Motor Head

Brendan Benson’s second album, Lapalco, was heralded as one of the finest musical moments of 2002, with critics from both sides of the Atlantic salivating over sublime power pop moments like ‘Tiny Spark’ and ‘Good To Me’ as well as Benson’s debut release on these shores, the Folk Singer EP.

As yet another putative ‘next big thing’ from Detroit, Benson has mixed feelings about his hometown’s rediscovery by a fad-obsessed media. “In one way it’s good,” he reflects. “It’s giving all the bands hope and a real chance because people are interested in what’s happening there. Typically, if you were in a band in Detroit, that is where you remained. There was a handful of musicians who played in 17 bands each. Now, people are settling into what they like the best, what they are most comfortable with or what they think will work, which I like, ‘cos it seemed so ridiculous before.”

However, Benson does admit to being slightly worried about the Motor City’s status as the ‘new rock ‘n’ roll capital of the world’.

“If it’s just kinda fashionable, inevitably it will become unfashionable, which leaves everyone screwed and almost at a disadvantage, coming from a place that’s not hip, that’s passé,” he notes.

The media attention enjoyed by Detroit is primarily down to Benson’s friends, the White Stripes, whose success has given the scene a leg-up.

“Contrary to what people have been saying, we haven’t really collaborated, he reveals. I recorded some stuff for him [Jack White] for the ‘Hotel Yorba’ single and we’ve played live together, but primarily we are friends,” he explains. “He brought me on tour, which was a good opportunity, and he is really complimentary: he’s had nice things to say about the record.”

So what of the future then Brendan: fame, fortune and Ferraris?

“I know it sounds really corny, but I just want to keep making records,” he sighs. “If I can support myself that way, then that is ideal. I like to travel, and there are a lot of other things about this lifestyle that I really like: on top of that, if I can make some money to pay for rent, clothes and food, that’s cool. I do have a taste for the finer things and I’d like to be able to afford them some day, like a nice house, but I guess I don’t really think about it. I just want something long-lasting.”