Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
Bippy Cliro has a brand new record coming out September
the twenty sixth.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Please welcome mister Simon Neil. Good morning, Good morning. How
are you, sir? I'm pretty good. I'm tired and in
awe of the fact that you do this every single day. Yeah, no,
not bad.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
By the way, can I tell you that? Do you
like the song that good?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yeah, dude, you got spoke for this one. Did it
come out?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
I'm being serious? Did it come out better? Like when
when you when you wrote this, did you think it
would be this good? This song is so goddamn good.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Thank you, No, it really is. I mean, you hope,
you hope that magic happens when you enter the studio.
You know, when you write this song, you have this
hope it's going to be as good as Back in
Black or something like that. And you know what you
have to just have You got to aim for us.
I'm not gonna hit myself. Yeah, we wrote the New
Bohemian Raps today. No, you got to aim for the stars.
(00:55):
You got to aim for the stars. But yeah, when
you're in the studio recording, that's kind of like there's
mystery to it and a bit of man it. But
I'm very happy with how the record came.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
In, and I agree the whole record. The whole record
is great, it really is. I really really like it.
And there's a couple of songs. And I'm sure you're
like this, whether it's with your own music or or
or if you're listening to somebody else's music.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
But there's certain songs that you get.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Drawn to more than others, of course, and maybe that
changes a little bit over time. But a little love, oh,
I'm honestly over and over and over again so much
wait it's and I'm not I'm and I feel bad.
I didn't know we were going to start with that
because now it just sounds like I'm kissing your ass.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I love it more, please more. I'm a long way
from home. So this is lovely? Is it? Are you
in a? Are you? So? The record comes out on
the on the twenty sixth. Yeah, actually it's now been
moved to the nineteenth of September. So I'm glad. Is
that because they were like, you know, that song's good,
let's move exactly. Yeah? How does that work?
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Like?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
How did they decide all of a sudden, let's move
it up to the nineteenth. I'm not really sure these corporations.
There's some shadiness going on behind the scenes, and I
don't know. Like her first we put it a little
love out a couple of months ago and it's had
a great reception, so I'm hoping it's just people. The
people want it, so we're going to give it to them.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
But is a is this a nervous anxious time for you?
Like once it's done, and I mean you're not doing
all I mean you're doing like a promo towards stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yeah, I get that, but.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
It's not like you're not doing a whole lot between
now and when the record comes.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah, that's right. We're doing, as I say, a bunch
of promo around Europe and things, but we're not touring
till the new year. But yeah, this is It's it's
like having this secret that you're delighted with for months
and then suddenly you realize you have to share the secret.
So I'm always nervous and anticipating what people think. You know,
I'm curious what the hardcore fans think and what any
new listeners think. But it's because it matters to so much,
(02:47):
you know, I write songs They're very personal these songs,
and we've been in a band from when we were
like fifteen years old, so it's my life is dotted
through all the music. So so yes, I do care.
It's not cool to say it, but I care what
people think. You know. Why is it?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
It's funny you say that because I actually read something
where you were talking about this will be this will be.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
The band's tenth record.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, and I read something where you were talking and
you said that. First of all, it doesn't make any
sense because bands like when you were a kid, like,
they didn't have ten records.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
No, no one did. Yeah, they didn't have ten, like
they had three or four.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
So to feel like you have ten almost it's not
it's it's not fair that these bands that you loved
had ten.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Why do I have ten? It's exactly that, you know.
I mean, I grew up listening to a lot kind
of weird droug music and some really heavy stuff. And
what you would you listen to? I mean, for a way,
I guess I started in like Gunjan Roses, Metallica, and
then Metallica took me down in the dark past. So
I ended up with Slayer and Pantato and things, and
then I went to really noisy records, the Converge and
(03:49):
Dead Guy and Drowning Man and and Dellinger Escape Plans,
so that can really kind of kind of horrible stuff,
which which I love. And forget me, what was the
question of just often envisages?
Speaker 1 (04:01):
That's okay, that's all right, but let me back, let
me let me go to that for a second. Would
I be surprised, like, was there ever a point if
I would have walked into into Simon's room? Would you
have ever been listening to like a Spicequirrels record?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
No? Never, no, no. And actually I had the classic
teen metal head bedroom. I had like a Pantera, I
had a Pintera Anthrax and Slayer wall, a Metallica wall
and guns and Roses wall, and then that evolved into
Nirvana and a bit more grunge things, and then and
then thankfully I left home right So you never like
you never got into like pop or anything. No, really, no,
(04:33):
that came later, I think through the art of songwriting
and appreciating how amazing song songcraft is and how beautiful
some of the biggest pop songs of all time, so
that I've kind of leaned into it now. And I
do listen to a lot of pop music, and you know,
a big fan of like Casey Musk Graves her her
songwriting's spectacular and things like that, and and like Abba Big.
You know, it's unlikely that anyone think they influenced our band,
(04:57):
but some of the most sophisticated songwriting go. And that's
the thing. A lot of pop music from the surface,
you know, coming up growing up as a genre kid,
you know where I just liked it for it was loud.
I didn't realize how kind of progressive and nuanced a
lot of the pop music was. And actually, when you
sit down and try and play a Beach Boys song
or something, you're like, oh my god, you know, it's
(05:18):
it's very sophisticated, almost like classical music. So so you
I've learned a lot from pop music over the years
as well. Have you ever tried to play a Beach
Boys with a song? Yeah, actually you're holding a guitar,
I know. Actually, well it's not in the right tuning. Elliott, Yeah,
I did. We did an MTV Unplugged show a few
years ago, and obviously you do a cover for that,
and we we tempted fit we play. I played a
(05:41):
cover of God Only Knows which Again it's like it's
rarefy here, that's sacred turf, And I know I'm pushing
my luck when we did that, but that song is
so important to me. I remember listening to it with
my mum goddressed or so when I was a teenager.
It was my first dance with my wife when we
get married, I have the lyrics tattooed on me. So
when MTV has to to play that show, there was
(06:01):
only one song I wanted to cover, and they I
think I did an all right version of it, you know,
and no one can touch Brian and Dennis and and Carl.
But that's okay.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
And just just to be fair, every song lyric that
has ever been written based on the number of tattoos
you have is somewhere on your body somewhere.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
At least I've gone on my body. You probably find
a space let it there somewhere as well.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
No so, but what I was going to say is
so so going back to to this being the tenth record,
and you're saying, like bands I grew up with, they
didn't they didn't get ten records, They didn't have ten records.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
But the other thing that I that that that that.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
You said that I thought was interesting is you don't
like saying that you're in a big band. That is
that it that it bothers you to say, like like
you don't for whatever reason, You're like, it's not like it.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
It doesn't feel cool to say. I think it's because
I'm a nineties kids. You know, I grew up Nirvana
and all those bands were for me. The nineties and
the concept of a sellout was was quite prevalent, as
I'm sure you remember. Now it seems very antiquated to
think that, but we still have that kind of punk
rock mentality, you know, which is if you if you're
(07:14):
too popular, then it means.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
You're not very good, and if you're too popular, it
means everybody likes you.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I mean now you can hear the mentality behind that
and go, well, what a stupid thing is such?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
And it really it didn't did the opposite of broaden
our horizons. It really limited our outlook. And as obviously
I've grown older and I've realized what a ridiculous perspective
that is to have and to hold, because you know,
the amazing thing is now as well. A great song
can just reach everyone so quickly. And you know, I
think I think music is one of the most it's
(07:45):
the most beautiful art form. It's one of the most
personal ones, but it's also one of the most universal.
You know, everyone can have a soul you know, an
individual experience with their favorite songs, or you can have
a group experience. You've got the live thing, and that's
why music's so special. But yeah, it's yeah, it feels
a bit naive to have said that now. And also
I have high ambitions for my music, you know, I'm like,
(08:05):
I want as many people to hear it as possible.
I'm really proud of the body of work we've created
and actually to be I mean, we were three friends
in high school. You know, we started this band when
we were fifteen, and we started with all these this
kind of really idealistic kind of rules, and I'm glad
we've shared them, you know, because music's meant to be shared.
It's meant to be a beautiful thing, and it is
(08:26):
a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
When you guys, when you guys were fifteen and you
started and you started the band, were you were you
the first one to like you said when you were fifteen,
like you were done, you got out, Like was it
all three of you that kind of just all got
out together at fifteen?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah? Yeah, we all played together. I mean I'd played
violin for a few years before that. Sonnew I was
into my music. But as soon as I picked up
my guitar, it was like Ben or drummer. I was like, right,
you need to get some drums man. And then and
then Ben's twin, James was he would always hang around
while me and Ben would play our Vana songs and
things weren't good enough to play guns and Roses or
metallic about we could play in Arvana and so James thanks,
(09:10):
And then James would hang around and then he just
suddenly picked up a guitar as well. And so it's
the most organic way to play music. And I'm very
grateful because see, when when things get complicated and the
stresses of being in a band, you know, because the
life is it's a wild and a weird life, you know,
and we're lucky to have done it for twenty years.
But those moments where things get too much, it's really
(09:31):
nice that we can sit and talk to each other
as friends still, and that's why we've survived. You know,
there's there's very few bands out there that have the
same original members and and I think if it wasn't
for our close friendship, then we could perhaps have followed
some of those stories you know.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
When you were when you were fifteen, and that's unfair,
not like when you first started, but when when you
guys were like, maybe maybe we can do this and
we're past playing other bands music.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Yeah, you did? You did? At any point?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Did you think it would be I mean, I know
that it sounds dumb because we talked about it. Nobody
gets ten records, but did you ever think it would
get to this?
Speaker 2 (10:09):
No. I think it's worked to our benefit that we
that we really try and live as in the moment
as possible, so every record would pour everything into and
we don't envisage how our career Inverted Commons is going
to go. And I think that's actually fed well into
the music and into our motivation. But I mean, even
our very first show when we were fifteen and we
(10:29):
left school to go and play, we skipped school to
go and play our first show, did you really Yeah,
Like half of our set was our original songs, So
that's I mean, it's very arrogant for fifteen year old
kids that would be good. Yeah. Well, I mean, I'll
leave it to you to decide whether they were good
or not. But it was always about making our own music,
you know. We always wanted to find our own kind
(10:50):
of pathway in our own our own yeah, our own
path in the music world. And because we didn't have
any friends that played music or were in bands or
nowty served as well, you know, because we played live
round our local area for a couple of years, and
then we got some label interests locally. Then we played
a few shows with that, released a couple of EPs,
(11:12):
and then we got some national interest from record labels,
and then a few albums on Beggars Banquet, and then
Warner's came calling. So I feel that we've been ready
for every step of the band without having to feel,
you know, too cynical about it, you know, like we
were ready for every step we took as a band.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
What is the closest you guys got the during the
run to not being a band?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
I guess, I mean to be honest. Post pandemic has
been a tough time for us. During the pandemic, we overworked,
we went to launch an album in twenty twenty. That then,
obviously everything got shut down in twenty twenty, so instead
of touring, we just went in and made another record,
which was great fun at the time, but I think
we neglected ourselves as human beings. We stayed in band mode,
(11:57):
and that time period was so weird for all of us.
