Towers Of London Say They're More Substance Than Hype

It's an unlikely sight in a boho-chic Toronto cafe: A posse of tattooed rockers resplendent in ratty leather jackets and torn jeans, hair teased to Motley Crue perfection, their vibe clearly spelling out that they don't care what you think.

Like the bastard lovechildren of the Sex Pistols and Guns N' Roses, Towers Of London are the new enfants terribles of the British music scene, and they wouldn't have it any other way.

"People either love us or they hate us — there's no soft ground," explains The Rev, the band's lead guitarist. "I would rather be loved than hated, but I'd be glad for either extreme, so long as it's not just, 'Yeah, I guess they're alright.' I'd rather be in a band that's hated than a band that just doesn't really matter."

Despite appearances and all of the rumours from the sensationalist U.K. press, the British punks are actually an amiable bunch. They answer questions with good humour and a startling amount of self-awareness for such young musicians. They're entirely conscious of England's hype machine when it comes to new bands, and they'd much rather do things their own way.

"In Britain, a mag like the NME can make or break a band like that," drummer Snell says, snapping his fingers for emphasis. "And we want that, too, but we'd rather build the band up by touring so people can see us for themselves instead of reading the press."

"The press are kind of indifferent at the moment," comments guitarist Dirk Tourette. "They haven't made up their minds.

"Sometimes we'll get good reviews and sometimes we'll get bad ones, and it all depends on the reviewer and who they write for."

"In the U.K., one radio station controls the whole of the country — that's BBC Radio One," says The Rev. "And one magazine controls all of the music press, which is the NME.

"So if they don't like you, then you're fucked. And if they hate you, then you're even more fucked. It's like Snell said, you have to go out and play. You have to take your music and your band to their doorstep."

If a gang like Towers Of London came knocking, they'd definitely be hard to ignore. But with all of the debate these days about style versus substance amongst the ripped-jeans-and-eyeliner bands, TOL make sure to put emphasis on their authenticity.

"We're certainly not the sort of band that'll bring a costume to the gig and just change into it there before the show," scoffs The Rev. "This is how we dress — we look like this all the time.

"And as far as substance goes, there's no doubt that we're actual musicians. We're not some crappy garage band that's making themselves out to be a glorified metal band. We're all good musicians, and we're real at the same time."