One day we’re gonna live in Paris / I promise / I’m on it.
Its heartfelt romantic lyrics like these which have seen Friendly Fires catapult to phenomenal worldwide success, their sound proving a smash, and have even been dubbed single of the week by both NME and The Guardian. Band member Jack Savidge caught up with OUTinPerth in anticipation of their upcoming Good Vibrations appearances.
You’re heading off to work, are you?
I’m heading off to the studio, where we’re working on some new music.
And is that music that us guys down here in Australia are going to be able to hear?
When we come over? I don’t want to make any promises because I don’t know; it’d be awful if I said yes, definitely and then we didn’t actually have anything 100% ready. We’re all hoping that it is, but I don’t want to make any full assurances. You will obviously hear it, but I don’t want to commit to saying that you’re going to hear it in this February.
What is the new sound? Or is it more of the same?
I wouldn’t say it’s more of the same. I don’t know. It’s slightly more complex. Not in a majorly proggy way, but I think there’s a lot more detail in it, arrangement-wise. Also, there’s a couple of songs which we’ve been kind of working on where we’ve been exploring a slightly more mournful side; slightly more ballad kind of stuff. It’s not anything too sad or miserable but it’s just slightly more thoughtful music, maybe.
If you had to sum up the Friendly Fires sound, how would you? Because you seem to straddle quite comfortably this slightly rock, slightly electro sound. How do you guys define it?
I think we’ve always wanted our music to be dance music and we’ve always taken inspiration from dance music in many different forms. It kind of comes from that and I guess we try to add the pop part on top to turn it into a nice little neat, well-written song package. That’s the most long-winded, bullshitty answer that I’ve come up with today.
Do you have a favourite festival?
I guess I’d say Glastonbury, actually. There’s photos of it around, on Facebook and things like that, and I still look at them and think ‘Fucking hell, how many people were there watching us?’ It was just enormous. It just looked like a sea of people. People were saying 40 or 45,000. I don’t know where they get their estimates from but that number comes from somewhere. It’s amazing to think of that. But yeah it just looks huge and it kind of is huge, really. There’s nothing really like it.
What are three things you think punters should bring when they come to see The Friendly Fires at Good Vibes?
Maybe a bottle of amyl-nitrate; they always go well now in short bursts of excitement. Some kind of willingness to move their feet and/or backside, and a positive mental attitude. Or does that sound a bit self-help book, or something? Read a self-help book, before you go.
Maybe even bring one with you?
Don’t worry, I will be. The long flight will absolutely make it totally necessary.
Friendly Fires will be appearing at Good Vibrations at The Claremont Showgrounds on Sunday February 14. For further info about the festival’s lineup and to purchase tickets visit www.gvf.com.au
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