Tighten Up
IN 2009, the Black Keys were on the verge of something, but they weren’t sure exactly what. After years spent eking out a modest living on small labels and mid-level touring, they enjoyed a breakthrough thanks to a new label, Nonesuch, and a new producer, Danger Mouse. 2008’s Attack & Release reached No 14 in America and grazed the UK Top 40. Drummer Patrick Carney remembers that their goal had always been to play the Brixton Academy, but that, “We never felt that playing the O2 or somewhere like that was ever going to be attainable.”
Behind the scenes, Carney was about to turn 30 and had just got divorced. To compound his woes, he wasn’t happy that his partner in the Black Keys, singer-guitarist Dan Auerbach, had just released a solo album without his knowledge. As a consequence, the pair went through what the drummer calls “some shit”.
“I think that was more in Pat’s head than mine,” insists Auerbach today. “Pat was going through a really bad time. I was making music as I always had done. Communication wasn’t great and there was a lot going on. But we, thinking, ‘Not many bands make it to six albums, so we’d better put our best foot forward.’
