So, you’re returning to Oz. Excited? Yeah totally. We always love playing down in Australia, it’s great fun.
Will you see much of the country? I think this time we’ve got a week off in between the festivals so that’s going to be great. I think the Gold Coast is obviously a legend. Australia is obviously about the beaches, we’ve realised that now.
How do Aussie festivals compare? The English ones are bit more scuzzy if you like and maybe a little bit more alternative. They’ve got that kind of rooted in the countryside character. It’s not just about the music, it’s about all sorts of things. But you know, the crowds are really up for it in Australia, always up for a party so that’s great.
You released the new album yourselves rather than through a label. How come? We had the money and we had the opportunity. In this climate it’s just better to have control of your own music really. So many things aren’t getting released, so many bands are getting dropped. It’s just a really tough time for music so you’ve got to make sure you don’t get left behind.
Being the producer as well, are you guarded against outside influences? Yeah, I’ve definitely been guarded. We all have to be honest. But you know, I don’t want to just get people involved for the sake of their name or because someone feels we’ve got to change. It’s got to be for the right reasons.
Why is the album called The Optimist? Well, after the last album we were broken creatively to be honest. We did so much touring. It took six months to just get our heads back to where we were before all that. When we finally came up with stuff that we were liking there was a feeling of relief that turned into optimism. It just seemed to fit.
A hit second album and you’re touring the world. Living the dream eh? Ha, living the dream! Ah, it’s highs and lows. It’s a fucked up dream, if you know what I mean. It’s one of those dreams where everything’s fucking amazing and then immediately, suddenly, just in two seconds everything turns to shit. Everything’s wrong and you’re being chased down the street by a gang of crazed monkeys with fucking chains.
Quite a journey… It’s different. If you don’t want to do the humdrum and you’re up for a ride then yeah, it’s definitely a ride. But it’s a scary ride sometimes. If you like knowing where your next pay packet is coming from and that everything’s going to be alright then yeah, this is not the route for you.
What would you have done if music didn’t work out? Well I was supposed to be a mechanical engineer. I spent a year working for an engineering company and it was so fucking dull and the people working there were so literally brain dead that I just couldn’t do it. I looked forward to this future ahead of me and I just thought “no way”. That scared the crap out of me.
NYPC join the likes of Missy Elliott and Groove Armada at this year’s Parklife (www.parklife.com.au). It hits the Gold Coast (25 Sept), Perth (26 Sept), Melbourne (2 Oct), Sydney (3 Oct) and Adelaide (4 Oct). Tix go on sale this Wednesday (1 July)
