You have two more shows left to play. Have you enjoyed your time in the UK?

Yes it’s been really awesome. The crowds have been amazing. Honestly it’s been really high energy. The majority of the crowd are singing along with us which is super cool. Not just the kids in the front but the whole room has been singing which has blown me away. Even with the new songs that just came out they are singing every one of em’ which is cool.

You’re playing Leeds festival here in the UK and the Vans warped tour back home. Speaking of festivals what 3 headline acts would you have?

Can I bring people back from the dead?

One person…

That wont work then, I was gonna bring the Beatles but that’s stupid…I wish we were going to Liverpool… ok, Radiohead just because I’m a big nut for them. Oh, I don’t know. Just them. They can play 3 sets, how about that? They have enough songs.

On playing festivals, does the size of the stage your on make you perform differently?

Not consciously. I think we always try and come out and just do what we do. If its like a tiny club though where everyone’s right there in your face singing along with you then its definitely a different energy to when your playing a festival and the barricade has people pushed 25 feet away. We always try and have the same energy but it looks different if you’re on a giant stage outdoors somewhere.

You have played large arena stages yourself as an opening act. Do you try harder when you are supporting someone else?
Sometimes you have to because you are playing for people who don’t know who you are and you have to win people over. You want to be on their brain when they leave the show so sometimes you do have to work a little harder.

This tour co-insides with the release of your new album “My Dinosaur Life” produced by Mark Hoppus. Who called who there?
It all worked out for the best in the end. Initially we had talked about working with him but Blink were busy. Then our drummer Tony broke his arm and that affected our schedule which meant he could work with us after all.

I read that you said you wanted to make a “darker, rock record” this time. Do you think you managed it?
Yeah, in a couple of spots. We didn’t necessarily set out to make a darker record but some of the songs ended up that way. We just wanted to be a little more aggressive, raw and less polished.

This record is your first release on Columbia records despite being signed to them since 06…
Yeah we signed this deal before our last record on Epitaph was released. We knew that we were finishing our contract so we signed with Columbia to secure our future. So far the transition has been so smooth you wouldn’t even notice. The girl who signed us to Columbia has been a fan of us and a friend of ours since we signed to epitaph back in early 03. She was actually trying to sign us then to a major but we knew we were not ready, we were too young and didn’t know anything about the business. We didn’t want to end up on a major label and get lost and have people boss us around. We decided to sign to an indie and work a little harder. I think that helped us. It created a mutual respect situation where Columbia knew we are not idiots, green to everything. We always talk about any artistic decisions. Sometimes they have ideas that really impress us.

Staying with your new album the artwork was done by Joe Ledbetter. How did you come to work with him?
We are huge fans of his work. We collect his prints and his toys. Tony got in touch with him on twitter and Jesse had gotten in touch with his manager a while back. She said he was a fan of our band so that gave us the idea to do something like a t shirt. It was Jesse who read “my dinosaur life” from a demo Justin had written and he thought it would be cool with Joe’s illustration because he does a lot of animal based work.

Your latest single is “her words destroyed my planet”. Why was that chosen as the lead single?
That’s a great question. Honestly, that song came in very late. We were already recording when Justin brought that to us. It took us by surprise. I thought it was a good song but it wasn’t my choice for the first single. I’d have gone with “Life less ordinary”.

The video has some pretty impressive dance moves. Will we see any of that tonight?
Absolutely not! They had to make a LOT of edits to make that look like we were actually any good.

Talking about tonight, will there be a mix of old and new songs on offer?

It’s a pretty good mix. The more songs you get its harder and harder to make a set list. It’s hard to get away from songs you really like. Some songs work together energy wise but sometimes you need to put a breather in there that’s not going to put people to sleep. We have a template where we substitute songs in certain spots. You usually find a good opener and a good closer and stick with it.

If you could make one song a fan favourite that isn’t currently what would it be?
I don’t know…I feel like “Delirium” would be my choice.

Back in December you played 3 nights where you played one album in its entirety each night. Which night was your favourite?
I am the movie. The first night. I really felt like it was 8 years ago and it transported me back. Those were the only songs we had back then and we were playing them almost every night. I could picture us then in those tiny clubs with 30 people watching us and it was really nostalgic. Plus the fans were really into it which is always good.

As well as making and playing your music for a living you also have to do press. Do you have stock answers that you always use?
Sometimes there’s only one way to answer a certain question. I’d rather not have stock answers but I’m not as quick as Justin who can just make stuff up for a week straight.

Do you respond well to “wacky” interview questions?
There are so many interviews out there so if it’s about business most of the answers are already out there. If someone wants to ask fun questions from time to time that’s fine. I understand the idea is to promote your band but hopefully someone would have a fun time asking crazy questions and go away saying “oh I met that guy, he was cool”.

