Firstly Jack, you were ill quite recently and as a result you guys had to cancel some gigs. I hope it was nothing serious and are you all recovered now?
Jack: Oh yeah, yeah. Well... it was a mystery illness so it can't be revealed for insurance purposes. Actually, I ate my infected faeces. Yeah, that's it.
Well, it happens. Don't beat yourself up about it.
Jack and Edd both burst into mini hysterics.
Jack: (laughing) yeah, it does.
How long have you guys been together for because I believe you've been in other bands together?
Edd: Yeah, well The Friendly Fires set up has been together for 2 to 3 years but we've all been together for over 10 years now in various guises.
Who writes the lyrics or is it a collective project?
Jack: Edd, the singer, generally writes the lyrics. We've collaborated on a couple of lyrics though like 'Jump in The Pool' and 'On Board'.
I'd like to ask you about your Mercury prize nomination. Are you all giddy and excited about that or have you taken it in your stride?
Jack: Yes. It's very exciting!
Edd: It's interesting seeing your odds get slimmer and slimmer as well.
Jack: I think we're hanging around at 13/2 so I guess that means you put 13 down and you get 2 back, which doesn't seem like a very good deal.
So, are you going to bet on yourselves then or are you not that confident?
Both laugh.
Jack: No, I think we're a pretty good band actually.
You are up against some really good acts. Let's cut to the chase, do you think you're going to win?
Jack: I think Bat for Lashes will probably win. It's not necessarily who I want to win. Obviously I want us to win but it's just who I think will get it.
Edd: You were going to put your money on The Horrors at one point.
Jack: Yeah but that was because they were 25/1. That was before the nominations were announced but now they're like one of the favourites.
Actually, how do you find out about your nomination did you just get a phone call one day?
Jack: Yeah, it's kind of crazy. It's announced on the Tuesday and we were told on the Friday previously. They sort of try to keep it under their hat but it's like "Can you please turn up at a certain cafe at this time?"
Edd: Wouldn't it be brilliant if you just said no.
Jack: Yeah, I know. "Nah mate, sorry, I can't be arsed to do it." What would they say?
All laugh.
That would be brilliant. Now, individually or as a group, do you have any specific musical influences or artists that you're really, really into?
Long pause.
Jack: I don't know. I just like music.
Edd: There are all sorts of crossovers between who or what we like. Hmm... I like Mozart?
Jack: No, I hate Mozart! Really, I just like music. I think there are vast oceans of sounds that you can delve into everyday.
I, amongst many others, have been obsessed with your album, Friendly Fires, this summer because it's such vibrant, feel-good music. Is this what you were trying to achieve when you made it?
Jack: I think if we write something that's too downbeat, we all think hmmm...
Edd: ... this is a bit boring.
Jack: It's got to be interesting.
Edd: We've got pretty short attention spans as well.
Jack: All our songs always end up being really shaved down to the bare minimum. I think Ed is a bit more liberal with arrangements than we are. He encourages us to let things spread out and go on for a bit longer. You can tell on the album that everything is a bit like "okay, chorus there, then there's that verse there and the bit with everyone clapping along, a neat little break, back to the chorus, now we pick it up, see you later."
It sounds like you've got A.D.D.
Jack: (laughing) It could be. Actually, everyone is always going on about how our album is only 37 minutes long and I don't think that's unreasonable.
I don't either, at all.
Jack: Yeah, good.
Edd: (in mock bored voice) We could easily have it droning on, if that's what they really want.
Jack: A couple of shows we've played, like in France, they said you've literally played every song you have but it was kind of a bit short; and you think, do you want us to just do something dragged out and mess around?!
It's true. I saw your performance at Glastonbury and I thought the length of the set was amazing. It didn't feel like it was short.
Jack: Good. That was such good fun Glastonbury.
Really? It looked like you were all having the time of your lives. Was that the case?
Jack: I was actually shitting my pants. I mean, it wouldn't have mattered if I shit my pants because I have to sit down.
Was Glastonbury the biggest thing you've done?
Jack: That and Benicassim are on a bit of a par playing to like 40 50,000 people.
Edd: It was a surprise because the year before at Glastonbury we played in the John Peel tent and it hadn't gone too well.
Jack: Yeah, it was horrible.
Edd: When we found out we were on The Other Stage we thought it was incredible but then to get out there and it was just packed and to see all these people, it just didn't really make sense to us.
Jack: It's kind of like taking about ten steps up going from that small tent last year to that.
Edd: Definitely, yeah It was a very steep learning curve. It was not like anything else.
Jack: Yeah, Let's hope it lasts!
Definitely! Where was your latest video, 'Kiss of Life', filmed as it all looks very exotic?
Jack: Ibiza. We played Ibiza Rocks and our schedule was pretty tight but we had a day off where we had a few hours where we could film. They just got a lot of locals in, dressed them up and we just shot it that day.
Cool. What other festivals are you doing this summer?
Edd: We've got Bestival.
Jack: Creamfields.
Edd: Big Chill. We've got loads left.
Jack: Lollapalooza in Chicago.
Edd: We've still got Reading and Leeds to go too.
Wow. So quite a lot left for you to do then?
Edd: Most definitely.
Thank you for your time guys, I know you've been doing interviews all day and are probably sick of them by now!
Jack: No problem at all!
article by: Fiona Madden
published: 11/08/2009 08:49
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