First Draft of Interview

First draft of double page spread story

Interviewer: How long did it take you to write the album?

Band: Person 1: Well, I think we spent just around 6 months writing and recording; I mean, some of the songs that we recorded have been with us since we first started.  We were toying with the idea that some of our earlier writings needed to be dealt with if you know what I mean. We are pleased that everything we have written together as a band is finally on a CD!

Interviewer: So did you have any major influences on the album?

Band: Person 2: um, yeah… we’re all huge fans of Queens of the Stone Age and Arctic Monkeys. So I guess we try to include that... eh, that style into our songs.

Interviewer: Are there any particular songs on the album you consider to be a favourite?

Band: Person 3:  Erm.. I don't think we have a favourite. Person 1: Yeah, it's difficult to pick a favourite because you spend a lot of time writing them and then playing them over and over. It's like picking your favourite child out of 12 of your children... if you have that many. (chuckles) Interviewer:  So you're saying that you like all of them... but it would be favouritism for the other 11? (chuckles) Person 1: Exactly... I don't want to be on the bad side of my other 11 children (laughs).

Interviewer: You spent all your time working on this album in LA, how does LA compare to Leeds? (laughs)

Band: The weather for a start! Dan has a relative in L.A and he offered us digs for the duration. It kinda made it easier as he took us around town a lot so we combined the two. Other than that, we were shut in the studio for hours on end so not much difference in that department!

Interviewer: When writing the album, did you have an idea of what you wanted it to be about? because I noticed that a lot of your songs seem to revolve around a theme of trying to escape.

Band: Person 2: err specially with this one we were toying with some ideas and kinda knew what we wanted to include, so I think we had a basis but it was just a matter of making it into an album. Person 1: A lot of the ideas we had weren't just from pointing at things an' writing about them, a lot of it came from us and our experiences.

Interviewer: So what comes first when writing you're new material; say do you prefer to work on lyrics first?

Band: We don't normally start on any lyrics first, unless we have a good knowledge on what we want to write about and we already have some ideas. But the majority of the time we prefer to start recording little ideas we have with the drums and the bass, and then... depending if I have a good idea... I'll toy around with some ideas for lyrics based on what we have with drums and bass. Then we'll put some guitar to it. I think it jus' works for us to start on the drums and bass, and that's how we can get the weird timings that we like to include in our music. 

Interviewer: Now correct me if I'm totally wrong on this one (chuckle), but I heard that you all spent 3 sleepless days recording in the studio?

Band: (all laugh) Person 2: erh... yeah, we never planned to... but I guess when you're in some sort of flow you can't stop. Person 1: yeah that and the endless supply of coffee from the machine (chuckle). Person 3: I don't even know how we did that... (laugh) isn't the most stupid thing we've done.

Interviewer: This is your third album now... you've done Glastonbury, you've toured around the world, you've won all sorts of rewards. What else is there to achieve?

Band: Person 2: Yeah, I mean looking back, we've done a lot over the past few years, that I guess you can call achievements, but at the end of the day we all really enjoy doing what we do best. I don't think we really have goals as such... Person 3: We basically jus' like to do things,(laughs) if you want to give us awards for it or invite us to Glastonbury... please do (chuckle). I think we'll just carry on doing what we love.

Interviewer: and finally, everyone, me, all your fans think you're amazing live and think you sound better and better every time. and as the album is very popular, do you think you're going to tour with this album?

Band: Person 1: Ahaha cheers, yeah of course, we always love to perform live, and it would be great if we could.

Interviewer: In regards to touring, how do you handle does the long hours, constant jet-lag, and being with each other for months at a time?

Band: Person 1: We were all close from when we first started, so being on tour with these guys for months at a time kinda brings us closer because we're always learning more about each other and always pulling pranks. Yeah... I think we handle touring quite well. Person 3: Yeah we own touring! (all laugh)