Music, Style & Culture

Glastonbury 2011: Grouplove

"This is our Summer, we don't care. We've been waiting for this."

Grouplove, in playing the Park Stage yesterday (June 24), at least avoided any bad intro wordplay on 'what might happen in tents if you get really drunk'. What we're left with is the best decoding of a noisy festival dictaphone DIY HQ's Glastonbury home team can manage on a Saturday afternoon.

How are you enjoying Glastonbury so far?
Ryan: It's crazy. I'm new, and I've never been to a festival where everyone is there from the get go, for the bands. I've never seen a crowd that early.
Hannah: Rain or shine, staying. It's such a commitment, but at the same time it's also like, "this is our Summer, we don't care, we've been waiting for this." That's what keeps it going.
Sean: It feels like we've travelled back in time for me, like we're in a 70s or 60s festival movie or something, so that's cool. I've never experienced anything like this before. 

What's your favourite area? Have you explored yet?
Sean: We've only been to the Park stage, so we don't really know yet.
Ryan: I like Shangri-la. It's kind of away from the bands, with people letting loose. I can't describe it.
Sean: We're staying in a hotel. We're really rock n roll.
Hannah: It makes sense though, we probably wouldn't be able to sing if we weren't staying there.
Sean: Don't tell them that! You should be like, "yeah, we stay out all night…"
Hannah: Hell yeah. We didn't tell you that. We're giving away secrets! 

Are you guys playing any other festivals in the UK?
Ryan: T In The Park, Oxegen, Latitude, Reading, Leeds, something in Lisbon called Optimus, Free and Easy…
Sean: That's not in the UK.
Ryan: Never mind then, it stops there! 

Are there any you're looking forward to more than the others?
Ryan: I'm looking forward to Lisbon because, I don't know how this happened but, we're on the main stage at 8pm, and after us goes Blondie and then Coldplay, and that's the night.
Hannah: I've been most looking forward to today, seriously. I forgot that it was going to be really bright out, but it was still awesome. We could see every single person out there, we're used to being on stage and seeing nobody. It was fun.
Ryan: Noon is heavy. We were up by 8am. Everyone's a little sleep deprived.
Hannah: it's ok, we love it here. 

The Park Stage you played at? Before the rain?
Ryan: Only Sean's English, we've never been to Glastonbury, we've been to a lot of American festivals, and a lot of them you'd never catch a big crowd for a noon time slot. We kind of thought that was early, but once we got on stage there were thousands of people. It was incredible. 

The Park Stage is famed for its secret sets, and we've been told that tonight (June 24) it's Radiohead…
Ryan: Thom came up to us and said "listen guys, I don't want to rain on your parade, I know it's your first festival, but is it cool if we play the Park stage later tonight?" Sean and Hannah were kind of like, "I don't know, you guys are kind of impeding on our shit," but I was like "guys, it's cool, it's Radiohead. We love them." 

Who do you think it'll be tomorrow?
Sean: I know who it is, but I can't say.
Ryan: Give us a hint, give us a hint!
Sean: No I can't, I've been sworn to secrecy.
Hannah: Who told you?
Sean: It might be a reunion.
Ryan: Oooh, that's a good hint.

Are you guys sticking around for the whole weekend?
Hannah: Yeah, except we leave before Beyonce plays, which I'm bummed about. Seeing her here would be insane.
Sean: Especially if Jay Z came out, that'd be cool. 

Your debut album's coming out in September, what can you tell us about that?
Hannah: It's finished.
Sean: We're filming the video for one of the singles on Monday, that's why we have to leave early.
Hannah:  There's gonna be some songs on it… it's gonna be great.
Sean: It's called 'Never Trust A Happy Song'
Hannah: We're shooting the video for 'Tongue Tied'.