MATT HERE. HOWS THINGS? AS ALWAYS I’VE BEEN TOTALLY RUBBISH WITH KEEPING EVERYBODY UPDATED, AND MIKES BEEN GIVING ME THOSE LOOKS AGAIN. YOU KNOW, THOSE ‘YOU HAVEN’T BEEN ON THE BLOG FOR AGES HAVE YOU’ LOOKS. SO HERE I AM.

SO WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON WITH US LATELY. WELL, OBVIOUSLY WE HAD THAT TOUR WITH CAGE THE ELEPHANT WHICH WAS A TOTAL BLAST. THEY WERE SUCH NICE GUYS AND WE GOT ALONG LIKE A HOUSE ON FIRE WHICH WAS GREAT. THERE’S ALWAYS POTENTIAL TO GET OUT ON THE ROAD, AND BE TOURING WITH A MUCH BIGGER BAND AND THEY TURN OUT TO BE COMPLETE DICKS, AND THEIR BRAINS HAVE BEEN MELTED  BY DEMI-FAME INTO THE ‘I’M A COMPLETE DICK’ SETTING. OBVIOUSLY MOST BANDS OUT THERE AREN’T LIKE THAT, AND MOST BANDS KNOW HOW TOUGH TOURING CAN BE SO EVERYBODY’S SUPER NICE, BUT IT CAN HAPPEN. HOWEVER, THE MOMENT WE GOT INTO THE VENUE ON THE FIRST C.T.E. DATE, BRAD COMES IN, AND SAYS THAT WOULD WE SHOULD BE HANGING OUT WITH THEM IN THEIR DRESSING ROOM EVERY NIGHT INSTEAD OF HANGING IN OUR OWN. HE THEN PRECEDED TO POUR WHISKEY ALL OVER US ALL THE TIME. THEY WE’RE KILLER FUN. WE ENDED UP PULLING KARATE SHAPES AND THROWING KEBABS OUTSIDE ‘BIG HANDS’ IN MANCHESTER, AND FILLING THE DRESSING ROOM IN GLASGOW WITH ABOUT HALF A FOOT OF WATER. NOT GREAT. GOT TO MEET BIFFY CLYRO TOO WHICH WAS RAD, THEY ALSO SEEMED SUPER NICE, AND GOT LOTS OF HANG TIME IN BRISTOL WITH OUR MEGA-BUDDIES TURBOWOLF. PS, TURBOWOLFS NEW SINGLE HAS BEEN BOUNCING AROUND THE RADIO RECENTLY I THINK, IT’S CALLED ‘READ AND WRITE’ AND IT’S AMAZING CHECK IT OUT. WE ALSO HAD TWO GOOD FRIENDS OF OURS ALESSIO, AND SCOTT, FILLING IN ON BASS AND EXTRA GUITAR. WHICH WAS COOL, THEY WERE GREAT TO BE ON THE ROAD WITH. ALESSIO (ITALIAN) COULDN’T SOUND MORE LIKE JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME IF HE TRIED, AND SCOTT’S 80’S CINEMA KNOWLEDGE IS LITERALLY BAFFLING. THUS TOURING WITH DUDE’S SUCH AS THESE WAS EASY. WE HAD THE GUYS FILLING IN BECAUSE HARRY HAS RECENTLY GOTTEN MASSIVELY STUCK INTO HIS SOLO PROJECT, WHICH IS GREAT. A SOLID MIX OF ACOUSTIC BLUESY STUFF AND PRETTY UPBEAT RAD POP SONGS. HE’S NO LONGER PLAYING WITH THE US NOW BECAUSE HE’S CONCENTRATING ON THAT, AND WE THINK HE’S DOING THE RIGHT THING. HARRY WAS ALWAYS A FRONT MAN SO NOW HE’S GONNA GO BE ONE. YOU SHOULD ALL CHECK IT OUT. HARRYGEORGEJOHNS.COM

