The Music That Made... Napoleon IIIrd

Few have made debut albums that have emerged out of nowhere so fully formed as In Debt To, a collage of home-made fractured alt-pop songs taken down avenues alt-pop songs don't usually go down. It was our number four album of 2007, and it was made by Wakefield resident James Mabbett trading as Napoleon IIIrd. On 16th February he returns with Hideki Yukawa, a seven track download only EP exhibiting what he's been brewing up since ahead of a second album set for the autumn. Once again it sweeps aside all notion of keeping to one idea, as it switches from quasi-garage rock to drum loop-aided fervency to digital Prince to ambient post-rock to Talk Talk minimal balladry. Not only a more than intriguing demonstration of where things are heading, but far more than exciting demonstration of his range and skill in itself. High time we grilled Mabbett in the only way we currently know how, then:

First single bought: I'm not sure what the first single I bought was. Although I do remember telling my Dad that I wanted to buy the Jive Bunny single only to be told that I should listen to the original songs instead.
First album bought: Hotel California by the Eagles
First gig voluntarily attended: The Presidents of the USA in Wolverhampton
The record that most made you want to get into music: I started playing the guitar when I was 6 and loved the Beach Boys at that point, but I also used to mime along to Dire Straits in the back of my parent's car using a hairbrush.
The three headliners at a festival you were curating: Tom Waits, Devo and Lee Perry.
A song not enough people know about but everyone should hear: Hyper Kinako - Tokyo Invention Registration Office
A song you'd play to get people dancing: LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk Is Playing At My House
The last great thing you heard: Menomena - Friend And Foe
Your key non-musical influences: Sitting on the bus listening to other people's conversations.
Your favourite new artist: I'm enjoying Friendly Fires and I also bloody love Sky Larkin, but they've both been around for ages right?

The Napoleon IIIrd live experience is on tour with Wild Beasts from 17th February, then has March dates with Damo Suzuki and Yo! Majesty. This is Zebra from the EP:



And this is Hit Schmooze For Me off In Debt To.