O Children are:
Tobi O'Kandi : Vocals
Gauthier Ajarrista: Guitar
Andi Sleath:Drums 
Harry James: Bass

When talking about the neo-goth and post-punk revival it's impossible not to mention O Children. Joining the likes of their more mainstream counterparts Interpol, Editors and The Horrors, O Children are a real hot property and are creating a buzz in both the goth and mainstream music scene. To find out what all the rage is about, I met up with them in a trendy Shoreditch haunt. Don't forget to check out Dominion Issue 7 where O Children are featured and their self-titled debut is reviewed.

Having just completed a run of gigs, frontman and founder Tobi O' Kandi says "We're going back to writing, that's what we're up to now."

Despite the popular appeal with both the goth and indie crowd, he is quick to admit that "we never put a label on ourselves. We came out and put a few songs out and said 'make of it what you will,' and people seem to have made many different interpretations of what we do. Some are like 'these guys are super goths,' others 'these guys are the future' some 'the next Editors of the music world' and some people are like 'this band fucking sucks.' We've said from day one that people should make the music whatever it is they want it to be."

Drummer, Andi Sleath doesn't like being restricted to a predetermined genre, "I find it cheapening and distasteful when a band goes 'we're going to do this,' whatever that may be," he is aware that "journalists strive to do this already" and feels, "we're not going to do it ourselves. People are already spending so much time trying to say we're this and this and this."

Tobi is quick to reinforce, "it would cheapen it to put ourselves into one category when we're capable of making so many different styles."

Harry is surprised at the success O Children have had with the goth crowd, "You know are we just an indie band? It seems to have worked out quite well with the goth scene which we never expected," Tobi reveals, "I kinda did, I saw that coming."

Turning his attention to fans and Dominion, Andi says, "Fans might think we've got this vibe going on, but the band might have been trying to do something for themselves. I noticed the Dominion chart lists Rammstein. I've got a lot of respect for them, but I don't think they went out to say 'we're gonna do an industrial, gothic, anthemic sound.' I think they said, 'let's get together and make the best music we can,' I like music like that."

In terms of creating the ideal sound Tobi says "You just do what you do and it comes naturally to you, and people latch onto it. If they like it they stay, if they don't then they listen to the next best thing. We're doing that now with the new album. That will be our way of seeing who's going to stay and who's going to listen to the next best thing."

Speaking about the new sound, Andi confesses "We could risk alienating a lot of people, but you play a little bit of risk when you go your own way."

O Children are certainly not a one-trick pony. They have already produced a blistering post-punk goth revival album, performed acoustic shows and are about to release a remix album, it's not easy to speculate what's next for O Children. Tobi is a self-confessed believer in constant flux and change, "We're throwing all these things out there deliberately so that no one will know - we don't even know - what we're going to do next."

He is realistic in his approach adding, "this is not to say that we're gonna make a dance floor album, it's just that they'll be many many layers to it, this is the way I see it in my mind. I've literally just come from a session where we've started work on the next album. There's nothing concrete yet but we'll strive to make it good."

Harry believes that the importance lies in their ability as a band, "we know it's good music and it's not contrived. Hopefully people won't be disheartened or pissed off if it doesn't sound a certain way. I don't think people would want to hear the same thing again anyway." After the success and glowing reviews of the first album he believes "it's best to take it a bit further and still make it sound like O Children." He points out that this change in direction is not uncommon, "pretty much all the best bands in history have changed their sound every album, like Bowie, and this is why they stand the test of time."

Tobi points out that change can lead to a worse sound, speaking on Kings of Leon, "they used to sound like shit kickin' blues and now they sound like...not shit kickin' blues. I didn't like the 'Sex On Fire' record."

Speaking of change, Harry felt the acoustic gig went "surprisingly well," adding, "I think it shows your songs are quite good if you can do that [an acoustic show]. It's an achievement to get that reception. When I was listening back it sounded great. To change the songs and still make them sound good was a difficult thing to do."

Looking troubled Tobi says, "I really didn't want to do an acoustic thing because I thought it would be really lame. I think I was more nervous than anything," bringing the conversation back around to change, "It's good to get people to do remixes as well. I like hearing a different take on things. I am very into change. Evolving and then devolving into acoustic is interesting."

Amused Andi observes, "It's interesting the reception you get from people who say 'this is like a different band.' From my point of view, you're making a few changes, but you don't really play the songs differently, you're just using different instruments."

Explaining how the remix album came about Harry says, "Our label manages lots of big dance acts so I think they'll do it quite well. It's very synth heavy and electronic. It's there to be remixed so you might as well give it a go."

