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“I got fed up of being drowned by milk cartons!”

With their UK tour and second album ‘Undertow’ being released, Drenge have a busy month ahead. Drummer, Rory took some time to have a chin wag with me.

You’ve got your UK tour coming up – excited?

I cant wait. I’m gagging to see the sight of a service station again! I haven’t been to Bristol or Norwich in a while, looking forward to going there.

You’ve got more people coming on the road with you this time, you going to drive eachother mad?

It’ll be good. Fingers crossed no pranks. Last year our merch guy poured Travelodge milk cartons all over me at 8 am, safe to say I am not a morning person.

You’ve chucked in some European dates whilst touring the UK, any particular reason or just to spice it up?

We just haven’t been to Europe recently and its nice to go around, plus we love Paris.

You’ve announced some festivals in the UK like Lattidude and British summertime supporting Blur, you excited to be part of Blur’s kind of ‘Comeback’?

Yeah I am looking forward to it, I mean Im not a massive Blur fan and I wouldn’t say we were similar music but I guess it makes it more of a show. We played before rolling stones before though which was amazing, then we had to do another festival and no one turned up, so we missed the stones and had a bag gig. Even my parents chose them!

Is there a festival you’d love to headline?

Primavera festival in Barcelona would be sick – they always have great music. Don’t keep ya fingers crossed though.

NME gave your upcoming album ‘Undertow’ a raving review of 9/10 and described your sound as ‘less of a progression but a rebirth’ do you think that’s fair to say?

Actually, yeah. I would have described it as a natural progression but its definitely a rebirth. Starting again, from the bottom and working out way back up.

You’ve gone from just the two of you now to having a bassist – what was the reason behind that?

Well I mean it was never supposed to be just us 2, it just kind of happened and no one wanted to join! Then we decided to add the bassist as being a duo gave us limitations and we didn’t want that. We’ve known him since school and we were like “Do you want to be in our band?” and he responded with “Yeah, if it pays well!”. It went from there.

How would you describe the evolution of your sound from the first album to this one?

Obviously, the addition of the bassist. Also we’re better at plugging instruments now, we’ve learnt how to actually write songs rather than instinct. Its more atmospheric – the production of it has just progressed.

Your Album is our on the 6th of April, are you excited to get it out there or is there always that fear of what the reception will be like?

I’m excited! I’m very proud of it and can’t wait to get it out there. We’ve played some of our new songs live for a while but I can’t wait to get it all out on the road.

See those service stations again! With all the time put into the album and now touring the next month, what the hell you going to do afterwards?!

Just keep writing, when I stop for a while its hard for me to get back into it. Keep on writing, keep them juices flowing.

I got to steal Laurie from the Slaves for a couple minutes out of his busy schedule to talk Festivals, the new single and laundry!

Currently on your UK tour, excited?

Yeah its so much fun, I really enjoyed playing Leeds and the NME awards tour is so much fun.

Do you have a favourite city to play in?

Glasgow, I love it. But I love playing anywhere.

Touring must get tiring, do you have routines or habits to keep you going?

I always try to have a banana before going on stage and some beers, 2 maximum.

You’ve announced recently many UK festivals such as Bestival and Reading and Leeds, any outside the UK?

We are doing 2 festivals so far out of the UK which are in Japan and Germany.

What would be your dream festival to headline?

Glastonbury for sure, it’s the king of all festivals.

What do you think of the Foo Fighters headlining Glasto?

They’re good. There’s a lack of headline worthy bands at the moment.

Who would you say are headline worthy currently?

Fleetwood Mac, Arctic Monkeys and you have to give Metallica their due. Oh and Blur.

How was BBC Radio 6 which you played recently?

Great, we love radio 6 and its great to be a part of a radio show which champions independent music. Radio is such an important thing.

The single ‘Feed the Mantaray’ was named Zane Lowes hottest record last week, hows the reception been since the release?

Zane low is one of the best DJs so it was great, the reception has been really good.

Album coming out in June, would you say your style has changed since your EP in 2012?

It’s naturally evolved, I wouldn’t say the style has changed but now it has been recorded with the best studio equipment.

What do you like to do in your free time?

Laundry! I have to do laundry! Catch up with house chores. I like to do art and go to the cinema also.

To end the interview I thought we’d do a few classic ‘Would you rather’ questions!

Would you rather hear any conversation or be able to take back everything you say?

Definitely hear any conversations!

Would you rather headline Glastonbury then never play a crowd again or never headline a festival and to continue to play?

Definitely never headline a festival, I always want to be able to keep playing as long as people enjoy. If I headlined a festival you’d get a taste for it and then you wouldn’t be able to do it again!

“It’s better to burn out than to fade away”

With their latest album out late last year, their UK tour imminent and a European tour announced – Lower Than Atlantis are extremely busy boys. Mike Duce took some time out of their busy schedule to have a chin wag to me.

Your album came out in October last year, how was the reception?

The reception has been amazing. If anything its been better than ever with more fans and better reception. It’s really great to have such loyal fans who have followed us through the 7/8 years we’ve been playing.

Would you say your style has developed throughout the years and how?

Yeah definitely, we try to change it up as it keeps it interesting for us and our fans.

Has there been any particular influences since your first album to now?

None in particular that I can think of right now. We just like what we like.

So, the UK tour is imminent. Any city you’re most looking forward to playing?

We are looking forward to playing them all! They’re all different venues this year as well, so its exciting to play new ones.

Have the venues upgraded?

Yeah totally, the venues are a lot bigger to what we are used to play. A few of the gigs sold out so quickly that we had to upgrade to fill more people which is awesome.

You’re touring with We are the Ocean, did you hand pick them?

We get a list of bands that are available and then we kind of pick. We are the Ocean are really good friends of ours so we’re excited to get on tour with them. We’ve toured with them before, so its like repaying them back.

Being on the road with the same people for so long, do you get on eachothers nerves?

No, not really – we’re all like one gang. We do it all together – except go to the toilet – I’ll do that alone!

Do you have any rituals before you go on stage?

We drink a lot. Alcohol is involved before going on stage.

So no weird habits before going on, any stories to tell?

I don’t want to say any stories, I don’t want to imcriminate myself!

You’ve also just announced that you’ll be attending Boardmasters and Slam Dunk festival, is there a festival that you dream to headline?

Nah, we’re not like that. We’re just happy to play to our fans no matter what. As long as we’re all happy and continuing to play good music – that’s what matters.

There’s gotta be a dream though, perhaps something at the finish line?

We always want to be on the up. Definitely. It’s better to burn out than to fade away.