Interview The View

Before performing to a sell-out crowd at The Social, Platform caught up with Scottish indie-terriers Pete Reilly and Steven Morrison of The View to talk second albums, male to female ratios and the current state of our class system. All in days work really…

You’ve made quite a name for yourselves as a festival band; do you enjoy the big stage or think it’s equally important to do smaller venues like The Social?

Pete: I like the intimacy of ones like this, that’s lovely. It’s always good to do that. I’d say we’re half and half, like last night was amazing, you just can’t create an atmosphere like that on the big stage. I probably like the smaller venues better to be honest. It’s because they’re right there, they’re right in your face.
Steven: It’s a different kind of buzz.
P: It’s because they’re just there, and you can see there faces. They can shout out at you, it’s really personal.

You’re just tackling the notoriously tricky second album, how are you feeling about it? Did you go all rock star and escape to a cabin somewhere?

S: No we went to Wales!

That’s not very glamorous…

P: We recorded in this valley where some of the best music ever has been recorded. Queen wrote Bohemian Rhapsody there, Oasis recorded What’s the Story Morning Glory? It’s a bit of a legendary studio but it was a walk in the park really. It wasn’t that tricky, it just came naturally. Some of the tunes we wrote when we were in the studio.
S: You’ve got the best equipment there as well.
P: It just came naturally.

Any tracks that you are especially proud of that we need to look out for?

P: I’d say Shock Horror. It’s a tune; it’s going to be our second single. Your favourite chops and changes though.
S: You need a bit of Shock Horror when you’re out with your mates.

Does the new album have a different kind of vibe or sound?

P: You can still tell it’s us, it’s just a bit more adventurous. If we needed piano or a wee bit of strings or whatever we had the freedom just do that. We weren’t held back. We could do what we wanted to do and that’s the best way to record for me.

What advice would you give to emerging bands? You made it pretty much on your own merit; do you think that’s the best way to go about it?

S: Don’t stop enjoying it.
P: Don’t stop believing.

For you was there a big defining moment where you thought “Yeah this is definitely going to happen for us”?

P: We’re still waiting to wake up from this big dream really.
S: I’d say it was the NME awards, our first red carpet. All these flashes going off and you just think; “Yeah this is pretty cool!” Yeah that was my moment!

The first album had a bit of a Libertines feel to it, how did it feel being signed to the same label as them? That must have been a pretty big moment.

P: It was cool man, it was good. We definitely signed to the right label. Even though they left us in the dark for the second album like! Fuck it; they were too busy looking after the fucking Metros! Don’t look after your band that’s had a fucking number one album, oh no keep going with your middle class South East London wankers!

We did a little feature about things in music that really annoy, any personal pet hates?

P: That’s really annoying! What really annoys me are The Metros!

Pet hates?

P: Fucking middle class shit! Anyway that’s enough Metro bashing.

So are they a shared pet hate?
S: Oh no I love them.

You did the 2007 NME tour here in Nottingham, how do you find our fair city?

P: We’ve pretty much been chasing our tails since then! Now we’re back playing here… We must be on the way down again. It’s the end for The View!

Nottingham is very much a student orientated city; do you get a different response from gigs in student cities?

P: Is it not like 7 women to one man here?

Yes, apparently so.

Support band: It’s only blondes on the guest list!

Is that why I’m on the guest list?

S: Yes.

So that’s the reason you like Nottingham, the women to men ratio?

P: It’s an all female gig tonight isn’t it?

So… are The View still on fire?

P: Smoking hot.

Interview By Lucy Knighton