Andi sees this as an opportunity for O Children to gain more exposure and attract a mixture of fans into different genres, "A lot of people haven't heard our debut album, this is another avenue to get people into our music."

Harry who spends part of his time as a professional DJ says, "It's quite nice when you hear it in a club. There's a real variation of remixes too. Some of the songs are remixed twice, it's quite interesting to hear different people's takes on it."

O Children's gig at the Old Blue Last is not your ordinary gig, "We're doing it for the Old Blue Last birthday party it's one of these more secret gigs. They really push the boat out for their birthday, it's more of an industry gig."

Andi sells it concisely, "There'll be a lot of booze and a lot of people. It's O Children's Christmas party, you can get two hundred people in there. That's the good thing with London, lots of tiny venues with ridiculously loud PA's in a small cupboard space."

However, on a more serious note he explains the difficulties and pitfalls of touring, "We've tried to support a few tours but nobody has given in to us. All these bands hang around with each other and they're all mates. We don't have the same band friends. We're gonna have to go out on our own and do it the old fashioned way in February."

In terms of next year Tobi says, "We're going to be doing a tour with some bands. So the main aim for next year is to do a mini tour and then record the new album. We're quite excited. It will be good to see what we come up with, especially as with the last record I did most of it myself and I want everyone involved."

Andi is quick to clarify, "We played ourselves, sometimes the singer plays all the instruments."

Other than the usual musical influences, Tobi comments on what affects the O Children sound, "Lyrics wise I like to make everything a little bit bombastic, an exaggerated view on general life. It's like an unbelievable heartbreaking movie - that's what I feel life is like most of the time. It just keeps on going, I think of it as escapism like guns in the desert and a lady hiding from some bandits who have taken her away whilst she's tied up on the train tracks. That's kinda how I write, I like that view on life."

Andi has no time for the unoriginal, "You get some bands that say they're basing an album on Bladerunner. That's a great movie but it's really cliché. A lot of people say they like that movie and it really inspired them."

Tobi turns the attention back to his own inspiration, "I write about a sex a lot. I haven't got crazy boner rage or anything. I tend to write about sex in not necessarily a sordid way, but I like the idea of it. The world would be a better place if everyone was a bit more sexy. A lot of bands like to tip-toe around the subject, but everybody eventually likes to get laid right? So I figured I might as well write about it."

"Kinda like a laid back Pagan," Andi interjects.

"Yeah, like a laid back hippy gothic pagan. That's pretty much it. Movies and sex - that's what it all leads to. A lot of people say it's depressing or what have you, but it's more a way to get out of said depression. I have my good days and bad days, ultimately I get out of it."

Continuing with the sex theme, O Children turn their attention towards the music video for 'Dead Disco Dancer'. This features a sexy dancer prancing around in underwear whilst wearing a ram's head for the entirety of the video. Harry was pleased with the end results,  "We were happy with what they had to offer. We were only there for a day, they were all professional. It was kinda like a hip hop video. Playing double speed is pretty funny too. We played double speed then they slowed us down."

Andi adds, "Most videos are, bands playing twice as fast and it's bloody hard. The directors said they wanted it double speed without really thinking if it was possible."

Looking to the future, when asked about their next music video Tobi admits, "It's a little secret, we can't tell anyone yet. Even if we wanted to there are two choices of song - we'll see what happens."

Andi tells fans to expect something different, "People get the impression we don't like the sun. I wanna do a really hot sunny video with different modes of transport and shot in a really cool way whilst driving. Something which would cost like a million pounds or something."

Harry jokes that O Children should have one where they play football with the kids in Africa, "Like in that movie with Russell Brand. It's got a song called 'African Child'. I was so surprised, I thought it would be the worst film I'd ever see because it had Russell Brand in it, and it was really good."

Continuing with the playful tone Andi suggests, "They'll need subtitles in America to understand Russell Brand."

In the goth world there's a lot of focus on image and attire as well as musical content. O Children offer up their thoughts on bands that take this too far.

Andi gets right to the point, "You've got to be yourself. If you put it on it's never gonna work. Image isn't everything - it's the whole bloody package."

Tobi embellishes, "There's nothing wrong with looking good. It's when looking good supersedes your ability to make music. You look so good that you trick people into thinking you're making good music. I could name some bands who do this, but I'm not going to. I actually find it quite sad sometimes when that happens. If one day someone became King of the world and said bands would have to play behind a white screen so people couldn't see anything and fans would have to vote on what music they liked whilst not being able to see the band image or what clique they'd been put in - the world wouldn't be so pretty to look at but the music would be a lot better and I think I'd like it. That's my take on it anyway."

