Vagabond Interview

A few of us rocked up to Nottingham to interview the awesome guys who call themselves Vagabond at the Bodega Social Club in Nottingham.

Abz – You’ve done the James Morrison tour, now you’re headlining which sounds like it’s been an exciting time. What’s it like headlining and what are the crowd reactions like?

Luke – I’d say the crowd when you’re headlining your own gig is more intense and it makes you a bit more nervous because they’re just there to see you and something goes wrong it’s on you’re shoulders rather than them getting to James Morrison and feeling all better.

Alex - It’s also the fact that you get a room full of people singing along to your songs especially the single. I can actually leave the chorus to them.

Sam – It’s a much warmer experience because the crowd know the songs and they’re reacting to it and they know what’s coming, and they can really enjoy it, and you don’t have to win them over – they’re already on your side because they’ve come to see you.

Luke – You’ve just got to keep them on your side I think. You want to give them a good reason to see you after that.

Steve – It’s good because we’re playing different songs as wells as the ones we played on the James Morrison tour. We’re playing the whole album. It’s a surprise, you know, if they start singing your songs.

Rosanna – How does it feel to get a good reaction from the crowd?

Luke – it doesn’t get any better really. I was just saying when they sing along to songs and it doesn’t really get any better then that and you want to keep expanding your audience, and you wonder how, even though it might be a sold out gig, you kinda wonder what it might be like to keep it getting bigger and bigger.

Alex – I actually found myself forgetting the words for a song because everyone was singing along and I was so confused by that.

Abz – You’ve been getting amazing reviews from both the media and your fans do you, do you think this adds any extra pressure to get it right all the time?

Luke – Yeah, but I think we put that on ourselves anyway. We want to try and get everything right in which ever area we’re playing in. we’ve got to get a lot of good press reports so I think we’ve got a good balance with it really. But there is the pressure to do well, like with the record coming out and the album, and people seeing interviews. We need to impress them [the press] because as soon as they stop getting impressed, the sooner people stop buying tickets, the sooner no one comes to our gigs anymore and we’d be in a terrible situation. [Laughs]

Rosanna – How does it feel having people like The Guardian saying ‘They could be the worlds biggest new band?’ and things like that?

Alex – That particular quote, that’s a while ago now and it still lingers because people still ask about it and it’s a quote to remember. I think the trick is to appreciate that people are talking nice about you and continue to work hard because we know we’re no where near that position.

Luke – We’re just going to try and become that band, but it’s going to take longer than The Guardian writing it in a news paper.

Abz – You’ve got your album coming out on Friday, it all sounds very exciting. Did you imagine…

Steve - It’s Monday.

Luke – Monday.

Abz – Monday? Ah wishing it away sooner.

Alex – It’s alright.

James – She got a pre-release that’s why.

Alex – Ah I see.

[All laugh]

 Abz – Did you imagine the process like it was with working with Brian Higgins aiming for perfection with every song?

Alex – Ermm…

Steve – I don’t think you’d want to work with a producer who didn’t aim for perfection with every song…

Alex – Yeah, that’s a point.

Steve - … because we’d be a bit worried. You want someone who believes in your music and make the best out of it you can.

Alex – For me, personally, when I first met Brian I went down for a writing session. When I first met him he told me that he wanted to become successful and be the best until his dying day I suppose. He wanted to be at the top and never stop working. It’s someone like that who you want on your team. So, yeah. You really can’t know what you’re in for until it’s done with Brian. It can be a roller coaster ride. I guess making an album can be like that who ever you’re working with. I didn’t really know what to expect, but the outcome is definitely something to be proud of.

Rosanna – And what were the pressures of working with a producer who’s aiming for perfection all the time?

Sam [to Luke and Alex] - What was it they told you guys when you were playing guitar?

Luke – Well basically he was suggesting to have a certain guitar part for a song. It wasn’t like he said go away and do something in this style. It was like, go away and spend a short amount of time. He limits you to a certain amount of time to get the freshest ideas. We came back with a recording and loads of ideas. I said to him ‘I don’t know what you had in mind. We’ve got loads of ideas’. He was like ‘I don’t care what it is as long as it’s fantastic. As long as it’s amazing’ At that point it’s like … Ahhhh…

[Everyone laughs]

Steve – Give me another 10 minutes.

