If you have crawled under a rock the last year or so, The Heavy is a big deal. Just remember this small factoid, just so you a grasp how hard they've hit the star button in the States; The Heavy was the only band ever to perform on Letterman and be asked to give an encore. As, the only band in the whole history of the David Letterman show. Um, how do you like them now?

antiMusic caught up with lead singer, Kelvin Swaby, while he was recuperating from the band's most recent tour and as was listening to demos in preparation of the band's third, yes, you heard it here, third studio album due out hopefully at the top of the new year.

antiMusic: For four guys from the UK you certainly hit the States with a vengeance?

Kelvin: I think the style of our music, through the influences used, is crafted well for an American audience. I'm glad that we're being well received right now.

antiMusic: "How Do you Like Me Now" is arguably one of the most widely recognized songs in mainstream music today, thanks to the Kia ad, the NFL clip and various other outlet's who have used it. Did you ever think it would be such a successful hit? What was the motivation behind writing the song?

Kelvin: Everybody likes a villain, if the villain is comfortable with themselves. It's nice to play the villain sometimes......

antiMusic: You've only put out two albums so far, Great Vengeance and Furious Fire, and The House Dirt Built, but have the skill and maturity of musicians who have been at it for decades. What do you attribute that to?

Kelvin: Being super anal helps.

antiMusic: Both albums are great, but with so many great tracks on your album, The House Dirt Built do you find that "How Do you Like Me Now" overshadows the rest of your work?

Kelvin: It's the most recognized track from us, to date but there are a lot of great tracks that we've written that are lyrically and musically as strong, or stronger than HYLMN. Listen, and I'm sure you'll find a worthy contender.

antiMusic: I've read that you often leave imperfections from recording in your mastered product. Talk a little bit about why you do, and are you getting more selective about leaving in mistakes the more famous you get?

Kelvin: We leave the mistakes in our work because sometimes, they just seem to make sense. If the track sounds great with a vocal that's been sung into my phone, in an airport, bluetoothed, chopped up and then bit crushed, then it makes the cut. The ethos is that, however we record, if it sounds good it sounds good, however unconventional the process is.

antiMusic: Can you give us a brief self-bio on your climb to recognizable stardom? How did all the pieces fit together to bring you to where you are today?

Kelvin: Hard work and taking no BS from anybody, in regard to the way that we make music, is how we've arrived at this interview.

antiMusic: You've had a number of songs used in television shows like Entourage, Californication, Rookie Blue, Community, and more. Talk about the successes you've had to date? What's been the biggest achievement for you as a band?

Kelvin: The Letterman performance is definitely at the forefront as it's a display from a band that didn't fold under the pressure of being on such a prestigious show. We played it like we always play it.

antiMusic: Have you all always wanted to be musicians? Did you ever imagine that you'd be so wildly popular?

Kelvin: Never for a minute, would I have thought that we would be working as hard as we are currently but we have a lot more in the tank, so there's no time to think about things like popularity. To be able to take your music around the world is major for all musicians. We're no different.

antiMusic: Kevin and Dan-you've been friends for nearly twenty-one years. How many years have you been playing together and how did that come about?

Kelvin: It feels like forever but is probably between 10- 13 years that we started fooling around in the dirt. There has always been a telepathic communication between the way we write. Something that is a little grubby but also, just a little bit special.

antiMusic: Do you credit SXSW as your starting point for your successes?

Kelvin: To be credited on so many blogs, post SXSW, as one of the top 5 bands over the whole event, definitely helped us some.

antiMusic: What was the music scene like locally when you were getting into it, and did that impact your style of music?

Kelvin: It was always so hard to get a group of musicians into a room and so enter Mr Yahama SU10, Atari and cheap Fostex 4 track. We listened to so much different music but never wanted to follow any bands that were around. What we wanted to do, was something vintage but with contemporary resource. No one was really doing it where we're from, so you we thought we'd try.

antiMusic: Talk abut your experiences on your first North American Tour?

Kelvin: There are so many but taking Montreal Jazz Festival by the nuts last year has got to one of the great memories. We turned up to play and there probably already 2-3 thousand people there and by the time we had finished, there was something like 10-12, with people hanging off lamp posts and jumping on parked cars to get a decent view.

Funny.

antiMusic: What stands out as your most memorable experience?

Kelvin: Letterman. Just because it was such a surreal day........ a lot happened.

antiMusic: What has been the best experience with fans so far? The worst?

Kelvin: Having panties, with telephone numbers thrown at you is pretty funny, while having Nazi saluting, crazy, Marseillans taunting Dan, has got to be up there with the worst.

antiMusic: Do you see yourselves moving into a new or different direction thematically, musically, or lyrically for your next album?

Kelvin: I'm listening to new demos as I write this and I think that having time changes the size of the ballpark. I look forward to being able to answer that question properly in a few months.....

antiMusic: How have you evolved as individuals and musicians through your quick rise to success and notoriety?

Kelvin: Take one day at a time. This really hasn't been a quick rise to 'success' at all. You learn little by little, keep your eyes open and take one day at a time.

antiMusic: What have you had to give up?

Kelvin: A lot. Time with family and close ones mainly. That can be one serious rub.

antiMusic: Do you have any regrets?

Kelvin: A few but you gotta live with them, like family...... and I live with my family, just fine.

antiMusic: What's the hardest part about touring?

Kelvin: The time away from the loves of our lives..... and sometimes.....the food.

antiMusic: How do you handle creative and personal differences when you are on tour together?

Kelvin: After touring with each other for so long, it becomes second nature to understand everybody's space requirements. It's one of the first things that you have to learn when you're on the road.....

antiMusic: What do you consider to be your best work as a band?

Kelvin: I love the way that Shortchange Hero and Oh No! Not You Again!! came about. The recording processes were completely different from each other but the work that we, as a team put in was invaluable to the way that they eventually turned out.

antiMusic: If you could work with anyone in the industry, who would it be and why?

Kelvin: I'm gonna say Tom Waits, as we met him briefly at one of our shows in San Francisco this year. The man has been a continual point of reference to myself, throughout the time that I have wanted to play music. A pure genius and to have him on one of our future offerings would surely one hell of a gravel pit.

antiMusic: If you could open for any band in the world, who would it be?

Kelvin: There are so many, past and present, that I couldn't say. There really are too many.

antiMusic: What are you future recording plans? Are you presently writing for a third album?

Kelvin: As I said, I'm answering these questions while listening to demos and ideas for the next record. The plan is to go in a few weeks before X-Mas and then really get down to it after the New Year...... Sh*t is sounding p-retty good right now though, so lets see what we can do with this one.

antiMusic: Words to live by?

Kelvin: Don't be a pr*ck. Treat others as you would want, keep your eyes open, play in the dirt because it's good for your immune system and......... oh yeah
Don't be a pr*ck.