Darwin Deez invites The Cads on Germany tour

By Richard Haugh
BBC Suffolk

The Cads are playing four nights with Darwin Deez

New York singer Darwin Deez has personally invited The Cads to join him on tour in Germany.

The Cads, who were picked by BBC Suffolk Introducing to play Latitude 2010, will join Darwin and his band for four gigs in September.

"We wanted a band who could get people excited and warm up the crowd," said Darwin. "I heard The Cads' music and it sounded great.

"They've a promising sound and I think they're guaranteed to be entertaining."

Darwin's eponymous release is one of the breakthrough albums of the year, and the band's live shows have received equally high praise (especially the choreographed dance routines).

For them, the Germany dates are part of a summer tour which also takes in Australia, France and Holland, as well as high profile festival slots at Reading/Leeds and Bestival.

The Cads shared the bill with Darwin Deez at Latitude, but it was the Norwich Arts Centre that brought them together.

I'm going to have a few pints with him and play with his hair. Stefan, The Cads

"We emailed Norwich Arts Centre to see if we could support Darwin Deez, but they said all the slots were full," said The Cads' singer Stefan Vincent with regards to the gig which takes place on 24 October.

"Somehow Darwin Deez found our MySpace and he emailed us to say he's a big fan of our music, which was a bit strange.

"A week or two later his agent emailed us to say would we like to join him on tour in Germany - we said of course we would.

"I was really shocked. I was a bit hungover at the time and was trying to work out how we'll get there, and the bad points, and then wow.

"I've looked at the venues and they look amazing."

Stefan and The Cads played at Latitude for BBC Suffolk Introducing

Uploader success

The Cads formed in September last year and submitted their track Crayola via the BBC Uploader.

BBC Suffolk Introducing played it on air two days later, 24 hours before their first ever gig, and Huw Stephens gave them their Radio One debut a couple of weeks later.

The band were one of three acts chosen to represent BBC Suffolk Introducing on Huw Stephens's Lake Stage at Latitude.

With no manager, record label or booking agent, Stefan says The Cads wouldn't have achieved all this without the help of BBC Introducing:

"It's a brilliant way of getting yourself heard. I'm pretty close to BBC Introducing and see it more as a friend now, it's helped us so much.

"Without Introducing and the Uploader we'd be playing the Steamboat everyday."

Darwin, whose album was released by indie label Lucky Number, says he enjoys being able to help up and coming bands.

"If I hear something that's interesting and they're just starting out, I know it's going to be a positive thing," he said.

Darwin was disappointed to miss out on the Kate Nash date

Kate Nash

Darwin toured Germany earlier in the year and says The Cads will enjoy their notoriously good hospitality.

He says the UK is also good, but his last trip here was marred slightly by the cancelation of his appearance at the iTunes Festival supporting Kate Nash.

"It was her birthday and she wanted her friends' bands to play. It sucked for us because we had announced it seven weeks prior and it had been confirmed.

"She's famous and she decided she wanted to enjoy the thrill of choosing the bands on the bill who she wanted to play with her.

"It was a disappointment for us because we were looking forward to all that exposure, but I'm sure she was happy for that exposure to go to her friends' bands.

"But what can you do? We can't be slowed up, you've got to charge it to the game and keep it moving."

Darwin acknowledged The Cads' proactive spirit in seeking support slots and had this advice for other new bands looking to take the step up.

"The number one thing that has got me in the position of people knowing my music is touring. My first opportunity to tour came from playing guitar for another band.

"I would encourage people to go on tour in whatever form possible, even if you have your own vision.

"On the creative side my advice would be to think about the listener, and to think about exactly what it is about music that people tend to notice.

"As a musician there are all kinds of details that fascinate us as the creator, and it's important to delve into all the nuances, but you also have to bring your head out of the sand and think about what people are listening to when they listen to the radio.

"Rather than getting lost in organising the little bits and bobs, which is so easy to do, the main thing is to keep a wider perspective.

"The listener, maybe, is only going to hear the chorus the first five times they hear your song.

"How you want to come across is probably something you should pack into the chorus, and don't worry so much about every word in the verse.

"You want to get there eventually, but the main thing is to get out there."