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Punk duo Slaves talk all about their new album ahead of Birmingham show

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Punk duo Slaves will celebrate the release of their second studio album, Take Control, when they headline Birmingham's O2 Academy tomorrow.

Laurie Vincent and Isaac Holman formed in Tunbridge Wells in 2012 and released their first EP, Sugar Coated Bitter Truth, that year. Since then, they have appeared on Later With Jools Holland and been nominated for BBC's Sound of 2015. Their debut album, Are You Satisfied, was a No8 hit and was also nominated for the Mercury Music Prize.

Laurie was thrilled the band received rave reviews for Take Control. "I think the recording is definitely better," he said of it. "A few of the songs could have been taken off our early stuff, or the last album, but all in all it's just a much more developed album.

"There's heavier, darker stuff on there, but I prefer it."

The album pays tribute to the legendary Beastie Boy Mike D. "He got in touch with our A&R or our manager saying he wanted to work with us! It was pretty lucky really. He's really nice, a really nice bloke, very down to earth and genuine." The band have found themselves in a number of unexpected situations since making a beeline for the top. There have been strange festival encounters with bands from The Jackson 5 to Brian Fallon.

Laurie adds: "The Jacksons, walked past us backstage in Japan. That was weird. And I met Brian Fallon, he's like one of my heroes." Fallon was playing Festival Rock en Seine in Paris, then came back to the UK at the same time. "We were in the immigration bit of Calais and I looked up and he was standing next to me in the queue.

"I didn't even realise it was him until he'd moved along to the next bit. Then I got to Reading and made the effort to go and chat to him. He was really nice too." It's not just the band's celebrity life that has changed. Laurie has also become engaged and is about to become a father.

"It's not too bad, I get to take lots of time off," he jokes. "We're taking two months off over Christmas when the baby is due, then we'll go on tour and be away for a month but then we'll have a month off."

By Andy Richardson

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