NEWS
EVENTS
The Vaccines Interview at New Cavendish Square
Indie | Tuesday 23rd October 2012 | Osh
Joe Longhurst interviews Justin Young singer and guitarist for the Vaccines about their latest album and upcoming tour dates.
How you doing today?
I’m good, I’m doing good.
Your debut gained you a lot of critical acclaim, did you feel a lot of pressure the second time round with the new album ‘Come of Age’?
We did feel pressure but I think mostly from ourselves really, we were kind of aware that a lot of success of the first record was hopefully due to the kind of faith we’d put in ourselves and our own taste and that sort of thing, so again we just made a record of songs that we’re all massive pop fans and fans of quite accessible music. I think we all sort of felt if we went with our own gut instinct and went with the songs we were drawn to that there was no reason that people wouldn’t like these songs the second time round.
Was the creative process the same second time around?
I mean I suppose the creative process was relatively similar in that we all kind of write songs individually then bring in ideas or finish songs or whatever and the ones that excite us would get finished together. I mean obviously I guess things change, you know everything changes. I think that in life you’re constantly refining how you express yourself and I think that is the same in music as well, like we had a much deeper connection musically and with each other going into the second record and hopefully better song writers so I think there that’s kind of a natural evolution but I think the process remained relatively similar.
You recently said ‘pop’ seems to be a dirty word but it doesn’t have to be, what did you mean by that?
I just think people misunderstand what it is to be a pop band and what pop music means, I think because of the state of mainstream radio a lot of people are put off by pop music. I mean like Elvis was pop, the Beatles were pop, the Rolling Stones were pop, you know Blondie was pop and I see ourselves as a pop band and I see us as having more in common with people on Radio 1 than I do with people on music blogs or whatever. I sometimes feel people misunderstand what it is to be ‘pop’.
So, you don’t feel any pressure to be an alternative band then?
No coz I don’t think we are an alternative band.
You recently sold out the Ally Pally, how does that feel?
Yeah, I mean obviously I’ve been to gigs at Alexandra Palace and I’m aware of how big it is and obviously in our home town as well it’s quite amazing, it’s surreal. I still can’t really believe it. I don’t think I will believe it until we play.
Is London your favourite place to play then?
I think I love playing London and I hate playing London because obviously all of your friends and family are there but big city audiences I have to say are never the best because they’re spoilt for choice but I just love being in London and I love being round my friends and going out afterwards and seeing everyone after the show. So yeah, I always look forward to it.
So again you have a date coming up at the O2, exciting times?
Yeah I mean obviously the O2 arena is the biggest venue in London I suppose and its one we’ve done support shows there and been to like countless shows there and I guess you never in a million years expect that you’re going to do your own show there, so I’m really nervous and excited, again with that one can’t really believe we are doing it.
It’s been a very quick journey for you as a band. How does it feel to have come so far so soon?
Yeah I mean it has been a really quick journey with the band I think. We first started writing songs in summer 2009 and then we first started playing gigs sort of summer 2010 so it’s only just really 2 and a half years ago we played our first shows I think May or something. So yeah it’s been really quick but not as quick for us as individuals. I mean before the Vaccines started I was touring in various different projects for about 7 years. I think all of us were about the same time 7/8 years or so. I think as individuals we know what it is to be rejected and to have no one care about you and to put in a lot of work and not really get much back. I think we learnt a lot of lessons as individuals before we came together as a band.
When you first write a song, who is the first person you show it to?
I always get really scared playing people music because I think it’s so pure when it’s just the band that have heard it; it’s in its purest form. It’s so scary giving it out, I mean there’s people who I trust who I always give our music to and in fact there’s certain people who having given our music to have helped us get where we are now so I always give my music to them to see what they think but I mean it’s a scary process. I try and give it to as fewer people as possible, I mean as soon as I know other people have heard our songs I can’t listen to them myself.
Is there anyone in particular, one person you give it to? Your Mum?
No definitely not my mum no (laughter), no no-one in particular.
Is there anyone who particularly influences you?
I think a lot of musicians or bands would be hard pressed to tell you one person, or one genre, or style, or period of music that influences them. I just really love rock and roll and I love pop music and I like it sort of youthful and rebellious. I guess everything from kind of Bobby Fuller thing I Fought the Law right up to Descendants singing Hope or Primitives singing Crash just everything that feels youthful and exciting and fun. I just like fun music I guess.
In a live performance do you strive to get that across to your audience? Is that the thing you try and get across most?
Yeah I mean I think we’re a band who strives to provide art and entertainment in equal measure. I think there’s a throwaway element to what we do, I think we are a pop band and melody and fun and entertainment are a big part of that but also it is artistic endeavour for us and we feel there is depth there as well so I think there’s a bit of both really.
You speak about music as an art form do you value it as an art form and what other values do you place on it?
Yeah I value it as an art form but equally I value it as entertainment but most importantly I think as a form of self-expression. I think a lot of people find ways to express themselves in different ways I mean sport is a big one and various forms of art but for me it’s always been song writing not necessarily playing but just writing songs. I wrote my first songs when I was 10 or 11 and I’ve always done it and I feel like I’ll always do it because I don’t really think it’s necessarily a choice and I don’t think it’s necessarily propelled by the idea of having an audience I just think it’s something you do. I always say stuff in songs that I don’t have the guts to say in conversation and I think I’ll probably always do it and I think most song writers will probably tell you the same thing; at the bottom of it is all just self-expression I think.
So song writing is a cathartic process for you?
Yes, it’s massively cathartic, yeah.
Which song from the new album is your favourite?
