Indie legends Los Campesinos! have forged a path to cult status by doing things their own way, and with their new album ‘All Hell’, they’re looking to set an example.
Words: Martyn Young.
Photos: Juliette Boulay.
"The question of 'Why does the world need Los Campesinos! in 2024?' is one we were asking ourselves," reflects Gareth Campesinos! as the alt-pop legends gear up to return after seven years away. Later on, Gareth alights on perhaps the best explanation. "We're a fucking good band, and we do things differently." Indeed, staying true to the spirit and passion established 18 years ago, the flame for Los Campesinos! is burning brighter than ever as the once-cult heroes are capturing a whole new generation of fans while providing salvation and sanctuary for the people who have been with them from the start. 'All Hell' represents both a rebirth and validation for a band whose legacy continues to grow.
The doubt of whether they could do this again after so long away was real, though. "There was a real sentiment of, 'What do we have to give?'" ponders Gareth with characteristic honesty. "There are loads of people in bands like me, so what can I offer that is different? What does the world get from a Los Campesinos! album? There was a sense of worrying about that for a long time. We realised, hang on, we were always going to do another record. It's time to stop finding excuses not to do it."
As the band examined their place in the world, they began to focus on all the reasons why Los Campesinos! have always been special. They still feel vital. "We realised that there aren't many bands like us anymore that have been doing it for close to 20 years and, I believe, have avoided being a nostalgia thing," says Gareth. "We get offered quite a lot of festivals where clearly we're being booked as a nostalgia act. Turn up, play 'You! Me! Dancing!' and bring a glockenspiel, and everyone will have a good time. We've resisted that. We've always said no to that. We could make a decent money, but we've never wanted to be seen as a nostalgia thing."
