Slaves

Laurie, how is parenthood going? Laurie: It’s not happened yet. I was just having a little jam with our manager’s nephew on stage and forgot to give him ear defenders when we were playing so me and Isaac have failed at parenthood already.

[To Isaac] Reckon you’ll be having kids, soon? Isaac: Not yet, but some day in my life. But yeah I’ve got a little rat, that’s my child. Laurie: It’s basically the same thing…

What was it like to work with the legendary Mike D on your new album? Isaac: Dreamy… Laurie: It’s up there with one of the best experiences of my life, partly because it’s Mike D and partly because of how good the atmosphere and everything was; the fact that Mike D came out of the window quite quickly and the fact we quite got on with this person was a big factor.

A few months back I saw a band called PUP at the Rainbow in my hometown Birmingham; they paid homage to you guys saying you played here together many moons ago. My question is, however, how does it change from playing in underground bars to playing at our Great Hall and Manchester’s Albert Hall? Laurie: PUP as in the band P-U-P? No way. But yeah it’s nice, you know to have an appreciative fan base. Me and Isaac were never the kind of people to arrive at a gig early just to see the person in full person and stuff, that was never our style. It’s the same with Mike D, although it was brilliant to work with him, he’s still just a normal person.

Yeah, it’s strange because I’ve been a fan of the band since watching you play The Hunter on TFI Friday; never then did I picture myself sat opposite you and interviewing you. Isaac: We’re just normal people, mate. Laure: Yeah, we’re just people like any other!

Okay, moving on to politics. What are your thoughts about the American election result? Laurie: I just knew it, you know, the same with the referendum – I remember waking up and seeing it and calling it. Both of us did. Isaac: It’s scary… Laurie: It’s scary to see that so many people would vote for these things; not necessarily the result itself. Mind you, [Hillary Clinton] wasn’t a great candidate and it amuses me how Trump just won by basically being a d**k to people. Mind you, some great music came out of the 80s during austerity so maybe there’ll be some good songs released from around now.

The new Trainspotting film comes out soon, were you approached to have your music featured in it? If you could choose any song from any of your records to feature on it, what would it be? Isaac: Love that film. Laurie: We’ve actually never have any of our music feature in any film, TV show or game as far as we know. But we’re definitely open to the idea. Trainspotting 2 would have been brilliant as we both love the film. But if I had to say a song I’d probably say Cold Hard Floor off the new record – [to Isaac] would you? Isaac: Yeah, Cold Hard Floor.

Where does this alleged love for Robbie Williams come from? Isaac: F**king love Robbie Williams. Laurie: Robbie Williams is just one of those artists whose music would be on in the car, either on the radio or on CD. Yeah, we love Robbie Williams and we remember that phase where they wouldn’t play his music on television because he was cutting off his skin or something? Yeah it was the phase where he was experiencing mental health issues.

My final question for you both is that, to my understanding, you both don’t necessarily agree with the principles of education in the modern era. If you were to study at higher education in an alternative reality, what subject would you chose? Isaac: I don’t like exams or anything exam-based, but if I had to choose it would be philosophy. I’ve never studied it but I’ve always been interested in it, you know? Laurie: I actually was in higher education but I didn’t enjoy it. Although if I was to return I’d do something like art.