English psych-pop band Glass Animals formed in Oxford in 2010 and have released three albums to date – the most recent being last year's 'Dreamland'.
Their current single 'Heat Waves' is currently making big moves on Irish and UK radio.
We caught up with frontman Dave Bayley to discuss the important questions in life, like his favourite takeaway food and why Danny DeVito reminds him of his mum.
1. What's the music that you listened to growing up, that you still listen to today?
Since the whole Covid situation I’ve been digging deep into songs I grew up with that really changed me. The whole latest album references those songs throughout - mainly: Otis Redding, The Beatles, Beach Boys, Nina Simone, Bill Withers, Dr. Dre, Missy Elliot, Radiohead, Can, Kanye, Nirvana, The Strokes. My favourite album growing up was the White Album by The Beatles - Still probably my favourite.
2. In three words, describe the minute before you walk on stage.
Do a pee.
3. How do you wind down after a gig?
I expend a lot of energy on stage, so I have a towel in an ice bath off stage. I walk off, put the towel over my neck, put my arms in the ice to cool off, and collapse on a sofa. Then I tell everyone well done (if they indeed did well). Then I have a shower, then to cap things off I have a bowl of cereal.
4. What’s the one song you wish you’d written or recorded first?
Someone else's song? 'God Only Knows' - Beach Boys.
5. You can only have three albums on your phone/in your house at any one time - what three would you pick for today?
That is hard.
Radiohead - 'In Rainbows'
Kanye - 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'
Otis Redding - 'Stax Classics'
6. Name one record, one book and one film that everyone should hear / read / see.
Record: Beach Boys - 'Pet Sounds'. Some of the best songs ever written.
Book: George Orwell - '1984'. Weirdly relevant to the current age. And it's short.
Film: Ava DuVernay - '13th'. Very important film about racism.
7. Pick the director and lead actor(s) for a biopic about your life.
Director: Larry David.
Actor/actress: Beyonce? Or Danny DeVito. Ha. Maybe Danny DeVito could play my Mum. Not that she looks like him, there are just a couple personality traits that line up strongly.
8. You’re ordering take-away, what do you get?
I'd scatter my order around several restaurants. I’d get a half crispy duck with pancakes and plum sauce, extra cucumbers. Then I’d get a falafel wrap with hummus and chilli sauce. Then some fluffy steamed pork buns along side some dim sum. I’d also get a curry from this place called Dishoom. And then for dessert I’d get a Five Guys burger, no onions, and an Oreo milkshake. Then I'd sit in my pants and eat it as I binged an entire true-crime series. Oh, I forgot the sushi….add some salmon avocado rolls to all that.
9. Describe your perfect day off.
I'd sit up in bed and freshly cooked American pancakes, fluffy as you’ve ever seen, would slowly fall to my lap on a tray….smothered in maple syrup and butter. My dog Woody would hop into the bed as I ate. Woody and I would go for a run in the sunshine. He picks up his own shit for once and puts it in the bin. It's the perfect temperature outside, maybe 20 degrees celcius. Soft breeze. Get back. Double coffee. I’d play a bit of piano. My mum and brother would come visit for lunch and she’d bring me a homemade carrot cake. I teleport quickly to a rainforest in Mexico. Tacos everywhere. Margaritas. There’s a stage in the trees on which Radiohead, LCD Soundsystem, and a resurrected Otis Redding and Nina Simone have formed a super group with Dr. Dre producing. Kendrick Lamar comes out on stage too. They finish. Epic fireworks. Behind the rainforest, a beach is covered in baby sea turtles. It is lit by the moon. Really nice. Then I teleport again back home next to the fire watching a sick new heist movie starring Danny DeVito and Reese Witherspoon. The dog was there the whole time, and has cleaned up its own shit all day.
10. Tell us, in one sentence, why we should come to your next gig (whenever it may be.)
We have a lot of fun….it's very different to the album…its a big party and we all need that right now.
BONUS QUESTION: Recommend a podcast and tell us why we should subscribe to it.
'Song Exploder' - goes through songs and how they were made, very cool.
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'Dreamland' and Glass Animals' latest single 'Heat Waves' are both out now.