It has been over a year since Italian duo THE CROOKERS, of Day 'n' Night fame (as if you didn't already know!), tore up Canberran dance floors and things have not slowed since then; more killer tracks, an album (still) on the way, a very different video clip and their upcoming performance amongst a stellar lineup at this year's Foreshore Festival.
After a long day in the studio Bot picked up the phone at 1am Milan time and gave Canberra a buzz. Speaking to the heavily accented man, I may have discovered the 'secret sauce' that makes the Crookers such standouts; a continuous blend of surprise and unpredictability along with their flawless capability to hit all the right notes.
Speaking of unpredictability the boys are still plugging away on their next highly anticipated album, with the present release date set for early next year. My curiosity heightened as Bot told me "it is more of an album to listen to rather than an album to dance to." A Crookers album to listen to and not move to? Get out!
I must admit to having a bit of a 'WTF?!' reaction to their latest video clip for Put Your Hands On Me (with Kardinal Offishal). If you are yet to see it, here is an overview - after a back-story the clip climaxes in a lesbian make out scene between two senior citizens. Personally I don't have a problem with mature age experimentation, but it was not an obvious plot for a Crookers clip. "We receive a lot of scripts that all have sexy girls dancing or something like this. So after a couple of weeks of seeing stuff like this we decided to make something that you really did not expect... and that's it," explains Bot. Responses to the clip have gone to extremes. "I think some people hate it and think it is not a great video. But there are some people who love it and that's what we expect from a video clip." Bot did later add that Kardinal Offishal had nothing to do with the clip.
Though the Crookers are known for some of their big name remixes, they now shy away from that particular musical venture. "They ask you specific things to do so you don't really feel free... it's the reason why we don't do big remixes anymore because they really tell you what to do."
Surprise, unpredictability and unexpectedness seem to be the Crookers' theme and their music will be taking another turn soon. "It is not fun only to do one thing," Bot says. "I think next we may go back and do some club tracks. It is a cycle I think."
Well whichever way the wheel turns I will be sure to catch the boys at Foreshore '09 (oh, those butterflies you're already experiencing every time that eff word pops up is called extreme anticipation, just embrace it).
The Crookers are a part of the awesome Foreshore lineup, playing at Thoroughbred Park on Saturday November 28. Tickets are available through Ticketek, Moshtix and Landspeed Records.