What is the most frequent topics that come up in interviews?
Either regarding Justin’s hair or what was it like working with Mark (Hoppus). “What is your craziest tour story?” is another and I never have an answer for that one. We are pretty not crazy for the most part. After 8 years things blend together, specific instances fade.

What do people never ask about?

Let’s talk about you now. If you could start a rumour about someone what would it be?
That I can bench press an entire lorry. I just wanted to say “lorry”. We don’t call them that back in the states. Some people say “tractor trailers” for some reason. I don’t get it myself.

Last question we ask everyone is who should we be listening to just now or in the near future?
I’ve just come back from Australia. I was in a comic store and heard something pretty cool. It was Liam Finn. Son of the Finn brothers / crowded house. I bought his newest album. There’s a band called “the week that was” that was also playing in the store. I’m excited about the new MGMT record. I want to listen to that with headphones so I can really hear it. I’m a big Phoenix fan too!

That’s it. Thanks Matt!

We caught up with WTK frontman Travis Clark a few hours before they played infront of a sold out Manchester Apollo. why not have a listen!

1. What is your name and what do you do?

M: I’m Max and I play guitar in you me at six.

J: I’m Josh and I sing in you me at six.

2. This is the biggest headline tour you have ever done, have you had to pace yourselves and slow down a bit?

M: Yeah So far this is the biggest headline tour we have ever done and tonight will be the biggest headline show we have ever done. Its 3,400 people tonight at Manchester Apollo. The biggest show before this was the Roundouse in London last March. In the last year our touring habits have changed. We have toured a lot of new places and learned how to take care of ourselves as people.

J: Like last night was the first night I drank and I regret it today to be honest. I probably shouldn’t have because I’m on anti biotics.

M: I take things quite easy. I don’t booze as hard as I used to. I’m more chilled back. Just play computer games, say hello to people and hang out with fans.

3. This tour has been dubbed the “hold me down” tour which just so happens to be the name of your latest album. Can you briefly talk us through the recording process of the CD?

M: We started writing it in October 2008. Finished writing May 2009. In the studio starting April and we were in there for 6-8 weeks wit John Mitchell and Matt O’Grady from Outhouse Studios.

J: We lived in Reading. It was the first time we ever left home to record something. We went out a lot and it was really good for us because we hung out wit our friends so much more, we ad parties and stuff and the mood was always good rather than it being just us five.

M: It wasn’t just like “oh we are recording today, recording today, recording today” it was more like “Oh, we are in a good mood! Everything’s going sweet. We are happy!” I think the good vibes from that transferred into the CD.

4. (Josh) you once said in an interview “we push each other to write the simplest but most effective songs possible” is that still your aim?

J: When I was growing up people used to play us some quite weird music but the songs that always stuck out were bands likeThe Police, The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac. Songs with really good choruses and simple melodies. That’s how I’ve always felt about music.

All my favorite bands have written strong, simple songs and at the end of the day one of the things that has worked for our band is that people can get to our songs and music quite easily because its not all that complex.Theres a lot of thought put behind it but its no, erm…what’s that band called who have like 8 minute songs?

M: Between The Buried and me! I love that band, don’t get me wrong! I just think that we push ourselves to write the best songs we can and if we can enjoy playing these songs as well as listening to them we are happy and then if other people like the songs as well that’s even better.

5. Your new single “Liquid Confidence” is out April 19th. The video for “Liquid Confidence” landed yesterday via you me at six: Backstage. For those people that don’t know what that is can you explain?

M: It’s something for our hardcore fan base who love us so much and who have supported our band for so long. We thought up this “backstage area” with exclusive access to all our new stuff. Liquid confidence video and underdog video before that were premiered there first. Then we have special things like meet and greet. It’s pretty cool.

J: When we joined our major label we were told that we had money set aside to do cool things for our fans. We were like “well, we have never had a website” so we wanted a website and for it to be a good one. We thought we would spend money on creating a situation whereby we can just give as much back to our fans as we could.

M: Our fans are so good to us. They are the reason we are here today so it feels good to give them something back in return.

6. Talking of the internet; If we looked through your computers browser history what would be the most reoccurring websites?

M: Facebook, Twitter, Flatspot, Alternative2punk and karmaloop..oh and another one but I’ve forgotten…

J: What, “Youjizz” (laugs)

I’ve seen alternative2punk, that’s a site were you can download music for free , as in, without paying…

M: The thing is I down load music yeah, but then I go out and buy the CD. You should see my CD collection. I’m a massive CD collector. I love it.

So when you saw your new album on that very site to download for free how did that make you feel?

M: I see a lot of my favorite bands on that website and it was nice to see that our band was on there as well. The comments were good and the rating was a 4 star rating so.

7. Seens as we are getting to know each other, tell us what is the most embarrassing lie you have ever told about yourself?

J:

M: everything is my life is embarrassing so I’m just one big laugh.

