Interviews

Razorlight

Razorlight Interview

Where are you at the moment?
I'm in a pub in Winchester working on a pint with my brothers before heading up to Leeds tonight.

You're playing the main stage at Reading and Leeds this weekend. Are you feeling nervous?
Not yet, I'm just really excited at the moment - but I'll probably be nervous on Saturday morning.

You've recently taken over Razorlight's drum stool... how did you get the job?
I did an audition in May - it was a two day audition with about 60 people. I went in on the first day and we got on really well. I didn't know any of the songs except Golden Touch which we played and then I went back on the Sunday and we hung out for a bit and played some more songs.

Then it was a bit of tease! They asked if I was available the next Thursday to start the tour but then I went home and shook for a day and a half freaking out and panicking till Roger the manager called to tell me I'd got it. Then the next two days were the best ever, I just spent time with my friends in the pub and couldn't wait to get back up [to London] and rehearse.

How much time did you have to learn the songs before you hit the road?
We had four days, but it was cool, we just spent four days solid with me going for long walks listening to the album with my headphones and then we'd get together in the studio and play the songs that I'd listened to. We did the same the next day...and the next and then we had a warm up gig. Then the day after that we went on tour. So it was insanely full-on!

What was your first gig like?
It was an amazing experience. I'd never done anything like that before, I'd only ever done gigs to about 10 people before.

Have you settled in with the other band members OK?
Yeah, it's lovely it feels like it's always been us four although for them they had someone before who was fantastic - but it feels like we've been together for a long time.

It must be a dream come true for you. Do you wake up and pinch yourself in the mornings?
Yeah definitely, I really can't express how much that's the case. All the time - doing things like playing Glastonbury, T In The Park I just think 'what the hell am I doing?' because two months ago I was sitting on the sofa wondering what the hell I was going to do. It's definitely the 'pinch' factor.

When did you first pick up a pair of sticks?
I think I was about eight or nine years-old. I was playing drums in a brass band. I started off on the Cornet but I was crap.

What was the first song you learnt?
I can't remember but it was probably something by Paul McCartney.

How's Johnny's VICE line going?
It's very busy. We listened to it in the studio the other day, it's very amusing. But it's lovely to hear people ring up and leave messages. There's generally about 100 a day. He phones some of them back - but I think it's mainly the ones who he thinks sound sexy! He does try very hard to phone them back and it's really important to him.

Getting the headlining slot on the NME Rock N' Roll riot tour must be pretty exciting...
I can't wait for that it's going to be amazing. It's in the UK for a start and going round the country being able to meet up with friends I haven't seen for ages will be amazing.

A lot of my family and friends will come to the Portsmouth gig. When we played Portsmouth on the Golden Touch tour loads of my friends came and we all went back to the hotel afterwards which was cool - so I'm hoping for a bigger better one of them this time!