Wolf Alice on Touring with Harry Styles, Their New EP, and More
[UNPUBLISHED:] You’re on tour, which is super exciting! What’s your favorite part about being on tour?
[WOLF ALICE:] We have just finished a tour with the one and only Harry Styles around Europe, yes. It was wild! We've spoken about it a lot between us, how unique and wonderful the whole thing has been. We've been very lucky that over the last ten years we’ve had so many great touring experiences; stories to talk about years later over beers, and the Harry tour was very much added to that list. He has an incredible fanbase who were a joy to play for every evening. Plus, he’s a gentleman, and all of his crew made us feel part of the family. I still have to pinch myself that I get to do this with my days.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Do you have any favorite places you’ve visited while on tour?
[WOLF ALICE:] Ah loads. Touring Europe in the summertime has been like a movie at times, and such a pleasure to get out and see places after COVID/Brexit. It blew my mind the first time we went to Japan; I constantly dream of touring and driving across America with our tour manager. Everywhere has its own special memory.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What makes you feel at home when you’re away on tour?
[WOLF ALICE:] If I’m being honest, I quite enjoy all the things that remind me I’m not at home. I try to see as much as possible and eat as much as possible. I don’t take any real creature comforts with me from home, except maybe a MIDI keyboard. Home and touring is a little Jekyll and Hyde as to what I like to get up to and I like to go fully into tour mode when I’m away.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What is one item you can’t live without or go on tour without?
[WOLF ALICE:] I love having something on hand to be able to doodle a new music idea, be that a little keyboard or pinching Joff’s guitar for a sec. I think it’s important to try and stay creative if you can and eat well!
[UNPUBLISHED:] Do you have a favorite song you like to perform live?
[WOLF ALICE:] I’m gonna say “The Last Man On Earth” because I get to sit back for a sec and take it all in.
[UNPUBLISHED:] I loved your newest EP, Blue Lullaby, what was it like creating the stripped-down version of your previous songs into the new ones?
[WOLF ALICE:] It was something that we had spoken about since we started writing them. Blue Weekend works on the very core level that if you take away all the bells and whistles, the songs still stand up at the heart of everything. And I think with our latest EP, we explored that as well as showing different shades to the songs and grooves and textures that still compliment the song. We tried to allow the songs to breathe in a different way.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What was the process like creating your new EP versus the songs featured on the original album, Blue Weekend?
[WOLF ALICE:] It was very chill. I had COVID when the guys made “Feeling Myself” but that blew me away when I heard it, the atmosphere of the whole thing. It was lovely having a choir and hearing the works of Iain Berrymen (the song’s producer). He has great talent and has become a great friend that we look forward to working with again in the future.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Do you have a favorite version of your song off the new EP?
[WOLF ALICE:] The lullaby version of “Feeling Myself.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of the original song but laying in bed with a ridiculous fever and all the usual COVID bullshit and then hearing that version was just what I needed. It has this cowboy swagger from Joff’s guitars that I love.
[UNPUBLISHED:] What do you want your listeners to feel when they listen to this version versus the original?
[WOLF ALICE:] I think it's great if this new version can sound as fresh to people who have known the original for a long time. It shows a little something that listeners might have missed before. A great song can exist in many different ways and ultimately it was fun for us as writers and performers to see where we could go with it.
[UNPUBLISHED:] How do you think your sound has developed over time?
[WOLF ALICE:] I think we are braver, we are forever excited, and feel lucky to be making music and we can shred just a little bit more each time.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Who are some of your biggest inspirations and musical influences?
[WOLF ALICE:] Right now? I’m gonna say Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, PiL and Steely Dan.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Who are you currently listening to?
[WOLF ALICE:] Alex G, over and over again. His new album is gonna be it.
[UNPUBLISHED:] Do you have anything new you’re excited for in the future?
[WOLF ALICE:] Come see us play across the USA in the Fall! You can get tickets here!