KILLER. SO YEAH, GOT BACK FROM TOUR, GOT KINDA BUMMED OUT BECAUSE WE MISSED BEING ON TOUR, THAT ALWAYS HAPPENS BECAUSE WE LIKE BEING ON TOUR. I GOT PRETTY STUCK IN TO JUST BEING IN THE STUDIO AGAIN DOING DEMO’S. I’VE OBVIOUSLY BEEN WRITING A LOT READY FOR THE SECOND RECORD. I THINK THERE’S ABOUT 35 SONGS NOW JUST WAITING TO GET PICKED AND RECORDED, WHICH IS COOL. SOME ARE PRETTY HEAVY, SOME ARE MORE ON THE PIXIES SIDE OF THINGS, SOME ARE EVEN ON A BEATLES / ELLIOT SMITH VIBE WHICH IS COOL. WE WERE PLAYING A BUNCH ON THE C.A.G.E TOUR, SO SOME OF YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD SOME (EVEN THOUGH WE ONLY HAD ABOUT A DAY TO LEARN THEM AS A BAND!). THE VIDEO WE PUT UP JUST BEFORE THE TOUR IS OF A SONG CALLED ‘THREAD’.

WHAT ELSE… OH YEAH, I’VE STARTED A PHOTOBLOG. IT’S AT MATTBIGLANDSAYS.COM

IT’S JUST SOMEWHERE THAT I CAN PUT UP PHOTO’S SO PEOPLE CAN SEE WHAT I’M / THE BAND IS UP TO. IT’S OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF BAND STUFF, BUT IT’S NOT ALL BAND STUFF SO THAT’S WHY I DID IT AS MY THING INSTEAD OF A DPU THING. THERE’S PICTURES FROM BEING IN STUDIO ON THERE, BEING ON THE ROAD, THE BAND PRACTICING, FRIENDS, OTHER BANDS BLAH BLAH BLAH. THERE’S A LOT OF MIKE. THAT’S A GIVEN. HE’S EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME, AND WE’RE IN THE BIGGEST BROMANCE OF THE CENTURY SO I GUESS THAT MAKES SENSE. I TRY AND KEEP MY CAMERA ON ME MOST OF THE TIME. I GUESS IT’S LIKE A VISUAL DOCUMENTATION OF MY LIFE? THAT SOUNDS KIND OF OBVIOUS NOW I’VE SAID IT. IF ONLY THERE WAS A ‘DELETE KEY’ ON THIS KEYBOARD.

OH YEAH AND I GOT TO CHAT TO ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE HERO’S ON THE PHONE LAST WEEK. WHICH WAS KILLER. AND THIS ISN’T ME NAME DROPPING ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT SEEING AS I’M WRITING A BLOG IT WOULD BE STUPID NOT TO TELL YOU ALL ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT’S TECHNICALLY NEWS RIGHT? ANYWAY, I WAS HANGING OUT WITH A FREIND WHEN MY PHONE GOES. ‘UNRECKOGNISED NUMBER’… WEIRD. PICK IT UP I GUESS…

“HELLO?” / “HI IS THIS MATT?” / “YUP” / “HI, THIS IS GIL NORTON” / “OH, COOL”

- B-R-A-I-N-E-X-P-L-O-D-E-S-A-L-L-O-V-E-R-M-Y-F-R-I-E-N-D-S-F-L-A-T-

THAT’S COOL RIGHT?? TO TELL THE TRUTH WE’D ACTUALLY MET A COUPLE OF TIME BEFORE, -BUT- IT WAS THE FACT THAT WHEN THIS NUMBER RAND I EXPECTED THE BANK, OR A WRONG NUMBER - AND INSTEAD GOT GIL NORTON. RESULT RIGHT? HE’S RECORDED A LOT OF MY FAVORITE ALBUMS. PIXIES / FOO’S / JIMMY EAT WORLD BLAH BLAH BLAH. HE’S SUPER COOL AND REALLY NICE. SO WE JUST CHATTED ABOUT BANDS AND MUSIC AND STUFF. IT WAS COOL. HE’S HEARD THE DEMO’S FOR THE NEXT RECORD AND THINKS IT’S KILLER, SO THAT WAS NICE.

