Hollyoaks Music Show

First things first, Alphabeat... Have you ever heard of Hollyoaks?

Anders SG: I think it's been on television in Denmark, actually. We don't have a TV, so we're really...
Stine: … behind.
Anders SG: We've heard it's like an English version of Beverly Hills.

What would be the Danish equivalent of such a show?

Stine: I don't think so.
Anders SG: I've heard that Hollyoaks has been going on for a lot of years.
Stine: Denmark hasn't got that.
Anders SG: No, but Denmark has got a very new series called Happiness.

But has Happiness got a music show spin-off?

Stine: No, but it does play our songs.
Anders SG: There's not much music television in Denmark not like here where music is put in anywhere it can go.

New single, 'The Spell' is very early 90s dance pop. Is this the direction the second album's going in?

Anders SG: We've listened to that kind of music for a long time. We just tried so many genres when we were in the studio including early 90s dance music. 'The Spell' was really influenced by a song by Black Box and Black Box the band in general. Stine's voice fits that kind of music really well. We mixed up vocal house and Italian disco with new elements to make it sound professional.

You're from Denmark, you're being influenced by Italian dance. You're quite continental...

Anders SG: It's almost 20 years since Italian disco first became popular and we thought that no-one else had brought back the house piano sound, so we thought we'd be the ones to do it.

Do you think it’s a departure from your first album sound?

Anders SG: Yes, a slight bit. The first album was more like a live recorded album in the studio whereas this album is a lot more like us playing around with synthesizers in our studio and programming drums.

Will this be more difficult to transform into a live show then?

Stine: We thought so until we went into the rehearsal room. We now think it works really well.
Anders SG: We created our new songs in the studio, but the first album we made in the rehearsal space. It's totally the opposite process, but it's really fun to be challenged.

Is there any chance that Anders R will leave you anytime soon? I play bass and quite fancy being in the 'beat, ya see.

Anders SG: I don't think so! We're all original members, so there's not even a slim chance.
Stine: No, that would be weird!

Maybe I could play electronic drums?

Stine: Maybe...
Anders SG: Maybe you could be in a video.
Stine: I don't think we could incorporate you as a proper member though. It's just been us for six years, so it'd be weird if we had anyone else join us.

What if I pretended I was Danish?
Stine: That would be an advantage, yes! If you can speak Danish by the next time I see you, you're in!

And finally, if you could appear in any other TV show that had a music spin-off, what would it be?

Stine: Beverly Hills 90210! I'm hooked on the original series.
Anders SG: But Hollyoaks is not too different from Beverly Hills! We've enjoyed playing the little juice bar [MOBS].

Yes, it's an intimate setting. It's like going back to your roots, I'm sure...

Anders SG: Oh yeah, we played juice bars all the time!

Alphabeat cast many 'spells' in our episode two gallery

Exclusive interview with episode two's Hollyoaks mentor, Andy Moss available on the Matalan microsite...