8. Getting back to music, what are the top played song(s) on your iPods?

J: My Jimmy Eat world back catalogue, my Alexisonfire back catalog, Jesus Christ by Brand New, Police, Set Your Goals.

M: Mines like Thrice, Alexisonfire, Brother Ali, Atmosphere, Felt, Jay z, Slipknot. I’m a big Mixer…a bit of drum and bass in there as well.

9. Last album you bought? And was it a CD or a download?

M: I bought 2 CDs. Mastodon crack the sky and Slipknot volume 3.

17. If you had to discontinue either CDs or iTunes which would it be?

J: I think if the music industry stopped producing CDs it’s a shame for music. If you buy an album you should look and read through the content. Look at the artwork and appreciate it. At the end of the day music is art. With the hold me down artwork we took hours and hours putting it all together perfectly and to know that people just download it and don’t even read into the story of bother to appreciate it is a bit frustrating.

M: Look what happened to vinyl. It went out the window and it was a massive thing in people’s lives. There’s some really rare vinyl out there like a white print or blue print vinyl and its something like Michael Jackson – Thriller. That’s rare! Well, CDs will be like that as well some day so why would you eliminate CDs? Get rid of the MP3s.

10. Finally, musically, who should we be on the lookout for in 2010?

M: Set your goals, Futures, Canterbury, The Forgotten, The Audition. Their new record is ridiculously good. Four years strong new record coming out too.

J: Bring me the horizon

M: 2010 will be a big year for music. The smaller bands will come into the market and give bigger guys a run for their money.

Twin Atlantic are gearing up to release their debut mini-album, Vivarium, its packed with enormous sweeping riffs, moods that flit from light to shade, and impassioned vocals dripping with Scottish vowels – Twin Atlantic are powering out of that creative hub of a hometown to take on the world.

We caught up with guitarist (and chello player) Barry just before the band went on stage supporting Taking Back Sunday. You can listen to the interview below

oh and don’t worry if you missed seeing them this time around as they have just announced a tour kicking off this September. You can see them at the following places:

SEP 11: INVERNESS, Ironworks

SEP 12: ABERDEEN, Moshulu

SEP 13: DUNDEE, Fat Sams

SEP 17: YORK, Fibbers

SEP 18: STOKE, Sugarmill

SEP 19: LIVERPOOL, Korova

SEP 20: NOTTINGHAM, Bodega

SEP 21: BIRMINGHAM, Hare & Hounds

SEP 24: CARLISLE, Brickyard

SEP 25: HULL, Lamp

SEP 26: SOUTHAMPTON, Joiners

SEP 27: CARDIFF, Clwb Ifor Bach

SEP 29: LONDON, Old Blue Last

SEP 30: LONDON, Garage (w/ The Joy Formidable)

OCT 01: OXFORD, Bullingdon Arms

OCT 02: EDINBURGH, Studio 24

Headlining the Puma Music Liverpool gig was Kids in glass houses. Before the show we had a little chat with lead vocalist Aled Phillips. You can hear what he has to say below:

and you can see more photos like this

by clicking this

Review of this show coming soon!

Phil – Brilliant gig tonight Lars

Lars – Glad you liked it.

P – So this was your last UK gig, are you going to miss the UK?

L – I will, I’ve got lots of great friends here, I love the bands here, I love the venues, and the weather’s been really nice. I love it, yeah. It was a great tour. I was with the Aquabats for some dates …

P – I really wanted to see that.

Marc – Yeah, we were gonna go down.

L – I’ll try do some more shows with them, they’re great

P – You should do. You’ve got your new album ‘This Gigantic Robot Kills’ out in the UK soon …

L – I think it’s out in a week here. It’s out on Crappy Records, which is Jared from Bowling For Soup’s label, my own label, Horris Records paid for all the initial production and they helped me put it out. They are a great label, they’ve just signed a band called The Leftovers, and they may put out BFS stuff down the line. But yeah, my album, it turned out well, it’s got a million guests on it, and it’s 14 songs of joy, and one song about my friend who killed himself ..

P – So the world tour’s going well. You’re carrying on after the UK, you’re giong to Australia …

L – Yeah, I’m doing a week of shows in the US, I’m doing a show with Nas, and a show with Ludacris and doing some club shows, then I fly out to Australia for two weeks and I’ll probably be back in the UK after that.

M – How do the more recognised rappers like Nas, and Ludcacris, feel about your brand of Post-punk-laptop-rap?

L – That’s a good question. I think the heart of what I do is very hip-hop because hip-hop is about being true, recognising the elements of hip-hop, recognising the history of it, being yourself, being DIY and independent. Because, punk and hip-hop at the core are the same thing. I think if they listen to it, they’d get it. If they see the show they’ll be like ‘this is ridiculous’ but if they listen to the lyrics and they hang out with me, then it’s cool.

