The At The Border Fan Q&A with Everything Everything
Part 2

This is the second half of our fan q&a.  You can find the first half HERE

As before, all answers are by Jonathan unless otherwise indicated.  All photos of EE at Bluedot Festival taken by ATB.

For Jonathan: Why didn’t you sing on your old band Modern Bison’s tracks?

Brandon Webb

I didn’t write the vocals, I was the drummer. We needed an angry Irishman shouting for that band, ain’t nobody got time for my squawking in the post-rock era.

For Jonathan: Why were you always wearing scrubs around the release of Man Alive?

Brian Raine

I wear scrubs towards the latter end of every album recording process. It’s called ‘Going Deep’, when the band sees me dressed in scrubs it means we are entering the final stages, and it’s the most intense period of recording, lyrics and vocals and happening, we’ve all gone a bit nuts. The phrase comes from Metallica’s documentary Some Kind of Monster, where in one scene you can see on a whiteboard ‘GOING DEEP NOW’, which we found amusing, considering the ‘depth’ of Metallica’s St Anger. Incidentally, watch that film.

How did you meet Pete?

Rabbie

He was recommended to us by a friend, he’s one of the best discoveries we’ve made.

Do any of you have any solo side projects in the works?

George Forby

Nothing very fleshed out, but Alex and I often make demos that we know could never be played by the band and won’t see the light of day any time soon.

Where do you see the band in 5-10-20 years time?

Laura Stromberger  (& similar question from Eve Brenna)

Headlining Glastonbury for the 8th time, with everyone in the world slightly sick of us but still loving it.

Will the 4th album be a metal album?

Tamara Brett

The demos I make are (they aren’t), but by the time the band have finished fucking with them they always end up as namby-pamby indie pop. Seriously though, I doubt it. I always want to do it but it’s hard to make it sound good.

When can we expect a new album?

Honor Cave-Toye

I think I can safely say 2017.

Any hints about the new album?

Eve Brenna

Yes, so far the demos have been fucking amazing. Start at Distant Past then shoot yourself and that’s getting close.

Have you ever thought to take a very old song, rework it and record it for the new album?

Daria

Yeah that happens all the time. A song I wrote many years ago called ‘get out of bed you crimewave’ ended up as Duet, though a lyric from it “while infinite joyless high-fives, sing pitter patter, you matter not.” were reworked into Schoolin’ – which appeared on the previous album to Duet. You can sing those words to the tune of Duet if you start where I now sing “and acres of screens before me…”

Do you have any other plans between August and December, or will you be focusing on the new album?

Danni Page

We will be working hard, but we might secretly do some tiny shows to test new material. Don’t quote me on that though.

Do you like interacting with fans/what’s your favourite memory with a fan(s)?

@Toia_no

Of course! We have many amazing fans who make things for us the whole time that sometimes blow us away with creativity. My favourite encounter has got to be the guy in a gimp mask at Glastonbury Festival, fellating a massive dildo while we tried to cover Shakira live on Radio 1. We met him a few years later and beat him up. 

Will Mike or Alex ever get social media (instagram/twitter)?

@blast_doors

I think it’s unlikely, social media accounts are for those of us that want attention and have big egos. Me and Jeremy. 

What’s the weirdest place you’ve met a fan?

s.apphire_

Russia.

How often do you have to deal with recognition from fans in public?

Alice Matthews

A few times a week, though it depends where I am. Manchester and London it happens.

How do you feel knowing that there are people who listen to your songs literally hundreds of times and analyse them and are so obsessed with you/your art?

Vittig Brukernavn

I think it’s awesome! It feels amazing, especially because it’s what I used to do myself. I put in lots of hidden things for the people that do this. For example, there is a name that is hidden in Get to Heaven, it’s a male name, first and surname. So far one person has discovered it that I’m aware of. I’ve got plans to expand this particular thing in the future. 

I know it’s still a way off but any plans to mark 10 years of EE in 2017?  Your fans would love to celebrate with you!

Emma ATB

Perhaps we could be persuaded to play Man Alive in full, or something. We will definitely celebrate in some way, with our fans.

Are any of you left-handed?

Eh! it’snotdan

No

If it was strict Law that EE had to release a fragrance in time for the lucrative xmas market. What would it be called? And why?

Dave Fucknut

Final Fart, in the hope nobody would buy it, and our brand wouldn’t be tainted. 

If you weren’t all musicians, what do you think you’d be doing right now in life?

Erin Devaney

I’m going to make some guesses: 

Mike: scuba instructor

Jeremy: sports commentator

Alex: chili farmer

Me: coal miner

Which action/comic hero would you be?

Patricia Bergwiese

I’d be Wolverine, because he’s pretty much normal he just heals all the time. 

What’s the most inaccurate thing you’ve ever seen written about the band?

Emma ATB

That we wear bamboo underwear.

For Jonathan: How many cats do you currently own?

Brian Raine

Eleven.

If EE were a family, who would be mum?

Rabbie

Mike.

I know Bond films are favourites to watch on the tour bus. What are your favourite Bond themes?

Emma ATB

Goldeneye. We sing it but swap it for Beady Eye, hours of entertainment. Also The Spy who Loved Me is a classic.

For Jonathan: I really enjoyed reading the book you recommended, “Bear v. Shark”.  Do you have any other good fiction recommendations?

@flyingbadgers_

Oh great! Glad someone took me up on that! Yeah Perfume by Patrick Süskind is very good. 

Have you ever thought about writing music for films? If so, what type of film would it be?

YAQian

Very hardcore Sci-Fi, with no dialogue. The soundtrack would be entirely made on one synth and would be beeps and clicks.

For Jonathan: I have seen a couple members tweet about various video games but seeing you specifically tweet about Fallout especially interested me since it is one of my all time favorite series. What kind of character do you play in Fallout and who are your favorite companions? Do you have any stories? Everyone else please throw your input in too if you want.

Archie

Hmm well I found Fallout 4 to be pretty crappy to be honest, just not as good as the previous ones. However, I play like everyone does – stealth archer. Well, as close as I can get to that, high stealth, lockpicking, hacking etc, and then long distance sniping. sneaking and sniping. The mutant companion was good, he carries lots but too noisy though. I’ve enjoyed the new Witcher much more in reality. Check out SuperHot.

That’s all of the answers!  Thank you so much to everyone who submitted a question and, of course, to the wonderful Everything Everything for providing such entertaining and fascinating answers. Hopefully we’ll get the opportunity to do another one of these sometime in the future…fingers crossed!