The maritime of their lives

There’s a sharp intake of breath at the other end of the phone line when I drop the ‘J’ bomb: did British Sea Power guitarist Martin Noble really say he would take out a contract on comedian Jim Davidson if his band won the Mercury Music Prize?
“Erm, yes,” says Noble, vaguely mortified. “Someone stuck a microphone in my face and asked what we’d do with the money. I said the first thing that came to mind. I think Jim Davidson was really getting on my nerves that week for some reason.”
Such unabashed snark is not what we’ve come to expect of British Sea Power, doe-eyed purveyors of eerie indie anthemia. Then again, they’re moving up in the world: in addition to bagging a Mercury nomination, their latest album, Do You Like Rock Music? has seen the band hailed as the UK’s answer to Arcade Fire. Never mind that it was the church-dwelling Montrealers who arguably cadged BSP’s widescreen sound to begin with: clearly Noble and company are glad to have graduated beyond the toilet circuit. For one thing, winning an international fan-base affords them greater opportunity to indulge in some of their favourite on-the-road exploits. Such as bird watching.
“I wouldn’t say I’m an expert at it or anything,” demurs Noble, “but I do know a fair bit. Me and my girlfriend will go bird-watching in the countryside every now and then. It’s great for getting out of your head. On tour, you’d be surprised how much of it you can squeeze in. We were in Florida recently, and saw a bunch of pelicans down by the sea. That was really exciting.”
They’ve also had their own beer named after them: “We’re all big ale fans. In fact, it’s in our rider that we have to have quality ales for each show. What did we have when we played Ireland? I can’t remember. Though I think it was some manner of microbrew. Anyway, Dent Brew in Yorkshire offered to let us design our own beer. They presented us with six or seven different flavours, and let us pick our favourite. It’s almost as good as winning the Mercury.”
Speaking of Ireland, the band’s last show here culminated in an impromptu stage invasion. How do BSP feel about fans taking over?
“It’s alright. It’s a laugh. The only worry is that someone will step on your equipment. I’ve lost a few pedals to stage invasions.”
If anything has held back British Sea Power over the past decade it’s their reputation for eccentricity. Whether decorating the stage with foliage and stuffed bears or writing songs about Amundsen’s expedition to the Antarctic, they have repeatedly ventured were few rock bands would dare.
“We’re trying to get away from that image although we’re still into the same ideas,” Noble concludes. “The difference is that now we don’t push the ideas into your face quite as brazenly. But they’re still there in the background. We’re still writing about stuff that took place 50 years ago. One of the songs on the new record is about the recent flooding in England, but we’re comparing it to floods that happened in the ‘40s.”

British Sea Power play The Academy, Dublin on September 29.