Jenn interviewed Bastille's Dan Smith about the band's new record 'Doom Days', partying in the UK, and what inspired the Joy video.
Part one of the Doom Days' tour kicks off September 16th in Philadelphia. They will be in DFW on October 17th at Southside Ballroom.
Jenn kicked off the interview asking about the band's new record 'Doom Days', and the time between it and the band's last effort 'Wild World' "Decided to just chill out a bit, and take time to get it right. To get it how we wanted it to be. It helps, in the UK we went on this re-orchestrated tour with an orchestra and a gospel choir, which was just really amazing getting to be on the road with musicians that come from quite different worlds," Smith said. Adding, "It made us have some space for the record, and have a sense about how we wanted it to sound."
The conversation then turned to what inspired the new album. "It was kind of a slapshot of my life at the time... It was a period where we had been away on tour for a long time and we suddenly came back to the UK and not be on tour for a bit. And you stopped to make the record. I've been away for so long. I've pretty much been on tour for five years. It felt really good to stop but I guess also the acclimatizing process...but it's also a record that should be set in London, and I want it to feel British," Smith answered.
Jenn picked up on a theme of partying in 'Doom Days' and asked Smith what that is like for him. "While we were away I was really enjoying it and trying to make the most out of it... But I also think we kind of overly idealized and fetishized our lives at home. Cause we missed them. So when I got home I didn't go nuts, because we always made and effort to go home. But, I think it was more just like all these nights out that I felt like I'd missed," Smith said. Adding, " Because you're on slightly another planet for another while, you feel like maybe your life has slowed down a little bit or in stasis. So I guess I got back to London I just wanted to see and do as much of my friends, and stuff as possible. Just reconnect."
The concluded the interview talking about the band's video for 'Joy' and where the inspiration for that video came from. "There is a quite famous photograph of a man on the tube or the train in the UK. And he has his back turned to whoever is taking the photo, but in the reflection, you can see he's watching porn. And I thought it was a really interesting example of things that we do in public that we know are definitely not acceptable, but people think that no one is watching and that they can get away with it...it was fun looking at all that and stuff," Smith said.
Listen to the complete interview in the audio above.