I think we're all processing it, but yeah, we definitely
overcompensated with our work and I felt like the last
year or so is when it's kind of taking its toll.
So I stupidly went out with my hardcore metal band
called Empire State Bastard with the Dave Lombardo on drums
from Slayer, my friend Mike Venner, and Naomi macloud and
(12:19):
we turned with sleep talking around the US last year actually,
and it was great to do something that was pure noise,
you know. It was just the simplicity of stepping in
a stage, no one caring what we were doing, and
so I felt liberated after that. But it was important
to take that break. I think, as I say, we
neglected ourselves as human beings and tried to just be
(12:40):
in band mode and it so last year was important
that we had a wee reset and just touched base
with each other to make sure we were healthy.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
But isn't that I mean, listen, I can't tell you
what to think of yourself, but like nobody knew what
they were supposed to do, Like there was no there
was no manual to follow of, like just what we're
supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I know, And when you look back, it's incredible all
the changes we did make, you know, And there's and
when we look back, there's some things we should have done,
some things we shouldn't and but yeah, it's definitely it's
kind of taken a little bit out of each of us.
And I thing, you know, I guess the thing is
some professions didn't really stop, you know, I'm sure were you.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
We came in, so they emptied out the whole building.
We came in every day. I just I wasn't going
to go home, but I would have lost my wife,
Like it wouldn't have been.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Good were you spread down outside in the way and
every day.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
But yeah, I mean what we all made a vow
to each other, we're not gonna We're gonna do everything
we can to not get seen to protect or else
they're gonna throw they're gonna throw us out of the
building and we won't be able to come in.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Of course.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
So for for for us, which is a very very
small part, we never nothing changed. I mean, yes, the
certain things that you did change and how you lived
your life. Came to work every day. It wasn't like
you guys where it's like, Okay, there's no studio to
go to, there's no touring to go to, there's no
promo to go to, there's none of that going at
(14:01):
least we came to work every day.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Yeah, And that's what I struggled with the most, because
everyone every time like the lockdown was about to be lifted,
it would be like, oh, we're almost back out there,
and then we would go straight to the bottom of
the list again. And that's what was really tough. And
also I felt like I felt like I was an
accountant of his own Zoom Calls for about for about
four months, and I'm like, I didn't sign up to
be in a rock and roll band to be in
(14:24):
Zoom Calls. Now that I knew what Zoom was before,
I mean, where does Zoom come from? Everybody? I wish
I had some stocks in Zoom.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Before going back to your your other project that you
said that you went out and did. I was reading
something about that where Simon you said, I need to
go do that because I can't always be Simon from
Biffy Clyrow.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, that you just you.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Don't want to be that guy, and not that that
guy is bad, but like I don't want to be
I don't want to be that big.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
It's the expectations that to be honest, it's expectations I
put on myself and what you know, I expect my
songs to be of a certain quality, and I just
I'd emptied all my creative juices during that twenty twenty
twenty and twenty twenty one, so I just needed to
go elsewhere. I needed to just be a guy that
isn't in a band or is just playing in a
kind of smaller band. And as I say, I fell
(15:21):
in love with touring again. You know. We went out
and we toured for a long time. Actually, on ESB
it was meant to just be six months of touring
and we ended up doing about eighteen months of work,
so it was a little busier than I wanted it
to be. But I just every tour was more fun
than the last and it's really fed back into being
back in Biffy. You know, when you've been in a
band for years and years, sometimes you just get on
(15:43):
the treadmill and it becomes a bit of a hamster
wheel and you need to consciously step off that hamster wheel.
I think we all do in all facets of our
life and all work. You know, we always need to
remember the human inside the profession because especially with what
we all do, it's so immersive and we will love
what we do, sure so, but you still have to
remember that you need to kind of not ignore yourself
(16:05):
as as a person, because I felt like I was
just Simon from Biffy for so long, and I wanted
to be Simon Neil wanted to I wanted to be
a real boy. Are you? Are you? And don't be
med at me? But are you?
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Are you uncomfortable with success?
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Not anymore?
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (16:25):
I think so. It's probably a Scottish perspective as well.
Scottish people are quite cynical. We're supportive of each other,
but but you should never get too big for your boots.
So living in Scotland definitely keeps our feet in the ground.
But it's just it's just a kind of perspective that
Scottish people have. And I think we've learned to embrace
(16:46):
our success, you know, we've I guess we tried to
deny it for a few years, you know. And don't
get me wrong, I know, you know, in the US
we're very small band. You know, this is this is
just kind of the rest of the world. But I
finally take pride in the fact that their songs are
known by lots of people, and lots of people come
to the shows and sing along. And now I'm really
(17:06):
really proud of us. And I know pride's a sin.
I've seen them maybe seven. I don't want to end
up like that, maybe seven. But yeah, it's a wonderful thing.
If if you'd said to me when I was fifteen
that I would be playing music for another twenty thirty years,
I would be have been delighted. I would have bitten
your hand off. And it's just to remind you, you know,
it's important to remind yourself how far you've come. But yeah, no,
(17:29):
I embrace it wholeheartedly. Now we still take our shows
and her music very seriously, right, But those are two
different things, exactly. Those are two different things exactly. So yeah,
I mean taking it seriously, and I fully believe that
you do. But like when you when you start reading
about your history and like some of the side stuff
that you do, it almost seems like there's this if
I'm successful, I can be I can fail.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
If I'm not successful, I can never fail. There's nowhere
where am I going to go. I'm market laying on
the back.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
And actually I've got a few friends that can suffer
from that kind of perspective, you know, where it's almost
easier to not dip your toe in but just in
case you feel But I guess I'm never afraid of
failure anymore, you know. And the part of the reason
I do the other projects is to feel that liberated
way of you know, the ESB band, the metal band.
(18:17):
You know, my dad, even my family couldn't listen to
that record. My dad was like, I tried to listen
to its son, but it's just too heavy, you know,
and you know so and I needed to hear that,
you know. But it's music should always be for yourself,
you know. It's it's it sounds like such a cliche,
but see when people take to your music, it's a
wonderful thing. But you've got to write for yourself because
(18:40):
the fact of the matter is I write songs when
I'm at home by myself in my studio. So if
I'm not turned on by it, you know, I don't
want to second guess what anyone else is going to think.
And being this long into her career, I think I
have faith in our taste and what we know what
our band should be. So yeah, it's it's always just
getting that refueling every few years. You know.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Let's go back to how we started A Little Love.
Where did you just write that at home in your studio?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Yeah? So I would come home in between touring with ESB,
and I'm saying ESB so that I don't say the
B words, Okay, In between Empire State Bastard shows, I
would come home and everyone that knew was expecting me
to write these really heavy songs. And actually I'd go
home and sit in the piano and write and write
(19:24):
these kind of bright and breezy, big chorus songs, you know.
And I think it was a reaction to the more
intense stuff with ESB. But Little Love was one of
the first songs that I knew was going to make
the record. I started it in the piano and it
sounded like something from the West End or Broadway, And
obviously we took it a little bit closer to the
rock world. But I really liked the fact that I
(19:46):
didn't know where the song sat. It wasn't just a
straight up rock song. It was like, how are we
going to record this? You know, as you said, when
we started listening, I didn't know it was going to
end up sounding exactly like that, But it's ended up
in a beautiful place that I couldn't ever have been
so and visited it like with Showgirls and everything, you
know that thousands and then I remembered I was in
(20:06):
a three piece rock band.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Do you Then you did the video for the for
the song yep, they, which is really it's the video
is really goods.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
So did you guys drop each other at all? Yes, yes,
it was.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
There's a couple of scenes where like, I don't even
know how you guys are holding each other, but there's
a couple where they get to you and you're like, oh,
it's real strange.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yeah, we did. It's like a stress tests and stressholds
and trust falls in the video for a little love,
and yeah, what you see, the strain you see is real.
We did that for about ten hours that day, and God,
every position we held was for the full duration of
the song, and it was we couldn't. We didn't want
to fake it, you know that way. We talked about
it in advance, going go, should we try and look
(20:49):
cool and sexy? Well, we're we're holding each other up,
and we were like, that defeats the purpose of the video.
So yeah, what you see is very real, and in fact,
for some reason, I'm drawn to be torture during your videos.
I've just show We just showed a video the other
day for Whenever upcoming singles in there and we're in
space and I was on this harness for hours that
(21:11):
was just compressing my stomach. I had to sing along
and pretend like I was free and easy in space
while I was basically being tortured. And I do it.
So the next video is going to be buy it
sitting next to a pool like Club Tropicana. I promise
I won't wear my budgy smugglers, but but you might.
But we will be by a pool that was your
(21:35):
normal bathing suit a what is it? Budgies? Yeah, that's
your normal. Oh y, I'm sure. Yeah. I wouldn't be
a married man if that was my norm. I think
my wife would have run a mile. All right, let
me do this. Let me take a quick break. Few
t comes out on the nineteen nineteenth September.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Very good, So let's take a quick break more with
Simon Neil from Biffy Clyrod next Elliott in the Morning.
In the morning climbing Neil the Bitney Clyro is with us.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Hey, can I ask you this about hunting season? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (22:10):
A little heavier than a little love the But I
was reading where you were talking about like like like
channeling like old like like Rage against the Machine. Yeah,
and Black Sabbath and Metallica.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Oh so he tends to I was at the last
Black Sabbath show. I was just gonna ask you.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I was just gonna ask you that, like you're I
know that you're a huge Sabbath guy.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Yeah, absolutely, it was. It was such an emotional day,
you know, per peer Ossie, God rest his soul, but
see to be there and to see him the willingness
he had to be there in the battle he had
to you know, he was extraordinary that night but you
could see he was just desperate to get out that
chair and and really give us all. But it was
one of the most like fifty thousand people, everyone had
(22:54):
a tear in their eyes. I was going to ask,
did you cry? Yeah, it was. It was really emotional
when he first appeared, and the whole day was psychedelic
because I mean one of the run of bands was
it was Pantera into two, into Slayer, into Guns and
Roses into Metallica, and it was like, you know, my
mind exploded. And that was before Ozzie came on played
a bunch of solo songs, and then Sabbath came on,
(23:15):
and Sabbath played real slow, real dirgy. You know, it
was just how you wanted it to be. But it
was just amazing to be there, and honestly, everyone had
a tear in their eye and it was one of
the most beautiful sign offs and goodbyes that I've ever
seen in my life. And and I'm just I'm really
pleased Ozzie got to see it, you know, not that
would I know, but I think it was meant to
(23:37):
be that way. It was poetic. It was it felt
like that was how he was meant to round off
his incredible life and so yeah, stunning.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Sonny Simon, what was it like for artists though, Like
because I mean obviously, you know, people are playing and
they're they're paying homage, but then there's still time where
like people aren't playing and they're just in the back.
