Glasgow band Twin Atlantic are back on homesoil after a triumphant tour of America. We caught up with them…
Things are snowballing for Twin Atlantic. In December they played a sold-out homecoming show in Glasgow and they've just completed a US tour. It's about time, then, that we had a chat with the Red Bull Records signings.
Are there any differences between touring the US and the UK?
Not particularly. The drives are longer and the people have a different accent, but generally music fans are music fans worldwide… and fast food is fast food worldwide!
Any funny tour stories?
Our singer Sam went to sing on our friend Tommy's new album while we were in Chicago and he didn't make it back to the venue until 15 minutes into our set. That show was pretty interesting.
What challenges do bands face trying to build a fanbase these days?
There's a lot of competition. Sometimes that's healthy but it can also be the worst thing for your band. In trying to win new fans, you can lose sight of what you set out to do. We nearly lost sight of that, but luckily we found ourselves just in time to record our last record, Free, which we're all massively proud of.
"Our singer Sam didn't make it to the venue until 15 minutes into our set"
You're back at the SXSW festival this year – what are the best and worst parts of it?
The best part of the festival is seeing live music in venues that don't match the size of the band you're witnessing. Foo Fighters played a 2,000 capacity room called Stubbs last year and Muse played there the year before. We're lucky enough to be playing that venue this year. The worst thing? It's an industry holiday nowadays. You get to see friends from bands around the world and other people you've met on your travels, but smaller bands don't get much out of the actual events. It's more about what you can spin from the prestige of playing the festival.
What's your favourite song off Free?
I like playing them all, but I'd have to go with Yes, I was Drunk.
Have you started writing a new record yet?
We have, yes. We're not thinking too much about it but we've been in and out of the studio demoing new music and we're happy with what we're making. Hopefully we'll have an album of songs to record sooner rather than later.
You've just announced that you're supporting Blink-182 on their UK tour in June. Are they an influence?
Blink are one of the main reasons Sam and myself started the band. More than just musically, too. It was the idea that you could be in a band and still be a normal young guy.
How was your sold-out homecoming in December?
It was a dream come true. I drive past that venue every day on the way to the studio in Glasgow, and I've passed it on the train at least once a week all my adult life. I always looked at the band names hung above the doors, so that makes it pretty special.
What was the best moment during that show?
The whole thing just seemed to work. It wasn't the best show we've ever played but something special was going on in the room and it really overwhelmed us all. The support we've been shown since Free came out has been amazing.
What are your plans for the rest of the year?
We're in the US now until the end of March and then we're headlining our own UK shows. We've got festivals coming up in Europe and America, plus the Blink shows, the Warped Tour… The list is endless. I think we're going to try and record new music this year too.
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