ANYWAY. NAME DROP / FREAK OUT - OVER. SORRY.

OH YEAH AND I FORGOT TO EVEN TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE’RE GOING OUT ON TOUR WITH TWIN ATLANTIC LATER THIS MONTH! UHHH - RAD??? THAT’S GONNA BE GOOD FUN. THOSE GUYS ARE ALSO REALLY NICE (DO I KNOW A LOT OF REALLY NICE PEOPLE OR DO I JUST LIKE EVERYBODY??), WE’VE MET THEM UP IN GLASGOW AND AT 2000 TREES FESTIVAL BEFORE, AND NOW WE’RE GOING ON TOUR TOGETHER SEEMS TO FIT. CAN’T WAIT, AND YOU ALL BETTER BE THERE!!

I’M DONE.

I’M GONNA GO AND CATCH UP WITH MIKEY NOW. I’M GONNA PUT SOME PHOTO’S UP WITH THIS FROM THE C.T.E TOUR, THERE’S PLENTY MORE AT MATTBIGLANDSAYS.COM SO GOT CHECK THEM OUT.

TALK SOON RIGHT?

MATT.

SUPER EXCITED TO BE HITTING THE ROAD AGAIN! 

TOUR IS OVERRRRR!!!!!! BOOOOOOOOO…

WE HAD SUCH A RAD TIME ON THIS TOUR. CAGE WERE FUCKING KILLER DUDES AND SLAYED IT EVERY NIGHT - WE WISH THEM WELL ON THEIR FOO FIGHTERS TOUR!!

NOW ONTO GETTING THIS RECORD DONE!!

We’re on the road with Cage The Elephant at the moment and it has been ACE!! Really lovely guys and killer shows.

We’ve pretty much finished writing the second record which we’re really excited about!! It should be dropping early next year but we’ll keep you posted with song bits etc!

DPU X

HEY!! THIS IS US PLAYING A BRAND NEW SONG AT OUR REHEARSAL STUDIOS! WEVE BEEN PLAYING IT ON THIS TOUR WITH CAGE THE ELEPHANT, ITS BEEN RAD!!

HEY EVERYBODY!! MATT HERE.

SO. WHAT’S GOING ON WITH US RIGHT NOW?? RIGHT? WHY ARE WE SO QUIET?? RIGHT??? WELL, I’LL TELL YOU. WE’RE PRETTY QUIET RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I’M SPENDING A LOT OF TIME IN VARIOUS STUDIOS IN LONDON MEETING A WHOLE BUNCH OF R.A.D. PEOPLE. WHY AM I DOING THAT? BECAUSE IT’S COMING UP TO SECOND ALBUM TIME AND I’M WRITING ABOUT A MILLION SONGS A MINUTE AND I NEED TO GET THEM ALL DOWN ON TAPE. AND IT’S SOUNDING KILLER!!

OBVIOUSLY I’M NOT ACTUALLY RECORDING THE RECORD RIGHT NOW BECAUSE THAT’S A BAND THING - I’M JUST DEMOING ALL THESE IDEAS AND SONGS AND KIND OF FIGURING OUT WHAT’S WHAT AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF RECORDING THEM AND EVERYTHING. THE FIRST RECORD WAS PRETTY FULL ON AND RECORDED ON A BUDGET, AS WELL AS BEING KIND OF “I-WANNA-RECORD-A-ROCK-RECORD-RIGHT-NOW-RIFFRIFFRIFF-FINISHED.” SO THIS TIME - I’M / WE’RE REALLY THINKING ABOUT HOW AND WHAT THIS RECORD IS GONNA BE LIKE.