Like was it like was it was there a weird
aura in the air, you know?
Speaker 2 (23:59):
It was. It was funny because everyone that was there
was just black Sabbath fans and Aussie fans. That's what
they came as first, you know, all the Metallica guns
and rosies, you know, to see them all be so
selfless because a lot of these bands haven't shared a
stage or had to go on second you know, not
headline the show in like thirty years, you know, so
to see just how much it meant to them, and
(24:21):
everyone said something really beautiful about Ozzie and about Sabbath
and what it meant to them, and it just felt
that the metal community and the you know, hard rock
community really were there for him. So to see Axel Hetfield,
phil Anselmo Maynard being awe of someone else was truly special.
You know. They just looked like rock fans and they
(24:42):
were there just playing paying tribute to their heroes. So
it was a beautiful leveler for everyone. So as much
as these superstars were on the stage, it didn't feel
like that. It was all about Ozzie and obviously in
the part of Birmingham where they grew up, where they started,
and you know, I'm sure it was unrecognizable. It was
just so apt to be there and they're beautiful.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
It's interesting though, because I didn't even think of that,
But like, when is the last time somebody told men
or no, no, no, no, not only are you not the headliner,
you'll be going on fourth or yea fifth from the end.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Well it's still daylight. I mean, I don't I don't
know if Two have ever played a show during the daytime,
but I tell you what, I've seen Two a bunch
of times over the years. Are one of my favorites.
They were one of my highlights of the day. To
actually see them, these lizard men, they only exist in
the shadows. To actually see them perform, and Maynard just
just so powerful. He really has a he's got such
(25:34):
a magic and a hypnotic presence, and so yeah, it
was truly amazing because then they would walk off and
you'd see Slayer walking on just you know, there's Tom
Riah walking past Maynard and then they would be like, oh,
there's Lauras walking past still data. Yeah, exactly, all my nineties.
I mean, I'm a nineties kid, as I said so,
and I hope my little brain was just exploding. The
(25:56):
signapses were just exploding every twenty minutes, and that all
happened within the space of two hours as well. You
all right, what long are we going to play? First?
I'm going to play a morning version of a lettle
love whenever you're ready. Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Here we go, right, I can't divorce you.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
You put me through hell? What the spirits want? The spirits?
Speaker 1 (26:29):
K oh?
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well, well, who can you trust? And how can you tell?
When you can touch it but not feel it, you
can hear it. The silence fell With a little love,
if you want it, we can conquer it all with
(26:54):
a little love. If you're honest, we can defeat them all. Honey, composure,
you decompose. I guess I'm extraneous to this modern world.
You chose who can you trust? But it's better than hell.
(27:22):
When you can touch it but not feel it, you
can hear it. The silence fell. With a little love.
If you want it, we can conquer it all with
a little love. If you're honest, we can defeat them all.
(27:45):
Can somebody help me? I can do this on my own?
This time last year it all felt to pieces, So
my heart you declared it all mean English? Can someone
and break me? Can this all be done? When I
ask you, you swear that you mean it. Get me
(28:08):
the grasp bed and never release it. With a little love,
just for everyone. I forgive all the things that you said,
all the things that you've done, with a little love,
(28:30):
just for everyone. I wish shock you'd forgive, and forgive
of the moment is gone with a little love. If
you once said, we can conquer it all with a
little love. If you're honest, we can defeat them all
(28:52):
with a little love, with a little love, with a
little love. If you're honest, we can defeat them with
a little love.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro is with us. Dude, that's
not a great.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Thank you the morning version. Yes, it's a lot deeper,
hellttle slore. It's a little massage for your listeners. I'm
sorry it's not quite a double espresso for all y'all.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
So the full record Foutique will be out on the nineteenth.
I was reading you released a bunch of UK and
European dates. Yes, we have, Yes, Starting in January, we'll
go all through the UK. Then there's Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, Zurich, Berlin, Oslo, Stockholm,
Um where are.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Some Yeah, there's some portunt place he's messing from that.
I feel like there's nothing that cops the water. We
will yet what we are putting our plan in place, Elia,
and we are going to be back in December to
play a handful of shoes, and then we're planning our
spring tours. So next kind of April May, March, tail
end of March April May, we're doing a full nationwide tour.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
So you're definitely because one of the first things people
said were like Jesus Christ, ask them when they're coming back.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
I know it's been here in forever. It's a tough one. Basically,
this is the best plan we've ever had. So yeah,
we will be announcing this is the best play you've
ever had. Trust me, or it feels it. I ever
convinced everyone, you ever convinced every Yeah, no, We're definitely
you're going to see lots of us. It's really important
for us, you know, the people that care about our
(30:32):
band over here matter to is a lot, and we're
really keen to spread the world, spread the word. America
is just such an important place for me with my
musical education, you know, and and it means so much
to the three of us. So whenever we toour here,
we love it. We feel that we're making friends as
the years have gone on. But yeah, you're definitely going
to see us and you're not going to want to
miss it because we're badass. Forgive me. That must be
(30:55):
that second doublest rest.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
What is the and listen, I'm know you've played a
million shows in a million different cities, like does does
Is there anything about d C in.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
The past that stands out? Do you have a good
relationship with DC? Well, d C was a big deal
for me because obviously Discord Records is from d C
Ian McKay and for Gassy and everything, So that was
a big deal for me in the nineties and that
and then the nine thirty Club Black Cat. There's so
many iconic venues that we've been so aware of and
one of our very first shows in the US, which
(31:28):
we felt it was a success, was at the nine
thirty Club and it was and I'll never forget. I
love that. I love that room and everything. And then
venues great, venues great, it's awesome. But yeah, no, DC's
you know, we went and got the Ben's Chili. You know,
we've done that. We've tacked a lot of boxes when
we've been in d C. And yeah, it's always felt
great for us. It's always felt great for us. Good.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Now, let's go backwards a little bit. I know that
you guys were busy during the summer doing the whole.
I know it's a huge deal overseas, like festivals. Yeah,
festival summer.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
The big festival culture in Europe. Do you do you
like doing those? Yeah, it's it's magic because a lot
of the festivals in Europe they're really eclectic bills. So
sometimes you'll go on after like a reggae band, sometimes
you're on with metal bands. You know, it can be anything.
So yeah, we did. We did a bunch of We
did Glastonbury in the UK, which is a really big deal,
(32:18):
and we played a bunch in Germany and Scandinavia and
where else it's it's alreadia blur, so radio blur. I'm
constantly looking forward. I don't have time from a rearview
mirror at the moment, but it was we came straight
from the studio, straight onto the summer stages, and when
you're standing on those stages and there's fifty thousand people,
it makes you feel good. It really, you know, it
(32:40):
felt like coming out of the studio and the kind
of bubble and the cocoon of being in a studio.
It just felt like we were beasts let into the
wild again. And I'm not sure if anyone was listening those,
but we're a band that plays with our shirts off
because we I was going to say it was weird
to see you play a song, it's I know, it's
something that we did it back in the day because
we used to tour in a van and we would go
(33:02):
through all of our clothes too quickly, and at the
end of the tour there'd be this like chewing gumball
of t shirts at the back of the van. So
we swore that. We swore that for efficiency and for
laundry bills. We just stopped. We just stopped wearing shirts
and we've never put them back on, and there's something
really ridiculous and empowering walking on stage with your shirt off.
(33:23):
So it feels that you're ready for battle. And that's
still that's still the mindset we'd take. And even when
we're playing Terror fans, it's like it's almost it's almost
a fight in the most beautiful way.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
It's a fight and a hug, right because the like
I was watching your your set from Glastonburn, which was
I mean, it was awesome, but there's you know, everybody's
got their flags up and there's like fifty is small.
That's got to be one hundred thousand people that are there. Yes,
And but then I think back where you were like
it's not cool to say you're in a band and
I need to take a break. And I'm like, Jesus Christ,
(33:55):
you're wearing a kilt and you got no shirt on it,
Like something doesn't match here.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
I'm definitely leaning leaning into something. But no, as I say,
probably it's a while ago now that I kind of made.
I think that's the attitude I have when I'm making
the music. I think I'm able to maintain that kind
of This music's for me and it needs to be special,
and I've managed to shed it everywhere else because yeah,
as you say, it's like, I want to go out
(34:19):
there and give everyone a good time. I don't want
to be apologetic for being up there. I want to
show people, make sure everyone's horse by the end of
the night sweaty, hopefully get their t shirts off too,
and that everyone's hugging and having a great time. It's
just it's really important.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
So yeah, true or false, you still get very, very
nervous before you go on stage.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
True, like almost panic attack nervous. Yes, unfortunately, Unfortunately, I
always thought I would relax into it, and obviously the more,
the more you do of anything, you should relax more.
But it still matters to me every show I want
to be the best show we've ever done, and it
points that's taking its toll on me, and I've needed
to stop and really take take a couple of months
(35:01):
off because that expectation and that kind of trying to
reach that peak every night can be tiring. But most
of my favorite bands did that as well. I know
that they play for you as if it's the last
show they're going to play on Earth, So that's where
my nerves come from because I just want it to
be the best experience for everyone. Obviously I want to
enjoy it, but I want to give people the best experience,
(35:21):
and so, yeah, the nerves are still there. Sadly, I
do drink a couple of tequila's before the show. I'm
not a big drinker, but I love tequila before the show,
so I have two or three of them and that
just chills me enough to go out there and do it. Yeah,
a lot of non drinkers do about two three shots
in the night. It just settles, you know. My meetings
are great. Like my eleventh step is down.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
The themes, the themes of the record Futique, which is
looking forward. You're you'll correct me because I'm going to
mess this up. So it's an eye on four without
forgetting the past.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Yeah, Basically, I realize that the title futique is a
combination of the words future antique, and you know that
way you look back into old pictures and you think
of like the last five years of your life or something,
and you'll remember these wonderful moments, but sometimes they only
seem wonderful afterwards. And I really just want to be
as present as possible at the moment and enjoy my
(36:20):
friends and my family and the shows and traveling and
being here. I want to just enjoy every minute of it,
and not only in the rear view mirror, because I
feel like a lot of us are so constantly and
forward motion that we forget to just take a breath
and think, Wow, this is a good moment, this is
a nice moment. And I've been very guilty of that.
So I wanting to celebrate the fact that myself, Ben
(36:43):
and James have known each other from when we were seven.