Harry believes, "You have to show some respect to not show up on stage dressed really badly, you put in a minimum of effort," although he's quick to warn against those who go the other way, "When people don't care that's forced too, they're trying hard to look like they don't care. Everyone has their own image."

Andi adds, "You should have a level of respect. I saw music by this old jazz guy who had Italian loafers but he's still sticking to his roots with brylcreem and jazz shoes."

Tobi wonders how people perceive O Children, "Now it's got me thinking, do you think people will come to an O Children show and say 'hey those guys are trying too hard?' It changes people - labelling them. There are so many cliques, clans and goth bands. Everybody's judging you."

Harry doesn't think they'll take things too far, "We're never gonna have our own personal stylist. We dress normally and then get changed into something that's a little bit more for the stage," whilst people are judged wherever you go he believes location can come into the equation, "This happens a lot more in London, but if you go up North it's like 'ah they dress like that because they're in a band.' It's as simple as that. Bands are meant to dress slightly differently."

Andi accepts that we live in a judgemental culture "Some people say we try too hard, but a lot of people have false perceptions about a lot of things all the time," turning his attention towards other artists, "You see writers and directors who dress in a certain way but no one says 'oh they're putting that on.' If you see David Lynch going out with his hair slicked back and a blazer no one says 'oh you're trying too hard,' but as soon as you strap a guitar on him they probably would."

Before rebranding as O Children, the band were known as The Sex Pests for a couple of weeks. Andi says, "We realised if we did one show called The Sex Pests it would be rammed for the name and then we realised, out of experience, if we carried on with that name then no one would come and see us again."

Referring to a previous band that he was in with Andi, Tobi says, "We were in a little cult band known as Bono Must Die and it caused problems with the name, we decided to tone it down a bit and not call ourselves The Sex Pests," turning to the future Tobi mentions a certain film about a boy wizard, "O Children, the song, is in Harry Potter and now we're scared of the backlash that will come, 'oh these guys really love Harry Potter.'"

Andi muses, "I thought it would look really cool written down. There are a lot of bands that have Children in the name and they've somehow ruined it. O Children is a cool name and there's nothing really wrong with it."

In terms of the future Tobi is happy to keep things ticking along in much the same way that they already are, "It's pretty good right now, hey if it's not broke...We're just going to carry onwards and upwards. There's no one thing we have to do. We're just a bunch of guys who love each other and love making music together. We try not to get ahead of ourselves," reflecting on the past, "When we first started the band we weren't expecting anything, we didn't think we'd play Glastonbury or do this that and the other and it's been going really well and we owe some people for that, and if we do get really shitty in the near future we hope those people will tell us and fire us because I don't want to be in a band that sounds like all those other bands, let's say like Kings of Leon and all those others that keep it going. We just want to make good music.

Once again Andi is direct, and with complete seriousness adds, "If we go shit euthanize us!"

One of the pitfalls that a lot of bands face is that of balancing a full time job and focussing on a band.

Andi says, "When we are on tour, it's pretty hard to be in a band and keep a full time job. You do a part-time job and you see it fall apart. I'm really bad at doing two things anyway, I want to focus on one thing, I can't focus on two things - I can't multi-task."

For Gauthier things are a little different, "I'm studying, so there are much less hours seeing as most of the work I do is stuff I do at home."

Tobi also has a different set up from other band members, "I masquerade as a music producer. I've learnt to balance it from a young age. If things get bigger I'll find a way to handle it, I'll be ok as I've been surrounded by music my whole life. Unlike real DJ's like Harry James, I'm asked to DJ parties because I'm in a rock band."

Harry thinks DJing is ideal whilst in a band, "DJing fits in perfectly for me. If you've got a gig then you can do it after the gig. You don't have to sign up and you won't be sacked if you don't work the weekend. When you're away you don't get a daily allowance which is what I love."

Tobi candidly points out, "We won't get real office jobs."

Speaking on the realities of touring Harry says, "We get money on tour and break even. Then when we get back he's (Gauthier) studying - he'll have a degree."

Andi explains why people should check out O Children, "Come if you're interested in finding something for yourself rather than being told what to listen to. I guarantee there's no other band that sounds like us. If you know about music you'll like it."

Tobi closes, "Not many people sound like us, it's quite a spectacle to behold but we haven't got enough money to take it perhaps as far as we'd like to. There are some interesting things in the pipeline, so come down if you want to be part of it."

Thank you to O Children for taking time out of their schedule to chat. If you still haven't checked out O Children, download their album off iTunes now, it will be the best album you have bought in a long time! For more information on O Children please check out their websites below:

O Children Official Website
O Children MySpace
O Children Facebook

Words: Michael Wilson
Images: JY. Marquis

O Children have recently been featured in Dominion 7, our last issue.