Interview: Metronomy

The last few weeks have seen electro-popsters Metronomy lose one member and gain two more. But founder Joseph Mount promises ROB GARRATT they'll be ready for their gig in Norwich.

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t What can you tell us about the tour?

Ha ha, it's imminent! It will be the biggest UK stuff we've done since the record came out and it's with a new line-up. It's a while since we've been out playing in England.

t You've managed to lose a band member and gain two more in the last few weeks.

Gabriel [Stebbing] left us to do his own group Your Twenties, which is something I knew was going to happen at some point. Instead of just getting someone to replace him we though we'd take it as an opportunity to make it more, not less.

t You two have been friends since before the band, it must have been hard to lose him after all those years?

It was really fine. The only downer is that it was nice to be out touring with him and we're a bit apprehensive about what we're going to do next. But its all fine with us his new band might be coming out to do some dates with us.

t Any chance that will be the Norwich one?

It would be one of those more close to London, so there's a pretty good chance.

t What was it like throwing together a band at such short notice?

It was a little bit of a rush job, we had to work pretty fast. It's nice to have to get to work on it and not really have the chance to worry. The biggest worry was that it couldn't be s**t. We had to make it good. We had an intensive couple of weeks.

t Where did you get these new recruits from so quickly?

There's a girl on drums called Anna who I've known a long time, and a bassist who is relatively new to us. It's all people who live in London, people we met around, everyone's a musician here.

t It must be odd using a real drummer after years of using electronics?

I've seen bands with electronic stuff where a live drummer doesn't work, but we've stuck a nice balance; there's still lots of samples. It doesn't clash and if anything it's more energetic. She plays all the parts true to the record, but it's a lot more free.

t Are we going to get any new material on the tour?

Bits and bobs. Because we're trying to get the new thing together we're just getting stuff done right now. Certain old songs… some of the best songs now are the ones that weren't as good with the live set up before. A few new bits and bobs.

t On paper you don't have that much material out…

It's not an uncommon situation that a lot of bands find themselves in. Because at the moment labels are having trouble they are promoting records for a long time so we're out touring the whole time. I wanted to make sure I was keeping the momentum up and kept things going, but you don't want to get bored of the new songs before you record them. I'm hoping for a new album early next year.

t How did this project get started?

Whenever you have a band and get a deal and get interviewed you always start talking about stuff doing when you were younger. Everything before that was the equivalent to school bands. Every weird thing I have done was with Gabriel and he was singing his songs. When I started making music on my own I was 16, 17 - I had a hobby and it was fun. It wasn't until 20, 21 I thought maybe…the line was very blurred between when it became a hobby and when it became a thing.

t Where did the name come from?

Again, I started it going when I was 16, I listened to a lot of Electronica and it sounded cool, it sounded like the acts I would like. Then when the whole thing started to progress names become names, they become nothing. It sounds good in every language, not like Kasbian and Arcade Fire, which are difficult for different languages.

t You've done a lot of remixes, which are you most proud of?

The first one I ever did for Ladytron. At then point I was really happy they were going to use it. My top three would be the Roots Manuva remix, the Box Codax one, and the Lykke Li remix. If you were in a hurry and you have to listen to three before you were electrocuted, those would be the three.

t Any memories of Norwich?

Norwich is always nice for us. Gabriel's mum and sister still live there, I went there when I was 14 and we hung around outside the C&A with our skateboards. That's what we're going to do this time.

t What do you think about the electronic scene?

You never see yourself as part of thing that is going on or part of a scene. It's good I suppose - people once thought bands would have to be guitars and drums and now people are a lot more accepting of interesting line ups and that's a good thing. It gives a lot of younger people [the drive] who wouldn't have the confidence to start a band.

t Any advice for those people starting out?

Don't do it. Get a job. Get off my turf. Never wear wait coasts on stage. Never wear hats. It's fine if you're a rapper, but otherwise no.

t Metronomy play the Waterfront on May 26.

Further listening: Metronomy