Courteeners Interview: “We Can't Believe That We're Still Here. Sooner Or Later Someone's Going To Find Us Out.”

“The only way you can win them over is to be true to you. And if they don't like you for who you are - that's great. Not everyone is for everyone.

“I certainly won't be covering Dolly Parton or bringing f**king balloons out and all that nonsense.”

MTV is sat with Courteeners frontman Liam Fray just a few hours before the group takes to the main stage at Reading 2016. Fray is in a jovial mood, and there’s little wonder why. Over the past few years the band have played Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl, sold out the massive Heaton Park (capacity of 25,000) in under an hour (with no support acts announced as tickets went in sale) and supported The Stone Roses at the Etihad Stadium. Life could be a lot worse for Fray and his band mates.

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When we meet, Courteeners are sandwiched in-between Eagles Of Death Metal and Imagine Dragons (Imagine Dragons sub-headlined that night. No that’s not a typo. Imagine Dragons sub-headlined Reading & Leeds) before Red Hot Chili Peppers topped the bill later that night. Considering most of the talent on the line-up, can Reading and Leeds get a little intimidating?

“Yeah that's not the case. I don't even know who's on there (laughs). (ed – heyooooo!) I know that Foals are on there. I wouldn't say we're intimidated by Foals. I'd say that...we're inspired by Foals I guess.

“They came out at a similar time as us, and they've obviously connected with a lot of people and we're big fans of them. They're kind of our age. We've played with them in Japan a few times.

“I love Yannis (Foals’ frontman). He's got a lot to say and he doesn't hold back. And I think that's why they connect - they're not bullsh**ting anybody. Do you know what I mean? I get the impression - I'm not his best friend - but I get the impression that he's extremely real.

“I think if you're 17/18 and you listen to his interviews - he doesn't bulls**t anybody. He means what he says. [It] comes across in live shows - the veracity. Is that the right word? The veracity of them. They f**king give it everything man.”

Slotting in third from the top of the bill, it seems like an age since Courteeners started out in the 200-capacity Manchester Roadhouse. Does Fray feel more at home on bigger stages these days?

“Everyone says they prefer smaller rooms don't they? And that's, for the most part, true. But don't get me wrong, we're not Fleetwood Mac. Not everyone knows our songs. [Reading and Leeds is just] kids wanting to let go. Just f**king enjoying it. Which is what's interesting. You've got to fight to win them over.

“It's a weird one for us at festivals, because I've never been into all that 'Yeah man! How's it going!' – f**k off. That's a load of bollocks.

“I think a lot of people think they don't like Courteeners because they don't like us. Because they've got this impression of when we first came out - after you've given a few mouthy interviews because you're young and f**king pissed - people know we're not like that. They know we're down to Earth.

“So festivals are a good place for people to be like 'I don't like him but I'll check them out'.  And then they see them...it's funny in a way. You can't worry about who doesn't like you. That's life, isn't it?”

The mouthy Liam Fray you might have heard of, throwing out quotes such as: "Everything Everything said we're backward and fixated on Oasis. Well. I've never even heard Everything Everything,” isn’t on show today. Instead, MTV meets an affable, charming Liam Fray who’s joking around and seems content with where he is.

Since emerging in 2007 with their debut single, ‘Cavorting’, the band have been enjoying growing crowds ever since. Yet despite their most recent album Concrete Love claiming the number 3 spot in the UK albums charts, Fray claims that he’s surprised the group is still alive and kicking: “We can't believe that we're still here. Sooner or later someone's going to find us out.”

Fray is being humble. He might say otherwise, but, helped by their army of dedicated fans, Courteeners clearly have some serious staying power. That the band are about to release their fifth album, “which doesn't even happen any-f**king-more because [bands] get dropped after one or two”, is evidence of this. So what can we expect from Courteeners upcoming album Mapping The Rendezvous?

“I don't know...well I do know. I wrote it. I've got a pretty good idea. [That question is] a weird one to answer because you basically feel like you're giving yourself a review. 'What would I write? If I was writing the review I'd give it ten out of ten...' It's tough because you're basically sat here bigging yourself up. You come out with all the stock bullshit like 'Yeah man! It's organic! It's a natural progression from the last one!' - but that's all it ever is, isn't it?

“It's not like we've gone in one specific direction because we think that'll work because nothing else did. I've always been fairly selfish when writing. You know, f**k everyone else if they don't like it. I couldn't give a s**t. But it seems like more people are liking it. The quality process is pretty high I reckon. All of the songs feel like they connect in some way, be it a relationship song, or be it a f**king self-loathing song. That seems to connect with our fans (laughs).”

When Courteeners do take to the stage a couple of hours later, they pull in a huge crowd armed to their teeth in smoke bombs.

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Despite being on the verge of releasing their fifth album (and with new single 'No One Will Ever Replace Us' out now and streaming over here), Courteeners put on a (fast-paced, no-nonsense) set which was split 50/50 between songs from St. Jude, their first album, and the rest of their discography. Do they still enjoy playing old songs as much these days?

“It's so weird, because I've got to say, I thought I'd f**king hate it. The idea of playing 'Cavorting' or 'Not Nineteen' - for f**k's sake. But it never gets old seeing that response. It's like when Oasis play ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Star’, or The Libertines play ‘What A Waster’. The crowd goes berserk. How can you ever get bored of that?

“So yeah. I know what you mean. I thought we would. I've got such a short attention span. I thought I'd be like 'f**k all them'. But you can't because the crowd are buzzing. If the crowd are buzzing, we're buzzing.”

Courteeners will release their new album Mapping The Rendezvous on October 21.

Interview by Charlie Cottrell and Lucas Fothergill.