Luke – And so that’s intense but you end up learning a lot more and learning… You know, you get an idea of what his thoughts are. Then you start growing and judging yourself a lot better and being a bit more hard on yourself and choosing the best ideas rather than thinking that everything that comes out of your head is fantastic.

Rosanna – So would you say he brought out the best in you?

Luke – Yes he does that.

Steve – That’s probably the best thing Brian does as a producer. He realises what your strengths are and works on that and draws that out.

Luke - Just to magnify the qualities you’ve got.

Abz – With Xenomania doing lost of fantastic, A-rated pop songs, were you ever concerned that your stuff being more, kind of, soul-pop and rock, were there any concerned that it wouldn’t gel as well as it has?

Alex – No because Brian never sort of sat down and said right this is what you have to be. Brian finds your talent and, like we just said, brings out the best in whoever he’s working with. So there was no way we were ever going to end up being a…

Steve – Disco.

Alex – Yeah, or a disco/electro band. There’s one song that was very disco but we’ve taken it off [the album] because it wasn’t… doesn’t match our sound.

Luke – It’s more other people presuming that when you work with a pop producer like that, you work with Girls Aloud’s producer. He’s worked with loads of other people. Everyone assumes you’re going to have songs like that. But if you’ve met the guy… You could talk to him about an old Blues record and he’d pull out the best Blues record and give you a reason why and what it would be nothing like Girls Aloud. They’re moving away from that as well and trying to be more interesting and diverse with what they’re working with. We’re definitely not a Boys Aloud or anything.

Rosanna – So you’ve got this tour and it’s finishing at the end of the month with V festival. Are you looking forward to playing there?

Alex – Yeah, it should be great.

Luke – I wanted to go and brought tickets for V festival and I got scammed on the internet so it’s quite ironic that I get to play there rather than go… or not as it turned out.

Sam – It’s a good opportunity to see if people come and watch the shows as well because, like, the album will be out by that point. So hopefully people will see us and say ‘Vagabond, lets go and see them’ because, obviously, we’re competing with all the other bands that are at the festival, and if people pay to watch us that’s a bonus, it shows we’re getting through to people.

Luke –Yeah can’t wait for that one.

Rosanna – Are there any bands you’re really looking forward to seeing?

Luke – Oasis. Whenever Oasis play I’m always trying to see them. That’s just me speaking for myself rather than any of these guys.

Sam – No, I’d like to see Oasis play. I’ll go with you.

Luke [to band] – Anyone you want to see? We wanted to see the killers but they’re playing on a different day to us.

Steve – I’d like to have seen them but it’s a shame.

Abz – Are there any bands that you’ve hear of who you’d consider having as a support band for your next tour?

Alex – We actually had a band supporting us in London at the start of this tour called Laura and the Tears, friends of ours. They’re a brilliant band, suits our sound quite well.

Steve – I think we would have liked to taken them on the whole tour wouldn’t we?

Alex – Yeah it would have been great to have them on the whole tour, but unfortunately it didn’t work out that way. Maybe in the future on our next tour. There’s a few bands that we’re mates with. It’s nice to have someone you know on tour, you know you’re good players, you know that you’re going to get along so you…

Luke – That you know they’re going to do a good job before you go on.

Sam – For the crowd influence as well. It’d be hard to turn up at venues and you’re in a room that you don’t usually play. We’re a soul pop band. We can’t have a heavy rocky / indie pop band playing in that sort of environment, and the fans expecting Vagabond and that sort of style and getting something completely different.

Alex – I think when you get the opportunity to pick your supporting act every night you have the responsibility to make sure your crowd will like it as well. Obviously if you pick the wrong band, that band are going to have a rubbish time.

Luke – Slipknot, that wouldn’t work.

Steve – It was terrible when that happened.

[All laugh]

Abz and Rosanna – Thank you very much!

Vagabond – Thank you too.

- Cheers to Vagabond, the Bodega and the guys at Chuffmedia