I've played music for years. We get on each of
the other's nerves a lot, but because we've got that
deep bond, it's, you know, I feel that we can
survive anything, and also that the world is a is
a dumpster fire at the moment. It's so tough, you know,
every time you pick up your phone or something that's
just it can be really tough, and really it can
(37:05):
weigh us down. So I've decided that all I can
do is what's within my control is try and cherish
everyone I have and all the memories I have, and
I'm trying to make sure that there's nothing that in
ten years time, I look back on and think I
should have been more present for that. So that's why
even in this morning moment, and I'm not a morning person,
I'm just trying to enjoy everything, you know, and I
think I think we all should because the world's changing
(37:28):
very fast and there we should embrace our loved ones
and our family because you know, sometimes that's all we've got.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
You you said something that I really excuse me, that
I really really liked. We are never aware when we
do anything for the last time. Yeah, and there's something
really and you went on to say, there's something really
beautiful in that, but there's also a sadness in that.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
Yeah, I really like that. Thank you, Thank you again.
That's all about being present, you know. A couple of
my friends have said that they didn't realize the last
time they were going to read out like a story
to their daughter or something, or the last time you
give someone a hug and you maybe don't see them
for years or you just don't see them again. And
it's just about trying to find those moments because I say,
(38:13):
life moves so fast these days, you know, and it's
a wonderful thing. And progress is so progression is so
important in all elements of our lives. But I think
emotionally we can dwell, you know, I want to dwell
a little more emotionally on things and then yeah, not
be bummed out. Sorry, let me ask you this.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
I don't you posted something a couple of weeks ago
and somebody had asked you about an experience that had
changed your life.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
What's the drowning story? Oh dear, Yes, So when I
was seventeen, me and my friend we went to stay
with his brother. We went anyway, it doesn't matter where
it was, but me and my friend went in to
the ocean. We swim around for about twenty minutes, had
a great time, and then we kind of turned around
and said, right, let's try and get back to the shore,
and we would. We were swimming for about five minutes
(39:01):
and then about ten minutes, and we realized we were
just getting pulled by the current further and further out,
and we ended up getting in the break the wave break,
I'm not sure if that's the right phrase, And we
were stuck there for what felt felt like forever, and
I was barely able to a gasp of air. And
I'll never and it always gives me good spumps when
(39:23):
I say this, I turned to my friend and said,
I'm not going to make it, and that that was
like a really tough thing to say. And it stills
as I say, gives me goose spumps. It upsets me
a little when I say it. But I thought I
was going to die. I really did, and my friend
was in trouble. So we were on submerged under the water,
and then a lifeguard appeared out of nowhere, attached to
(39:43):
one of the It was like, it's like a bay
Watch moment. Yeah, of course, you know, in my mind,
it's a little bit more more cinematic than Got hassle Hoff.
Yeah exactly. And I wasn't a pale wreck when I
came out. But yeah, we got swept up, you know,
they had to. The currents were so strong, and they
had to tie tie the life guard to a boat
as well, and then he pulled us and he swept
us up. And then when we got to the shore,
(40:04):
there was a crowd of about one hundred people clapping
because the whole the whole beach had realized that two
people were drowning. So yeah, we just got back on
the beach with Hi everybody, you know, and actually that
the irony is Martin's brother, who was there. We traveled
so far down the beach that he thought we were
having a laugh when we when we told him that
(40:26):
we'd almost drowned, he was like, no, you didn't, and
we're like, we did. We've just been saved down there.
So yes, I've had a fear of the ocean ever
ever since I have. I lived near the ocean, but
I cannot go in it. Have you gone back in?
I've went up to my knees, you know. But honestly,
it was very traumatic. And it's funny because me and
(40:46):
my friend, it's it's I know that his wife feels
the same. It's the story we tell quite a lot,
you know, And I can just see our wives rolling
or rolling the rise at me telling this story again,
Elliott asked baby.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
Elliott asked, no, but like I don't think I've ever
like everybody's found themselves in crap, Like maybe not like that,
But to look at your friend.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
And go, I ain't gonna make it. I had that's
a that's a big jump. I had no breath in
my lungs, I had no strength in my arms. I
was just starting to drift under the water, and as
I say, I'll never forget the feeling of the guy
sweeping you know that way? It was what superhero? What's
in fact? I think I love this guy. I've never
(41:26):
seen him again. I can't even picture him. But maybe
that's maybe that's my life love affair. Right there were
you wearing what'd you call him? Your budgie smugglers have
been afloat then, man, I would have been bulbous and buoying. No,
I would not have needed help, I gotcha. Kiley dancing
(41:49):
is that hard? Yes? It is hard. Yeah, you will sweat.
Have you ever seen videos of Kiley dance?
Speaker 1 (41:55):
No? But somebody somebody asked you Killy dancing or Masha
and you said, oh, Keeley dancing, And I was like,
I have no idea what that is.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
So it's it's Scottish traditional dancing, which you normally we're
kilt and things like that for it. But it happens
that family does it like Christmas at New Year and
you basically just fling each other around the room. You
like hard, Like, could you teach Diane to Keeley dance?
Right now? I could, But Diana, I don't know if
you want to accept this imitation. You may regret it.
(42:23):
We may both end up with like a black eye
or something. So it's aggressive. It's aggressive. It's like you
fling each other around, you spin in circles, you you
dance with everyone in the dance floor. You change partners
a lot. But yeah, you change partners, you end up.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Yeah that sounds sexy when we're giving each other black eyes.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
I hope I get signed. Yeah, I'm not doing I'm
not giving it doing it justice year. But it's if
you can dance properly, it's a beautiful thing. But basically
once everyone has a few drinks, it turns into mayhem
and you honestly is it can become as violent as
a mosh pit.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
So like if I would to if I went to
a show in in Scotland, would I not.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
See a pit breakout? Would I see it all? No? No,
it's more rock shows, it's marsh pets. This is more
of kind of slightly more formal affairs I would see,
you know, like wadings and things like that. So yeah,
it's you won't walk down the street and see it.
And if you walk up to Scottsman and see where
you do a Kiley dance for me see what happens,
(43:22):
all right, So we got through.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
We got through two songs on the on the on
the record that are already out. Do you know which
ones are coming next?
Speaker 2 (43:29):
Yeah? We were releasing a song I'm not sure what
the parlung says these days, like a grat track or something,
True Believer. Oh I wrote that one down. Yeah, excellent.
And then the big single with the album is going
to be a song called Goodbye, which is a I
didn't write that one.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Oh no, back to the drawing boards.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Hey, can I ask you something about the song True Believer?
Speaker 1 (43:55):
Though, of course, towards the very end of the song,
like I don't know, it's it's maybe twenty third seconds
before it ends.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
Uh is that a kid's xylophone? Yeah? Is it? Really? Absolutely?
I nailed it again. This is We're We're quite an
awkward band. So, like, True Believer is one of the
most rocking and kind of most progressive songs in the record. Heavy,
it's explicit and heavy and heavy, but it's yeah, just
at the end, when it's about when the song's about
to peek out, we just put a little toys xylophone
(44:21):
on there, and you know, we love that kind of
rugpool see when you're making music as well, it's just
a love to keep people guessing. It's like it shouldn't
be obvious, Like I want people when they're listening to
her songs to not necessarily know where they're going to
end up. Some of them should be a beautiful journey.
Some of them should be quite a violent journey. You know,
you should be flung everywhere and not quite know where
(44:41):
you've ended up. That's one of those songs where you're like,
how did we get here? Is great? Thank you?
Speaker 1 (44:46):
All right?
Speaker 2 (44:46):
Last thing?
Speaker 1 (44:47):
And then uh, and then I'll let you play, and
I know that you got to start getting to a train.
Have you received your murder, she wrote, figuring No.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Not yet. No, it's stuck in the Thank you for
you You've done your research. I did hear that you're
an incredible researcher. Yes, I'm revealed. I am a murder,
she wrote alcohol murder, and I have a soft spot
for Jessica Fletcher. I did spend too much money on
a Jessica Flexer action figure, but when you see this
(45:16):
work of art, you will want one too. She's got
a different blouse for different days of the week and
She's got a look in her face that says, I'm
gonna find out who did this. Yeah, I'm never gonna
live that down.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
I wish you would have been at the Assie Tribute
day and just walked around going like, oh no, no, Maynard,
no no, no.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
So I bought this this, she wrote, all awesome. I mean,
Black Sabbath are amazing, and OSSI's amazing. But Maynard, God
place Osborn. All right, give me one more song than
give me just five seconds to swap this guitar. Talk
amongst yourselves, do whatever you gotta do. I could have
(45:59):
walked out over were to you while you were doing something.
That's all right. This is another This is a pretty
little song on the record, And yeah, I really appreciate
you guys. I appreciate everyone. Honestly, our record is very rocking.
I apologize, well, I don't apologize, but these are very
much morning versions of the song. If you want the
(46:21):
PM versions, get the record. This song is called one
thousand and one? How have you been? How would I know?
It's been a while since we were close? Basically, beasy
(46:48):
we are. You're breathing and trying hard not to spit
it out because this is how we broke. This is
how we broke. I always knew when I was wrong,
(47:16):
but I never said sorry. Now let's say one thousand
and one. I always hoped that I could change, try
to write a different story. But I made all the
(47:36):
same mistakes. Where have you been? How have you grown?
The way behaved? I knew all along, event shee you're
(48:01):
beginning to share, trying to not spit it out. But
this is how we broke. This is how we broke.
(48:24):
I always knew when I was wrong, Bud, I never
said sorry. Now, let's say it a thousand and one.
I always hope that I could change, try to write
(48:46):
a different story about a made up the same mistakes.
If you had the chance again, would you let me
show you what a loss shed the burden of memory?
(49:12):
This time the patha head can be yours in mind.
I hope we're walking side by side. I always knew
when I was wrong, and she would have said sorry. Now, well,
(49:35):
will see whatever you want. I always hope to turn
the page and start a brand new story, race the
mystics and make the change, because this is how we grow.
(50:01):
This is how we grow. Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (50:08):
Futique will be out on September nineteenth, Biffy Clyrose newest record, Simon,
thank you so much for coming in.
Speaker 2 (50:13):
Thank you Eliot so much on the team. Really appreciate
you guys. A look
Bippy Cliro has a brand new record coming out September
the twenty sixth.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Please welcome mister Simon Neil. Good morning, Good morning. How
are you, sir? I'm pretty good. I'm tired and in
awe of the fact that you do this every single day. Yeah, no,
not bad.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
By the way, can I tell you that? Do you
like the song that good?
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Yeah, dude, you got spoke for this one. Did it
come out?
Speaker 1 (00:24):
I'm being serious? Did it come out better? Like when
when you when you wrote this, did you think it
would be this good? This song is so goddamn good.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Thank you, No, it really is. I mean, you hope,
you hope that magic happens when you enter the studio.
