Interview: Two Door Cinema Club

Their promo guy replied long ago actually, but it got lost in the multiple threads of email with him. Oops, anyway here's an interview with Irish indie bangers, Two Door Cinema Club. Quite restrained in their answers, but maybe it's because I asked lousy questions. Oh well, I learn. So here goes.

You guys met at university but subsequently dropped out to work on your music. Any regrets?

We never made it that far with education. We met at high school and then didn't go to university. It would be nice to have a degree in something but I don't think we would have been able to do both and I think we made the right choice.

Ok, this was kinda stupid. I misinterpreted them giving up their places for university as dropping out while they were in university. What a stupid waste of a question.


What other pursuits do you guys have outside of music?

We love watching movies and tv shows. Follow a bit of football. Recently we have started to get involved with a local charity which is exciting.


You guys are signed to Kitsune and they're well known for identifying bands. What's it like being signed to them and why did they sign you? Any pressure being under their umbrella, to produce good music for instance?

We have never felt pressured being with them. It is great to have been picked up by such an exciting new label who have been keeping up to date with new music and releasing singles of anyone they think is good. To have been signed for albums I guess means they really liked us.


Tourist History has been very well received by the blogosphere for it's insanely catchy lyrics and hooks which delight listeners. Any particular influences and what was it like getting the whole album together?

Nothing in particular. We all listen to lots of different stuff to each other. We all have an appreciation for melody though and love a good hook.


You're performing at Laneway but you've missed Singapore. You have many fans over here in Singapore, many lamenting the fact that you guys did not make this stopover. Have you heard of Singapore and any chance you'll be performing here?

I know. It is very hard to play everywhere. There are so many places still left for us to go. We may gave some exciting news coming soon for Singapore! They are on our mind....

Well, clearly we were since they're coming down on 11 August so get psyched up for it in the meantime!


Your 5 best albums of 2010?
Les Savy Fav - Root For Ruin
Broken Social Scene - Forgiveness Rock Record.
Kanye West - My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Mew - No More Stories...
The National - High Violet

I thought "No More Stories" was released in 2009. No biggie though. Good stuff though, the list.

Interview: The Temper Trap

Managed to nail this email interview with Temper Trap after speaking to their drummer, Toby Dundas at the media tent during Laneway. Here's the interview, word for word. It's pretty short though so don't expect much. Italics are my comments after getting a reply.

How did you feel about performing at the debut Laneway Festival in Singapore?

It was a great honour for us to headline the first Laneway Festival in Singapore. Our first festival gig was at Laneway, we were first band on and it was that gig that really kickstarted things for us back in 2006, so we have a lot of love for the festival. The Singapore audience was fantastic, to stand in the rain all day and go crazy for every band takes a lot of dedication so i know all the bands just wanted to get onstage and give the crowd a great show.


Was this your first time in Singapore? If yes, how did you find it here?

We came for a couple of nights last year for the media launch of the festival, so this was our second time. We came in a few days early to rehearse and work on some new songs and i had an awesome time again. Ate some amazing food, caught up with a few friends and had some fun nights out (thanks butter factory!) and it was all topped off with the festival.
We really wanted it to be a special gig as it was the last show after 2 years of touring and we weren't disappointed.

Oh yeahh! Thanks guys, it was an awesome way to round off the night!


How did you guys meet?

Jonny and Dougy were longtime friends and Lorenzo and I were friends since we were 12 or so. Dougy and I met through work and stared practising together with another guitarist and then Jonny. Loz joined after a year or so and we brought in joseph about 2 years ago.


What was it like initially when you guys first started out and were trying to get Conditions together? How does it compare with the immense popularity you guys have now?

Back then we were just rehearsing a lot. We had a little room where we could keep our stuff set up so we would go out there 3-4 nights a week and write songs and work on the set.
We did a lot of demo recording so we could work on adding more electronic textures and beats and stuff with computers and samplers. Back then if we played a gig to 400 people we thought it was going great so we really had no idea that the album would connect with so many people around the world.


There's an increasing number of bands from Down Under that are getting more well known (or are already known), such as yourself, Tame Impala, Architecture in Helsinki, Empire of the Sun, The Presets and Cut Copy. So what's it like for the Australian music scene in the years to come?

I think Australia's always had a great music scene and it's cool that a lot of the bands around at the moment are getting noticed overseas as well.
Tame Impala are amazing and bands like the Midnight Juggernauts and The Drones have been putting out great albums for years.
In the new crop of artists i really like Cloud Control and an electronic act from Sydney called Seekae.

Certainly gotta check Cloud Control and Seekae out. Certainly have a thing for electronic bands.


Lastly, what are your 5 favourite albums of 2010?

in no particular order

Gil Scot-Heron I'm New Here
Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Menomena Mines
Arcade Fire The Suburbs
Gareth Liddiard Strange Tourist

Thanks a bunch Temper Trap, especially Toby!