The Wombats news

Watch: Interview

Sun, 21 Aug 2011 21:51:07 +0100

Pete Donaldson chats with 2/3 of The Wombats about why it took a while to get the second album out, how exhausted they were after making the first, and what the opposite of a cat is.

New song: Techno Fan

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The song 'Techno Fan' has been added to the Absolute Radio playlist

New song: Anti-d

Mon, 11 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The song 'Anti-d' has been added to the Absolute Radio playlist

Photos: The Wombats at Hard Rock Cafe

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:10:27 +0000

New song: Jump Into The Fog

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The song 'Jump Into The Fog' has been added to the Absolute Radio playlist

New song: Tokyo (Vampires And Wolves)

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0100

The song 'Tokyo (Vampires And Wolves)' has been added to the Absolute Radio playlist

Introducing...

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:13:43 +0000

We managed to grab ten minutes with Matt Murphy, frontman, singer and guitarist with Liverpool indie kings The Wombats.

The Wombats released their debut album A Guide To Love, Loss And Desperation late in 2007 and eventually reached #10 in the Album Chart in 2008.

Influenced by bands as diverse as the Beach Boys, Johnny Cash and Arcade Fire, they also won Best Dancefloor Filler at the NME Awards for 'Let's Dance To Joy Division'.

Where did the name come from?
"We got ourselves a gig at Hannah’s Bar in Liverpool and we didn’t really have a name at the time. Me and Dan went through a period of calling each other stupid wombats, we needed a name for this first gig so Dan was like, 'Just call us The Wombats,' and the rest is history."

How did you all meet?
"We met at LIPA [Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts] as fresh-faced 19-year olds and the ridiculousness grew organically from then on."

What song do you wish you'd written?
"Nick Drake – 'Which Will'. It’s an amazing song with amazing lyrics. I could listen to it all day."

What’s on your iPod at the moment?
"Interpol – ‘No I In Threesome’. I love everything they do, they could fart into a mike and I’d still buy it. Also listening to The National – ‘Fake Empire’ – go and buy this song now. No, buy the whole album it’s amazing."

What's the best gig you've ever played?
"We had our album launch on a boat. The first night was insane. We had no barriers for the stage, just eight massive bouncers looking like Shrek on speed, holding everybody back. We had to stop the show so many times, including in the middle of 'Let's Dance To Joy Division'. We had to have a 10-minute break before we could start again."

How much do you know about love, loss and desperation?
"Too much."

Have you played with any of your heroes?
"We played with Peter Hook in Newcastle a few weeks ago, which was pretty ridiculous!"

What's the sexiest thing you've ever done?
"Once I got frisky in an otter den. There was hummus everywhere."

Myspace or Facebook?
"Myspace for music, Facebook for stalking."

The Wombats chat to Sarah Champion

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:49:45 +0100

Sarah Champion: Are you alright to sign that for our crew?

Matthew Murphy: I think he wants it.

SC: I remember asking Mika last year, and he was like ‘No, no, no, I don’t sign musical instruments’, blah blah blah.

TW: Honestly?

SC: Yeah.

TW: Dead serious, as well?

SC: Absolutely dead serious. And then I told Kasabian, and they were like ‘Yeah, tell him he’s a twat from us’.

TW: Yeah.

TW: It sounds like he warrants it.

TW: Considering, what’s the worst that could happen? It gets auctioned off for charity.

SC: Well, exactly.

SC: Right, so, Wombats, welcome to the Isle of Wight. Are you happy to be here?

TW: Yes, very happy.

TW: Very happy.

SC: Lovely day for it and everything.

TW: Yeah.

SC: Um, one of your biggest gigs to date, is that right? I mean, crowd wise, and how are you feeling?

TW: I would have thought so. I mean, it’s already looking pretty packed out there.

TW: Yeah, there’s three people.

TW: Three people, so.

SC: Mum, Dad, and.

TW: Yeah, that’s two more than we were expecting, so we can only go up, can’t we, as touring?

TW: (singing) The only way is up.

TW: Things can only get better.

SC: How many more references can we get in? Let’s go for it, let’s try ten.

TW: Let’s get it on, baby.

SC: So how did you get here? Have you been, you know, helicoptered in like the Sex Pistols are rumoured to be tomorrow, or did you just keep it real and go for the ferry?

TW: Yeah, no, powered by soya beans.

TW: Yeah, no, we actually came in our tour bus.

TW: Fragmented.

TW: Our tour bus took us over via the ferry that everyone else is getting on. The food’s terrible though, on the ferry, isn’t it?

TW: Well, there is no food, is there?

TW: Well, there is no food.

TW: Tord did have the best chicken burger he’s ever eaten.

TW: There was loads of lettuce on that one, yeah. Thanks a lot. (all laugh)

TW: His face just looked like, he looked so gutted. So did you, actually, with your sandwich, it was amazing.

TW: Yeah, yeah.

SC: You’re in good health, though, cos the last, he looked so gutted. So did you, actually, with your sandwich, it was amazing.

TW: Yeah, yeah.

SC: you’re in good health, though, cos the last time I saw you, you were a little bit poorly.

TW: Yeah, I was coming down with some kind of two-day flu job.

SC: Well, didn’t you do like, was it 50 tour dates back to back with four days off or something crazy, as well, at that time?

TW: Er, we gave it a blast. We pretty much did it. I got tonsillitis after about 30 dates.

TW: We rescheduled them though, and did complete them. But we basically averaged about, between five and six gigs a week, every single week of last year.

SC: Madness.

TW: And we’re looking at pretty much the same this year, so.

TW: Yeah.