You know, when you write this song, you have this
hope it's going to be as good as Back in
Black or something like that. And you know what you
have to just have You got to aim for us.
I'm not gonna hit myself. Yeah, we wrote the New
Bohemian Raps today. No, you got to aim for the stars.
(00:55):
You got to aim for the stars. But yeah, when
you're in the studio recording, that's kind of like there's
mystery to it and a bit of man it. But
I'm very happy with how the record came.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
In, and I agree the whole record. The whole record
is great, it really is. I really really like it.
And there's a couple of songs. And I'm sure you're
like this, whether it's with your own music or or
or if you're listening to somebody else's music.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
But there's certain songs that you get.
Speaker 1 (01:16):
Drawn to more than others, of course, and maybe that
changes a little bit over time. But a little love, oh,
I'm honestly over and over and over again so much
wait it's and I'm not I'm and I feel bad.
I didn't know we were going to start with that
because now it just sounds like I'm kissing your ass.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
I love it more, please more. I'm a long way
from home. So this is lovely? Is it? Are you
in a? Are you? So? The record comes out on
the on the twenty sixth. Yeah, actually it's now been
moved to the nineteenth of September. So I'm glad. Is
that because they were like, you know, that song's good,
let's move exactly. Yeah? How does that work?
Speaker 1 (01:50):
Like?
Speaker 2 (01:51):
How did they decide all of a sudden, let's move
it up to the nineteenth. I'm not really sure these corporations.
There's some shadiness going on behind the scenes, and I
don't know. Like her first we put it a little
love out a couple of months ago and it's had
a great reception, so I'm hoping it's just people. The
people want it, so we're going to give it to them.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
But is a is this a nervous anxious time for you?
Like once it's done, and I mean you're not doing
all I mean you're doing like a promo towards stuff.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
Yeah, I get that, but.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
It's not like you're not doing a whole lot between
now and when the record comes.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
Yeah, that's right. We're doing, as I say, a bunch
of promo around Europe and things, but we're not touring
till the new year. But yeah, this is It's it's
like having this secret that you're delighted with for months
and then suddenly you realize you have to share the secret.
So I'm always nervous and anticipating what people think. You know,
I'm curious what the hardcore fans think and what any
new listeners think. But it's because it matters to so much,
(02:47):
you know, I write songs They're very personal these songs,
and we've been in a band from when we were
like fifteen years old, so it's my life is dotted
through all the music. So so yes, I do care.
It's not cool to say it, but I care what
people think. You know. Why is it?
Speaker 1 (03:01):
It's funny you say that because I actually read something
where you were talking about this will be this will be.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
The band's tenth record.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, and I read something where you were talking and
you said that. First of all, it doesn't make any
sense because bands like when you were a kid, like,
they didn't have ten records.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
No, no one did. Yeah, they didn't have ten, like
they had three or four.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
So to feel like you have ten almost it's not
it's it's not fair that these bands that you loved
had ten.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Why do I have ten? It's exactly that, you know.
I mean, I grew up listening to a lot kind
of weird droug music and some really heavy stuff. And
what you would you listen to? I mean, for a way,
I guess I started in like Gunjan Roses, Metallica, and
then Metallica took me down in the dark past. So
I ended up with Slayer and Pantato and things, and
then I went to really noisy records, the Converge and
(03:49):
Dead Guy and Drowning Man and and Dellinger Escape Plans,
so that can really kind of kind of horrible stuff,
which which I love. And forget me, what was the
question of just often envisages?
Speaker 1 (04:01):
That's okay, that's all right, but let me back, let
me let me go to that for a second. Would
I be surprised, like, was there ever a point if
I would have walked into into Simon's room? Would you
have ever been listening to like a Spicequirrels record?
Speaker 2 (04:11):
No? Never, no, no. And actually I had the classic
teen metal head bedroom. I had like a Pantera, I
had a Pintera Anthrax and Slayer wall, a Metallica wall
and guns and Roses wall, and then that evolved into
Nirvana and a bit more grunge things, and then and
then thankfully I left home right So you never like
you never got into like pop or anything. No, really, no,
(04:33):
that came later, I think through the art of songwriting
and appreciating how amazing song songcraft is and how beautiful
some of the biggest pop songs of all time, so
that I've kind of leaned into it now. And I
do listen to a lot of pop music, and you know,
a big fan of like Casey Musk Graves her her
songwriting's spectacular and things like that, and and like Abba Big.
You know, it's unlikely that anyone think they influenced our band,
(04:57):
but some of the most sophisticated songwriting go. And that's
the thing. A lot of pop music from the surface,
you know, coming up growing up as a genre kid,
you know where I just liked it for it was loud.
I didn't realize how kind of progressive and nuanced a
lot of the pop music was. And actually, when you
sit down and try and play a Beach Boys song
or something, you're like, oh my god, you know, it's
(05:18):
it's very sophisticated, almost like classical music. So so you
I've learned a lot from pop music over the years
as well. Have you ever tried to play a Beach
Boys with a song? Yeah, actually you're holding a guitar,
I know. Actually, well it's not in the right tuning. Elliott, Yeah,
I did. We did an MTV Unplugged show a few
years ago, and obviously you do a cover for that,
and we we tempted fit we play. I played a
(05:41):
cover of God Only Knows which Again it's like it's
rarefy here, that's sacred turf, And I know I'm pushing
my luck when we did that, but that song is
so important to me. I remember listening to it with
my mum goddressed or so when I was a teenager.
It was my first dance with my wife when we
get married, I have the lyrics tattooed on me. So
when MTV has to to play that show, there was
(06:01):
only one song I wanted to cover, and they I
think I did an all right version of it, you know,
and no one can touch Brian and Dennis and and Carl.
But that's okay.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
And just just to be fair, every song lyric that
has ever been written based on the number of tattoos
you have is somewhere on your body somewhere.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
At least I've gone on my body. You probably find
a space let it there somewhere as well.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
No so, but what I was going to say is
so so going back to to this being the tenth record,
and you're saying, like bands I grew up with, they
didn't they didn't get ten records, They didn't have ten records.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
But the other thing that I that that that that.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
You said that I thought was interesting is you don't
like saying that you're in a big band. That is
that it that it bothers you to say, like like
you don't for whatever reason, You're like, it's not like it.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
It doesn't feel cool to say. I think it's because
I'm a nineties kids. You know, I grew up Nirvana
and all those bands were for me. The nineties and
the concept of a sellout was was quite prevalent, as
I'm sure you remember. Now it seems very antiquated to
think that, but we still have that kind of punk
rock mentality, you know, which is if you if you're
(07:14):
too popular, then it means.
Speaker 1 (07:15):
You're not very good, and if you're too popular, it
means everybody likes you.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:20):
I mean now you can hear the mentality behind that
and go, well, what a stupid thing is such?
Speaker 2 (07:25):
And it really it didn't did the opposite of broaden
our horizons. It really limited our outlook. And as obviously
I've grown older and I've realized what a ridiculous perspective
that is to have and to hold, because you know,
the amazing thing is now as well. A great song
can just reach everyone so quickly. And you know, I
think I think music is one of the most it's
(07:45):
the most beautiful art form. It's one of the most
personal ones, but it's also one of the most universal.
You know, everyone can have a soul you know, an
individual experience with their favorite songs, or you can have
a group experience. You've got the live thing, and that's
why music's so special. But yeah, it's yeah, it feels
a bit naive to have said that now. And also
I have high ambitions for my music, you know, I'm like,
(08:05):
I want as many people to hear it as possible.
I'm really proud of the body of work we've created
and actually to be I mean, we were three friends
in high school. You know, we started this band when
we were fifteen, and we started with all these this
kind of really idealistic kind of rules, and I'm glad
we've shared them, you know, because music's meant to be shared.
It's meant to be a beautiful thing, and it is
(08:26):
a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
When you guys, when you guys were fifteen and you
started and you started the band, were you were you
the first one to like you said when you were fifteen,
like you were done, you got out, Like was it
all three of you that kind of just all got
out together at fifteen?
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah? Yeah, we all played together. I mean I'd played
violin for a few years before that. Sonnew I was
into my music. But as soon as I picked up
my guitar, it was like Ben or drummer. I was like, right,
you need to get some drums man. And then and
then Ben's twin, James was he would always hang around
while me and Ben would play our Vana songs and
things weren't good enough to play guns and Roses or
metallic about we could play in Arvana and so James thanks,
(09:10):
And then James would hang around and then he just
suddenly picked up a guitar as well. And so it's
the most organic way to play music. And I'm very
grateful because see, when when things get complicated and the
stresses of being in a band, you know, because the
life is it's a wild and a weird life, you know,
and we're lucky to have done it for twenty years.
But those moments where things get too much, it's really
(09:31):
nice that we can sit and talk to each other
as friends still, and that's why we've survived. You know,
there's there's very few bands out there that have the
same original members and and I think if it wasn't
for our close friendship, then we could perhaps have followed
some of those stories you know.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
When you were when you were fifteen, and that's unfair,
not like when you first started, but when when you
guys were like, maybe maybe we can do this and
we're past playing other bands music.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Yeah, you did? You did? At any point?
Speaker 1 (10:01):
Did you think it would be I mean, I know
that it sounds dumb because we talked about it. Nobody
gets ten records, but did you ever think it would
get to this?
Speaker 2 (10:09):
No. I think it's worked to our benefit that we
that we really try and live as in the moment
as possible, so every record would pour everything into and
we don't envisage how our career Inverted Commons is going
to go. And I think that's actually fed well into
the music and into our motivation. But I mean, even
our very first show when we were fifteen and we
(10:29):
left school to go and play, we skipped school to
go and play our first show, did you really Yeah,
Like half of our set was our original songs, So
that's I mean, it's very arrogant for fifteen year old
kids that would be good. Yeah. Well, I mean, I'll
leave it to you to decide whether they were good
or not. But it was always about making our own music,
you know. We always wanted to find our own kind
(10:50):
of pathway in our own our own yeah, our own
path in the music world. And because we didn't have
any friends that played music or were in bands or
nowty served as well, you know, because we played live
round our local area for a couple of years, and
then we got some label interests locally. Then we played
a few shows with that, released a couple of EPs,
(11:12):
and then we got some national interest from record labels,
and then a few albums on Beggars Banquet, and then
Warner's came calling. So I feel that we've been ready
for every step of the band without having to feel,
you know, too cynical about it, you know, like we
were ready for every step we took as a band.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
What is the closest you guys got the during the
run to not being a band?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
I guess, I mean to be honest. Post pandemic has
been a tough time for us. During the pandemic, we overworked,
we went to launch an album in twenty twenty. That then,
obviously everything got shut down in twenty twenty, so instead
of touring, we just went in and made another record,
which was great fun at the time, but I think
we neglected ourselves as human beings. We stayed in band mode,
(11:57):
and that time period was so weird for all of us.
