THEY'RE at it again. If the Mancunian duo LAMB are rapidly accumulating a reputation - other than one for welding fully-fledged torch songs to a quirky drum'n'bass framework, that is - it's for being constantly at each other's throat. The techno Gallaghers even.

But that's just how they like it. "I think the arguments in the music are pretty important," states vocalist and songsmith Louise Rhodes, herself a former NME snapper. "It doesn't let either of us get lazy. I need the conflict thing, I think, I need someone who's as strong-willed as I am. It's like a brother and sister bickering really, like we're sitting in our mum and dad's car."

"Yeah!" pipes up Lamb's other half Andy Barlow. "You sat in the middle last time!"

So what was the last thing you crossed swords about?

"Oh, I can't remember, it's too regular an occurrence," admits Louise. "I think we were arguing just before you came in."

"We were arguing about acid," says Andy.

"Andy's got this thing about acid bringing on a greater wisdom and I'm not really into it," interjects Louise.

"I just see it as a key to a door," replies Andy.

And that's it, they're off again. Admittedly, for every snipe and protestation that flies across the table at the Soho drinkerie where Vibes catches up with them, there's a fit of mutual sniggering to match. True, Louise was warned that Andy was "a bit weird" when a muso mate recommended him; naturally, this was just what she wanted to hear. Mutual pasts spent raving on the Manchester acid house scene, a joint hatred of commercial handbag and love affairs with drum'n'bass drew them together - and the infantile Lamb was born faster than an expensive sampler flung across a studio in a moment of rage.

There's certainly a spark there, an intimacy that brings a dark tension to tracks like their single 'Cotton Wool' and next 45 'God Bless'. Hardly surprising really, when you consider the pair spent 18 months locked away perfecting every last bleep of their 'Lamb' LP with all the tears, grins and screaming rows they had in them. No wonder either, that several certain other journals have put two and two together, come up with 46, and linked the pair romantically. Something the pair - not to mention Andy's girlfriend - are none too chuffed about, to say the least.

"That's just lazy, although I do spend more time with her than I do my girlfriend," admits Andy. While Louise says: "We do have quite an intimate relationship, but not in a sexual way. But you've got to be intimate to write music with people - you're in the studio day and night with them. Also, a lot of the songs are pretty personal; if I didn't feel comfortable with Andy I wouldn't be able to sing them."

Having spent such on elongated lambing season in the studio, though, Louise is now getting used to baring her soul to live audiences. The pair, complete with full backing band, completed a handful of dates across Europe over the summer, as well as festival slots at T In The Park and Pulp's V96 bash in Chelmsford. And they are now facing their most in-at-the-deep-end experience to date with a full-on nationwide tour in support of jazz boho labelmates Galliano.

"It's funny," says Louise. "Most bands play the live circuit for years before they get a record out. We always seem to do things the wrong way round. I'm glad about that."

In these days of carefully-crafted careers and overnight ascensions to fame that are so predictable you could set your watches by them, thank God someone's being just a little bit difficult. Time to get woolled up.

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interview:  Ben Willmott

nicked from 'New Musical Express', dated 5 October 1996

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