Idles’ Joe Talbot names his favourite ballad: “Perfect”
“I’ve always found violence to be a beautiful thing in art,” Idles‘ Joe Talbot once said. Clearly, anything involving an artist’s internal psyche and personal pain resonates with the musician, who seems to have always been drawn to the honest nature of music at the intersection of rock and punk. This is something he also knows all too well, particularly while creating their third album, Ultra Mono.
“I never lie,” the singer said. That much is true—looking back at their discography may reveal some hard truths about certain chapters in his life that he likely would have approached differently, but if there’s one thing to remain proud of, it’s that he is always honest. As he said of Ultra Mono, “Write those words down, and you can see they are not the words of a healthy man. I was scared and lost and angry.”
While it’s incredibly intriguing to look at the various aspects of Talbot’s life that influence his musical material, along with the different ways these sounds and lyrics resonate with others, it’s equally as interesting to look at his specific interests and how these align with his appreciation for authenticity. Nick Cave, for instance, is perhaps the forerunner when it comes to infusing suffering into art.
For Talbot, Cave represents strength and confidence, as well as tragedy and trauma. His music resonates because witnessing someone so headstrong appear somewhat vulnerable isn’t always easy, but whenever Cave does it, it’s magical. Ultimately, this is also why ‘Into My Arms’ became one of Talbot’s favourite songs of all time.
“When a figure such as Nick Cave – a father figure, someone who seems unbreakable and strong – becomes vulnerable and opens up, it’s a beautiful thing,” the musician told Kerrang. Discussing ‘Into My Arms’ specifically, he added: “It’s one of the most perfect songs ever written; it’s so tender. I love it, and I love him. It reminds me of my partner, and she always makes me cry.”
Someone who also manages to tap into a very deep part of Talbot’s soul is Otis Reading, who, in his words, has a “voice [that is] is the closest thing to God I think I’ll ever hear”. Like Cave, Reading manages to evoke a similar reaction in Talbot, adopting a type of authenticity that not many can replicate. “It’s a technique which evokes audience tears too; it’s an empathetic thing. He was an earnest, beautiful soul who worked hard in a short space of time,” Talbot explained.
For many, Idles might seem to present a type of raw energy that isn’t always immediately inviting, but once you peel back the layers, you find that Talbot is doing exactly the same thing as his heroes. Not only do the lyrics often tackle a range of personal and societal issues with brutal honesty, but the openness with which Talbot delivers such words adds a layer of emotional depth that’s difficult to find elsewhere.
