Interview with Bombay Bicycle Club

Few sounds can evoke such instantaneous goose-bumps as the vocals that Jack Steadman purrs. These heart-melting lyrics, combined with Bombay Bicycle Club’s own brand of lo-fi indie pop, are the ingredients that have lead these introverted young musicians to achieve critical acclaim with their debut album and a series of celebrated live performances last year. Now supporting The Maccabees on the NME Awards Tour, BBC’s very tired guitarist Jamie MacColl and even more sleep depraved drummer Suren de Saram put aside their touring exhaustion (more or less..)to speak to Noize about their plans for a new album and what 2010 has in store for them.

Noize: Hi guys, so how is the NME tour going so far?

Jamie: Yeah it’s been going good.

Suren: It’s been a bit messy the past few days, a lot of people being sick.

Jamie: Yeah, there’s been a bit of a stomach bug going around.

Noize: Is that a cover story for alcohol induced illness?

Jamie: [laughs] yeah it’s alcohol induced as well.

Noize – So have there been any nights that have been especially enjoyable or memorable so far?

Suren: There’s been a few really good ones.

Jamie: Birmingham was a really good gig.

Suren: you all really enjoyed Nottingham didn’t you?

Jamie: Yeah and Leeds. I enjoyed last night as well. I’ve enjoyed all of them to be honest.

Noize: Were there any bands looking forward to meeting or playing with before it kicked off?

Suren: Yeah, The Maccabees. We’d met them a couple of times before and they’re really nice guys.

Noize: And is this the first time you’ve done something like this?

Jamie: Yeah, in fact it’s the first time we’ve done a support tour so it’s quite unusual for us, not being at the top of the bill [laughs] But it’s quite nice. It takes the pressure off a bit and adds a bit of healthy competition.

Noize: Ahh so there’s a bit of competitive banter between the bands on tour about sets and who played best?

Suren: Hmmmm...I don’t think so.

Noize: Oh, so it’s just you then, Jamie?

Jamie: [laughs] Yeah, it’s just me!

Noize: And you’ve been doing a lot of free gigs and in store signings throughout the NME tour, is this something that comes with the tour or something that’s just important to Bombay Bicycle Club?

Jamie: Well yeah, it’s just what we wanted to do. We like doing acoustic gigs and we like doing them in unusual locations. One of them was in a Barber Shop in Bristol.

Suren: And we played in a couple of canteens in universities which was pretty crazy.

Noize: What are your plans after this tour? Am i right in thinking you’re doing an acoustic album?

Jamie: We are, yeah. I don’t know when that’s coming out, June probably. Then we’re going to Europe the week after we get back and then we’re recording again.

Noize: And what will the second album be like? Will it be influenced by any bands your into or anything on tour?

Jamie: I’d hope it wouldn’t be influenced by one band, no.

Suren: One is the song is about sleeping actually (laughs)

Noize: Finally, you’re up for Best New Band at the end of the month at the NME Awards and are up against tour mates The Big Pink, who do you think should win?

Jamie: I think we should win! [laughs] But I don’t think we will. I think the XX will. It would be nice to win but we always have quite low expectations really so just to be nominated we were like ‘oh that’s nice’. Plus we get to go to the Awards show and make fools of ourselves!

www.myspace.com/bombaybicycleclub