First of all, please describe to all of us Vans Warped Tour dreamers, what it was like to actually be on the stage performing at every date of the USA’s most established festival tour? Were there any moments when you felt utterly overwhelmed to become a part of the history of the Warped Tour?
Fulfilling the dream of heading to the States to play Warped gave me a buzz every day, playing to brand new potential fans gave me new energy each day despite the sometimes blistering heat or being dead tired. You certainly get out of Warped what you put into it and that was a really refreshing experience.
How did it feel to return home after a crazy summer in the land of Stars and Stripes, gracing cities across the UK (including Nottingham’s own Rock City!) with your Homecoming tour in September and October? Which cities were your favourite and how did it compare to the American audiences?
The headline tour was amazing in so many ways, it’s always hard to pick a favourite but the roundhouse in Camden was a dream checked off the list. Rock City is always a lot of fun too! The UK/US fans are very similar; both passionate and loyal, the difference between the headliner and Warped was just how many dedicated fans were at the headline shows, it really takes your breath away.
You were even featured on the front cover of Kerrang! magazine in September, something you described as “surreal” on your Instagram – does seeing yourself on the front of a magazine which has featured no end of rock’s biggest and best really make you feel like you’ve ‘made it’?
I’ll never feel like that, which I think is both a good and bad thing. It gives me the drive to strive for that next achievement and I think it keeps me grounded in a way. Sometimes I’d like to be able to switch that off and just enjoy the moment though!
Tracks from your second album, Asymmetry, which was released in the UK in October last year and the U.S in June of this year, boasts repeated airtime on BBC Radio 1; is this something the band has become used to or does it never get old? Do you ever tune in to give your videos a cheeky watch on Scuzz music channel?
Radio 1 have been so good to us; were over the moon they like the stuff we put out and more importantly feel it connects with their broad audience, not a lot of rock bands get that opportunity so there’s never a time I catch one of our songs on the radio and think ‘oh that’s normal’. It continues to blow me away and I don’t see that changing any time soon! We started this band with the intention of writing music we like to hear, and as such I think it’s important to tune in to a TV show or whatever just like fans do to get the same experience and see how it makes you feel. Besides the obvious excitement I think it’s a good way to gauge how you’re coming across to your audience.
After a busy 10 months in 2015, what’s next? Will you be planning your next mission for alternative rock world domination?
Haha, world domination is always an ongoing effort for sure! 2016 has a few cool tours and shows in the pipeline, most of which I can’t even talk about. But it’s also full of excitement for our new record which we are writing at the moment and hoping to release some time late 2016, but I can’t make any promises. Next year for sure will be another busy one for us, which is just how we like it.
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