THERE’S A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT VIBES GOING ON AND IT’S REALLY EXCITING. ANYWAY. BLAH BLAH RIGHT? HERE’S A STORY. I WAS DOWN AT AN EMI STUDIO THE BEGINNING OF THIS WEEK AND DIDN’T REALLY HAVE ANYTHING TO PUT DOWN BECAUSE IT WAS A KIND OF LAST MINUTE SESSION. SO I ENDED PUTTING DOWN THESE TWO SONGS THAT I’D WRITEN IN ABOUT THREE MINUTES THE WEEK BEFORE. ONE IS MASSIVE, AND IT’S CALLED “HOLLYWOOD”. GOOD. THE OTHER IS A RIP-ROARING PUNK SONG WITH A CATCHY CHORUS CALLED “DRAW A LINE”. IT MIGHT JUST BE MY FAVORITE SONG OF NEXT YEARS SET - AND I BELIEVE IT’S WHAT THE FRENCH WOULD CALL “LES BADASS”.

IT WAS FUNNY, I WAS SAT IN THE STUDIO WITH THE ENGINEER, SCOTTY, (WHO IS A SUPER FUN PERSON) AND WE WERE BLARING THIS PUNK-ROCK BLASTER OF A TRACK FULL VOLUME WITH THE DOOR OPEN BECAUSE THE ATMOSPHERE IS PRETTY CHILLED AND WE WERE SYKED ON THE TRACK. WITH OUT US NOTICING SOME LOVELY AMERICAN SONG-WRITERY-SINGER PERSON HAD WALKED IN TO THE STUDIO HEADING TO THE OTHER ROOM, BUT OBVIOUSLY GOT DISTRACTED WHEN SHE TURNED THE CORNER ONLY TO ME IN MY SHITTY CLOTHES SPILLING COFFEE ALL OVER MYSELF WITH SCOTTY HEADBANGING ALONG TO THIS EAR SHATTERINGLY LOUD PUNK SONG. IT WAS A STRONG MOMENT. I THINK SHE THOUGHT SHE’D WALKED INTO SOME 1980’S IGGY POP ROCKUMENTARY. CLASSIC CASE OF LOOKING STUPID.COM

ANYWAY. SO THERE’S AN UPDATE FOR YOU. WE CANNOT WAIT TO GET IN THE STUDIO AND DO THIS RECORD. I ALSO CAN’T WAIT TO GET IT OUT. 

OH YEAH! AND ALSO! WE’RE GONNA BE TOURING WITH CAGE THE ELEPHANT IN OCTOBER. YEP - YOU ALREADY KNOW YOU’RE COMING SO GO AND BUY YOUR TICKET AND STOP THINKING ABOUT. IT IS GONNA BE - AWESOME.

SEE YOU SOON. MATT.

Here is a blog done by my bro, dont look if you’re easily offended, its pretty amazing though. http://levigod.tumblr.com/

and here’s a new label/zine/pr/promotion collective I’m involved with in my wee home town of Norwich! www.gravyhq.com

Im also massively into all these things right now: Cults, Tweak Bird, Bronto Skylift, The Chariot, Pulled Apart By Horses new song V.E.N.O.M. Chicken with Reggae Reggae sauce and Jeff The Brotherhood. Also songs written in Drop A. If you’re into any of the above, we might be mates, please get in touch on 0800 Adopt-A-Mate and quote ‘lonely’. 

Mike

This is a particularly grainy photo from one of the best shows I’ve ever been to. They’re my favourite band, got into them in ‘05 after they played the Reading Festival that I was at (where I missed them) then split up, only to rise from the dead at a packed HMV Forum. It was weird watching them there because we had played the Forum with Therapy? but it seemed like a completely different venue. Jesse was smoking onstage playing an all black and a cream white Rickenbacker whilst Sebastien was in a white long johns ‘onesie’. It literally went off throughout their whole set which was only an hour long but completely unforgettable. The band, of course, is DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 aka LIFE CHANGERS.

Chatted to some guys we know from Brighton after about The Great Escape and got heckled about Dinosaurs on the way out, then crawled home. ONWARDS!!

Mike

Here’s us slaying Traynor in a rather squished way at the Electric Ballroom when we supported Saves The Day who were awesome guys. There’s also a video of us playing our new song ‘Daydream’ floating around in the depths of Youtube if you cant wait to hear it! I’ll leave that for you to find though. Next up we’ve got The Great Escape in Brighton on the 13th at JAM. CHECK IT!