With a new record that was released this past Friday (Feb 11th), alt-J has a whole set of new material that they will be hitting the road with! Starting on February 25th in Pittsburgh, PA, and running through April 17 in Toronto, ON, alt-J will be embarking on their headline tour along with support from Portugal. the Man, Sir Chloe and Cherry Glazier (Sir Chloe & Cherry Glazier on select dates). We got to sit down and talk to alt-j’s very own Gus Unger-Hamilton about new music, touring and how COVID effected their life.
The Vinyl: For those who may not be familiar with your work, mind introducing yourself and giving us a fun fact no one may know about you?
Gus Unger-Hamilton: We’re alt-J, a band formed at Leeds University, UK, in 2008. Fun fact: we used to mainly subsist on a diet on Frazzles, a British bacon-flavoured corn snack.
TV: So COVID has been weird and changed things all over the world, How did it feel when you all got together again and decided that you were gonna write/record a new album?
G: It felt great, We’d taken 2019 as a year off so by early 2020 we were ready to get back to work. The pandemic held us up a bit but ultimately it just gave us more time to finish the album.
TV: What is the story behind The Dream. What made you choose that title as the record name?
G: It’s named after a Picasso painting of the same name. We felt the title summed up the strange period we’d been living though, but also the ease with which we made this album. It was a dream from start to finish.
TV: What was the process behind writing/recording this album?
G: We got our own studio to write and record in – a first for us. We’d come in around 10:30, Monday to Thursday, write songs, go for a nice lunch, write a bit more then leave around 5. A nice working life.
TV: Do you base your writing process on personal experiences? How do you all write as a team? Is it music first or lyrics first?
G: Usually it’s music first. Joe our singer is the main songwriter but we all contribute in our own way. The chemistry we have together is very potent.
TV: Is there anything you did differently on this album in particular than you did on past records?
G: I think having our own studio was really important. It made us feel very relaxed, plus we decorated it with some of our awards and old tour posters to remind us of what we can achieve.
TV: If you had to pick one favorite song from the new album, from the top of your head, which one would it be and why?
G: “Philadelphia” – I love every element of it: the lyrics, the guitar, the strings, the bass, the drums… even the sample of an ice cream van at the end.
TV: You’re coming back with a new album that seems much more vulnerable and a bit personal. How do you manage to get out of your musical comfort zone?
G: I think we feel that we’ve matured a lot as people, and that now – ten years on from our first album – we feel ready to bare our souls a bit more in our lyrics.
TV: Do you have some kind of pressure when you’re releasing new material? Like what goes on in your mind when releasing new content? Do you have a fear of people not reacting to it like they may have done on past projects?
G: I think we always know when we’re onto something good. We trust ourselves to judge this point. But you never really know what the response from the world will be – it’s a complicated algorithm of popularity, quality and luck all combined!
TV: In an industry where bands/musicians are pushed to release albums constantly, how do you know that you’re ready to release any new material?
G: We’ve always been lucky that our labels don’t demand an album every one or two years. In terms of how we know, it’s hard to say. Didn’t someone say works of art are never finished, only abandoned?
TV: You’ve already announced a North American, a UK+Ireland tour, and some festivals. How do you feel about being able to perform live again?
G: Very excited. It’s been four years since our last tour so we can’t wait to get out there again. Let’s hope Covid doesn’t come to the party…
G: Very excited. It’s been four years since our last tour so we can’t wait to get out there again. Let’s hope Covid doesn’t come to the party…
TV: What are some expectations you may have on this upcoming tour? And what cities/city are you looking forward to visiting the most?
G: We are very excited about returning to Madison Square Garden in NYC. Does it get any better? But we have amazing fans all over the US so every night will be special.
TV: Anything you would like to say to your fans as we conclude this interview?
G: Thanks for sticking with us – can’t wait to present our new album to you LIVE.
To keep up with alt-j check out the links below and also make sure to catch them on their upcoming headlining tour in a city near you!
