Dazed Digital talk to Newington Green's finest KASMS, on the eve of their two night show at Camden Crawl and the hotly anticipated release of their debut album ‘Spayed’. We sip a cheeky pint with them at The Haggerston Pub, Dalston and ponder over the positives of having a laugh with your mates whilst making music.

DD: You’ve all got day jobs, is that right?
Rachel Callaghan: I’ve just got a job at American apparel - had the interview today!
Gemma Fleet: I work for a charity - a music therapy charity for children with disabilities
Rory Brattwell: I’m a producer, today I was recording the guy who played the drums on Ottowan’s D.I.S.C.O, tomorrow I’m recording the drummer from Orange Juice.

DD: Who inspires you musically?
Rachel Callaghan: Kim Gordon
Gemma Fleet: Mike Watt from The Minutemen and Keebie from Cleckhuddersfax

DD: How do you construct your songs?
Rachel Callaghan: We all create our own collective parts, Gemma writes the bass line, I write the lyrics, Rory and Scott jump between the two. With the album we were reduced to doing it in three afternoons, which was a proper challenge, we didn’t want it to sound polished in any way. It’s a bit shambolic and rough round the edges.

DD: What’s special about you guys?
Gemma Fleet: Dunno, there are lots of bands with strong convictions, were strong people, we just want to get the free beer, have laugh and make music. We want to write again now, we’re all getting a bit angsty as we’ve been touring loads. [Gemma pauses to scrape candle wax off the table] - it’s really satisfying.

DD: Tell me about your album?
Rachel Callaghan: Some tracks were from the very beginning; I think Murmur was written literally the day before it was recorded.  It’s a document of what we’ve got so far.

DD: Are there any songs that you listen to now and feel embarrassed by?
Rachel Callaghan: Did we put Ode to Millers on the album?
Gemma Fleet: Rachel doesn’t like that one, that’s on the b-side
Rachel Callaghan: It was the first song we ever wrote at our first band practice, personally for me, it makes me cringe, other people like it though.

DD: What’s the best advice you’ve heard?
Gemma Fleet: Stand by what you are doing, and do not give a fuck

DD: What’s the greatest record ever made?
Gemma Fleet: I couldn’t even answer that.

DD: I’m not going to hold you to it, the first thing that pops into your head?
Gemma Fleet: Dookie, Green Day, that’s right here and now right.
Rachel Callaghan: Pretty on the inside, Hole

DD: On top of your shit list?
Gemma Fleet: Cynicism
Rachel Callaghan: The guy that punched me in the head at the Chicken Shack party on Saturday [Rachel shows me a rather impressive yellow bruise tucked under her fringe]
Rory Brattwell: I’m bored of debauchery; I’ve seen a lot of meltdowns of late.

DD: Do you have any stalker type fans?
Gemma Fleet: No, I’ve stalked a fan though! - I went to see Iggy Pop and there was this pretty hot 16 year old boy in a KASMS t-shirt, I was so impressed I asked if I could have a photograph with him.
Rachel Callaghan: We have our little German friend, at the gig he goes mental, once at Durr I found enough energy to pick him up and throw him, he doesn’t speak any English.
Rory Brattwell: No one likes me, I’m over the hilt, I don’t really have any female admirers, they’re scared of me because I’m moody.

DD: Plans for the future, where do you want to be in a year’s time?
Rachel Callaghan: From Rory’s point of view it might be nice to see what another producer could bring to our sound.

DD: What do you think the secret is to your success?
Gemma Fleet: I don’t know if we’ve had notable success, I think its successful that we haven’t fallen out yet.
Rachel Callaghan: I think we’ve been grabbing people’s attention; we’ve definitely raised some eyebrows along the way.
Rory Brattwell: We’re not very contrived, without trying we are making something that sounds interesting.

Fashion inspiration for the band?
Gemma Fleet: We always wear what we want to wear, we never discuss it.
Rachel Callaghan: We're really into the whole grunge 90s sluts thing at the moment, tank girl style.

Single ‘Male Bonding’ out 04 May 09
Debut Album ‘Spayed’ out 11 May 09

Tour Dates -
April
24th London Camden Crawl
25th London Camden Crawl
27th London Vibe Bar, Brick Lane
30th Bath Moles*

May
4th London Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (single launch)
5th Nottingham Bodega Social*
8th Liverpool Korova*
9th Leeds Faversham*
10th London Cargo
12th London Puregroove Instore
13th London Rough Trade Instore
16th Brighton Great Escape
22nd Liverpool Soundcity
* on tour with Die! Die! Die!