When Gomez hits the Beaumont Club on February 27, expect six drunk men onstage putting on a damn good show. At least that’s what Paul Blackburn, who plays bass and guitar for the band, predicts. The British group is on an extensive U.S. tour following the release of their fifth studio album and first with Dave Matthews’ record label, ATO Records.  

Consisting of Ben Ottewell (vocals/guitar), Ian Ball (vocals/guitar/bass), Tom Gray (vocals/guitar/bass/keyboards), Olly Peacock (drums/percussion), Dajon Everett (percussion/keyboards) and Blackburn, the band is known for their bluesy undertones mixed with rock and features three lead singers. These elements have set them apart from their UK peers that tend to focus on a more electronic type of rock a la Verve and Radiohead.

Gomez celebrated the decade anniversary of their first gig together last October. They started their career recording—not touring—earning accolades from the beginning with SPIN magazine saying their debut full-length record, Bring It On (1998), is "a damn beautiful album.” It was followed by Liquid Skin (1999), the rarities-and-B-sides compilation Abandoned Shopping Trolley Hotline (2000), In Our Gun (2002), Split The Difference (2004) and their first live album, Out West (2005).

Their new record, How We Operate (2006), remains “genre-less,” as Ian Ball describes. The band took time together to experiment with sound, keeping hints of their signature spontaneity on a well thought-out record. This approach differs from their previous records that focused more on the spur of the moment.

Just a few days into their current tour, Blackburn paused before their Portland show to chat with Patchchord.

Laren Mahoney: Your music tends to be a bit hard to describe, especially with your new album jumping genres. Can you describe your music?

Paul Blackburn:  Wow, I don’t know! We are all about writing good songs with good song structures. We are a bit pop in some areas. We’ve been a bit experimental and a bit bluesy, with some electronica and traditional rock mixed in. Ultimately, we are a blend of all genres. We are always trying to come up with different balances of all the types of music we play.

LM: How did you get involved with Dave Matthews’ label, ATO Records?

PB: We had been with Virgin. When we chose to go our separate ways, ATO showed interest. The way a label works was the most important thing for us. Unless you have a good profile and more pull, like say Mariah Carey, a big label may not be a good fit. ATO has their bands in mind. They are based on building a career for the band and developing artists. They start from the base up. We’ve really enjoyed our time with ATO.

LM: As a band grows together, their music evolves. How do you feel Gomez has evolved over the last decade?

PB: We’ve definitely approached each album differently. But, I think maturity is the main difference for us. The more experience we have, the better we get. Our songwriting is always getting stronger and we’ve learned that as we get older, we need to let the music breathe and not jam everything into one song just because we like it.

LM: You’ve traveled the world, been on Carson, Conan and Leno, and have shared the stage with some incredibly talented musicians. What stands out most in your mind from throughout the years?

PB: I’d have to say that the most momentous things that happened was when we were on video hook-up with John Lee Hooker. During the show, he held one of our CDs in his hand and said, “I’ve listened to your record and I never found one fault.” It was so cool to hear someone of his caliber to stand up publicly and give his approval of our stuff. Really, what do you say to that?

LM: What’s next for Gomez?

PB: Well, we’ll finish touring with this record. We are currently playing shows with our labelmate Ben Kweller. And, we’ll do a lot more touring throughout the rest of the year. We have two guys expecting children soon. And everyone in the band is either married or engaged, so at some point we are going to have to take a break. For now, we plan on hitting the studio sometime soon for an album release next year.

LM: You’ve played in Kansas City before. Did you get a chance to explore?

PB: I distinctly remember a great breakfast place by our hotel! But, that’s it. We don’t have enough time to get out in most cities. Usually we’ll arrive that day and leave the next. But man, that breakfast was good.

LM: So what should Kansas City expect for your February 27th show?

PB: Expect something different. We are trying new things that we haven’t played before live. We try to keep things as new as possible so people come back. Definitely expect a party with Tom revving up the crowd with a bit of a laugh. And most importantly, expect six drunk men on stage putting on a damn good show.

--Laren Mahoney (email)

Gomez with Ben Kweller
Tuesday, February 27 at the Beaumont Club [Map]
gomeztheband.com