is - Spice Girls - what's going on there? As sad as it is, but to be serious for a minute the Spice Girls defined the 90's as much as Oasis did. I am quite excited to see if they come back and are rubbish or come back and are quite good."

Jo: "The reviews have come back saying it went down quite good"
Tom: "I'll actually look forward to it then."

Jo: "What's your favourite Spice Girls track?"
Tom: " Probably Wannabe"

Jo: "So are you a fan of pop music?"
Tom: "I'm not generally a fan of pop music, the Spice Girls are an exception."

Jo: "What other music do you like apart from Led Zepplin and the Spice Girls?"
Tom: "I really like The Who, I love The Beatles, they are just class. I think we all love Oasis. The Verve - all their albums. I'd have loved to have gone to the reunion, but we were doing a gig."

Liam: "I don't think any of our tastes clash, we all like the same sort of stuff but I like Frank Zappa and Jazz Fusion."

Andy: "I've just got one cassette I listen to in my car - which is Blur Greatest Hits on one side and then The Clash London Calling on the other."


Jo: "Were you in any bands while at school?"
Andy: "No, I didn't play until I joined this one....... that's why I'm rubbish!"

Jo: "Ahhhh, No! So how did you get in the band?"
Andy: "Erm.... I dunno, I just told Tom I could play and he believed me!"

Jo: "What was the best gig you've played this year?"
Tom: "That's a really hard one to answer........ Reading surprised me actually. I went to Reading not really knowing what to expect. Typically the further up north you go the better the shows get, until you get to Scotland where they just go mad! But the crowd at Reading were just outstanding, they just blew me away. There are loads of really good gigs I could pick out but that one I'll single out for surprise factor."

Jo: "A lot of people are saying you've put Coventry/Birmingham on the map....."
Tom: "We had the first album to go #1 from Coventry, but it was nothing to do with us, we just wrote the songs - it was the people who went out there and bought it, they should be just as proud."

Jo: "What was it like playing a gig in a church hall recently?"
Tom: "It was amazing, it was like nothing we had ever played before, it was the most beautiful venue in the world. I didn't realise until I got there it was the same venue I'd seen Noel Gallagher from Oasis perform. The acoustics are brilliant, it's a great place to play. It was the first gig where the crowds were sat down on pews."

Jo: "What instruments can you play?"
Tom: "I can play guitar, violin and piano. I played piano when I was about four. My Nan had a piano before she had carpet, so I used to go around on a Sunday and just sort of teach myself, that's how it all started really."

Jo: "Where did the inspiration come from for "You're Not Alone"?"
Tom: "We'd been out on tour writing songs about stuff that was going on in Cov, but we'd not had the chance to see the rest of the country. We'd never been to places like Manchester or Newcastle. A band called The Paddingtons took us out on our first tour, we sort of realised what we were writing about Cov, was sort of going on everywhere in the UK. It struck a chord, that what we were writing about was a bit more wide spread."

Tom: " I don't think any of our lyrics intended to be political. We just sing about stuff that affects us and things that we see, in that sense it's social but that's as far as it goes."

Jo: "Have you met Oasis yet?"
Tom: "The lads have met Noel but I was in need of a bed for the night. It was after the NME Awards last year and I'd had a bit too much to drink."

Jo: "How was the tour with the Stereophonics?"
Tom: "Sometimes support tours can be rubbish, you can get treated like rubbish and the fans can be unreceptive but the Phonics couldn't have been any further from that to be honest. They looked after us just amazingly and I'm forever grateful for that. They put is in the next sized venues that we hadn't played in yet. Their fans are just amazing, I just never expected it. They were singing the words and wearing the shirts, especially in Scotland. I'd like to thank all their fans for making it a really wicked tour for me.

Jo: "Did you get to hang out with the band much?"
Tom: "We got to see them a bit but you don't get much time. Top guys."