I think we're all processing it, but yeah, we definitely
overcompensated with our work and I felt like the last
year or so is when it's kind of taking its toll.
So I stupidly went out with my hardcore metal band
called Empire State Bastard with the Dave Lombardo on drums
from Slayer, my friend Mike Venner, and Naomi macloud and
(12:19):
we turned with sleep talking around the US last year actually,
and it was great to do something that was pure noise,
you know. It was just the simplicity of stepping in
a stage, no one caring what we were doing, and
so I felt liberated after that. But it was important
to take that break. I think, as I say, we
neglected ourselves as human beings and tried to just be
(12:40):
in band mode and it so last year was important
that we had a wee reset and just touched base
with each other to make sure we were healthy.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
But isn't that I mean, listen, I can't tell you
what to think of yourself, but like nobody knew what
they were supposed to do, Like there was no there
was no manual to follow of, like just what we're
supposed to do.
Speaker 2 (13:00):
I know, And when you look back, it's incredible all
the changes we did make, you know, And there's and
when we look back, there's some things we should have done,
some things we shouldn't and but yeah, it's definitely it's
kind of taken a little bit out of each of us.
And I thing, you know, I guess the thing is
some professions didn't really stop, you know, I'm sure were you.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
We came in, so they emptied out the whole building.
We came in every day. I just I wasn't going
to go home, but I would have lost my wife,
Like it wouldn't have been.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
Good were you spread down outside in the way and
every day.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
But yeah, I mean what we all made a vow
to each other, we're not gonna We're gonna do everything
we can to not get seen to protect or else
they're gonna throw they're gonna throw us out of the
building and we won't be able to come in.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
Of course.
Speaker 1 (13:39):
So for for for us, which is a very very
small part, we never nothing changed. I mean, yes, the
certain things that you did change and how you lived
your life. Came to work every day. It wasn't like
you guys where it's like, Okay, there's no studio to
go to, there's no touring to go to, there's no
promo to go to, there's none of that going at
(14:01):
least we came to work every day.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Yeah, And that's what I struggled with the most, because
everyone every time like the lockdown was about to be lifted,
it would be like, oh, we're almost back out there,
and then we would go straight to the bottom of
the list again. And that's what was really tough. And
also I felt like I felt like I was an
accountant of his own Zoom Calls for about for about
four months, and I'm like, I didn't sign up to
be in a rock and roll band to be in
(14:24):
Zoom Calls. Now that I knew what Zoom was before,
I mean, where does Zoom come from? Everybody? I wish
I had some stocks in Zoom.
Speaker 1 (14:32):
Before going back to your your other project that you
said that you went out and did. I was reading
something about that where Simon you said, I need to
go do that because I can't always be Simon from
Biffy Clyrow.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, that you just you.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
Don't want to be that guy, and not that that
guy is bad, but like I don't want to be
I don't want to be that big.
Speaker 2 (14:58):
It's the expectations that to be honest, it's expectations I
put on myself and what you know, I expect my
songs to be of a certain quality, and I just
I'd emptied all my creative juices during that twenty twenty
twenty and twenty twenty one, so I just needed to
go elsewhere. I needed to just be a guy that
isn't in a band or is just playing in a
kind of smaller band. And as I say, I fell
(15:21):
in love with touring again. You know. We went out
and we toured for a long time. Actually, on ESB
it was meant to just be six months of touring
and we ended up doing about eighteen months of work,
so it was a little busier than I wanted it
to be. But I just every tour was more fun
than the last and it's really fed back into being
back in Biffy. You know, when you've been in a
band for years and years, sometimes you just get on
(15:43):
the treadmill and it becomes a bit of a hamster
wheel and you need to consciously step off that hamster wheel.
I think we all do in all facets of our
life and all work. You know, we always need to
remember the human inside the profession because especially with what
we all do, it's so immersive and we will love
what we do, sure so, but you still have to
remember that you need to kind of not ignore yourself
(16:05):
as as a person, because I felt like I was
just Simon from Biffy for so long, and I wanted
to be Simon Neil wanted to I wanted to be
a real boy. Are you? Are you? And don't be
med at me? But are you?
Speaker 1 (16:18):
Are you uncomfortable with success?
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Not anymore?
Speaker 1 (16:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (16:25):
I think so. It's probably a Scottish perspective as well.
Scottish people are quite cynical. We're supportive of each other,
but but you should never get too big for your boots.
So living in Scotland definitely keeps our feet in the ground.
But it's just it's just a kind of perspective that
Scottish people have. And I think we've learned to embrace
(16:46):
our success, you know, we've I guess we tried to
deny it for a few years, you know. And don't
get me wrong, I know, you know, in the US
we're very small band. You know, this is this is
just kind of the rest of the world. But I
finally take pride in the fact that their songs are
known by lots of people, and lots of people come
to the shows and sing along. And now I'm really
(17:06):
really proud of us. And I know pride's a sin.
I've seen them maybe seven. I don't want to end
up like that, maybe seven. But yeah, it's a wonderful thing.
If if you'd said to me when I was fifteen
that I would be playing music for another twenty thirty years,
I would be have been delighted. I would have bitten
your hand off. And it's just to remind you, you know,
it's important to remind yourself how far you've come. But yeah, no,
(17:29):
I embrace it wholeheartedly. Now we still take our shows
and her music very seriously, right, But those are two
different things, exactly. Those are two different things exactly. So yeah,
I mean taking it seriously, and I fully believe that
you do. But like when you when you start reading
about your history and like some of the side stuff
that you do, it almost seems like there's this if
I'm successful, I can be I can fail.
Speaker 1 (17:52):
If I'm not successful, I can never fail. There's nowhere
where am I going to go. I'm market laying on
the back.
Speaker 2 (17:57):
And actually I've got a few friends that can suffer
from that kind of perspective, you know, where it's almost
easier to not dip your toe in but just in
case you feel But I guess I'm never afraid of
failure anymore, you know. And the part of the reason
I do the other projects is to feel that liberated
way of you know, the ESB band, the metal band.
(18:17):
You know, my dad, even my family couldn't listen to
that record. My dad was like, I tried to listen
to its son, but it's just too heavy, you know,
and you know so and I needed to hear that,
you know. But it's music should always be for yourself,
you know. It's it's it sounds like such a cliche,
but see when people take to your music, it's a
wonderful thing. But you've got to write for yourself because
(18:40):
the fact of the matter is I write songs when
I'm at home by myself in my studio. So if
I'm not turned on by it, you know, I don't
want to second guess what anyone else is going to think.
And being this long into her career, I think I
have faith in our taste and what we know what
our band should be. So yeah, it's it's always just
getting that refueling every few years. You know.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
Let's go back to how we started A Little Love.
Where did you just write that at home in your studio?
Speaker 2 (19:04):
Yeah? So I would come home in between touring with ESB,
and I'm saying ESB so that I don't say the
B words, Okay, In between Empire State Bastard shows, I
would come home and everyone that knew was expecting me
to write these really heavy songs. And actually I'd go
home and sit in the piano and write and write
(19:24):
these kind of bright and breezy, big chorus songs, you know.
And I think it was a reaction to the more
intense stuff with ESB. But Little Love was one of
the first songs that I knew was going to make
the record. I started it in the piano and it
sounded like something from the West End or Broadway, And
obviously we took it a little bit closer to the
rock world. But I really liked the fact that I
(19:46):
didn't know where the song sat. It wasn't just a
straight up rock song. It was like, how are we
going to record this? You know, as you said, when
we started listening, I didn't know it was going to
end up sounding exactly like that, But it's ended up
in a beautiful place that I couldn't ever have been
so and visited it like with Showgirls and everything, you
know that thousands and then I remembered I was in
(20:06):
a three piece rock band.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Do you Then you did the video for the for
the song yep, they, which is really it's the video
is really goods.
Speaker 2 (20:16):
So did you guys drop each other at all? Yes, yes,
it was.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
There's a couple of scenes where like, I don't even
know how you guys are holding each other, but there's
a couple where they get to you and you're like, oh,
it's real strange.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
Yeah, we did. It's like a stress tests and stressholds
and trust falls in the video for a little love,
and yeah, what you see, the strain you see is real.
We did that for about ten hours that day, and God,
every position we held was for the full duration of
the song, and it was we couldn't. We didn't want
to fake it, you know that way. We talked about
it in advance, going go, should we try and look
(20:49):
cool and sexy? Well, we're we're holding each other up,
and we were like, that defeats the purpose of the video.
So yeah, what you see is very real, and in fact,
for some reason, I'm drawn to be torture during your videos.
I've just show We just showed a video the other
day for Whenever upcoming singles in there and we're in
space and I was on this harness for hours that
(21:11):
was just compressing my stomach. I had to sing along
and pretend like I was free and easy in space
while I was basically being tortured. And I do it.
So the next video is going to be buy it
sitting next to a pool like Club Tropicana. I promise
I won't wear my budgy smugglers, but but you might.
But we will be by a pool that was your
(21:35):
normal bathing suit a what is it? Budgies? Yeah, that's
your normal. Oh y, I'm sure. Yeah. I wouldn't be
a married man if that was my norm. I think
my wife would have run a mile. All right, let
me do this. Let me take a quick break. Few
t comes out on the nineteen nineteenth September.
Speaker 1 (21:54):
Very good, So let's take a quick break more with
Simon Neil from Biffy Clyrod next Elliott in the Morning.
In the morning climbing Neil the Bitney Clyro is with us.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Hey, can I ask you this about hunting season? Yeah?
Speaker 1 (22:10):
A little heavier than a little love the But I
was reading where you were talking about like like like
channeling like old like like Rage against the Machine. Yeah,
and Black Sabbath and Metallica.
Speaker 2 (22:22):
Oh so he tends to I was at the last
Black Sabbath show. I was just gonna ask you.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I was just gonna ask you that, like you're I
know that you're a huge Sabbath guy.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Yeah, absolutely, it was. It was such an emotional day,
you know, per peer Ossie, God rest his soul, but
see to be there and to see him the willingness
he had to be there in the battle he had
to you know, he was extraordinary that night but you
could see he was just desperate to get out that
chair and and really give us all. But it was
one of the most like fifty thousand people, everyone had
(22:54):
a tear in their eyes. I was going to ask,
did you cry? Yeah, it was. It was really emotional
when he first appeared, and the whole day was psychedelic
because I mean one of the run of bands was
it was Pantera into two, into Slayer, into Guns and
Roses into Metallica, and it was like, you know, my
mind exploded. And that was before Ozzie came on played
a bunch of solo songs, and then Sabbath came on,
(23:15):
and Sabbath played real slow, real dirgy. You know, it
was just how you wanted it to be. But it
was just amazing to be there, and honestly, everyone had
a tear in their eye and it was one of
the most beautiful sign offs and goodbyes that I've ever
seen in my life. And and I'm just I'm really
pleased Ozzie got to see it, you know, not that
would I know, but I think it was meant to
(23:37):
be that way. It was poetic. It was it felt
like that was how he was meant to round off
his incredible life and so yeah, stunning.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Sonny Simon, what was it like for artists though, Like
because I mean obviously, you know, people are playing and
they're they're paying homage, but then there's still time where
like people aren't playing and they're just in the back.
