Getting To Know: Baudelaire

Baudelaire are a six piece post-punk band from Birmingham. Through noisy, goth-tinged soundscapes, they write songs about the dark side of the human condition. Baudelaire will release their seventh track ‘Preacher’ on November 22nd 2024.

Previous singles have received airplay from BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 6. The band has supported the likes of Frank Turner, Heartworms, Crows and Egyptian Blue. They have also played sell-out headline shows in Birmingham and Paris. 

Abrasive and frenetic, ‘Preacher’ is a noise-rock takedown of those that claim to have all the answers. We caught up with them, here is how it went down.

1. Your music explores the darker side of the human condition. What inspired you to dive into these themes, and how do they shape your creative process?

 We're all into bands like The Smiths, Joy Division, The Murder Capital, Crows, Soft Kill, The Cure, and Nine Inch Nails, to name a few. I think we share a unique curiosity about how the human mind works and reacts to its environment. Alex studied Literature and over the years has introduced me to writers like Charles Baudelaire and Cormac McCarthy, while I’ve got a vested interest in the works of Burroughs, along with lyricists like Lennon, Morrissey, and Jim Morrison. In short, we’re just a group of like-minded edgy goths trying to figure ourselves out, and our music is a product of that.

2. 'No Future' contrasts bleak lyrics with an upbeat, danceable sound. How do you approach balancing these kinds of opposites in your music?

"No Future" started with a guitar riff Alex had that had a bit of an '80s Cure vibe. We got together and turned it into a demo, working through several different titles before landing on "No Future." When we write songs, the lyrics are usually the last thing we add. I like to hear the track as a whole before deciding on the melody and lyrics that fit. Whoever comes up with the initial idea sets the tone or theme, and we build from there.

For this song, I had the chorus melody early on, and the words seemed to be about acceptance—about succumbing to a predetermined fate. No matter how hard you try, there’s nothing you can do to change it. Pretty cheerful… I worked on the verses for a while, really trying to emphasise that feeling of losing control over your own life. The song has an underlying tone of, "Oh well, nothing we can do now, so let's not worry until it all goes wrong."

I love how Morrissey could turn Johnny Marr’s upbeat, jangly riffs into some of the most forlorn pieces of music with just his lyrics and delivery. That’s what we aimed for with "No Future," and hopefully, we did an alright job.

3. With 'Preacher,' you take aim at those who claim to have all the answers. What prompted you to write this track, and what message are you hoping listeners take away?

Liam brought a demo to practice one week, not long after we’d seen Gilla Band in Birmingham. As soon as I heard it, I came up with the first line: "He ain’t a preacher, he just died for us all. He came from Heaven in the boot of a car." It stuck, and we built the song from there.

I can't stand it when people shove their beliefs down your throat, especially religious views. Everyone has the right to form their own opinions, and I’ve found that street preachers can often be rude and obnoxious, getting petulant when people dismiss them. The irony of someone aggressively preaching kindness was something I drew on for this track.

4. You’ve shared stages with artists like Frank Turner and The Murder Capital. How have these experiences influenced your sound and live performances?

Supporting Frank Turner was a wild experience. He’s an unquestionably great songwriter and an amazing performer. We've also shared stages with Cabbage, Crows, Heartworms, and Egyptian Blue, and each one has left a mark on us. Performing at these shows adds pressure because we want to impress the headliners, which brings out the best in us.

As a singer, I always pay attention to stagecraft—how the performers use the stage. Egyptian Blue, in particular, were so tight and worked together seamlessly, which is something we strive for as a unit.

5. As a band that has played sold-out shows in Birmingham and Paris, what are some of the standout moments from your live gigs, and how do you keep that energy fresh on tour?

The most recent gig in Paris at the Supersonic Club stands out. The energy from the audience was incredible, and it really showed in our performance. At one point, Arthur’s synth went flying into the crowd along with him. Thankfully, I got my shirt back by the end of the night.

Porto was another unforgettable experience—we played in front of over 500 people, which was amazing. Supporting Crows in either 2022 or 2023 (I can’t quite remember) was also huge for us. They were touring their Beware Believers album, which is a stone-cold 10/10 in my opinion. That night felt like a turning point for us. One woman even told our drummer that she had seen Joy Division in 1980 at the University of Birmingham, and she liked our performance more. I mean, I’d give anything to have been at that Joy Division gig, but it was still an incredible compliment.

As we plan more gigs for the next year, I feel confident that if the crowds are willing to give us a shot, we can bring enough energy to make every venue an unforgettable experience.