We interviewed and photographed Planet Earth. No, not that one. The other one. Yknow, the band. But that’s not all. Scroll down to the end of this page and you’ll be able to download 3 of their songs. Bargain!
Your new single is teething with contributions from the Bristol DIY scene. It’s always seemed to be a very inclusive, family-like vibe coming from that group: Stitch Stitch, Cube Cinema, Francois etc. Do you find something amongst these people perhaps missing in the London populous?
“I don’t think that there’s something necessarily missing in London, I just think the conditions here mean a scene like that in Bristol could never exist here. The rent is too high, it’s impossible to hire a practice space more than once or twice a week, or have somewhere regular to practice. Not that Bristol is that much cheaper, but it’s definitely easier to share spaces and collaborate. It’s also smaller, which helps create a better sense of community. It’s not so easy to do that in London, it’s too big and expensive.”
There’s a strong emphasis in your songs on Love, Films and perhaps an affection for Football becomes apparent elsewhere too. Does your music reject realism in favour of a poetic take on life? I feel this is more than just aesthetic; rather something that is essential to you as people? To create a warm and optimistic place however melancholy or negative the circumstances sometimes might be!
“I think maybe the early Planet Earth songs put an emphasis on love as escapism, but with the more recent stuff I’ve been writing I’ve definitely tried to base it in reality – trying to grow up, not having much money…that sort of thing. But I also think that you can find optimism in real life without having to resort to escapism to find it. It’s not particularly essential to me to have a poetic take on life, indeed a lot of the time my take is very unpoetic!”
In listening back to your complied earlier works, what is the current attitude you hold towards recording a long player? Have you accumulated a lot of material for such a thing already?
“I kind of feel like we’re working on our third album, like the first was the early stuff, the second the stuff we recorded around the time we recorded Falling Into Love and the third all the newer songs. Although obviously that’s not the case! We’re going to record our first LP this summer for Young And Lost and I’m psyched about it.”
Given the current wintery climate, are there any particular parts of London you enjoy exploring at this time of year? You’re music seems appropriate within the more positive aspects of the season at times. I wondered how much the city itself was an influence on your output?
“At this time of year all London becomes slightly unbearable, with the snow and cold and umbrellas everywhere. Give me spring already. Although having said that it’s very beautiful down by the Southbank when it’s snowing. The city itself is an influence insomuch as I’m a born Londoner who’s only ever lived in cities, so that inevitably seeps through.”
Charlie Fink of Noah and the Whale seems responsible for your Bergman Movies video I see. This leads me to deduce a mutual regard for each others groups? If both were films, which films would both be?
“Your deduction is inscrutable. They would be Triumph Of The Will and we’d be The Little Mermaid.”
Words – Andrew Doig