Like was it like was it was there a weird
aura in the air, you know?
Speaker 2 (23:59):
It was. It was funny because everyone that was there
was just black Sabbath fans and Aussie fans. That's what
they came as first, you know, all the Metallica guns
and rosies, you know, to see them all be so
selfless because a lot of these bands haven't shared a
stage or had to go on second you know, not
headline the show in like thirty years, you know, so
to see just how much it meant to them, and
(24:21):
everyone said something really beautiful about Ozzie and about Sabbath
and what it meant to them, and it just felt
that the metal community and the you know, hard rock
community really were there for him. So to see Axel Hetfield,
phil Anselmo Maynard being awe of someone else was truly special.
You know. They just looked like rock fans and they
(24:42):
were there just playing paying tribute to their heroes. So
it was a beautiful leveler for everyone. So as much
as these superstars were on the stage, it didn't feel
like that. It was all about Ozzie and obviously in
the part of Birmingham where they grew up, where they started,
and you know, I'm sure it was unrecognizable. It was
just so apt to be there and they're beautiful.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
It's interesting though, because I didn't even think of that,
But like, when is the last time somebody told men
or no, no, no, no, not only are you not the headliner,
you'll be going on fourth or yea fifth from the end.
Speaker 2 (25:12):
Well it's still daylight. I mean, I don't I don't
know if Two have ever played a show during the daytime,
but I tell you what, I've seen Two a bunch
of times over the years. Are one of my favorites.
They were one of my highlights of the day. To
actually see them, these lizard men, they only exist in
the shadows. To actually see them perform, and Maynard just
just so powerful. He really has a he's got such
(25:34):
a magic and a hypnotic presence, and so yeah, it
was truly amazing because then they would walk off and
you'd see Slayer walking on just you know, there's Tom
Riah walking past Maynard and then they would be like, oh,
there's Lauras walking past still data. Yeah, exactly, all my nineties.
I mean, I'm a nineties kid, as I said so,
and I hope my little brain was just exploding. The
(25:56):
signapses were just exploding every twenty minutes, and that all
happened within the space of two hours as well. You
all right, what long are we going to play? First?
I'm going to play a morning version of a lettle
love whenever you're ready. Thank you so much.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Here we go, right, I can't divorce you.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
You put me through hell? What the spirits want? The spirits?
Speaker 1 (26:29):
K oh?
Speaker 2 (26:30):
Well, well, who can you trust? And how can you tell?
When you can touch it but not feel it, you
can hear it. The silence fell With a little love,
if you want it, we can conquer it all with
(26:54):
a little love. If you're honest, we can defeat them all. Honey, composure,
you decompose. I guess I'm extraneous to this modern world.
You chose who can you trust? But it's better than hell.
(27:22):
When you can touch it but not feel it, you
can hear it. The silence fell. With a little love.
If you want it, we can conquer it all with
a little love. If you're honest, we can defeat them all.
(27:45):
Can somebody help me? I can do this on my own?
This time last year it all felt to pieces, So
my heart you declared it all mean English? Can someone
and break me? Can this all be done? When I
ask you, you swear that you mean it. Get me
(28:08):
the grasp bed and never release it. With a little love,
just for everyone. I forgive all the things that you said,
all the things that you've done, with a little love,
(28:30):
just for everyone. I wish shock you'd forgive, and forgive
of the moment is gone with a little love. If
you once said, we can conquer it all with a
little love. If you're honest, we can defeat them all
(28:52):
with a little love, with a little love, with a
little love. If you're honest, we can defeat them with
a little love.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro is with us. Dude, that's
not a great.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
Thank you the morning version. Yes, it's a lot deeper,
hellttle slore. It's a little massage for your listeners. I'm
sorry it's not quite a double espresso for all y'all.
Speaker 1 (29:23):
So the full record Foutique will be out on the nineteenth.
I was reading you released a bunch of UK and
European dates. Yes, we have, Yes, Starting in January, we'll
go all through the UK. Then there's Amsterdam, Paris, Madrid, Zurich, Berlin, Oslo, Stockholm,
Um where are.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Some Yeah, there's some portunt place he's messing from that.
I feel like there's nothing that cops the water. We
will yet what we are putting our plan in place, Elia,
and we are going to be back in December to
play a handful of shoes, and then we're planning our
spring tours. So next kind of April May, March, tail
end of March April May, we're doing a full nationwide tour.
Speaker 1 (30:06):
So you're definitely because one of the first things people
said were like Jesus Christ, ask them when they're coming back.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
I know it's been here in forever. It's a tough one. Basically,
this is the best plan we've ever had. So yeah,
we will be announcing this is the best play you've
ever had. Trust me, or it feels it. I ever
convinced everyone, you ever convinced every Yeah, no, We're definitely
you're going to see lots of us. It's really important
for us, you know, the people that care about our
(30:32):
band over here matter to is a lot, and we're
really keen to spread the world, spread the word. America
is just such an important place for me with my
musical education, you know, and and it means so much
to the three of us. So whenever we toour here,
we love it. We feel that we're making friends as
the years have gone on. But yeah, you're definitely going
to see us and you're not going to want to
miss it because we're badass. Forgive me. That must be
(30:55):
that second doublest rest.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
What is the and listen, I'm know you've played a
million shows in a million different cities, like does does
Is there anything about d C in.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
The past that stands out? Do you have a good
relationship with DC? Well, d C was a big deal
for me because obviously Discord Records is from d C
Ian McKay and for Gassy and everything, So that was
a big deal for me in the nineties and that
and then the nine thirty Club Black Cat. There's so
many iconic venues that we've been so aware of and
one of our very first shows in the US, which
(31:28):
we felt it was a success, was at the nine
thirty Club and it was and I'll never forget. I
love that. I love that room and everything. And then
venues great, venues great, it's awesome. But yeah, no, DC's
you know, we went and got the Ben's Chili. You know,
we've done that. We've tacked a lot of boxes when
we've been in d C. And yeah, it's always felt
great for us. It's always felt great for us. Good.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Now, let's go backwards a little bit. I know that
you guys were busy during the summer doing the whole.
I know it's a huge deal overseas, like festivals. Yeah,
festival summer.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
The big festival culture in Europe. Do you do you
like doing those? Yeah, it's it's magic because a lot
of the festivals in Europe they're really eclectic bills. So
sometimes you'll go on after like a reggae band, sometimes
you're on with metal bands. You know, it can be anything.
So yeah, we did. We did a bunch of We
did Glastonbury in the UK, which is a really big deal,
(32:18):
and we played a bunch in Germany and Scandinavia and
where else it's it's alreadia blur, so radio blur. I'm
constantly looking forward. I don't have time from a rearview
mirror at the moment, but it was we came straight
from the studio, straight onto the summer stages, and when
you're standing on those stages and there's fifty thousand people,
it makes you feel good. It really, you know, it
(32:40):
felt like coming out of the studio and the kind
of bubble and the cocoon of being in a studio.
It just felt like we were beasts let into the
wild again. And I'm not sure if anyone was listening those,
but we're a band that plays with our shirts off
because we I was going to say it was weird
to see you play a song, it's I know, it's
something that we did it back in the day because
we used to tour in a van and we would go
(33:02):
through all of our clothes too quickly, and at the
end of the tour there'd be this like chewing gumball
of t shirts at the back of the van. So
we swore that. We swore that for efficiency and for
laundry bills. We just stopped. We just stopped wearing shirts
and we've never put them back on, and there's something
really ridiculous and empowering walking on stage with your shirt off.
(33:23):
So it feels that you're ready for battle. And that's
still that's still the mindset we'd take. And even when
we're playing Terror fans, it's like it's almost it's almost
a fight in the most beautiful way.
Speaker 1 (33:33):
It's a fight and a hug, right because the like
I was watching your your set from Glastonburn, which was
I mean, it was awesome, but there's you know, everybody's
got their flags up and there's like fifty is small.
That's got to be one hundred thousand people that are there. Yes,
And but then I think back where you were like
it's not cool to say you're in a band and
I need to take a break. And I'm like, Jesus Christ,
(33:55):
you're wearing a kilt and you got no shirt on it,
Like something doesn't match here.
Speaker 2 (33:59):
I'm definitely leaning leaning into something. But no, as I say,
probably it's a while ago now that I kind of made.
I think that's the attitude I have when I'm making
the music. I think I'm able to maintain that kind
of This music's for me and it needs to be special,
and I've managed to shed it everywhere else because yeah,
as you say, it's like, I want to go out
(34:19):
there and give everyone a good time. I don't want
to be apologetic for being up there. I want to
show people, make sure everyone's horse by the end of
the night sweaty, hopefully get their t shirts off too,
and that everyone's hugging and having a great time. It's
just it's really important.
Speaker 1 (34:33):
So yeah, true or false, you still get very, very
nervous before you go on stage.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
True, like almost panic attack nervous. Yes, unfortunately, Unfortunately, I
always thought I would relax into it, and obviously the more,
the more you do of anything, you should relax more.
But it still matters to me every show I want
to be the best show we've ever done, and it
points that's taking its toll on me, and I've needed
to stop and really take take a couple of months
(35:01):
off because that expectation and that kind of trying to
reach that peak every night can be tiring. But most
of my favorite bands did that as well. I know
that they play for you as if it's the last
show they're going to play on Earth, So that's where
my nerves come from because I just want it to
be the best experience for everyone. Obviously I want to
enjoy it, but I want to give people the best experience,
(35:21):
and so, yeah, the nerves are still there. Sadly, I
do drink a couple of tequila's before the show. I'm
not a big drinker, but I love tequila before the show,
so I have two or three of them and that
just chills me enough to go out there and do it. Yeah,
a lot of non drinkers do about two three shots
in the night. It just settles, you know. My meetings
are great. Like my eleventh step is down.
Speaker 1 (35:47):
The themes, the themes of the record Futique, which is
looking forward. You're you'll correct me because I'm going to
mess this up. So it's an eye on four without
forgetting the past.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Yeah, Basically, I realize that the title futique is a
combination of the words future antique, and you know that
way you look back into old pictures and you think
of like the last five years of your life or something,
and you'll remember these wonderful moments, but sometimes they only
seem wonderful afterwards. And I really just want to be
as present as possible at the moment and enjoy my
(36:20):
friends and my family and the shows and traveling and
being here. I want to just enjoy every minute of it,
and not only in the rear view mirror, because I
feel like a lot of us are so constantly and
forward motion that we forget to just take a breath
and think, Wow, this is a good moment, this is
a nice moment. And I've been very guilty of that.
