Thom And Ollie caught up with The Maccabees in Southampton before their headline show at the Joiners, to talk about their new album, the slight change in line up and much more.

Welcome back to Southampton, you haven't been here in a couple of years.
Nah we ain't.

You're at the end of the tour, well, this is the precursor to the September/October tour but you're at the end of this stint, how has it been?
It's been fucking fantastic actually. You kind of have that nervous apprehension, when you're aware that these people aren't, well, you don't know how people are going to take the new songs. And you play a set quite full of them, well, half and half. We weren't sure how this toue was gonna go when we set out, but it's been brilliant, had a great time, and we still play the old songs which we think still stand up.

How does it compare to the older tours where you were still trying to establish yourselves?
I think we're really relieved that people still care a little bit, you know. It's a really nice thing that, we've made some kind of lasting imprint and people still want to come and see our band, and are as intrigued to hear the new songs as they are.

There are people out there that are just keen for new music though.
Yeah, yeah. I suppose one thing that is different is, all the kids that liked us before, they've all grown up a few years like we have, do you know what I mean? So it's that kind of nice thing that everyone's grown up a little bit.

Is this tour pushing the new album or is it a mix of old and new?
It's about half and half. But I think, we weren't going to go on tour again until we'd made a great record that we're really proud of.

Mumford & Sons are supporting you, have they been with you all tour?
Yeah.

How do you know them?
Well we met them first because, when Laura Marling supported us a few years ago, they were Laura Marling's band. And we kind of became aware of them that way and went to see them and they're incredible. And they've gone down really well on this tour. And they're definitely a special band, as well as The Shark actually, who are first on tonight. I think we've got two bands who we generally all love, and it makes it a much happier place. Gives you something to do watching a great band every night.

So, the new album's out, charted fairly well, and did better than Colour It In, I guess you're happy with that...
Yeah. Well it ended up at thirteen, but it was at seven mid-week and I think we got a little bit excited that it might be a top ten, but we would have bitten someone's hand off for thirteen, it's fucking incredible.

The sound is very different on the second album, was this a conscious effort?
Well, not conscious in the sense that we sat down and sat “right I think it's important this album sounds very mature,” or whatever, but you know, we had grown up a bit, and listening to loads of records and being dead into music, we'd just listened to way more things in a few years that we had for the first record, so we were kinda aware of the possibilities and playing much better, it's kind of just a natural thing of, stepping up I suppose. The first album is great and you're excited to be there, and you're wide eyed for it, and we were aware that we had to prove that we were in the position we were in.

Any favourite tracks off the album?
My favourite tracks off the album are No Kind Words, Bag Of Bones, which is the last track. I think they're both quite ambitious songs, compared to the first one we'd have never done something like that. I like the monotony of those two and how it kind of wraps you up. Gets under your skin a bit.

No Kind Words was the first single, download only, do you know how many downloads it got?
I have no idea mate, I think I did at the time but it's long gone.

The second single, Love You Better has done quite well.
Yeah I think that charted. Thirty-six. Love You Better is the closer of our set now, ave really taken to that. We're not playing Latchmere on this tour.

You're not? Oh no. What have you got from the first album?
X_Ray, Precious Time, First Love, Lego...

About Your Dress?
Not playing About Your Dress.
…
Toothpaste Kisses, Mary.

Do you ever play Good Old Bill?
Not the way that we recorded it.

Rob had to leave, when was this?
At the start of the writing process after the last record. But it's a very personal thing and there's a lot of stuff that went on. But I wouldn't write off that he'll play for the Maccabees again. That's something we're quite conscious of.

Whose decision was it?
Everyone, I think. He's doing really well playing in a band called The Agitator, and he's much happier now so I think it's the best for everyone.

Are you still in contact with him, how is he?
Yeah I see him all the time, man. He's doing great. But at the same time we've got Sam Doyle in. Sam's a great friend of ours, he was a fan of the band before he joined, he's added a very different thing, he's a very different drummer. Very muscular, hard-hitting drummer which has really contributed to that sound.

Was he with you for the whole writing and recording process?
Yeah he was there, and the recording. He'll be touring this record, and then when we're at the end of that, we'll see where we are.

So what's in store for the future, you've got some festivals?
Yeah we're doing Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Isle of Wight, around Europe, doing the big ones man.

And another tour in September/October.
Yeah and it's big places as well, like the Brixton Academy, which is like our Mecca!

Interview by Thom and Ollie