Biffy Clyro (Ironworks 4th Feb 2008)

Judging by the massive queue outside HMV earlier today where the band were doing a signing session and the army of fans building outside the venue from early afternoon, Biffy Clyro have a special place in the hearts of many Highland fans.

MIDAS caught up with Biffy Clyro frontman Simon Neil in the Ironworks before their sell-out show at the venue in Inverness and also provided the opportunity for some fans in the audience to ask a few questions of their own.
 

You have been up this way quite a few times now, what is your favourite Highland experience?

Simon: We have had a ton of great times up here. One of the most memorable was when we played in Forres in this converted cowshed that was made into a venue. The stage was all concrete and the farm animals were in the next room while we were playing. All these people were crowd surfing and almost splitting their heads landing on what they didn’t know was a concrete. Everyone had a great time, but it could have ended with a dozen people in hospital.

Do you notice a difference in audiences as you travel?

Simon: We’re from a small town, Ayr in Kilmarnock and no one every came to play in the town and I think that this is sometimes quite similar up north. Some bands might not necessarily make the effort to come up and go to places that don’t get a lot of shows.

As a rule many bands will do one show in Glasgow and possibly head to Aberdeen, so I think there is a genuine excitement which you know smaller places all over the country have.

We appreciated it when we were younger if bands made an effort to come to where we were from, obviously a lot of bands are really busy but we always try and make an effort to play a few places we hadn’t done on our last tour.
  

Inverness is your only Scottish date on this tour. Why Inverness?

Simon: We played Belladrum two summers ago and that was the last time we had been up this area. Ideally we would have liked to have been here on our last couple of tours but it just didn’t work out with the way the timetables were working. So we thought we would remind people that we hadn’t forgotten about up here. Just because we don’t play somewhere like Inverness on every tour doesn’t mean we don’t have a great time when we come up here.
 

What advice would you give to young bands starting out or looking for that next step?

Simon: Just make sure your enjoying yourself. The worst thing is if you have these lofty goals and ambitions when you just start. I think the best thing is to develop and work hard on your songs, play a lot of shows and don’t really worry too much if anyone comes chapping like record companies, because if you get good as a band people will come and check you out.

Mainly you should enjoy what you do, that’s contagious for people.

There is no easy answer, we're probably the worst band to ask, we’ve had a really long time building it up slowly.

Do you think it benefited you as a band that you had plenty of time building things up slowly?

Simon: I think when we started and we were 19 if someone said there’s a million pounds you’d be like ‘Aw brilliant’, but I think the way it worked out has helped us to realise we have to work hard at shows and making sure all our new songs are better than the old ones, and to understand if you have the love of music it doesn’t necessarily matter if there is a thousand people there to see you or ten. It’s all about the satisfaction from playing. It would be nice to be millionaires but f*** it we love what were doing.

What’s the best thing about being in a full time band and ‘living the dream’?

Simon: Most of the time you have to remember whenever you are having a bad day that a bad day in a band and being on tour is as good a day as you could have at home. I remember when we were all at university and school doing the band, the dream was to be able to concentrate all our efforts on it.

What about the negative side?

Simon: The tough thing is being away from home so much. Last year we did 158 shows and were at home for a grand total of four weeks in the whole year. That’s what makes it tough, it’s not the actual playing, it’s when you get home sick and you miss your family, your loved ones and your friends. That can be tough but it’s a sacrifice that you have to make if you really want to be in a band and play shows. It’s the same as anything in life, whatever thing you choose to do, if you decide to devote yourself entirely to it then you have to sacrifice something else.

But it is worth every second, we are definitely not a moaning band we do this because we love it. But there are slight negatives sometimes.
 

What’s Biffy’s no.1 of entertaining themselves on the road? Amy 15 – Inverness Simon: That’s the toughest thing that will kill you when on tour is the hanging around. So you do have to find things to keep you entertained. We read a lot and enjoy watching movies and making music. We try and sound check as long as possible. When you start out music is you hobby, your fun thing, but when your playing music as a living you need to find something else. Whenever we are recording an album we spend two or three months doing it and your that close to it, your close to melt down, because nothing else exists out with it, sometimes you need to step outside of it. The boys love golf. Does this include the full golf attire? Simon: Yeah there not shy of getting all dressed up for it. Unfortunately I don’t have any other hobbies other than music. I have a sitar at home and this cool harpsichord thing that June Carter Cash played, it’s a beautiful thing that you hold buttons and you strum. We all love music but sometimes I find it tough to switch off at all. Which is why I’m saying I need to learn to switch off.

 
On your rider you request a copy of the promoters favourite DVD, have you received any interesting choices?

Simon: Children of Men was the best one we have received, it’s an incredible movie. It’s about the future of Britain going down the pan and the filming is amazing. If someone is putting on a show for us, we like to know what their interested in and it might be an untouched classic.

What plans do you have for 2008?

Simon: Were going to be touring a lot. We’re going of to Europe after this with Queens of the Stone Age for a month. Then we going to America for a month to tour with a band called Say Anything. Then it will be festival season and we will do a handful of festivals and then we will be starting some new songs. That’s where our heads are at at the moment, we are excited about moving forward. Were looking forward to doing a ton of more shows, but once we stop it will be nice to concentrate on the new record. It’s exciting times, we are very fortunate that last year was a great year for us and its left us in a really strong position where we can work with people we want to work with, and people will hopefully be waiting for our next record.
 

Tell us something about Biffy that you haven’t told anyone before? Jamie 16 - Dingwall Simon: Pfffffff….Ben loves to show his muscles off. It’s the first thing as soon as any of us have a drink, Ben loves to just get his muscles out and go; ‘check my arm, check my arm’.

Any one got any secret tattoos or piercings? Catriona 15 - Nairn Simon: Ehhh, No secret ones I don’t think. All our tattoos are completely disclosed. I had my nipple pierced for ages but then took it out cause it kept getting caught on my guitar strap. I think everyone has seen all our tattoos because we always take our clothes off.

Links

• Biffy Clyro website