Ahead of their set on The Pit stage at Leeds Festival, we caught up with San Antonio rock quartet Nothing More, chatting to vocalist Jonny Hawkins and bassist Daniel Oliver about festivals, wellies and wieners…
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Soundsphere: So, How’s your Leeds Festival going so far?
Daniel: So far so good, we’ve been here about two hours and haven’t really done anything but hit the catering tent and that was phenomenal. We were at Reading yesterday and it was just sunny and beautiful and didn’t feel quite like a UK festival without some sort of rain.
SS: Are you looking forward to your set today?
D: Totally, we flew over just for these two festivals, yesterday [at Reading] we kind of knocked the rust off so today we get to go full bore. We’re loosened up, ready to roll.
SS: So, is there anybody else you’re looking forward to seeing today?
D: Yeah, I’m really looking forward to seeing Die Antwoord. [They’re] such a crazy group. If we get out of here soon enough then Nothing But Thieves. We’re all big fans. Then one of our favourite bands of all time is Thrice and they’re actually two bands after us on the same stage. Its nuts, just seeing them literally at our stage all day.
SS: How do you look back on the success of your self-titled record and tracks such as ‘This is the Time’?
D: I don’t know. We’re super pleased. That was a record that we wrote and produced before there was a label involved or anything like that so for us it was just a monumental thing ‘cuz we could kind of feel that that was who we were. You know, everything before that was kind of us evolving, progressing and then to do it exactly like we wanted it, I mean, Jonny produced the thing, it was literally one-hundred per cent our brain child. To have it picked up by a label and have them change nothing about it, just re-release it and for it [then] to do as well as it did, it was cool. We are really lucky to be where we are.
SS: What’s keeping you passionate about life at the moment outside of music?
Jonny: Mine is, erm, and don’t judge me, but I’ve been listening to this guy [called] Tony Roberts a lot. People stereotype him as a motivational speaker, but I don’t like typically motivational speakers, like self-help type of individuals but with him I feel his content is really inspirational, and like genuinely. Not like this fluff, “let’s just emotionally charge ourselves”. He’s actually very pragmatic and smart and has a lot of life experience and wisdom. I’ve been finding a lot of power in it in some of my darker times and rebuilding myself through them is really awesome.
D: Mine is kind of weird. I got really into road cycling this last year and I’ve noticed a lot of the happiest times in my life are when I’m involved in something endurance and exercise based. Also, I love mechanical things and the bicycle is such a simple machine, so it all kind of fits together.
SS: What are you guys most looking forward to? What are your plans for the rest of the year?
J: We are going home for two weeks after this one and so we are going to be working away on a record and gearing up for a string of headline shows in the states mixed with an arena tour with Disturbed and Chevelle so that’s going to be awesome. I think we’re going to finish that up at the end of September…
D: October…
J: October? OK, never mind, longer than I thought. [laughs] Then we’re going to get home and try to finish the record.
SS: Finally, what are your festival tips for everyone here today?
J: Should have brought mud shoes or boots. A lot of people are wearing those and I had no idea.
SS: We call them Wellies!
J: Wellies? Ah, so we don’t need them in San Antonio very often, I don’t even own any!
SS: How about you, Danny?
D: Yeah, I don’t think anyone really looks down on public urination here but if you are going to pee make sure there isn’t a golf cart path right behind where you are going.
S: I’m guessing you’re talking from experience?
D: Yeah, we saw about twenty wieners at once [whilst] getting carted off to catering.
Photographs by Benjamin E. Gladstone Photography
