eFestivals interviews Metronomy

The BBC Radio 6 Music Festival 2014

Friday 28th February to Saturday 1st March 2014
Victoria Warehouse, Trafford Wharf Rd, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M17 1AB, England MAP
£25 - SOLD OUT

Daily capacity: 5,000

Last updated: Tue 4th Mar 2014

These are exciting times for Metronomy. The glorious, new album 'Love Letters' has received glowing, advance reviews and the forthcoming tour is selling well. They're getting increasingly prominent billing at exciting festivals. 2014 could well be their year. eFestivals caught up with the band in advance of their 6 music appearance. Joseph Mount answers most of the questions on behalf of Metronomy. It's still very much his brainchild.

Before the tapes start to record, I push for a festival exclusive but Joseph's too canny to break any press embargoes. Instead, he offers some semi-cryptic clues. "We're playing that one where it's two weekends in a weekend. You know, one's up north and one's down south," he says, perhaps referring to Reading and Leeds, perhaps referring to V. When I ask the band about their Glastonbury chances, Joseph reveals that, "we'll definitely be going to Glastonbury, just don't know whether or not they want us to play." By his tone, I'd take this as a pretty strong confirmation. "We're definitely playing Summer Sonic though". Lucky Japan.

One festival that has been announced is Field Day. Metronomy are headlining one day and The Pixies another. When asked about this Joseph jests "I always worry that Londoners are fickle people but it's going to be a highlight of the summer. I see the Pixies as underneath us." At least I think he's jesting but perhaps he's being serious? "I wouldn't have imagined us to be headlining one day and then the Pixies the next. I wonder who'll be playing bass?"

Before the festival season kicks off in earnest there's the tour to complete. The band chat amongst themselves about the records that might get an airing on the tour bus. "There's been a new Drake record released since we last toured. Maybe we'll listen to that," suggests Joseph. Frank Ocean is another that's popular and perhaps more surprisingly there's a healthy respect for Drenge. Metronomy have just been watching their 6 music festival show.

Touring in the UK is compared less than favourably with touring in France. "It's a lot more civilised in France. They've got purpose-built venues that feel quite luxurious. And venues pride themselves in having in-house cooks." The trouble seems to be that, each venue wants to treat the culinary deprived British touring bands. Those treats often equate to duck and dauphinoise potatoes. “At every single ducking venue.”

There’s an excitement and pride about the new album ‘Love Letters’. “Personally I like it, I think it's a good record and I hope it gets heavily rotated on 6music. The goalposts have been made bigger and if my Mum goes out and buys twenty copies...." ponders Joseph. His sentence and thinking is broken by the laughter from the rest of the band.

I ask Joseph how all of this excitement contrasts with growing up in Devon. "Devon's one of those places - you know, a retreat for wealthy people. This at the moment is the in between phase. I've come out to make my fortune. Maybe when I go back, I'll buy half of it," he jokes.

At least, I think he's joking. But with the increased success that could be coming their way in future years, who knows?

interview by: Sean Tizzard