1. Welcome back to Paris. How are you and what do you expect from this massive european tour ?
Felix: Thanks ! We’ve played like 2 gigs so far and we’re really glad to play our 3rd album as well as our new songs to European crowds. It’s even more exciting to be here as most of our shows were sold out even before Given to the Wild was released! So yeah, very happy to be here and looking forward to seeing how people will enjoy our new stuff live.
2. Let’s talk about Given to The Wild. Does the name refer to the fact that your sound has become wild , that you’ve tried something more experimental ?
Felix: When we started recording it, the title came to our mind naturally as it really reflects all the songs. But yeah it’s true we gave it this name because we really tried to create something new, something kinda different.
3. How was the recording of the album ? At the beginning of the recording sessions, did you know precisely what you wanted ? Or was it more complicated than that ?
Felix : To be honnest, we had NO idea ! Except the two songs (Child and Forever I’ve known) we started to play in festivals 2 years ago, we wrote and recorded all the other songs when we came in the studios. It took quite a long time as we tried to get a different sound, we repeated every song again and again and again, til we found what we really wanted
4. You said you were searching for your own sound, which would be more personal and that you would like. Have you found it ? Are you fully satisfied ?
Felix : Hmm well we certainly wanted to get something UNIQUE, something very individual, where all members of the band would work on the album, on the lyrics, on the sound, on the production… We can’t say we’ve found a perfect sound. You know, the next album will sound different too. We just tried to get an album that would be different from the 2 other ones but mainly an album that regroups everyone’s thoughts and needs
5. We can feel a continuity in this album. You really have to listen to GTTW from the beginning to the end to feel something really strong. All along the songs, we often find words like « kids, child, grow up ». What is the story that you wanted to tell ? The fact that we’re all aging, and so is your music, which has become more mature ?
Felix: Ha ! A shame that Orlando isn’t with us, he would have replied easily to you as he mainly wrote the lyrics. But yeah you’re totally right about the texts, the fact that we all look back to what happened in the past, and now (like everyone I guess), we have lots of new responsibilities. New ones we had to take as well concerning our music.
6. Why did you choose Pelican for the first single ? It's probably the "popiest" song, the one that differs from the rest of this album, strategic choice ?
Felix: Haha I guess you’re right once again. It’s definitely the popiest one of the album. When we listened to it we just said “This one will sound perfect on the radio” ! Don’t think it was a strategy, yeah we just thought it’d sound great on the radio !
7. What did your label think about GTTW when they heard it for the 1st time ? I’ve read they were a bit scared ?
Felix: (laughs) It is actually true ! They even told us to change several things on the album, they thought it was too experimental to be released ! We did our best to make sure they would change their mind about it and apparently we’ve succeeded !
8. The medias and the fans are on the same page concerning this album, with only good reviews saying it’s a great album. Are you surprised ? Were you expecting to puzzle people with your new sound ?
Felix: Honestly not at all ! As you said, lots of people have already bought their physical or digital copy. Even if we’ve made something different, you easily recognize it’s our music. I mean there are still those specific guitars, the bass lines and Orlando’s voice. You can’t say it doesn’t sound like Maccabees stuff. That’s why I keep thinking fans knew it is “US” so that’s maybe why GTTW is very appreciated.
9. About the emotions on GTTW, were there any that you wanted to transmit to the listeners, or do you wish that everybody finds their own ? The melody and the voice make you have a very particular approach to each song.
Felix: I’ve heard that many people thought our album sounded very sad, very dark. And actually this is not what we want them to imagine ! We are very optimistic, we want the album to sound this way so yeah would be cool if people would change their opinion about it (laughs). That’s really the main emotion we wanted to “show”
10. Favourite song on the album and why ?
Felix: Hmmm not really easy to choose. Because I produced and worked hard on many of them I can’t really decide. Well if I really have to pick one, I’d say “Glimmer”
11. After the European tour, you’re back in the UK to play several gigs in march. You’ll also play in Australia in may. Except all these shows, what are your plans for this year ?
Felix: We wanna tour FOREVER (laughs). Well we’re gonna try to play a lot this year ! We’ll hopefully do an American tour later this year, there will be lots of festivals and we hope to be back to Europe soon !
(many thanks to Mari for checking my mistakes ! You all know how rubbish my english skills are)
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