ONE ON ONE: AN INTERVIEW WITH BEAUTY SCHOOL!

WE’RE HERE WITH BEAUTY SCHOOL AND THIS IS A HIVE MAGAZINE INTERVIEW, HOW ARE WE DOING TODAY?

Joe: Good thank you! Very tired, early start.. 4.30.. This guy, he drove!

Charlie: Yeah a little tired.. Getting there! Good show though.

Joe: Yeah it was a good show, we enjoyed the show.

I’VE SEEN YOU MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE, AND I’VE SEEN YOU’VE BEEN PLAYING A LOT RECENTLY. WHAT’S THE FUNNIEST/WEIRDEST STORY YOU’VE HAD HAPPEN TO YOU GUYS

Joe: I don’t know if we can even.. You know what? We just went on tour with Less Than Jake and Bowling For Soup in Europe. Great guys and amazing to be around, they’re veterans of the game. Our guitarist Grant can be cheeky when he’s had a few beers and we were in Munich, and they were on buses whilst we were in the van and staying where we were. We were staying in the venue because in Europe they have a lot of spots where bands can stay. The buses were leaving because they were traveling straight to Italy the next day. Grant went down to the dressing rooms and emptied all the beers out of Less Than Jake's fridge, and brought them across to us. Because in his drunken state he thought they were done and they were gone. But shortly after their tour manager started coming back to the dressing rooms and was like “we’re gonna come back and get the beers cause we’ve got an off day tomorrow” whilst we were sitting on the balcony sipping the beers. That was pretty funny, it was just hilarious at the time.

WHEN YOU’RE ON TOUR, YOU’VE GOT TO DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. SO LET’S HOPE THEY DON’T SEE THIS [JOKINGLY].

Joe: Less Than Jake, disclaimer, if you do see it we love you and we’re sorry for stealing your beers.

YOU’VE BEEN KILLING IT IN THE POP PUNK SCENE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INSPIRED BY YOU, BUT WHO WOULD YOU SAY INSPIRES YOU?

Charlie: Well me and Jordan like Militarie Gun who are playing today, they’re probably an influence but more of a heavier thing. Especially recently, Arms Length from America.. They’re very good and the drums are cool on that. Nice interesting rhythms. There’s loads of stuff.

Joe: We went to University together so we’ve been hanging out for like 10 years.. There’s not like one set of bands that we’re fully influenced by, it’s all the bands we’ve sort of seen, so when we first started hanging out it was The Wonder Years, Transit and all of those. Now it’s bands like Militarie Gun and things like that. One of the big influences for me lyrically I think is The Hotelier. The first record they put out, technically their 2nd, but the first they put out under the name ‘The Hotelier’.. For me, when I heard it I was like “that’s how I want to write songs, that’s how I want to write lyrics”.

THEY’RE POWERFUL AND EMOTIONAL SONGS, ALL OF YOU PUT SO MUCH IN YOUR PERFORMANCE YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE IT. IS THIS YOUR FIRST TIME AT 2000TREES?

Joe: It’s my first time here as an artist or a punter, I’ve never been to the festival but I’ve always wanted to come. We found out we were playing this year and I was like “amazing! I’m finally gonna get to go to Tress!”, but then I realised.. I got to Japan tomorrow, so actually I’m only going to be here for a few hours. But it’s great, we love it! – You’ve been here before right?

Charlie: Yeah I played here a few years ago, I think it was that stage as well with Rob Lynch. It’s a good festival, it’s nice!

Joe: I’m keen if we get the chance before we leave to get across and see the famous actual Tree’s stage, the one that’s in the Forest.

YOU’VE BEEN TO A LOT OF FESTIVALS. THE NEXT FESTIVAL THAT YOU PLAY AT, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES YOU WANT TO SEE? OR DEVELOPMENT? WHAT DO WE THINK?

Charlie: Bang some parasouls up here! [jokingly]

Joe: We need some shade for Charlie [laughs] – in terms of Festivals, there are things that need improving, but I’ve worked at Slam Dunk Festival for many years and I’ve played Download, Trees, Slamdunk, R&L.. I’ve seen so many and the one thing I always take away from them is how unbelievably hard the people who put them on work. And even when things go wrong and things are difficult it’s not those guys, everybody at a festival is here for the love of music. I don’t think anything really does need to change, I just thing festivals need to keep going because we’re lucky to have them.

Charlie: As well you come to a festival and there’s loads of people working on the stages doing everything, they’re here because it’s their job but I think as bands it’s important we come here and you say “thank you” and you’re nice. It goes a long way. They look after you, they change your vouchers so you can eat your dinner.. We’re in awe that we can come here and do this, so to be able to do this and say “thanks” for someone carrying the drums off stage.. That’s something the bands can do to keep things kicking on in the right way.

THERE’S A LOT ABOUT FESTIVALS THAT PEOPLE DON’T KNOW OF BEHIND THE SCENES. YOU’RE ONLY SEEING WHAT GOES ON AT THE FRONT, BUT THERE’S SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO FESTIVALS AND KEEPING THEM ALIVE. – A COMPLETE HYPOTHETICAL, YOU’RE IN A ZOMBIE OUTBREAK, YOU’VE GOT 20% BATTERY LEFT ON YOUR PHONE.. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO AND WHY?

Joe: That is a big question that. So I’ve got 20%, these could be the last songs I listen to.. That’s got to be taken into account. I think I would definitely be listening to the album ‘Around The Fur’ by Deftones in full.. That would be a must because that’s what brought me into this type of music. And then I think I just want to feel peaceful so it’s going to be Pinegrove after that. He knew what the answer was going to be because everytime anyones in my car, that’s all we’re listening to. He’s gonna have some eclectic stuff this guy.

Charlie: I think for a full album maybe the Stone Roses’ self-titled record. That would be pretty nice. Probably ‘Meat is Murder’ by The Smiths. That’s a good one.. And then.. –

Joe: Do you know what would be good? If we were going to go out, I know I’ve taken it even darker than you went, but what we used to do in Uni is we used to go out drinking and then we’d come back to the house that we lived in, and then put on ‘Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming’ by M83. Lights off, couple candles lit, we’d be super wasted just laying on the floor listening to that album. So if I thought we were gonna get munched by zombies.. M83.

Charlie: I’ve got another one.. Bon Iver self titled. I’d probably go out to that. Great record.

Joe: I think that’s right.. Bon Iver.. Honestly I’d take any of Bon Iver’s albums, we could go on forever with this one. Sigur Rós as well!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SITTING DOWN AND TAKING THE TIME TO CHAT WITH ME, THIS HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLE INTERVIEW, IF THERE’S ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO PART WITH AND LET PEOPLE KNOW–

Joe: Well actually this is the end of summer for us now. I go away on holiday but we’ve got a headline show in Leeds for anyone listening close to Leeds. 11th of August, it’s Friday night, the weekend before our Birthdays because our birthdays are on the same day, weirdly. But yeah, cracking on, writing the new album and probably gonna play some of the new tunes at that gig. We have a tour in November with The Bottom Line. Other than that it’s just working on the second record now.

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR TALKING TO ME, THIS HAS BEEN BEAUTY SCHOOL AND THIS HAS BEEN A HIVE MAGAZINE INTERVIEW.

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