Jo: "Will you be celebrating Christmas?"
Tom: "Yeah, it's only right. We were in a local pub last year (with Andy) and it go to that time of night where you think you need champagne, so we walked up to the bar and asked for two bottles of champagne. But she said she'd run out of champagne, I said "what do you mean you've run out of champagne - it's Christmas?" She said she'd got this cheap white wine but no glasses. It sounded a good idea at the time but after drinking straight from the bottle, my next memory was trying to throw a traffic cone on the Sainsbury's roof and wondering why it kept coming back down ............. it was a slanted roof so I hadn't got much of a chance. Then the next morning I woke up literally in my toilet, in just my boxers."

Jo: "Liam, have you enjoyed having us around your house?"
Liam: "Yeah, it's been pretty sound."

Jo: "Do you buy each other Christmas presents?"
Liam: "We actually don't, do we?!"
Tom: "We decided years ago we just weren't gonna do it"
Liam: " We'll just keep the money and buy each other a pint!"

Jo: "Can you remember any amazing Christmas presents as a kid?"
Andy: "A Quad bike"
Tom: "My worst present was from Mike Starkey, who I'll name and shame now. In 1998, I think , he bought me a bag of KP Salted Peanuts for Christmas! It was a big bag - but it was still a bag of peanuts for Christmas!"



The Enemy played live from Liam Watts lounge in Coventry:

1. "We'll Live And Die In These Towns"
2. "You're Not Alone"
3. "Last Christmas/Girls Just Want To Have Fun/Bleeding" (Wham/Cyndi Lauper/Leona Lewis)


*pics from BBC Radio 1 website / text typed by robmacca

My Website: "The Enemy" - Click to read the latest on The Enemy.

The Enemy: Guardian Interview

The Enemy have been as busy as ever recently as they promoted their single "You're Not Alone" and Iain Aitch from The Guardian newspaper interviewed Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts.

'We are not politicians, we are a band," says Tom
Clarke, the singer-guitarist with The Enemy, denying
any position as a spokesman for disaffected teens. "I don't want to be a
part of pointless politics. So many of the problems in England could be easily
resolved. All these blokes in suits with their degrees and God knows what, but
they can't see simple solutions.
"It's like Asbos - that is the
most useless bit of legislation. It is not solving a problem, it is just
labelling someone."

Though Clarke doesn't see himself as a spokesman, his band has a taste for
uncomfortable social issues, which has prompted comparisons to the likes of The Jam and The Specials (a Coventry band,
like The Enemy).
The Enemy's No 1 debut album, We'll
Live and Die in These Towns, deals with unemployment, Friday-night brawls
and social exclusion. Clarke also says that "one of the first songs we wrote
was It's Not Okay, which was the week that Peugeot closed two factories in
Coventry. That is a society thing. What you see at the end of the day is a table
with your mates sitting around it who have got no money because they have no
jobs."

Clarke is talking to me just after the Enemy have played a gig for
inmates at the chapel of Pentonville prison in north London, in support of the Wasted Youth campaign, which raises awareness of the high
suicide rate among young British men. This is a particular problem in prisons
(67 inmates took their lives last year; 59 had already done so this year by the
time the Enemy came to Pentonville).

"The statistics are shocking," says Clarke. "For every
person who dies from taking an E, there are 88 young men who commit suicide, and
suicide is at its highest in prison."
"You can't really appreciate what it's
like until you've been in the cells," says the Enemy's drummer, Liam Watts, who has taken a tour of the prison, which included
being banged up, albeit briefly, with a burly, shaven-headed man - the band's
manager. "That was dead weird," he says.

So how did The Enemy get to the point where they are
considered suitably big names to play awareness-raising gigs for charities (even
if Dirty Pretty Things are headlining)? After all, all three members are still
only 19.

"I think we expected success," says Clarke, who speaks from
the heart rather than from a manifesto. He's like an off-message Billy Bragg or
a Paul Weller less pernickety about his clothes.

