Maccabees track down elusive rapper

The Maccabees have revealed how they chased rapper Roots Manuva for months before he agreed to collaborate with them.

Manuva, real name Rodney Smith, appears on the band's new single Empty Vessels after the London band got in contact.

Guitarist Felix White explained that the London band couldn't get hold of the Witness (1 Hope) rapper "for love nor money" until he called back.

He said: "I was trying to get hold of him forever because I really fell in love with Slime & Reason, his most recent record."

Roots respect

White said that collaborating with Manuva had been a long term ambition stretching back to 2008 when they were writing their most recent album.

Roots Manuva guests on Maccabees track No Kind Words

"I love all his records and I just thought when we were doing No Kind Words it'd be amazing if we could get him to do this. It's got that kind of beat and the darkness that he's so good at.

"Me and Hugo [White, guitar] did a remix of one of his songs on our computer already - we worked that out and his label said it wasn't good enough. [We] Couldn't get hold of him.

"Then out of the blue, the day before Glastonbury I get a random number on my phone I normally don't pick them numbers up but I thought I'll pick that up and it was Rodney Smith saying 'Its meant to be, lets do it'.

"Its something people wouldn't have expected us to do which is nice. Its just a surreal and cool thing to have Roots Manuva on one of your records.

2009 has proved to be a big year for The Maccabees, a headline appearance at London's Brixton Academy, an appearance at Malawi's Lake Of Stars festival and a top 15 placing for their second album Wall Of Arms.

Next year, they'll tour the states and headline the prestigious NME Tour in February.

"People seem like they've stood behind us that were there in the first place," says White.

"We're gradually turning some people's heads, thinking 'Ah, you know The Maccabees who we thought were indie-schmindie? They're alright you know'.

"It's that thing of just keeping things going and doing things the honest way - that's what the best bands always do, and always have done."