It’s that time of year again when everyone looks back at what was and what could have been. It’s no different for me and The Black Keys. Here’s a few observations about the band in 2008. And some crystal ball gazing about 2009.

2008

The Black Keys (almost) became part of a mainstream consciousness.From Letterman to Lollapalooza the band must have played more shows in 2008 than any other year. It seems Dan and Pat have been on the road constantly. Across the States, Europe, Australia (twice) and elsewhere.

They are certainly getting themselves out there but I for one fear burn out. Geez, they both have wives who I’m sure would love to see them more.

The new Attack & Release album came out to almost universal praise. It was a landmark in that it was so strong and diverse after the ‘OK but  more of the same’ nature of Magic Potion. It’s opened more ears than any other. All the DIY recording over the years seemed to be expressed so well in th is big studio sound album.

Attack and Release seems to be on so many peoples ‘Top Albums of 2008′ lists. Everyone also talks about the hip hop production connection of Danger Mouse on the album yet The Black  Keys have always loved hip hop and the Wu-Tang Clan specifically. And, correct me if I’m wrong, but their first album The Big Come Up remains the only album to feature samples.

Busy as they are the band has still found time to variously start their own label, found their own recording studio and help produce numerous up and coming bands we’ll no doubt hear alot more from in 2009.

The year was neatly wrapped and packaged by the new Crystal Ballroom Live DVD. It really showcased the breadth of sound, confidence and musical command of the band.

The band has always had a respect for grass roots poster art and publicity and we’ve covered this quite a bit this year. The new Black Keys official website leveraged off their album artwork and provided a strong identity.

As popular as they get Dan and Pat still have a real approachable quality to their personalities, wear Converse, and talk about fast food in more interviews than all other bands combined.

2009?

I’m still hopeful The RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan will produce the next album.

Who knows where Dan’s solo project will lead.  I can only think it will be positive for the band to take a break. But then again it seems when the creative juices are flowing you’ve got to bottle them as fast as possible before the mojo vanishes as fast as it could previously be pumped.

Prediction: Dan will shave his beard off. Just like Liam Finn did after my post about their hairy visage.

Hopefully someone will answer my question about who is The Black Keys Roadie?

Hopefully all these questions and more will be answered if I can get an interview with the band when they arrive in Australia in early 2009. Come what may I’ll still be jibbering on about them in 2009.

Have a safe and prosperous Festive Season.

Related posts:

1. 2009: The Black Keys Year In Review
2. Review: The Black Keys @ The Pyramid Rock Festival New Years Eve 2008
3. 2010: The Black Keys’ Year In Review

After I wrote my post about bands The Black Keys have produced, I started thinking more closely about what the band’s next record might sound like and some of the Black Keys early and ongoing influences.

Whilst investigating, I was surprised to come across more than a few references to the RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan in interviews. Importantly, some were very recent.

Considering the amount of discussion in reviews about the band working with hip hop producer Danger Mouse on the Attack and Release record, it seems this long held admiration for the RZA/Wu-Tang Clan and hip hop has been overlooked by many. For mind, it has many implications for their future direction and collaborations.

I was interested to read that right from the time of The Big Come Up release, the band had name-checked the RZA. As Dan commented in this November 2003 interview and article:

“When we started playing…we wanted everything to sound like RZA produced it, like Wu Tang,” Auerbach says. RZA, the Clan’s producer, is given a great deal of credit for the group’s unique flavor, a noteworthy point since Carney serves not only as the Keys’ drummer, but also as the producer.

The Wu-Tang Clan can even be credited for partly-defining the band’s distictive sound. As Dan explained in this 2005 interview:

“We never intended to sound the way we do,” he said -meaning they never intended to have a sloppy stomp as their signature beat. “When we were 16 and 17 we loved hip-hop and the Wu Tang Clan and those big thumps were all we knew how to play. I tried to take guitar lessons but I hated it and I realized I didn’t want to start some guitar band.”

Pat is a big fan of hip hop and RZA’s work (“Pat hates the blues,” Auerbach says) and notably first asked Danger Mouse to produce the latest record.

Fast forward to 2008, while discussing the Danger Mouse collaboration, Dan explained the sound of their early work and the hip hop connection again:

“Back then, we wanted to sound like RZA. The first demo we sent out, when we were trying to get a record deal, had samples on it and stuff like that, intros and outros, so we always liked that kind of music.”

Now, more tellingly for understanding where Pat and Dan’s heads are at in 2008 (if this is possible), in this recent September 24, 2008, interview Dan commented:

“We would love to work with RZA,” he said. “I don’t know if that would ever happen or if it’s even possible.”
“Listening to those records, we really wanted to make records that sounded like that,” he said.

Interestingly, Dan also commented in this September 25, 2008, interview about the sound of the next record:

“Right now, it’s like there are no rules or boundaries out there for us,” Auerbach says. “We can kind of do whatever we want. And I think that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

So, will the Black Keys be the next big thing in hip hop? Will the RZA produce the next album? Well, I’ve seen it before when artists drop the names of people they wish to work with in the press and collaborations eventuate. The band obviously have a desire to fully imagine their hip hop sensibilities in recorded music.  Clearly the Attack and Release has been their most popular release and their evolved sound has moved them to headline status. I for one won’t be surprised if on the next record I see a notable production credit on at least one track from the RZA. Got to think it’ll be something that’s been a long time coming and nobody should be surprised. No doubt it will be worth the wait.

Related posts:

1. Who Will Produce The Next Black Keys Album?
2. 2008: The Black Keys Year In Review
3. The Black Keys, Jim Jones, Mos Def Recording Together?