"There are a lot of ways of going about success. You can start
wearing trendy clothes and getting yourself in magazines or things like that,
which I would never do. Or you can just go and gig your arse off, which is the
old-fashioned way of doing it. We have pretty much been on tour since October 26
last year. You can prove your worth on the tour circuit."

The tour circuit, this year alone, has taken The Enemy
from the toilet venues, via the summer festivals, to supporting the Rolling Stones the night before they visit Pentonville. The
band have grown in profile to the point where they will be headlining the
5,000-capacity Brixton Academy next month.

Today's gig at Pentonville, however, is rather different. Security is
understandably tight; guests have to present their passports as ID, and mobile
phones are confiscated. As we pass through a series of sliding doors, Clarke
jokes that the security is nearly as extreme as it was backstage at the previous
night's Rolling Stones show.

Walking into the high-ceilinged chapel, we are greeted by rows of
seated prisoners, with prison officers strategically placed around the room.
Media and guests aside, the audience numbers around 100, favouring a mix of
green-and-yellow overalls, prison-issue shirts and box-white Reeboks over skinny
jeans and Converse. A good 40% of the audience is black, and most of the white
inmates sport a number-one crop.

After a brief introduction from the prison's governor, Nick
Leader, The Enemy begin their set with 40 Days and 40
Nights, to a muted response. Given that most of the audience were inside
before the band was formed, it's hardly surprising they don't know the words.
But by halfway through the second chorus, heads are bobbing and feet are
tapping, and at the end of the hit single Away from Here, there are
whoops, yells and applause.
That song was written on the shop floor of the Co-op where Clarke worked as a TV salesman, and its wantaway
sentiments strike a chord. By the end of a breakneck rendition of Had
Enough, the inmates are on their feet.

Backstage, the band are all smiles while Dirty Pretty
Things set up their equipment. "That was easily one of the most
rewarding gigs we have done," says Clarke.
Later, as the band sit and
talk about music, it's not surprising to hear the names that get referenced.

"I discovered the Jam and the Clash through my mum listening to the
same tape over and over when driving me to school," says bassist Andy Hopkins (another former TV salesman). "I have the tape
in my car now. It has The Specials on it, which I didn't
realise I was listening to at the time."


Clarke reckons a key moment for him was finding a box of his parents'
old vinyl in the loft, among which nestled a copy of Led Zeppelin II. There was
something else up there, as well. "I found this old thing that looked like a
big tape player," he says. "I plugged some speakers in and turned it
on. The reel-to-reel tape on there was Sgt Pepper's."

That link to the music of the band's parents' generation means a fair
few forty somethings can be seen standing and nodding at the back of The
Enemy's gigs, including some rather unlikely fans.
"We turned
up to an HMV signing ,and we walked in and the manager goes, 'There's a
policeman in the dressing room waiting to see you,'" says Clarke.

"I thought, 'What the fuck have we done?' So we walk in and
there is this copper there and he takes his hat off and says: 'I was at the
Leicester gig last night, I was crowd surfing.'"
"He's got a few lads at
work wearing the Enemy badges," adds Hopkins. "They're wearing them
underneath their police badges."

In the event that The Enemy find themselves back in
Pentonville for all the wrong reasons, at least they'll have a
get-out-of-jail-free card.

The Enemy's single You're Not Alone is out now. For more on Wasted Youth, see wastedyouthlive.co.uk . Interview from The Guardian.

robmacca random stuff

The Enemy: HMV Coventry Pictures

Here are a selection of pictures featuring The Enemy as they performed and signed records at HMV Coventry on Monday 17th March 2008:

Tom, Liam and Andy squeeze through the crowds @ HMV

Andy and Liam just finishing their performance @ HMV

Andy Hopkins and Tom Clarke smiling for the fans

Andy, Liam and Tom busy signing copies of "This Song"

Tom Clarke signing copies of "This Song" for fans of The Enemy

Updates and News: http://theenemy.eu/