Barry Hyde, frontman to those Sunderland post punk-rockers drops by for a nice little chat about touring and such…
So, it’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from The Futureheads. How is the tour going?
The tour has been going great so far, we didn’t do that much heavy touring last year so we’ve been sorta’ working up to ‘match fitness’. After the first album we kind of heavily toured for about a year and then your body gets used to the adrenaline, you become overloaded and , you know, now were a little bit older! So I feel that we are getting there and the shows are getting better and better.
How do you feel about your new material compared to your older stuff?
I am absolutely over the moon with our new album, I can’t wait to release it.
How many new tracks can fans expect to hear at the gig tonight?
It’s in between five and eight, so it depends on how we’re feeling. When you are playing new material it changes the experience for the fans, people feel a bit uncomfortable with dancing to music they’ve never heard before. Unless they are just like lunatics, in which case the more of them we get the better! We’re very grateful to our audience so far with being so patient with these gigs, because essentially by previewing we’re being quite selfish.
Why is it your doing a tour of only universities at the moment?
It’s a good starting point for the year. We’re doing another U.K. tour right after this one.
University gigs are sometimes quite big for us. It doesn’t matter where we play, what country we’re in or how many people are there, it is always highly likely you are going to have a good time.
What are your thoughts on your support band, ex-shef uni students The Situationists?
The Grammatics are our main support, and then for a few gigs were getting the local bands on and so I’ve actually not had the opportunity to listen to them yet. I’ve been speaking to them and they seem like lovely boys. I’m actually engaged to an ex Sheffield student, my fiancé is originally from Sheffield. I remember having a look around and seeing the toilets, and thinking “We had our first proper snog back there!”
What is your opinion of Sheffield’s current music scene, any bands that have emerged that you particularly like or dislike?
I think Sheffield has an incredible musical heritage, so many formidable bands have come from here, like Human League and Pulp, lots of phenomenal bands. I think it’s a bit like Manchester I suppose; an industrial backdrop that helps to create great music because it’s a sort of escapism. We always have a fantastic time here, we’ve played The Leadmill loads, and Fuzz Club. The crowds are pretty rowdy. It’s a Saturday night so I’m hoping there’s going to be a fair amount of obliterated young mobsters here!
How did it feel when you were dropped by your record label and how did it affect the band?
I think when we were dropped by Warner’s it was possibly the most important day of our lives and the greatest day for us. We went from being a band who were mishandled by their record company, to having our own label. And to be honest with you I was over the moon. I was praying for months and months before it happened that it would, so when it did I was really over the moon.
Do you think you’ll sign any other bands onto your label?
Not in the near future, but it’s a possibility. At some point, at the minute we are just finding our way with it. But it’s not completely out of the question, maybe sometime we will release an EP with someone. Primarily though, the label is just us.
What’s your funniest moment whilst on tour?
There are many, erm (Laughs). We played a sold out show in Preston, with this girl on the front row. She was talking right in front of me to her mate, you know giving it this. I said “Excuse me” and she said “Are you talking to me?”. “I said yes you ignorant cow”, and the she gave me a mouthful of abuse back. And then I got people to boo her, and that was the end of that.
News And Tributes was recorded on a farm, whereas your latest album was recorded in Spain. Happen to have a favourite of the two?
Yeah (laughs) Spain of course. The experience of recording the new album was like nothing ever. Every day we climbed up a mountain, and we’d get there and it would be boiling hot. It was so prolifically creative, the sunshine may have had a positive impact on the album. We hired a car, swimming in the Mediterranean sea, drinking beers. Everything is so laid back and old fashioned in Spain, compared to being in the Yorkshire Dales in Winter. Being out of your comfort zone helps you to be at your most creative.
Are you planning on doing any festivals this year?
We are planning on doing a litany of festivals. Glastonbury, T in the Park, V festival. Hopefully a festival in Japan, and about 6 or 7 Germany, Holland perhaps. Now were the label we can make it happen.
Would you ever consider covering another Kate Bush song? Wuthering heights by any chance?
(Laughs) No, I like it, but could you imagine. (Sings Heathcliff in high pitched voice and laughs). Actually another band have done that before, but it’d be to weird to fit into our set.
And how about getting Kate Bush to ever cover one of your songs?
Oh yeah, Decent Days and Nights, would be phenomenal. (Laughs)
So what does the future have in store for The Futureheads after the tour?
More touring. Hundreds of gigs this year. I’m getting married later on in the year. Probably make another album sometime this year. Do what we do best, work hard gigging as much as possible and living the proverbial dream!
Thanks for your time, and good luck with the gig, I’m looking forward to it.
Cheers flower, thanks very much.
By Alex Rucki
See the review of their gig at the foundry here
