Electric Six: Weird dreams

These guys are weird. Tom Jones and Queen covers? Check. Funny names? Check. Bill Clinton playing horn on their hit single? That's what they said. Steve Jelbert meets the Detroit combo Electric Si

"Really?" exclaim all the members of the Electric Six, on being informed that their already legendary disco-metal crossover single "Danger! High Voltage" is set to be the first hit single in Britain to feature a saxophone solo since George Michael's "Careless Whisper". Of course, it isn't, but it's nice to know that the Detroit combo, given to sharing lurid fibs with willingly gulled scriveners, can be so easily taken in. (They had claimed that the mystery horn-player on the track is none other than Bill Clinton, though today they admit that their producer, Jim Diamond, is responsible.)

After years of slogging around to local acclaim – notably as The Wildbunch, the monicker they still consider their real identity – the band are actually going to hit the Top 10 next week with their truly wonderful piece of timeless crossover idiocy. The tune came to many people's attention when it was featured on last year's seamlessly brilliant Soulwax mix album 2 Many DJs, on which Salt'n'Pepa rapped over The Stooges; The Velvet Underground and Dolly Parton soundclashed naturally; and Electric Six's thumping slab of dance-rock was mistaken for a lost classic from the golden age of disco.

"We heard that from a lot of people," says the fearfully stylish singer, Dick Valentine (not his real name). "They thought it was an obscure German Eighties song." And the band seem to have lost their fee. "There's some mystery over whether we ever got those $250," says the guitarist, a Hunter S Thompson look and soundalike, Surge Joebot (definitely not his real name, though he answers to Joe). "We used my account for the transfer, and I may have spent it."

None of his bandmates seem too concerned. After all, celebrity is pending. How will they react to it? "Fine, as long as it's only here and we can return to the States to anonymity, and live two separate lives," ventures the bearded guitarist the Rock And Roll Indian (real name too mundane to reveal, which may be why he mumbles his nom de rock in his sleep, allegedly).

"If we could return to the States and celebrity that would be good too," protests Surge. The concerns of the bassist Disco (yeah, yeah) are more mundane. "I don't like standing around much, so a table at a bar would be nice." Drummer M (formerly known as Martin Cougar Mellancamp, also not his real name) aims higher. "I'm looking forward to being friends with Bono."

Why not? Tom Jones has already given the record the thumbs-up, and the band, who've previously covered his "Sex Bomb", are loath to criticise him. He may trample "Danger!" one day, lucratively. Covers are something of a Six speciality. At a recent benefit show in their home town they treated the crowd to a version of Sting's heroically daft "Russians" ("a mating song"), while in their tour here last autumn they were stunned by the audience response to their bash at Queen's "Radio Gaga".

"In the States it's somewhat obscure. When we got here and people started doing the handclaps we didn't know what was going on," says Valentine. "I've never seen the video," M admits. "Everyone told us not to play it," says Dick. "Which is why we did," adds Disco. I tell them that when I got home after seeing them I turned on the TV, and VH1 Classic – motto: "Smooth by day, rock by night" – was playing the video of that very Queen song.

"That's the channel's slogan?" asks a disbelieving Surge. "We're pretty smooth by day, rock by night," offers an impressed Indian. "I'm rock by day, smooth by night," retorts Surge. They aren't smooth at all really, but this unlikely, somewhat ageing gang are true entertainers. The video for the single features Valentine in a rather long snog with a much older woman, who mimes the vocal parts sung by local star Jack White on the record. Both of them, er, light up at key moments. (You have to see it to believe it.) The band are ever so coy about the identity of their singing guest, credited on the sleeve as "John S O'Leary".

"We wanted a Bon Scott feel," says the Indian, paying tribute to the late great AC/DC front man. "And we found this guy and it turned out his voice was reminiscent of Jack White." Right.

It's good to see delinquency not wasted on the young. Electric Six are about as far from the boy-band model as can be imagined and seem dead set on enjoying their moment. The Six were spawned from the endlessly fertile Detroit scene. Their previous experience included bands such as Wytchyker, easily the most obscure group to warrant a tribute album, who boasted a line-up including two drummers, two bassists and four strippers (and pyrotechnics). In fact, they'd already knocked it on the head once, leaving behind a rare (and possibly fictitious) live album called An Evening with the Many Moods of the Wildbunch's Greatest Hits – Tonight! before reconvening a couple of years back to record "Danger!". ("When we recorded it we thought: 'This is never going to fly here. Maybe we can get this to work in England,'" lies Surge.)

One bitterly disputed name-change later, and here they are, about to meet Sara Cox and appear on Top of the Pops. A query as to why they became Electric Six (beyond the obvious answer that another Wild Bunch later mutated into Massive Attack) elicits shouts of "to avoid murder" and the dreaded "time constraints".

"We all had our favourites. I wanted The Sex Stars of 1977," says M. "I was pushing for Fuxedo," says Surge. The Indian caps the debate. "My mom wanted to call us The Jam Cats." Surge is still sore. "People ask us what our name is and I can't tell 'em. Don't be fooled into thinking Electric Six is our name."

Their families have taken an interest in their new-found status, too. "I come from a not-very-hip lineage," says Valentine. "A lot of my aunts and uncles are now hearing through the grapevine that I've got something going. One of the biggest questions I'm getting asked now is, 'When can I buy your tape?''' "When we signed my mom said, 'Don't give them any money,'" says M. "Mine said, 'Before you sign anything get it in writing,'" adds Surge. That's like Seinfeld's dad. However did their generation manage to buy homes? "That's exactly what I said," M laughs.

Vindicated at last, the Six (keyboardist Tait Nucleus is also present, though he says little beyond admitting to being a "Zen drunk" and announcing the title of his solo project to be What did I ever do to you?) are getting out of the US to see the world, not just Canada. They've had their troubles there. "We can't go back to Toronto. We used to have a fanbase there. We tried sneaking over dressed as sports fans, but we were spotted and thrown out," says Surge. "We should have gone as nuns," Valentine laments. "Next time we'll go in a rowboat. Dressed as Ninjas. We'll inform the authorities so we can film ourselves getting arrested," plots M, quite spontaneously.

They're not just a one-trick band. Their live show is excellent and there are plenty of good songs in their locker, such as the self-explanatory "Dance Commander" and the great, dumb "Gay Bar". Yet their inspiration is more exalted than you might think. "I always thought they were just little messages from God and I'm just a conduit," declares Valentine. "By the way, you're all doomed."

'Danger! High Voltage' is out now on XL Recordings. The Six tour the UK this month. The album 'Fire' is out in March