Music interview '“ The Pigeon Detectives: '˜I think bands are scared of really putting everything on the line and you have to these days'

The Pigeon Detectives are marking the tenth anniversary of their debut album Wait For Me with two headline shows at the O2 Academy Leeds.
The Pigeon DetectivesThe Pigeon Detectives
The Pigeon Detectives

To coincide the band’s label Dance To The Radio is re-releasing a special digital version of the record including all the previous B-sides and a limited edition double 12in vinyl and 7in package which includes previously unreleased demos recorded in Hyde Park, Leeds.

Rob Chadwick spoke to the Rothwell band’s singer Matt Bowman.

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You had one of the best ‘stand out performances’ at Live at Leeds this year. What was that like to play The Church?

Live at Leeds has always been close to our hearts, as a band and as fans, so when we were asked to play that was always going to be a no brainer. I think the concept is great, you get to check out venues in the city you wouldn’t normally, and the vibe really brings everyone together. As for The Church, well, what a venue! It’s a glorious setting and really does fit within the city, plus the sound system is great. We had a really good laugh with the audience and I even managed to get a crowd surf in there.

Did you feel as though the venue came around at the right time?

Yeah absolutely, I think when The Cockpit went Leeds really had its soul ripped out, to a certain extent. The Church, although it’s totally different, has brought something new to the city that gels well with the more corporate venues. We now have O2 Academy, Belgrave, the Arena and so on, they all provide a different take on the industry which is really nice to see.

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Did it bring back old memories of playing Leeds when the intimate venues were in charge of the city as apposed to the more corporate lead venues we see today?

We did a really intimate venue tour last year were we played some bars and quirky locations and that really brought back that old school ethos. We really wanted to re-capture that essence with the fans. It’s really important, I think, to have those grass roots venues and events in today’s market.

It’s now ten years since your debut album which went wild back in 2007. You must be proud that the album is still on people’s playlists after all this time?

You know that album caught us so off-guard, we knew it was going to be special to us, and reach out to a few folk, but never did we think it would go to the level that it did. It kept bouncing in and out the charts and we didn’t really know how to take it at first. Every time we performed at a festival it just seemed to resonate with the audience that bit more, or when some one had a barbecue they used to blast it out full pelt. You know we got a bit lucky but we are really proud it has stood the test of time.

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Tell us about the shows you have and, of course, the two in Leeds?

You know I couldn’t believe when I found out. We sold the first one out in a day or so, I think, and announced the second one. I really can’t wait for the Leeds show; it’s got all the production and the lighting and it’s going right back to our raw sort of vibe we were famous for in the first place.

You’ll be re-releasing the Wait for Me album as well, am I right in thinking there is some unreleased stuff on there?

I am really excited about the package we are putting together. It’s going to be a double gold disc and vinyl, I’m not sure on the date yet but it not only has all the Wait For Me tracks on and the B-sides too. It is going have some of the original photos in a picture book in there too from our gigs as a proper piece of memorabilia.

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There has been a lot of talk about the lull in modern rock and indie music, why do you think some amazing bands are not getting a look in right now?

I think that’s just pop culture in general. It’s now a very wide market for the pop side of things, that’s were the money is, and not for the bands who travel up and down the country living out of their own pocket. That said, I do feel as though bands and the electronic side are getting more of look in now, and all the radio stations are offering a wider variety, so it’s not all doom and gloom. Like Liam Gallagher said though, plug those guitars in because they do actually work, you know. I think bands are scared of really putting everything on the line and you have to these days.

And finally, are the band creating new music as well right now? Can you tell us?

We are in the studio as we speak, have been jamming and warming up for the tour. We have some new music that’s mellowing but nothing solid right now. There are definitely new tunes in there but for now it is all about the Wait For Me tour.

The Pigeon Detectives play at O2 Academy Leeds on November 3 and 5. thepigeondetectives.com

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