Up the Bracket with Adam Ficek at Dudesweet

Written by Elliott Prasse-Freeman

Wednesday, 23 April 2008

Adam Ficek, drummer of Babyshambles, is not your typical rock star. No visible tattoos, no sunglasses at night. Hell, as we were chatting he ordered a “still water” instead of whisky straight. But what is most “un-rock star” is his demeanor – which is pleasant, open, and above all communicative. And when you’re drummer of a Pete Doherty-related band, there is often much to talk about, so we made sure to sit down with him shortly before his gig at Club Culture started. Doherty (pronounced Dock-erty) is famous (see this Pete Doherty article in Rolling Stone) not only for being in and out of both prison and drug rehab, but also because he’s (arguably) incredibly talented – and so every time he smokes crack or wraps his Jaguar around a tree, he runs the risk of snuffing out that talent forever. In fact, while Doherty’s previous band the Libertines is often regarded as the most important British rock band since Oasis, it self-destructed under the weight of Doherty’s problems and remains a cautionary tale of what could have been. Therefore Babyshambles, the ensuing band that rose from Libertines’ ashes, has potential for massive redemption – or another fiery immolation. Bangkok Recorder spoke to Adam Ficek about his role in Babyshambles, his own approach to music, and the challenges of coming to play in Thailand. “I began with [Babyshambles] when all the Kate Moss stuff happened,” Ficek leaned over and sipped his water. Kate Moss is a supermodel and former Doherty fiancée who was photographed by the Paparazzi using cocaine in Doherty’s recording studio. “I wondered, What have I gotten myself into?” Ficek went on to describe how the media obsession with Doherty (an obsession that this article possibly shares) has created a toxic atmosphere for the band. “Pete has his problems, and we know that. But the media, the drugs – all of it ends up detracting from the music.” This tumult has meant that Babyshambles may be one of the only bands that does not even rehearse. “We actually do a lot of our creating on-stage.” Ficek describes Babyshambles’ version of the creative process. “As the drummer, I hold the beat, keep up with Pete’s sudden improvisations. Sometimes it’s too loud to hear the music from the monitor. I actually watch his hands move along the guitar: that way I can tell if he’s drifted into something new, like a reggae version of the song,” Ficek says, laughing. This same approach – of rolling with the punches and responding to a challenging environment on the fly – informs Ficek’s dj-ing as well. When Bkk Recorder asked him if it was a daunting task to DJ in Thailand, where he’d never been before, and whose popular culture he doesn’t know, he responded: “I have been playing music and dj-ing since I was 15. My approach to dj-ing is to respond to the crowd, maybe give them something they haven’t heard, but also give them what they want.” Ficek made it clear that music acts as a universal connector, a conversation that can transcend cultures. And from the very beginning of this show, that conversation between DJ and the crowd was readily apparent: Ficek started out safely with Strokes, Ramones, Blondie (even the unconscionable mistake of Jet’s Iggy Pop rip-off Are You Gonna Be My Girl). 10 deep into whisky-sodas, the club goers responded positively, but this was playing it pretty safe. The complexity rose when Ficek drifted into the indie-electronica of Hot Chip’s sensational "Over and Over"; in a clever nod to the past, Ficek even played Libertines "Time for Heroes" and kept the energy rising with a house-shaking mix of New Order’s "Blue Monday". His musical choices displayed his respect for lush melodies, and even as drummer for Babyshambles he mentions that “I really focus on making the music sound nice.” It is with this in mind that Ficek has begun creating his own work. His own limited release solo album can be streamed on his MySpace. Ficek remains inspired by the changes in technology that have made this possible. “File sharing, that whole thing, it’s getting people turned on to music.” However, the taking attitude of file sharing – taking without giving anything back – does bother Ficek. “Don’t just steal music, give me something back – whether it’s feedback or encouragement. I respond to everyone who posts on my MySpace.” Ficek is always seeking to have a conversation, even over html. In many ways, the entire night was about cross-cultural communication: Note (the dude behind Dude/Sweet, the guru that walks amongst his leg-warmer wearing disciples) allowed Thai speakers to get in touch with an earlier era, as he played a set of turn-of-the-century Thai songs. The words were projected on a video screen behind the stage, allowing essentially for a giant group-karaoke jam cerca 1904. The predominantly Thai crowd’s response ranged from reverent to enraptured to amused; many sang along. Following Note was Thai pop star Palmi, whose outfit can only be described as the sartorial approximation of a jungle, and who performed one song while slinking across the stage. When asked about the unique culture of Thailand on display Ficek looked awed: “Everyone is so polite and lovely. Certainly not like this in England!” Ficek finished by adding his thoughts on the future of Babyshambles. “All I really want to do is keep making music. If I can do that I’ll be happy.”