M – They don’t just think ‘oh, white boy rapping’ then?

L – No, because the racial barriers in hip-hop have really been taken away since Eminem. It’s a matter of how you sound, and is it honest and is it real. The hip-hop community get it. Nerdcore, though, is seen as a joke by most people.

P – You’ve got a lot of the big Nerdcore names on your new record, Frontalot, YT Cracker, K Flay Jesse Dangerously etc. do you think nerdcore will ever be more accepted into mainstream hip-hop or will remain an obscure sub genre?

L – By nature of it’s aesthetic it will always be novelty. It’s the joke isn’t it? ‘We’re computer nerds, we wear glasses, and rap’. But the real good rappers see themselves as crossover acts. Frontalot gets props from mainstream hip-hop.

P – But all the big guys have gone past their second records now, so for a novelty genre you’re all moving on, cos you’ve had some longevity and have moved away from the “Nerd” core of Nerdcore.

L – I don’t like being labelled as nerd core, I kinda hate nerdcore. I mean as a genre, it’s embarrassing, cos there’s so many people who are so whack and suck. There’s like Frontalot, YT, Chris and Jesse the only guys I really respect. They transcend it.

P – Yeah, and they don’t really rap about sitting at home in front of their computers so much any more

L – Well, no one wants to hear that

M – It’s cos their not doing that any more

L – Yeah, they’re banging chicks, dude!

P – They all started on the Internet, as did you, do you think of the Internet as the best way to get out there these days ?

L – With me, I started doing music before I used the Internet as a tool. I was making hip-hop and punk songs in high school, Then I went to Oxford for school in 2003, with oversea programme, this was before Myspace or anything. Instead, I’d send promoters in the area mp3s and CDs and meet them at shows and beg these punk bands and indie bands to let me open for them, and this label, Truck Records, signed me. So for me, I used the Internet as a tool to meet people, then to put on a show that was awesome. It’s kids who are on myspace 24/7 who are adding friends, not really working on their music or getting out and playing, are the ones who are using it wrong.

You need the Internet as a tool to meet people to get your awesome music in front of. You can’t exploit the Internet, cos that will end up exploiting you, the Internet is great, and you don’t need labels, but you need to have great material. Independent hip-hop thrives on the Internet, so many great people have made a name for themselves.

The function of labels is they’re like a bank, that if you’re lucky, you don’t have to pay the money back they advance to make your record.

P – With Fall Out Boy, they got big on Myspace adding friends, a label came up and said ‘We’ll promote you now’. Do you think that’s kind of the labels saying “You still need us to be famous…”

L – If you wanna be playing arenas you still need a major label. If you don’t wanna be just a pop thing then you don’t need that now. You can’t really play arenas on your own, you could sell out thousand capacity places, but to sell 20,000, you can’t really do that with just the Internet.

P – So, what so you think is your most well known song?

L – Definitely in Australia, it’s ‘Download This Song’, here in the UK I would think maybe ‘iGeneration’. But ‘Download This Song’ is one people recognise.

P – Do you still believe in the message in that?

L – 100%. I remember hearing how many people had stole my record, and I was like, ‘Yeah!’, This tour’s been almost sold out, and it’s been awesome because people stole my album. I don’t care, they bought shirts, we sold out off them, they bought tickets. If you go to my site Mclars.com you can get all my stuff for free, I host it and share that with everyone. Not the new record yet though.

M – So you prefer people to come to gigs, instead of buy the CD and stay at home.

L – Totally. A lot of people want the CD as a memento though, cos I’ll sign it and draw a little cartoon or something.

P – Talking of downloading music, in the news at the moment is the Pirate Bay trial, they just got found guilty of assisting copy write theft and face a year in prison

L – Yeah, its a shame, but they kind of set themselves up as if they were the face of piracy, it was like a witch hunt. I guess they’re appealing and if they don’t win their appeal they’ll be in jail for a year. I hope they win though.

P – You’ve done a video for your song “Guitar Hero Hero”, which talks about how playing the game isn’t the same as playing guitar, do you really not play guitar hero?

L – No, i mean yeah I’ve tried it, but I’m not a gamer you know, I did as a kid, Nintendo and game boy, but I’ve moved past it. That’s one of the things that sets me apart form nerdcore. I’d rather do something than just get points on a screen. No disrespect to people who play games, but I’d rather be making beats and making rhymes. Instead of sitting alone playing a video game you could be doing doing something real, kids should create instead of consume.

Find out more about MC Lars on his website http://www.mclars.com , where as mentioned you can find free downloads of his earlier material, his new album “This Gigantic Robot Kills” is out now in the shops and digitally, so check it out.

We also asked Fighstar fans to submit questions. They did and we asked them…really!..look!

(Please comment with your thoughts on the video / fan Q’s idea, we may well repeat if people like it!)