Thom caught up with Tom from Milburn for a little chat about the band at the Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth.

Right, I'm going to start right back at the start of Milburn when you were practising in Joe's (Green, Drummer) Grandma's house, what did she think? Did you think you were going to go anywhere, did she have faith?
She didn't really know what was going on. She just knew her grandson was a mental patient. She knew he was noisy on the drums, so she just let us do what we wanted. So, I dunno, I suppose she's proud of him now. Yeah, but, all our families have. They're been quite good, supportive an' that.

And your name Milburn came from a bet?
It was kind of like a challenge, a dare.
Which was?
It was someone's surname. And they were kinda like, “I bet you don't call your band after me.” And we went “alright then,” and we did. We regret it, but it stuck. That's just it, isn't it, nothing you can do.

Quite early on you were selling out key venues like The Leadmill in Sheffield.
Yeah that's good but you never really know if that's official, or superficial. Because it's Sheffield you get a lot of friends and stuff. But erm, the test is when you go elsewhere, like Portsmouth, and this is sold out. So that's quite a nice feeling I suppose.
I don't know, what's the Leadmill like?
Oh it's a great venue, a bit like this. I mean it's simple but it sounds great, and the stage is great, so.

You added another show on the end of your tour, at the Octagon.
Yeah.
I've been to the Octagon, I know where that is.
Oh really, who did you go and see?
Alkaline Trio. It's a bit of a trek to be fair.
Oh yeah. Did you have fun?
Yeah it was pretty good.
You went all the way for Alkaline Trio. Jesus. Fair enough. Fair play to you.

NME...
...don't like us.
Well. They put the “New Yorkshire” thing on you, along with, well, I don't know who else is in the “New Yorkshire” thing?
Long Blondes, Harrisons, everyone. Everyone with a fucking, similar accent to that of Alex Turner, is in “New Yorkshire.”
Was there an “Old Yorkshire?”
Maybe Pulp were “Old Yorkshire.” Maybe. Dunno, not much of Yorkshire is there.
So, NME don't like you?
Not really. We get the Monkeys thing, and it gets a bit boring. And we don't conform to like, luminous t-shirts and stuff.
Erm, do you think you owe quite a lot of your success to the Arctics?
No.
Any of it?
Erm, to get awareness and that, yeah, definitely. Because they opened up the media's eyes, and people's eyes to Sheffield music, which is great. But we do write out own songs, you do realise, it's not Alex. Yeah obviously we appreciate what they've done, because we went on tour with them a few times, maybe that was a good, and stupid thing to do. But we got to know people and put our music out there, but, erm, kinda poisoned chalice really isn't it.
Matt (Drummer from Arctics,) has played at a couple of your gigs before.
Yeah. Actually our drummer taught him to drum.
Really? That's a fact.
Mm, that is a fact. Not many people know that, because I don't think they want to.
There's a lot of speculation over him playing again at the Leadmill at the end of this tour.
I don't even think he's in the country. That would be a bit difficult wouldn't it.

“Well Well Well” reached number 32 in the album charts, were you pleased with that, for a début?
Yeah, I mean, I'm happy with it. It wasn't the Libertines or anything, but, it were alright. Respectable, and looking back, it's an achievement isn't it, top forty album. But obviously you always want to do a bit better.
Do you think this new album is going to do better?
I hope so. I think so yeah, I think so. You can never tell.
It's had more airtime.
Yeah it's had loads in comparison to the first time round. But you don't know, the single's came out today so let's just see what happens.
“Well Well Well,” there was a leak, wasn't there?
Yeah well that doesn't really matter, because with “Well Well Well” quite a lot of people had a lot of the tunes anyway, from demos and stuff. But this time around it's been leaked like a week ago, so that's pretty good. It's not like, Dead 60's have got an album out in January and it's already been leaked, so. You feel sorry for them, it's not fair is it, I don't think.
Which is your favourite album of the two?
This one, definitely.
Any favourite tracks?
Mm. I like a song called “Sinking Ships,” that's really mellow. And I love the single. I love the single. And “Cowboys and Indians” as well, because it's really mental and it's good to play live.

How is the tour going so far, I know you're only at the start, this is your fifth...
Fifth show yeah. It's alright, we've played some shitty towns, but it's been alright. We did Northampton on Saturday, and this time it was really good.
And quite a lot of them are sold out, including tonight.
Yeah.
Is this classed as a big night for you on the tour?
Erm, not in terms of size of venue. But like, last time we came and it sold out. So there's people here who want to see us, and whenever that's the case and you don't have to work to impress, you know, it's going to be a good show because everyone's on the same team, sort of thing.
The Envy Corps are supporting, have they followed you round all tour?
Yeah they've been around for five gigs so far. They're just on our label and the record company asked if they could come with us, and we were like “yeah.”
What do you think of them?
I haven't really had a chance to watch them, because we've been in venues where it's not been able to watch bands without being in the crowd. You know, not much of a backstage. So hopefully tonight we'll be able to watch them because it's a bit more organised.
Just wander out with your hood up, that's what the Maccabees do.
There's always a problem with that. Not in an arsey way, it's just you can't actually watch music because you just get questioned, so...

If you could support anyone, or have anyone support you, who would it be?
Erm, I don't know, Kings of Leon are good at the minute, I do like that album. I got Coral's new album, I quite like that. So they're a couple of good bands. I'd love to play with the Strokes.
King of the Indie bands.
They are really. That's all a bit mainstream. Anyone, really, we just love music.
You're going on Soccer AM on Saturday. Are you big football fans?
Yeah big fans.
Wednesday or United?
Wednesday fans. We are really shit at the minute, but we're still big fans.
What do you mean “at the minute?”
Fuck off. Who do you support?
I don't follow football.
Oh that's alright, I can't argue with you.
Limited editions of “Well Well Well,” had a little football photograph in it. What team is that?
That's Ecclesfield Red Rose, where we all used to play, for about ten years. So kinda like, that's what brought us together.

Whose idea was the “cash for pigs” scheme?
Not ours. No, we don't like it.
It's a bit weird. It's in really obscure stores too.
That's the point, I think. That's the idea.

I think that's about it, do you like lemon meringue?
No. Not lemon-based desserts, they're just too much. I like lemon-based drinks, but desserts, they just don't turn me on.
Okay.
That's a good answer that, for lemon meringue. I prefer cheesecake.
Cheesecake is a winner.. Anything else you'd like to say?
I hate that. That's a proper interviewers last question. Anything I'd like to add... Mercury music prize, what do we think about that?
What do you think about that?
I wouldn't have gone with Klaxons. I think they're pretty wank. I think they're pretty wank live, I think that's what pisses me off. Cos they're shit, they're SHIT live. But then again it's not about live, is it.
It should be.
Yeah. I think they blag a lot of it. They have kinda created a new sound, which is respectable. But, that's alright for one or two tunes, but once... ...I don't like all the videos when they ponce around in ribbons and shit like that. Fucking mascara, what is all that about? Can you imagine that though, “we want you to, there's a ribbon here, blue ribbon, you can have a green one,” it's like Power Rangers. Yeah, not a fan. Anyway, 'owt else?
I don't think so.
Sound. Super.

Interview By Trigger