Rosey Brown interviews front man Guy Connelly and keyboardist Dan Armstrong

Photo by  Chris Beynon

So, excited for S┼Án?

Guy: Yeah, we are. We played here last year as well, actually, and weÔÇÖve come back to headline. ItÔÇÖs a great little festival.

I hear youÔÇÖve been touring crazily this year. Been busy?

Dan: In patches. This is the start of a slog.

I hear youÔÇÖre off to Japan?

Guy: Yeah, two weeks in the UK, then weÔÇÖre going to Japan.┬á A label over there is putting on a mini-festival. Thurston Moore and Dinosaur Jr. are the main acts there, and Local Natives and some other people are playing too.

Your debut album, Ways to Forget, came out in April this year. Are you happy with the reception?

Guy: Yeah, weÔÇÖve pretty much been playing ever since; a lot of festivals over the summer.

Any highlights?

Dan: Lots of highlights better to pick the low points really

Ha!  Any horrible toilets or bad meals?

Dan: Generally, at a festival, you get separate toilets, so generally its been alright. Oh noÔǪ what was that one in that strange village? Was that in Wales as well?┬áPortmeirion. ItÔÇÖs amazing, I think itÔÇÖs where they film The Prisoner. ┬á ItÔÇÖs like a miniature Italian-style town, right on the coast, and yeah, the toilets there were disgraceful. But everything else about it was pretty good.

Any plans for a second album? Are you being pushed to write at the moment?

Dan: I think were pushing ourselves really. We do have plans. We have ideas that were working on and disputes

WhatÔÇÖs the creative process for you?

Guy: Well, when we started, I came with a few songs already written, and then it changed throughout the course of the album with everyone else getting more involved.┬á This time round, we havenÔÇÖt got any set pattern to stick to, so weÔÇÖre keeping it open really; itÔÇÖs early days of writing. WeÔÇÖre trying to do a bit of writing on the road, itÔÇÖs difficult to find the time to get a good run at it. It gives its own kind of impetus really, trying to write about place rather than people. WeÔÇÖre moving so much, the moving itself informs the writing.

You hoping to catch anything at S┼Án tonight?

Guy: Were looking at a plate of food in a minute Kwes is on at 8:30. Id quite like to see Peace; Ive met them lots of times but Ive never seen them play, so might watch them.

I look forward to your set.

Guy: Thank you!