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The Enemy: 'We saw the recession coming' The Enemy Tickets

Tom Clarke believes conditions will make people see them in a new light

The Enemy frontman Tom Clarke has claimed that they saw the global recession coming with 2007 debut album 'We’ll Live And Die In These Towns'.

In this week’s NME cover feature, Clarke explains how the current economic conditions will make their songs about provincial working class poverty even more relevant than before.

He said: "We did see it coming early, and there were a lot of people who didn't get the band because of that. I think there will be a lot more people now that see the relevance of the first album, let alone the second."

However, Clarke does not claim to have all the answers to recovery as well.

"I'm not a politician and I don't know," he continued. "I'm very good at just pointing out what's happening… like, I know when I see car workers being given an hour's notice, which is what happened last month (at the Mini factory in Cowley), that that’s out of order. But actually changing the country is a seriously hard job, and people don't actually give politicians enough credit."

The Enemy release new album 'Music For The People' on April 27. To read our whole interview, check out this week’s issue of NME, on UK newsstands now.

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Comments (26)

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Number Johnny Five 

Mar 27, 2009

Oh yeah, he's REAL astute."You know like, politics is difficult and politicians do a great job and I can see what's happening and wag my finger."Poor lad hasn't got a clue whats in store for him.

buchowski 

Mar 27, 2009

The Grand National is coming up so could you please ask Tom where I should be putting my money?

ChrisL1981 

Mar 27, 2009

Little tosser...lol... "we saw it coming..." yeah all the politicians and EVERYONE else was too stupid right? But this knobhead clocked it straight away....file with Jon Mclure and all the rest of the wannabe Working Class Heroes around...

Guy Honeymoon 

Mar 27, 2009

Ha ha !! In a few years time he will look back at those words and just cringe !!!

manicsfan91 

Mar 27, 2009

tom clarke is a hero. anythin to have a go at someone on nme.com for most people though isn't it...as soon as you see an article on the enemy or oasis you just know there'll be a select amount of knobheads queueing up to hurl worthless abuse that falls largely on very deaf ears.

Lakey24 

Mar 27, 2009

what a cock he really is.it doesnt matter whats going on in this country your music will still suck ass. please call it a day after this album.

Mike.T. 

Mar 27, 2009

Sounds like a very intelligent bloke. Coventry's answer to Tony Benn.

virgildime 

Mar 27, 2009

Has anyone else noticed the resemblance between comic genius Marty Feldman and Tom Clarke? Poor Marty.

staggy_dev 

Mar 29, 2009

What recession?

Baronproductions 

Mar 29, 2009

Tom Clarke and the rest of his cronies are from Kenilworth, its about as working class as New Labour. Im not quite sure who told him to "exercise" the working class angle but, its wearing a bit thin...boring! make some decent music rat boy.

dazman80 

Mar 29, 2009

oh dear, what a stupid little boy.sorry kid, but ill never see the relevance of your songs. its been done, go away!

finthebin 

Mar 29, 2009

What a tit.

EddieG 

Mar 29, 2009

"...people don't actually give politicians enough credit...". What do they need credit for? We pay for their second houses, their extortionate expenses etc etc. What a fucking cocksmoker!!

Rockymcfc 

Mar 29, 2009

lakey24 fuck off and listen to fall out boy or my chemical romance or some yankee shit like that. using the phrase "suck ass" i knew this would annoy people. the enemy are mint.

markiechops 

Mar 29, 2009

NEWS FLASH: In the latest of a shock series of revelations, Tom Clarke today finally confirmed that war is bad, that black people are the same as white people, that we should all live in peace and harmony, and that things would be so much kewler if the kids were in government. Watch this space for further details...

dannycorndog 

Mar 29, 2009

surely the laws of the economic cycle deemed that, potentially, everyone saw an economic downturn coming?

horra379 

Mar 29, 2009

There's a reason why there's a queue of people lining up to knock the enemy manicfan.Tom Clarke, what a tosser. using the recession as a tool to sell records for his shit band, the album should be called "music for the people who have been conned into thinking we actually care about the music we write"

fazz777 

Mar 29, 2009

Tom clarke really is the most appalling working class hero!Something tells me the second album will be as shit as the first, 3 angry 16 year olds singing about 'real life' working class poverty, seeing as how the bloke has never done any real work in his life apart from failing his GCSE's he would really know wouldn't he!

callaby 

Mar 29, 2009

@manicsfan91: 'worthless abuse that falls largely on very deaf ears'... yes you must be deaf if you like the enemy...

wallin 

Mar 29, 2009

Tom Clarke saw it coming? What a cock. if the government didn't how the fuc am i sposed to believe this lil scouser did. and if he did, ytf didnt he say nythin. the enemy...worst band ever?

chickendinner 

Mar 29, 2009

manicsfan91 i agree, dont worry there all listening to "great" music like the foals, crystal castles...the enemy are a great band, oasis too...every time theres an article on either two, you can bet someone will start insulting

the_troglodyte 

Mar 29, 2009

Absolute cock munch - the enemy are absolute fucking garbage. Piss off Tom Clarke

Lakey24 

Mar 30, 2009

just because i said 'suck ass' makes me like american music?? wow you really are that stupid?i expect nothing more from someone who thinks the enemy are 'mint'. get your hair cut and stop thinking your Mr Gallagher

Ordinarygrl 

Mar 31, 2009

jesus christ! why is it that litterally everything that tom clarke says gets blown COMPLETLEY out of proportion, seriously, if any one else had said this i bet there would be about 3 comments on it. the enemy are a class band, and y is it that if he says something people dont like that immediatly makes the band shit? oh and wallin or whatever it is a well known fact that the enemy are from coventry so infact he isnt a scouser, so your opinion on people knowing what they are talking about cant be of any great value.

stophammertime 

Apr 27, 2009

I dont see the diffrence between what Toms doing and what Noel was in 1996, Who cares hes voicing his views, these are things we discuss everyday with mates, I bet he would prefer this did not make it in th media, He's a rock star, let him be one, lets him stay daft shit in the press ,, thats just what you do, at least he has the balls to say it....

i love late of the pier 

May 4, 2009

chickendinner, while your sucking up to talentless has beens such as the enemy (circa 2007) the music world has since moved on, yes i do like foals and yannis philipakis has more talent in his little finger than tom clarke can ever dream off

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