For our latest interview, we chat to Electric Guest drummer Matthew Compton about playing shows over in the UK and in Yorkshire, alongside new material and plans for the rest of this year.
“I think we are still discovering our sound”
S] How are you looking forward to the UK dates?
M] “I’m really looking forward to coming back. We’re very excited about playing Leeds.”
S] You’re playing Live At Leeds – near us – how important is it for you guys to get up north to smaller cities rather than just focusing on the bigger cities like Manchester and London?
M] “I think it’s totally important. I always feel like people in smaller cities are more excited to see bands. I grew up in a small town on the east coast and would go to every show that came near me. Most bands would only do DC and then skip Virginia to go to North Carolina. Some of our rowdiest shows we’ve played have been in the Midwest. Hopefully it’ll be the same for Leeds.”
S] Outside of music, what’s keeping the band passionate in 2013 – is there a special location, for example where you guys will write?
M] “Home is pretty sacred to us. Los Angeles is amazing right now. The weather is perfect. Coachella just happened so loads of friends are in town. We’ve been touring for most of this year so I’ve spent a lot of time reconnecting with old friends. It keeps the old mind sane!”
S] What are your plans post-festival season?
M] “Writing more for our new album. We’ve already got a lot of ideas floating around. Now we just the time to go in and experiment.”
S] How will any new material that you are working on, expand on what you did with ‘Mondo’?
M] “I think we are still discovering our sound. The blueprint was laid down on ‘Mondo’ but I know we want it to grow. Most of the material from ‘Mondo’ was never played live before we recorded it. We may take that into consideration when writing new stuff. Making it not only feel special recorded but also live.”
S] Is there a song that you are working on currently that you feel like defines where the band is at musically right now? How much can you tell us?
M] “That’s a tough question to answer. I can only tell you where I am musically right now. This is going to sound crazy, but I have been obsessed with Leonard Bernstein for the past two months. I’ve spent every night watching YouTube videos of him, or reading interviews. I think he is one of the most important musical figures of the 20th century. His attitude and understanding of music is incredible and I could listen to him to talk about music for hours. He is really giving me new hope in music and making me excited to share ideas, especially in a live setting.”
S] How do you feel about a track like ‘This Head I Hold’ now, looking back?
M] “’This Head I Hold’ almost didn’t go on the album. We thought it was too Pop in comparison to the rest of the album. However we left it one and it’s a our single. I’m glad we kept it.”
S] In the event of a zombie outbreak, what weapon would you use to defend yourself, and why?
M] “Okay. I’d go for a chain with a ball of spikes on the end. No, that’s not gonna cut it. The zombies are gonna get close if you don’t swing right. Knife? No, the zombies are too close to you as well. I’m assuming I can’t use a gun because that’s ‘cheating’ but a shot gun is ideal. So, I guess I’d say sword. Just remember to aim for the brain.”
