The Dead 60s @ Reading Festival 2007

United Kingdom | | 29 August 2007

After the so-called summer transformed into a sour swamp of sludge and insurance claims, the sight and sensation of uninterrupted sun beating down on naked flesh feels like an impending crisis from the opposite extreme, as thousands pack the surrounding festival marquees for a dose of shade, even if it does mean listening to Hadouken!

But for the brave short wearers among us self-confident enough not to wear black skinny jeans, something special has just gone off. The forests may be burning in Greece but on Reading’s main stage we’ve just witnessed our own minor inferno going by the name The Dead 60s. Boasting the biggest basslines we've ever heard at this time of day, the four-piece startle the early gatherers out of their hangovers and draw a crowd worthy of their ska-influenced noise. 

The Liverpudlian band are used to extreme weather at festivals, of course. Remember it was they who were unlucky enough to have their set cancelled when Glastonbury saw a month’s worth of rain fall in a matter of hours in 2005. Back now stronger than ever, with a new album and single in the pipeline, we caught up with singer Matt McManamon, who appeared to have several days worth of sweat pouring out of his head within seconds of departing the stage… 

Virtual Festivals: Do you prefer it blazing hot like it has been today or raining like Glasto?
Matt McManamon: “Well to be honest with you, its weird because whether it is pissing down or blazing hot it’s still a good vibe either way in the crowd. It makes it easier to find a middle ground.”

VF: How was it up on stage being scorched?
MM: “It was great, we really enjoyed it. We haven’t actually done any festivals in the UK and we’ve only been playing for about a year and a half. So it was our first UK festival and we played Reading, which is a wicked festival, and even better that we played the main stage. It was quite an early slot but still, it is the main stage and you have to be positive.”

VF: We haven’t really heard from The Dead 60s in some time. What’s been happening?
MM: “Well, after the first album we were constantly touring so we took a few months off after that and then got back into the rehearsal room, then back into the studio working on our second album. Then we basically pissed off to New York to record the album. We finished the UK tour yesterday, so now we are heading over to Europe then back here to do another UK tour.

VF: Was the idea to record over in New York a band or a record label decision?
MM: “Well, it was kind of funny because the guy we went with was a producer called David Kahne, who did the last Strokes record. We had him listen to our music, and he quite liked the sound of it, so we worked with him in New York where he is based. It was a little bit of a jump, from Liverpool to New York.”

VF: Was the album written before you began recording in New York?
MM: “We did write a couple of songs out there but we basically got the bulk of the material done in the UK. We demoed it in Liverpool on a sort of ghetto blaster. Then we just went out there, Dave did some pre-production and fiddled with some bits and bobs and we recorded it.”

VF: It’s quite an inspiring place, I imagine. Were you all just sitting in Central Park strumming guitars?!
MM: “It wasn’t quite that kind of vibe. We did have a little bit of time off but basically it was one day to get over your jet lag and then it was full on every day. We all knew we were there to make our next record so it was an incentive to just work really hard.”
 
VF: How do you think it compares to the first one?
MM: “I think the main difference is that the first record wasn’t really written before recording. We just kind of went into the studio and started jamming, got a drum beat and sort of developed from there. This album is a little more melodic and the guitar is a little harder. I won’t say rock, but it is leaning towards a more sort of rockier sound. I have never denied that we use a lot of the implements of The Clash. They’re a cool band to emulate.”

VF: How are you looking forward to Leeds?
MM: “Well, we are from Liverpool so it’s always nice to have a northern crowd. Sometimes southern crowds, even though they are great, can be a little too cool. Liverpool is closer to Leeds so we might get some people up. The Reading crowd was great though.”

VF: How are the rest of the band, are you all getting along okay?
MM: “Yeah, its been loads of fun because we haven’t done anything live for a while, so it has been great, a real buzz to be out there playing again. It’s cool to see our fan base building and at this stage its almost like we can sit down and plan how the set is going to run. It’s almost like choreographing.”
 
VF: Do you think you have learned a lot since your first album?
MM: “Yes definitely. Once you’ve done the first album and first promotion, after two or three years you feel as though you have been around the block a little bit. You’re a wee bit wiser. You’re a little bit more confident for sure.”
 
VF: It seems to be the way with a lot of bands..
MM: “It’s true. At first you don’t really know anything about the industry, even doing gigs, and by now you get wiser. I think the fact we have even managed to do a second album is quite a big achievement in itself really. You do see a lot of bands who do one album and fall by the wayside and can’t pick themselves up again.”
 
VF: What are the singles we should be looking out for from the album?
MM: “‘Stand Up' is out on 10 September. Apart from that we’re not exactly sure. We’re discussing what will be the next single. It’s either going to be one called ‘Start A War’ or ‘Bolt Of Steel’. Both will hopefully be released at some point.”
 
VF: Where do The Dead 60s go from here?
MM: “After Leeds we have two days off, then we fly to Vienna. I am really looking forward to that because I have never been there. Then we’re going to Belfast to do a festival with Snow Patrol and then France for two weeks, then Germany for three weeks and finally back to the UK for a uni-style tour.”

VF: What bands are you into at the moment?
MM: “I really like The View and also The Enemy. Not only do I like their music and the fact that they are making a big splash but, I’m twenty-five and still consider myself quite young to be in music. You look at these guys and they are seventeen years of age, so hats off to them. I really buzz off that youthfulness of them, it keeps us on our toes that’s for sure.”

The single 'Stand Up' is released on 10 September with an album to follow. Find out more here.