Interview: Class Of 2008: It Hugs Back
Artist:
It Hugs Back
It's 2008: and no, we're not sure where the last twelve months went either. What we are fairly certain about, however, is that it popped up more than a couple of ace bands for us to get all excited about.
We've taken the best of the bunch that got DIY Towers buzzing and quizzed them about both themselves and what they might get up to in the next 12 months. Not universally sure fire bets for unit shifting superstardom, we're expecting good things from them all.
Someone ring the bell, then. The Class of 2008 is in.
It Hugs Back formed back in 2006. Last year saw them ink a deal with Too Pure, spurning single 'Early Evening' as part of the label's singles club. They are due to release their debut album during 2008, bringing more of their dreamy indie-pop sounds to the fore.
Jack, Matt and Dmitri took the time to answer our questions, while bassist Paul hovered in the background, we think.
Who are you, and what do you do?
Matt: My name is Matthew and I play the guitar!
Jack: I'm Jack; I play organ plus a bit of guitar here and there.
Dimitri: I'm Dimitri. I play the drums, and my tall silent friend is Paul. He plays the bass.
Lazily, compare yourselves to at least three well-ish-known bands in a semi-comical way.
Matt: Take That! There are four of them now and their first van was the same as our first. The Beatles, there were four of them and they're good. And... Nirvana, they have three syllables in their name like we do.
What's the best thing about being in a band so far?
Jack: Playing lots and lots of music. We did a UK tour with The New Pornographers which was good fun, I'm looking forward to more of that.
Matt: I thought you were going to say the free beer, honestly.
...and what's the worst?
Jack: Democracy – you can't live with it yet can't live without it!
Matt: Hmm, I think the worse thing is not receiving the right soft drinks on your rider. It's a tough life sometimes.
Why do you think 2008 is going to be a great year for It Hugs Back?
Jack: More touring, more recording and more releases!
Matt: I hope we get to tour outside of England in the next year.
Are you making any new years' resolutions?
Matt: to drive on the right side of the road. Whichever the right side is.
If people were to listen to just one of your songs, which one would you hope it was and why?
Jack: 'Saving' - it's the B-side to our latest single 'Early Evening', and it's lots of fun, especially to play at gigs.
Where do you hope to be in twelve months' time?
Jack: On tour somewhere outside of the UK – Japan would be pretty amazing!
Matt: Christmas in Japan!? I'd like to be on a tour of Greenland, Playing for the Inuits.
What's the worst piece of advice anyone's ever given you?
Jack: 'Sing louder'
Matt: Yes! That, and 'try and write a single'.
If It Hugs Back were to have a motto, what would it be?
Jack: ‘When all else fails, descend into noise' ?
Matt: That actually is our motto!
What would be your reaction if someone were to cover one of your songs on X Factor?
Matt: Amazed, I think, whether pleased or dismayed, I'll leave that open!
Do you have an album in the pipeline?
Matt: We do, I'm very pleased to say! We've just this week begun recording for it. It'll be out later in the new year on Too Pure records.
Who'd be your dream producer to work with?
Matt: I really like the sound of a lot of records Jim O'Rourke has produced, really natural and dry and fitting for the music. I'm not sure how working with a producer would be, maybe one day we'll try it, i don't know!
Remixes are, it would seem, 'all the rage'. Who would you just love to remix one of your tracks?
Jack: Anyone and everyone, the more the merrier! I'm sure Richard D James would do a very good job of it though.
Matt: Is that Aphex Twin, Jack?
Jack: Indeed.
Matt: I don't think I've heard any of his remixes...
What does it take to be a fan of It Hugs Back?
Dimitri: a record player?
What's the weirdest thing anyone's done at one of your gigs?
Jack: I used to play a melodica before we got an organ, and one guy kept shouting "play the melodica, play the melodica". He was pretty pleased when I finally did play it though.
Matt: have you not heard them chanting "play the organ, play the organ" recently? I think it's just the way you speak to people through your notes. At that gig, didn't he keep reaching out trying to take the melodica from you?
Tell us something random yet interesting about you.
Dimitri: When I was young I wanted to make the biggest rubber band ball in the world. I think I saw it on an episode of Pete and Pete. I didn't succeed. Matt once peed with Damon Albarn. And, umm... Jack was named after a type of audio input.
Matt: yep, and output... and Paul's middle name is Romeo.
You're part of the DIY Class of 2008 - what was your favourite subject at school?
Matt: Music! Of course.
Jack: I'd have to agree with Matt – we had the best music teacher ever.