There are sort of different songs from the album which I have different relationships with. There are songs which I’m really proud of, like artistically speaking as songs, I guess songs like ‘Lonely World’ and ‘Aftershave Ocean’ then there are songs just as a music fan I enjoy playing and enjoyed recording and would enjoy listening to and I think that hopefully if I heard them I’d be a fan of. I mean like ‘Bad Mood’ is a song I really like, ‘Ghost Town’, just the more straight up rock and roll songs I guess.
Talking of ‘Bad Mood’, how much does your mood influence your song writing?
I think song writing is massively propelled by mood, I think I’ve never been able to write when I’m content or when I’m happy and I think often you’re consumed by your mood aren’t you and then it’s a no brainer and then other times you have to channel certain moods, it’s a weird place to be in. I guess when you are trying to make the most of being angry or of being upset or in a bad mood or whatever.
So does your inspiration come from purely within or do you take it from elsewhere?
I think like inspirations forever changing isn’t it but certainly for this record I searched within rather than the outside world.
Do you ever get frustrated when in the creative process?
I think obviously creating anything can be really frustrating, I think it becomes very difficult when you have an idea in your head and you’re not sure how to get that idea out and put it on paper or complete it. I think like being in a band when you’ve got the band and then a producer and an engineer and all these sort of people trying to help get whatever it is in your head out on to paper, I think you have to be willing to compromise and have to be willing to see that change. I don’t think I’ve ever or we’ve ever finished up with something that sounded like it did in my head when I first wrote it but I think that’s part of the fun of it really.
It must really be nice to see other people influenced and influence your original idea?
Exactly, I think other peoples influence is massively important, for example if you’re a songwriter in a band the reason you’re in a band with those people is because you want them to influence what you’re doing and you value their input and you value the influence they have on it and that’s part of the magic of being in a band.
Does anyone in the band have a specific taste that influences it above everyone else?
I think I’m quite kind of a minimalist so I don’t really like over playing. I like people being able to express themselves but I don’t really like over playing or using weird chords for the sake of it or even using middle 8’s for the sake of it I think we’ve all come round to that way of thinking. I mean minimalism and simplicity and just directness not even sonically so not low fi but more just kind of direct, hard hitting, simple. People often note how we rely on 3 chords a lot but that’s a conscious decision all the best songs are the simple songs. My kind of aim is always trying to find that perfect pop song and make it as simple as possible.
So that’s not from a punk view point then?
Well I suppose that is a punk rock ethos, I learnt a lot from punk rock and that is it’s not what you’re playing it’s how you’re playing it. Do you know what I mean? There’s only one thing which separates good punk bands from the bad punk bands and that’s the good ones are the ones which believe what they are doing and are genuinely impassioned by what they’re doing and the bad ones are the ones that aren’t and I think that I always try and channel that ethos when we’re making music definitely.
Attitude’s a massive part of punk, how important is attitude for you?
I think attitude is massively important in music certainly sort of artistically for that kind of belief and getting people to emotionally invest in what you’re doing. I think if you believe in what you’re doing then other people are going to believe in what you’re doing and then also when you’re talking about entertainment, like attitudes a massive part of pop music, like it always has been. Often it’s like contrived and concocted and all that sort of stuff but it’s like exciting I think like having attitude is massively important in rock and roll.
When you’re on stage obviously attitudes are an important aspect, do you practice your stage craft or is it something which just happens?
Yeah, stagecraft isn’t something you practice it’s just something you learn, it’s something that becomes you and I see us getting better on stage and it’s not something contrived at all, it just sort of happens and I feel like I’ve let people down when I walk off stage and I haven’t felt completely in the moment and I haven’t let it consume me and I haven’t let that attitude kind of take hold. But all the best shows are the ones where it does just takes hold and you don’t have to try and it becomes you and you become it. You know I always try and give everything I have and hopefully that like comes across.
Do you have a routine you get into before you go onstage to make that happen or do you just go out and if it happens it happens?
I find a lot of the time a good show I’d say 95% of the time. The main thing is we listen to a lot of music before we go on. I like being alone as well. It’s funny you see how these really big rock stars just become like crazy I think it’s important sometimes not to get into a routine and you should just be able to just literally have someone put a guitar around your neck and do it. I think routine can often be a bad thing but ultimately you end up getting into one but mainly just listening to music really.
What sort of thing do you listen to?
Usually like upbeat. I don’t know like a lot of punk rock but sort of it changes I’m not DJ Freddie, our guitarist takes charge of the stereo before we play.
So you recently played Jack Daniel’s birthday party alongside Tribes and Mystery Jets, how was that?
That was interesting that was in a cave and we’ve certainly never played a cave before. I don’t know if we ever will again it was good it was fun.
So what is the oddest venue you’ve ever played?
I think probably the oddest venue we’ve ever played is that cave in the Peak District yeah.
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life what would it be?
Probably, either ‘Bridge over Troubled Water’ or ‘Pet Sounds’.
And why’s that?
Just because they’re up there in my top albums of all time’ Bridge Over Troubled Water’ because I prefer as a whole album the songs on it.
Which part do you most enjoy whilst creating music?
I love it when you first get a melody or first get a lyric which really excites you and set you off on a path and that for me is the most exciting. I feel really invigorated by it like realising the last song you write wasn’t the last song you were ever going to write it’s really exciting.
What would you say is the most important part of creating music?
I suppose like having the song. I know it sounds like an obvious thing certainly with the way technology is moving forward at such a rapid rate I think people get so caught up with production and that sort of thing that they often sort of disregard the song. I’m a really big fan of interesting production but I always think you’ve got to start with a good song rather than interesting production so I’d always say I know it sounds obvious but starting with a good song is most important.
Wicked, cheers it’s been nice talking to you, good luck for Jools Holland tonight.
Cheers, thank you.
Interviewed Conducted by @JoeLonghurst1
