U.S. Government Takes Interest In Middling Indie-Rock Band
Finally, the Patriot Act does some good! From today’s Pitchfork news item on the Klaxons:
The band was scheduled to go on its first U.S. mini-tour in early November, but were forced to cancel the shows when the members were denied visas due to the band’s youth and its small recorded output. “I guess it’s something about not being able to have a visa unless you’ve been together for a certain period of time,” Reynolds says. We haven’t even had our [one year] anniversary yet. It’s on the fourth of November or something. It does sound a bit crazy doesn’t it? Certainly they can’t mark your popularity on the amount of time that you have been in existence.”
Actually, this is not the first time Uncle Sam has held up an NME-championed Brit band. According to the INS website, these acts were rejected on the following grounds:
Editors: “Too derivative.” The Ordinary Boys: “Ska has not been allowed in the country since 1996.” Dirty Pretty Things: “Too much dirty, not enough pretty.” Robbie Williams: “Never heard of ’em” Klaxons Talk Visa Troubles, Debut Album [Pitchfork]