So I wanting to celebrate the fact that myself, Ben
(36:43):
and James have known each other from when we were seven.
I've played music for years. We get on each of
the other's nerves a lot, but because we've got that
deep bond, it's, you know, I feel that we can
survive anything, and also that the world is a is
a dumpster fire at the moment. It's so tough, you know,
every time you pick up your phone or something that's
just it can be really tough, and really it can
(37:05):
weigh us down. So I've decided that all I can
do is what's within my control is try and cherish
everyone I have and all the memories I have, and
I'm trying to make sure that there's nothing that in
ten years time, I look back on and think I
should have been more present for that. So that's why
even in this morning moment, and I'm not a morning person,
I'm just trying to enjoy everything, you know, and I
think I think we all should because the world's changing
(37:28):
very fast and there we should embrace our loved ones
and our family because you know, sometimes that's all we've got.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
You you said something that I really excuse me, that
I really really liked. We are never aware when we
do anything for the last time. Yeah, and there's something
really and you went on to say, there's something really
beautiful in that, but there's also a sadness in that.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
Yeah, I really like that. Thank you, Thank you again.
That's all about being present, you know. A couple of
my friends have said that they didn't realize the last
time they were going to read out like a story
to their daughter or something, or the last time you
give someone a hug and you maybe don't see them
for years or you just don't see them again. And
it's just about trying to find those moments because I say,
(38:13):
life moves so fast these days, you know, and it's
a wonderful thing. And progress is so progression is so
important in all elements of our lives. But I think
emotionally we can dwell, you know, I want to dwell
a little more emotionally on things and then yeah, not
be bummed out. Sorry, let me ask you this.
Speaker 1 (38:32):
I don't you posted something a couple of weeks ago
and somebody had asked you about an experience that had
changed your life.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
What's the drowning story? Oh dear, Yes, So when I
was seventeen, me and my friend we went to stay
with his brother. We went anyway, it doesn't matter where
it was, but me and my friend went in to
the ocean. We swim around for about twenty minutes, had
a great time, and then we kind of turned around
and said, right, let's try and get back to the shore,
and we would. We were swimming for about five minutes
(39:01):
and then about ten minutes, and we realized we were
just getting pulled by the current further and further out,
and we ended up getting in the break the wave break,
I'm not sure if that's the right phrase, And we
were stuck there for what felt felt like forever, and
I was barely able to a gasp of air. And
I'll never and it always gives me good spumps when
(39:23):
I say this, I turned to my friend and said,
I'm not going to make it, and that that was
like a really tough thing to say. And it stills
as I say, gives me goose spumps. It upsets me
a little when I say it. But I thought I
was going to die. I really did, and my friend
was in trouble. So we were on submerged under the water,
and then a lifeguard appeared out of nowhere, attached to
(39:43):
one of the It was like, it's like a bay
Watch moment. Yeah, of course, you know, in my mind,
it's a little bit more more cinematic than Got hassle Hoff.
Yeah exactly. And I wasn't a pale wreck when I
came out. But yeah, we got swept up, you know,
they had to. The currents were so strong, and they
had to tie tie the life guard to a boat
as well, and then he pulled us and he swept
us up. And then when we got to the shore,
(40:04):
there was a crowd of about one hundred people clapping
because the whole the whole beach had realized that two
people were drowning. So yeah, we just got back on
the beach with Hi everybody, you know, and actually that
the irony is Martin's brother, who was there. We traveled
so far down the beach that he thought we were
having a laugh when we when we told him that
(40:26):
we'd almost drowned, he was like, no, you didn't, and
we're like, we did. We've just been saved down there.
So yes, I've had a fear of the ocean ever
ever since I have. I lived near the ocean, but
I cannot go in it. Have you gone back in?
I've went up to my knees, you know. But honestly,
it was very traumatic. And it's funny because me and
(40:46):
my friend, it's it's I know that his wife feels
the same. It's the story we tell quite a lot,
you know, And I can just see our wives rolling
or rolling the rise at me telling this story again,
Elliott asked baby.
Speaker 1 (40:57):
Elliott asked, no, but like I don't think I've ever
like everybody's found themselves in crap, Like maybe not like that,
But to look at your friend.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
And go, I ain't gonna make it. I had that's
a that's a big jump. I had no breath in
my lungs, I had no strength in my arms. I
was just starting to drift under the water, and as
I say, I'll never forget the feeling of the guy
sweeping you know that way? It was what superhero? What's
in fact? I think I love this guy. I've never
(41:26):
seen him again. I can't even picture him. But maybe
that's maybe that's my life love affair. Right there were
you wearing what'd you call him? Your budgie smugglers have
been afloat then, man, I would have been bulbous and buoying. No,
I would not have needed help, I gotcha. Kiley dancing
(41:49):
is that hard? Yes? It is hard. Yeah, you will sweat.
Have you ever seen videos of Kiley dance?
Speaker 1 (41:55):
No? But somebody somebody asked you Killy dancing or Masha
and you said, oh, Keeley dancing, And I was like,
I have no idea what that is.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
So it's it's Scottish traditional dancing, which you normally we're
kilt and things like that for it. But it happens
that family does it like Christmas at New Year and
you basically just fling each other around the room. You
like hard, Like, could you teach Diane to Keeley dance?
Right now? I could, But Diana, I don't know if
you want to accept this imitation. You may regret it.
(42:23):
We may both end up with like a black eye
or something. So it's aggressive. It's aggressive. It's like you
fling each other around, you spin in circles, you you
dance with everyone in the dance floor. You change partners
a lot. But yeah, you change partners, you end up.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
Yeah that sounds sexy when we're giving each other black eyes.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
I hope I get signed. Yeah, I'm not doing I'm
not giving it doing it justice year. But it's if
you can dance properly, it's a beautiful thing. But basically
once everyone has a few drinks, it turns into mayhem
and you honestly is it can become as violent as
a mosh pit.
Speaker 1 (42:57):
So like if I would to if I went to
a show in in Scotland, would I not.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
See a pit breakout? Would I see it all? No? No,
it's more rock shows, it's marsh pets. This is more
of kind of slightly more formal affairs I would see,
you know, like wadings and things like that. So yeah,
it's you won't walk down the street and see it.
And if you walk up to Scottsman and see where
you do a Kiley dance for me see what happens,
(43:22):
all right, So we got through.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
We got through two songs on the on the on
the record that are already out. Do you know which
ones are coming next?
Speaker 2 (43:29):
Yeah? We were releasing a song I'm not sure what
the parlung says these days, like a grat track or something,
True Believer. Oh I wrote that one down. Yeah, excellent.
And then the big single with the album is going
to be a song called Goodbye, which is a I
didn't write that one.
Speaker 1 (43:47):
Oh no, back to the drawing boards.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Hey, can I ask you something about the song True Believer?
Speaker 1 (43:55):
Though, of course, towards the very end of the song,
like I don't know, it's it's maybe twenty third seconds
before it ends.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
Uh is that a kid's xylophone? Yeah? Is it? Really? Absolutely?
I nailed it again. This is We're We're quite an
awkward band. So, like, True Believer is one of the
most rocking and kind of most progressive songs in the record. Heavy,
it's explicit and heavy and heavy, but it's yeah, just
at the end, when it's about when the song's about
to peek out, we just put a little toys xylophone
(44:21):
on there, and you know, we love that kind of
rugpool see when you're making music as well, it's just
a love to keep people guessing. It's like it shouldn't
be obvious, Like I want people when they're listening to
her songs to not necessarily know where they're going to
end up. Some of them should be a beautiful journey.
Some of them should be quite a violent journey. You know,
you should be flung everywhere and not quite know where
(44:41):
you've ended up. That's one of those songs where you're like,
how did we get here? Is great? Thank you?
Speaker 1 (44:46):
All right?
Speaker 2 (44:46):
Last thing?
Speaker 1 (44:47):
And then uh, and then I'll let you play, and
I know that you got to start getting to a train.
Have you received your murder, she wrote, figuring No.
Speaker 2 (44:55):
Not yet. No, it's stuck in the Thank you for
you You've done your research. I did hear that you're
an incredible researcher. Yes, I'm revealed. I am a murder,
she wrote alcohol murder, and I have a soft spot
for Jessica Fletcher. I did spend too much money on
a Jessica Flexer action figure, but when you see this
(45:16):
work of art, you will want one too. She's got
a different blouse for different days of the week and
She's got a look in her face that says, I'm
gonna find out who did this. Yeah, I'm never gonna
live that down.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
I wish you would have been at the Assie Tribute
day and just walked around going like, oh no, no, Maynard,
no no, no.
Speaker 2 (45:38):
So I bought this this, she wrote, all awesome. I mean,
Black Sabbath are amazing, and OSSI's amazing. But Maynard, God
place Osborn. All right, give me one more song than
give me just five seconds to swap this guitar. Talk
amongst yourselves, do whatever you gotta do. I could have
(45:59):
walked out over were to you while you were doing something.
That's all right. This is another This is a pretty
little song on the record, And yeah, I really appreciate
you guys. I appreciate everyone. Honestly, our record is very rocking.
I apologize, well, I don't apologize, but these are very
much morning versions of the song. If you want the
(46:21):
PM versions, get the record. This song is called one
thousand and one? How have you been? How would I know?
It's been a while since we were close? Basically, beasy
(46:48):
we are. You're breathing and trying hard not to spit
it out because this is how we broke. This is
how we broke. I always knew when I was wrong,
(47:16):
but I never said sorry. Now let's say one thousand
and one. I always hoped that I could change, try
to write a different story. But I made all the
(47:36):
same mistakes. Where have you been? How have you grown?
The way behaved? I knew all along, event shee you're
(48:01):
beginning to share, trying to not spit it out. But
this is how we broke. This is how we broke.
(48:24):
I always knew when I was wrong, Bud, I never
said sorry. Now, let's say it a thousand and one.
I always hope that I could change, try to write
(48:46):
a different story about a made up the same mistakes.
If you had the chance again, would you let me
show you what a loss shed the burden of memory?
(49:12):
This time the patha head can be yours in mind.
I hope we're walking side by side. I always knew
when I was wrong, and she would have said sorry. Now, well,
(49:35):
will see whatever you want. I always hope to turn
the page and start a brand new story, race the
mystics and make the change, because this is how we grow.
(50:01):
This is how we grow. Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (50:08):
Futique will be out on September nineteenth, Biffy Clyrose newest record, Simon,
thank you so much for coming in.
Speaker 2 (50:13):
Thank you Eliot so much on the team. Really appreciate
you guys. A look
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