Guillemots Interview

Guillemots crashlanded into the indie world in 2006 with their dreamy debut album Through The Windowpane, which was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, and single Trains To Brazil.

The four-piece were founded by singer and multi-instrumentalist Fyfe Dangerfield who wrote most of the first record on his own.

The group are famed for brilliant live performances which are often unconventional and chaotic.

Guillemots second album Red- which is out now- features a vastly different sound with writing duties split between all members.

We caught up with Fyfe to see whats changed...

How was the recording process different for this second album?
The first album was just something I had in my mind for ages. For Red we had to learn how to work as a four piece and learn when to take a lead. They are all incredibly creative people and I had to take a step back. Its not as much my record but its something I feel I was very much a part of!

Whats changed musically?
We are always going to be a band that does things once and then changes. Theres not point doing a 2nd album of dreamy, orchestral songs. Red is more focused on beats and vocals. Greig had a lot of beats and loops on his computer that he programmed and thats what came first. We wrote most of the songs as a band it meant Id be improvising the lyrics. There a lot of tension in the lyrics but its very upbeat.

Do you want to attract new fans with this record?
I want to hold onto people who liked us at the start but we dont want to be a cult band. There will be a lot of people that will like this record that didnt like the first. The best bands are the ones that people argue about which is their favourite album.

Did you feel pigeon-holed by Through The Windowpane?
Three quarters of the interviews focus on how we are serious and like jazz. We are just a pop band and we are like children in the studio. I can see why it happened- because Ive written for an orchestra people think we have such highbrow influences. Its not about making big statements or just have records that sound big.

Tell us about the single Get Over It?
It came out of improvising and started out being quite rcok-y. We wanted it to be distorted and electric and sound really alive. Lyrically its about never being happy with what youve got. Its trying to get someone to snap out of it!

Red and Get Over It are out now!