Thom caught up with Alex and Teddy from Elliot Minor at Southampton, Joiners to talk about the bands successfull year so far, supporting Mcfly and the bands debut album.

So, what have you been up to today?
(Alex) Erm, today, not a lot. Just walking round town really.

You came from Reading last night?
(Alex) Yeah.
(Teddy) Yeah.
(Alex) That was a good show.
How have the two gigs gone so far, Cardiff and Reading?
(Alex) Really good. I mean they're quite small shows but it's been really fun.
Have you ever been here before?
(Alex) No.
Anywhere in Southampton?
(Alex) Erm, I don't think I've ever been to Southampton before.
(Teddy) I haven't been.
Tonight's sold out as you know...
(Alex) Yeah.
Does that happen much?
(Alex) Erm, yeah, quite a lot of them. It's cool, it's awesome.

What was it like supporting McFly?
(Alex) We played one show in Newcastle, we won this competition on MySpace, but yeah it was amazing just to play in front of that many people.
(Teddy) I mean at that time it was an amazing opportunity, and since then we've gone off and done different things like playing Download and things like that so...
You played the Dimebag Stage?
(Teddy) Yeah.
How were the crowd?
(Alex) It was really good. I mean before we went on stage we were a bit nervous just to see what the reaction would be, but we came on and it was really good.
(Teddy) Couple of mosh pits, usual stuff.
What about at the McFly gig, did many people know you there?
(Alex) No. What you mean at the show? Well it was like a year ago, and no-one knew who we were. We were called a different band back then.
Yeah you were called the Academy? What made you change your name?
(Alex) Erm, just like trademark, and plus it didn't really fit with our music.
(Teddy) It's developed quite a bit since the McFly show. At that time we hadn't really got anything together, it was just really good to do it. But we came away, changed the name, changed the image, all sorts of things.

You're playing Collision Course festival...
(Both) Yeah.
And another one I can't remember the name of, Bingley something?
(Both) Yeah.
You're not doing any bigger ones like Reading or V or anything?
(Alex) We haven't been invited, but maybe next year.
(Teddy) They confirm the line-up so long in advance, I mean, no-one had even heard of us when they were organising this year's festival and stuff.
(Alex) We were pretty lucky to get on Download.
You were quite early on the bill weren't you.
(Alex) Second band on yeah.

Parallel Worlds got to #31 in the charts...
(Teddy) It was #29 mid-week and then dropped to #31.
Are you pleased with that?
(Both) Yeah.
(Alex) Really surprised.

Jessica's coming out at the end of this month, how do you think that's going to do?
(Alex) I hope it does better.
(Teddy) Yeah.

What is Parallel Worlds about?
(Alex) Yeah it's about, erm, it's actually, at school, me and Ed, we stayed in this kind of attic, like, the top floor of the boarding house. Yeah just weird stuff happened like, one night posters came off the walls, we got a bit freaked out so we thought we'd write a song about it.

You've been busy in Los Angeles, working on the album, when's it due out?
(Alex) I think it's been pushed back.
(Teddy) Yeah it's been pushed back. There's quite a lot going on in the background that we're just trying to sort out, it should be, September maybe?
Has it got a title yet?
(Alex) ...no.
(Teddy) You can see we're really organised.
You've been recording the album with Jim Wirt...
(Alex) Yeah, Hoobastank [points to my tshirt.]
...and Incubus, all the greats. How's that been?
(Alex) Oh it was amazing. It was something I've never experienced before. To go off for three months and just be in a totally different environment, it was really cool though, especially working with Jim, he's awesome.
Jessica was mixed by another big person wasn't it?
(Alex) Yeah it was done by Neal Avron.
He's done some big things, I can't remember what though.
(Alex) Fall Out Boy. Loads of stuff.
(Teddy) I think at one point he had like five bands in the top 40.
You've got 26 songs recorded, I read somewhere?
(Alex) Probably got more now actually. I'd say probably up to 30.
Are they going to be released? Are people going to hear them? Or are they just going to be locked away?
(Alex) Yeah. We're saving quite a few for the next album. But yeah we're definitely going to re-record them. Because at the moment they're just all demos. And I don't think people really realise that yet. The only ones they've heard are Parallel Worlds and Jessica.
(Teddy) The ones on the MySpace are all demos except Parallel Worlds.
But I have the demo version of Parallel Worlds.
(Alex) Retro.
It doesn't have the piano intro bit.
(Teddy) The solo's... ...funny.

You're classically trained as a band, is that right, to play all kinds of wacky classical instruments?
(Alex) Mm.
Do you play any of them live?
(Alex) Yeah we've actually got an electric violin, that's coming out tonight. We're just going to try playing loads of instruments.
(Teddy) At the moment we can't fit them all in the van. We just haven't got the space at the moment. But hopefully if we play bigger stages and get a bigger production budget, maybe we could get things like that involved.

It is a small stage here, but it's an amazing venue. I think it's the best venue in the world.
(Teddy) Right of passage. You have to play here.
(Alex) Yeah definitely.

Your support bands tonight are...
(Both) Shibby.
...and another one?
(Teddy) Saving Grace aren't playing.
Have Shibby been following you around all tour?
(Alex) Yeah.
Are you friends?
(Alex) Really good friends. They're awesome.
What are they like?
(Alex) They're really good, they're really entertaining on stage.
(Teddy) They definitely wind everyone up. It's cool.
Do you get a longer set because Saving Grace aren't playing?
(Alex) It'll probably still be the same I reckon.
(Teddy) Yeah, we'll probably just chat a bit and Shibby are going to throw in a few covers to fill it out a bit, and then it should be good.
Do you like Lemon Meringue?
(Teddy) Yeah I think I do.
(Alex) I'm not a big fan.
I ask everyone...

Interview By Thom