Dashy Boys: Hurts
It’s 2005. Two groups leave one of the bars in Manchester where music overflows into the streets, and start fighting in a way they probably won’t remember why. On both sides of the fight, there is a man who prefers to question why he’s there and what he’s going through instead of throwing fists. Since this fight when Adam Anderson and Theo Hutchcraft said hello to each other for the first time, Hurts has released four albums – the latest one in September – and performed numerous concerts all across the world.
Hurts carved itself a place in our memories as the dashy British boys who released “Wonderful Life” and “Stay.” Now, far away from the dark lands they courageously treaded in their early years, they continue their journey on the glimmering path of pop music. Hurts, whom we last watched live at Rock’n Coke in 2013, will perform at Zorlu Performing Arts Center on February 10, Saturday as part of the “Desire” tour to celebrate their latest album. Adam Anderson of the duo answered our questions before the retro-filtered performance.
You became a band followed by millions with your black-and-white video for “Wonderful Life” which was released on YouTube almost 10 years ago. After all this time, what’s the meaning and the importance of music videos and YouTube for you?
I think we are just so grateful that we had a platform like YouTube at the time. We were unemployed and broke, and suddenly we had a gateway to the
world. Millions of people connected with that video, and without a platform like YouTube, we might not even be here now.
You attach importance to your music videos. We can almost say that you create a visual home for your songs. Let’s think the opposite: if you had a chance to integrate one of your songs into a film scene, which film and song would you choose?
Our music would work for some sort of alternative film about a romance. There would be a few plot twists. There would definitely be a great song during the end credits. There would be some unsettling moments. There would be moments of despair followed by moments of redemption.
How does wearing a suit make you feel?
I don’t wear them personally, as they’re largely too rigid and known for me. I prefer more angular vintage items with an unknown history. Theo wears suits a lot more than me and they look great on him. For me they’re a bit too clean.
Which bands’ or artists’ stage clothes do you like?
Our own. There’s no better dressed band than us.
What’s the meaning of “desire” for you?
It’s a word full of ambiguity. Desire to me is about feeling galvanized and inspired to do something that gives you meaning. On the flipside, desire can also be more carnal and dark. The album features a mixture of these ideas so the title felt perfect.
You’ve performed in many countries. How does it feel to give a concert to people that you’re unaccustomed to, in an unknown atmosphere? Is there a country or a city that you dream of and still haven’t been?
Actually, Turkey is a place we always talk about. We have Turkish friends in England and they always ask why we don’t go there more often. The truth is that logistically it is quite hard to arrange a show in Turkey. So, we’re really glad to be coming back there
As a duo, how do you decide that a song is complete or not?
If neither of us has anything more to say about a song then that usually means it’s reached the end of the line. We used to tweak things forever but now we are a bit healthier in that way. I think we know when to stop now.
After five years, you’re coming to Istanbul again. This time, you’re going to perform at a performing arts center instead of a festival. We see that Hurts moved away from the dark feelings of the past. What should the audience expect for this concert?
We have certainly not abandoned the darker material. We love our first two albums as much as ever. However, during a 90-minute show, there has to be more of an arc and a journey. That’s why our new album has really helped us create a better show for fans. It is a complete story as opposed to a homage to only one mood.