This Is Fake DIY
It Hugs Back Official Site
It Hugs Back MySpace
It's 2008: and no, we're not sure where the last twelve months went either. What we are fairly certain about, however, is that it popped up more than a couple of ace bands for us to get all excited about.
We've taken the best of the bunch that got DIY Towers buzzing and quizzed them about both themselves and what they might get up to in the next 12 months. Not universally sure fire bets for unit shifting superstardom, we're expecting good things from them all.
Someone ring the bell, then. The Class of 2008 is in.
It Hugs Back formed back in 2006. Last year saw them ink a deal with Too Pure, spurning single 'Early Evening' as part of the label's singles club. They are due to release their debut album during 2008, bringing more of their dreamy indie-pop sounds to the fore.
Jack, Matt and Dmitri took the time to answer our questions, while bassist Paul hovered in the background, we think.
Who are you, and what do you do?
Matt: My name is Matthew and I play the guitar!
Jack: I'm Jack; I play organ plus a bit of guitar here and there.
Dimitri: I'm Dimitri. I play the drums, and my tall silent friend is Paul. He plays the bass.
Lazily, compare yourselves to at least three well-ish-known bands in a semi-comical way.
Matt: Take That! There are four of them now and their first van was the same as our first. The Beatles, there were four of them and they're good. And... Nirvana, they have three syllables in their name like we do.
What's the best thing about being in a band so far?
Jack: Playing lots and lots of music. We did a UK tour with The New Pornographers which was good fun, I'm looking forward to more of that.
Matt: I thought you were going to say the free beer, honestly.
...and what's the worst?
Jack: Democracy – you can't live with it yet can't live without it!
Matt: Hmm, I think the worse thing is not receiving the right soft drinks on your rider. It's a tough life sometimes.
Why do you think 2008 is going to be a great year for It Hugs Back?
Jack: More touring, more recording and more releases!
Matt: I hope we get to tour outside of England in the next year.
Are you making any new years' resolutions?
Matt: to drive on the right side of the road. Whichever the right side is.
If people were to listen to just one of your songs, which one would you hope it was and why?
Jack: 'Saving' - it's the B-side to our latest single 'Early Evening', and it's lots of fun, especially to play at gigs.
Where do you hope to be in twelve months' time?
Jack: On tour somewhere outside of the UK – Japan would be pretty amazing!
Matt: Christmas in Japan!? I'd like to be on a tour of Greenland, Playing for the Inuits.
What's the worst piece of advice anyone's ever given you?
Jack: 'Sing louder'
Matt: Yes! That, and 'try and write a single'.
If It Hugs Back were to have a motto, what would it be?
Jack: ‘When all else fails, descend into noise' ?
Matt: That actually is our motto!
What would be your reaction if someone were to cover one of your songs on X Factor?
Matt: Amazed, I think, whether pleased or dismayed, I'll leave that open!
Do you have an album in the pipeline?
Matt: We do, I'm very pleased to say! We've just this week begun recording for it. It'll be out later in the new year on Too Pure records.
Who'd be your dream producer to work with?
Matt: I really like the sound of a lot of records Jim O'Rourke has produced, really natural and dry and fitting for the music. I'm not sure how working with a producer would be, maybe one day we'll try it, i don't know!
Remixes are, it would seem, 'all the rage'. Who would you just love to remix one of your tracks?
Jack: Anyone and everyone, the more the merrier! I'm sure Richard D James would do a very good job of it though.
Matt: Is that Aphex Twin, Jack?
Jack: Indeed.
Matt: I don't think I've heard any of his remixes...
What does it take to be a fan of It Hugs Back?
Dimitri: a record player?
What's the weirdest thing anyone's done at one of your gigs?
Jack: I used to play a melodica before we got an organ, and one guy kept shouting "play the melodica, play the melodica". He was pretty pleased when I finally did play it though.
Matt: have you not heard them chanting "play the organ, play the organ" recently? I think it's just the way you speak to people through your notes. At that gig, didn't he keep reaching out trying to take the melodica from you?
Tell us something random yet interesting about you.
Dimitri: When I was young I wanted to make the biggest rubber band ball in the world. I think I saw it on an episode of Pete and Pete. I didn't succeed. Matt once peed with Damon Albarn. And, umm... Jack was named after a type of audio input.
Matt: yep, and output... and Paul's middle name is Romeo.
You're part of the DIY Class of 2008 - what was your favourite subject at school?
Matt: Music! Of course.
Jack: I'd have to agree with Matt – we had the best music teacher ever.
This Is Fake DIY
It Hugs Back Official Site
It Hugs Back MySpace
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