Thanks for joining us again lads, the last time we chatted we were driving around Manchester in my car, feels like 5 mins ago, so much has happened since, how have you all been?
Doing pretty well all things considered. It’s difficult to remember a time where we had so much freedom to write. On the face of it all, it feels like someone’s idea of a cruel joke when it comes to silver linings.
So the preparation begins for album 2, what’s the process you go through after finishing Columbia, touring then moving onto album 2?
It all happened very fast. We burnt out majorly after recording the first record. Took us a while to get back on our feet and start writing again, but when we did we had this perspective that we didn’t exist before. It was liberating. We felt like we could write about anything and so we did. We work backwards when it comes to writing our songs and write the words first. Tends to give you a bit more room to manoeuvre when it comes to the instrumentation. We gave Columbia very little thought, if any, when we began work on Album 2. We made a few mistakes that we were eager to correct but that was it. Felt like a test run.
Circle song is stunning lads, had it on loop for weeks. Tell us an interesting story about how that tune came about?
Circle came from somewhere else. It wrote itself. There was nothing overly special about the circumstances it was written in either. At the time I’d gotten into the habit of sitting with a guitar until dawn and really started to bleed ideas as dry as I could. Sometimes it was like drawing it from a stone, but sometimes I’d find myself falling into one of these rabbit holes that I would chase through until I’d had enough and had to sleep or eat or go outside.It was definitely the most personal song I’d written, and I tend to look back on it as some sort of keystone in my writing style. Everything else seemed to flow so much more easily after penning it.
Which poor bastard had to carry the piano up mam tor for the video?
Oh man, that was backbreaking. We headed up to the Peak District at literally the crack of dawn. The air was cold but nothing to sing and dance about. Once we got up the hills though the wind chill must have been below zero. I didn’t think my bones could feel the cold like that. Looking back, I kind of wish we’d have gotten some footage of us hauling the piano up the hill through the mud. Would have made for some interesting imagery.
How hard is it to find something new and refreshing these days, sonically and the imagery?
Depends on what you’re looking for. Most of these streaming platforms feature the back catalogue of pretty much every artist imaginable, so you’ll do well to not find something that turns you on. If I like something, I’ll play it until the grooves wear out and then go and buy it again. I have an obsessive personality like that. I love to listen to records on a turntable. My favourite part of the day is waking up in the morning and instantly putting a record down. But I generally find it quite difficult to keep up with influences/favourite artists etc. so I put together a playlist of bands and musicians or one off songs that influenced the record. You can listen to that if you want. LISTEN HERE
I’d like to break down the album title a little bit, it has so many twists and turns as you read it. How did these words shape the writing for this album?
It was just an interesting run of words that Charlie had put together. We didn’t think it was going to be anything. It was just the title of an unused song for the record we were working on. It was only when we started to think about the tracklisting that we even thought about using it for the title of the album. When we did it gave us something to latch onto though, and probably had some sort of massive subconscious effect on the whole thing.
Are we still looking at May the 8th for the release date?
Nope, sorry. We’ve had to push the record back to July 17th. It’s a drag but it will be worth the wait.
How have you all been filling the time while we get through the virus?
Pretty much the same way I always have. I enjoy my own company. It’s the only time you can truly be yourself. I think it’s important for people to have a certain understanding with themselves. Some people spend their whole lives masking what they think are shortcomings when they turn out to be trivial but are actually simple beauties and mannerisms that people tend to fall in love with.
What message have you got for blinders fans while we go through the process of isolation?
Love thy neighbour. Even if he is playing music all day and stinking the apartment block out with funny smelling tobacco.
Thanks for your time lads, we look forward to the new album and tour.
Pre Order Fantasies of a stay at home Psychopath HERE