Turning up in the guest area and sitting down with Rob and Paul from The Automatic after their set on the Sunday of Leeds Festival, I whip out some jelly beans to get the interview going.Hi guys! If you were personally or as a band a jelly bean, what colour or flavour would you be?
Paul: Flavour? Pina Colada. Have you ever seen American Splendor? Pina Colada!
Rob: We'd be one that's just lost its artificial flavourings and we'd be a colour that everyone likes but hates to admit.
Haha, good start. So how was the show?
Paul: Yeah it was wicked. Pretty good crowd. It's quite weird 'cos we're playing a lot of new songs so it's obviously trying to get the songs across the best way possible. I think we enjoyed it maybe more than Reading I guess.
Rob: Eat the jelly beans!
Paul: Yum yum yum yum!
Rob: We knew what to expect from the stage because we have in ear monitors and they were all tuned up for all the small gigs we've been doing. So it sounded very sparse on the big stage and slightly disconnected yesterday but it was still a really good gig. But today we'd sorted that out. It was that much more in the moment and reacting with the audience was much easier you know.
How did the audience respond to the new material?
Paul: Really well.
I responded quite well.
Paul: Haha, wicked. It seemed to be really good. Couldn't ask for any more really, apart from headlining you know, but other than that.
I really like 'Magazines'.
Paul: Great!
Rob: That might be single number two, not sure.
Who else did you watch at Reading and who you going to be watching here?
Paul: Saw The Subways who are on now. I've never seen them before and I wasn't a massive fan of the record, I thought the new record the guitar sounded amazing on it. But I saw them yesterday and it was just phenomenal, they just got the crowd in the palm of their hand, really really good, so they'll kill it today.
They sound like they are.
Paul: Also Rage, Queens.
Rob: The big bands.
Paul: They were the surprise band for me like how good they were live.
Rob: Rage and Queens go without saying though doesn't it!
So the album is out tomorrow. You pleased with it?
Paul: Can't wait just to hear it. It's been in our hands for quite some time now, and yeah we just want get it out there so people can hear the songs. Then we'll go on tour the end like of September, just you know, with people knowing the tracks. We went out for tour in April and again it was kind of similar to today, with new tracks. We're just trying to get the tracks across as best as possible. But again, it went down very well. A lot of the videos have gone up on Youtube so a lot of the people are singing the stuff back to us when we don't even know the words.
Rob: Like we get sheets before the show and these kids know it all backwards.
Paul: It's like those crazy guys. How are you doing this?
Rob: Quite frightening.
It must be cool to have that response.
Rob: It's fantastic when people almost research your show before coming.
What's 'Steve McQueen' all about then?
Rob: Using him as a metaphor for escape. It's the last load of songs which have a theme from the first album about growing up in a small town trying to get out of there and escaping from there. 'Steve McQueen's about reflecting on that happening, you've got out, you go back to that place and you don't feel a part of it anymore. It sort of puts to bed all the themes from the first album which is part of the reason why it made a good first single.
In regards to 'Monster', what would you like to come over that hill over there, right now?
Paul: Loads and loads of beach balls. So everyone would just get up, seriously if loads of beach balls came over here everyone sat down now would get up and have a massive party. Dance to The Subways, like at least a million beach balls. That would be impressive; it'd be a Sony advert!
Rob: Or just like girls. Money.
Paul: Money would be nice. We're so rock and roll. That's all we do it for.
Rob: Money and bitches, come on!
Apart from Gold Digger which you covered, what else would you like to cover?
Paul: We did, we covered, we did Jo Whiley, we did 'Love In The Club' by Usher. That went down too well. We went out to Ibiza and we did Ibiza rocks and played it and it was brilliant.
Rob: It was the most popular thing we did over there wasn't it.
Paul: We did 'Grounds For Divorce' for XFM and again that was really good. And we might, but I can't really say be doing something for the Royal Albert Hall but I can't really say that yet until it's confirmed but that would be superb.
Rob: We need to learn to play that quite badly.
Paul: And it would involve a band member from one of the greatest bands of all time playing with us. And an orchestra. I'm pretty scared already.
Sounds it! How do you take your coffee?
Paul: Don't drink it.
Rob: Black no sugar. I take it like a man.
The bitter the better?
Rob: I like my coffee like I like my woman, hot, black with no sugar.
Paul: I take my coffee in quality streets. That's the only time I can have coffee.
When's the last time you went out for a meal as a band and what did you eat?
Paul: It's normally just before a gig when we want to get away from the venue and chill out for a bit.
Rob: We've had catering so many times recently. Probably yesterday? We didn't eat together though, we didn't eat together yesterday.
Paul: We did a show for that magazine and we all went out for...
Rob: I wasn't there. Probably on the tour then. Blow me down. Or Ibiza actually.
So what's next for your guys after today and the album release tomorrow?
Rob: Lots of promotion.
Paul: Tour.
Rob: One off gigs. Festivals in Europe.
Paul: Another couple of festivals in the UK, and then tour around UK, Europe.
You coming back to Leeds?
Rob: We'll be in the vicinity of Leeds.
Paul: We went to Leeds on the last tour.
Rob: I wanted to go to Leeds.
I thought you might be doing the new Academy here.
Paul: Where's that?
The new Academy.
Paul: In Leeds?
Yeah.
Paul: There's a new one is it? Carling is it?
Yeah. Kaiser Chiefs are opening it next month I think.
Paul: Oh wicked. We played a new one in Oxford.
Rob: There's rumours of Cardiff as well.
Cool, finally, we few quick fire questions. Tea or Coffee?
Rob: Coffee!
Summer or winter?
Rob & Paul: Winter.
Any reason?
Rob & Paul: Ski.
Rob: Love skiing, was born in the cold as well, never got used to the hot.
Superman or Batman?
Rob: Batman.
Paul: Yeah Batman.
Rob: Superman's got it too easy.
Paul: He's topical right now! Batman you know, grit and determination there. Superman he's got superpowers.
Rob: There's a bit of philosophy going on with Batman, he's a bit of a torched soul. Whereas Superman's like I can do loads of cool shit and show off and wear pants on the outside of my clothes.
Paul: Quick fire quick fire!
This isn't very quick fire. And finally Reading or Leeds?
Paul: Ooo, you bastards. Because I've been to Leeds as a punter it's the only festival I've been to - so Leeds.
Rob: Reading. Same reason, loyalty.
Paul: Split decision.
Rob: Split decision.
Split decision. Thanks guys, good luck with the album!
The Automatic's new album 'This Is A Fix' is out now.
Watch The Automatic live at Brudenell Social Club on 20th March 2010 - info / tickets.