TW: Say hello to our bin bag eyes.

SC: You look quite at home in a camper van. Would you sort of be here anyway, as punters? Are festivals your thing, or not really?

TW: Er, I think we’ve never really experience life outside of The Wombats for the last five years, so I don’t know. Yeah, probably.

TW: Yeah.

TW: Probably.

TW: It’s this, this.

SC: Is there anyone there that you’re going to kind of stick around and see today, or are you just going to do your thing and run?

TW: I’d like to see N.E.R.D.

TW: If we could choose, we could probably stay for a couple of days, and watch like Sex Pistols and stuff like that. And Police. But, yeah, we’re off straight away, so.

SC: Aww. The life of a Wombat, it’s hard, isn’t it?

TW: I know, we’re off to Oxford.

SC: Oxford.

TW: It’ll be good though. No rest for the wicked.

SC: No, I know. And what’s.

TW: Are you singing that song?

TW: (sings) There ain’t no rest for the wicked.

SC: Good, we’re up to five, I think.

TW: That’s good, I like that song.

SC: Um, what’s the rumour I’ve been reading recently about Paul McCartney asking to produce you? Is that, is that a rumour founded in reality, or is that just a, one of these things?

TW: Um, it’s founded in some form of reality.

TW: I think it was kind of, it seemed like the question was kind of ‘Oh, so you want to get back into producing?’, and he was like, ‘Yeah, I guess so’. ‘Are there any new bands that?’, you know, it was kind of like, it was fished out of him, but at the same time he did say it, so it’s pretty flattering that our name got mentioned by Sir Paul himself, it’s amazing.

SC: Yeah, cos did you not have sort of one on one tutorials with him, as well? Or have I made that up?

TW: Yeah, no, kind of at the end of the Arts College we went to in Liverpool, I kind of had a half an hour session with him and we just talked, really.

SC: How was that?

TW: It was cool. It was really good. I mean, he was going through the whole, all the crap at that time.

SC: The troubled times.

TW: He kept running out to speak to his lawyer and stuff, but no, he was a really nice guy.

SC: Yeah. What were his, kind of, words of advice to you then? Did you impart his wisdom?

TW: Errr, never think that you’ve overshot your bolt. Whatever that meant. But I think I do know what that meant. And he kept talking about this, when he spent like three weeks trying to find one word, and it ended up being boat.

SC: Right.

TW: So erm, don’t smoke loads of hash, probably.

SC: That’s the advice, that’s the advice. So, um, how do you feel playing at a festival, rather than, compared with, you know, obviously a Wombats gig when people come specifically to see you. Here, obviously, you’re playing to other people’s fans, so does that make you kind of raise your game a bit? Are you gonna go, hit hard and fast with the hits straight off, or?

TW: It’s gonna be a Best Of.

TW: It’s kind of gonna be a ‘Best of the Wombats’, really. I mean, it’s a shorter set than we’d normally do – it’s half as long. So obviously it’s kind of picking and choosing the songs. There haven’t been too many arguments. It’ll be fine.

TW: All of our er, kind of hits.

TW: Yeah, the greatest hits, basically, and then a few of, a few chosen ones in there.

TW: Yeah.

SC: Cos this really is kind of start of festival season, now, so are you, you’re playing two more as well, so this is kind of going to gear you up for the summer ahead, isn’t it?

TW: Yeah.

TW: But also it’s like, obviously, it’s a chance, it’s nice playing in front of like, you know, new, or potentially new fans, anyway. It’s kind of a, winning over crowds again. It adds something different than just playing every night to a kind of sure fire audience that have heard the album and backed, you know.

SC: Yeah. What about playing in daylight, as well? Is that quite strange?

TW: Um.

TW: I like that. I really like it.

TW: Really?

TW: Yeah.

TW: I dunno, it’s, we kind of, I don’t know. We’re used to it now, because sometimes when we’re travelling so much, you are, you know, when you’re in Australia, you are effectively playing at, you know, eight in the morning or whatever, so our body clocks are kind of non-existent. So whether it be night or day, it doesn’t really affect us any more.

SC: Okay.

TW: We’re hardened.

TW: But like, for example, it’s more the heat, to be honest. Like we played in Texas at south by south west this year, and it was, we played and it was nearly like 100, you know, over 30 degrees.

SC: Sweaty.

TW: Playing in that heat, and it’s just, pfft, pretty toasty.

TW: And you don’t really like the sun , do you?

TW: I love the sun, me.

TW: Oh.

SC: You’re rocking the shades quite well, apart from yourself. Are they going to go on later, or?

TW: I left mine back in the, er, back in my bunk.

TW: He’s got the best ones, as well.

TW: Yeah, I’ve got nice yellow ones, actually.

SC: So what’s next for you guys, aside from, sorry for laughing, I don’t really know what to say about that! I’m sure they are nice.

TW: Yeah, they are.

TW: I was just thinking out loud and like admiring them, yeah.

SC: Oxford tomorrow, and then what? Do you kind of, do you look at your schedule that far in advance and think ‘Right, this is what we’re doing tomorrow’, or do you just kind of get on the bus and go with it.

TW: Yeah, it’s one day at a time for us, I think, really.

TW: There is a schedule on the wall, but we all kind of try and shy away from it. It’s kind of daunting, it’s, yeah. I think our tour manager’s close to a breakdown at the minute.

TW: In fact there she is, kneeling on the floor, looking pretty dejected in the sun over there. Just staring at her cigarettes.

SC: And can you give us a representation of your tour bus? What’s it like? What sounds are on, and you know, all that kind of stuff. Is it quite a messy tour bus at this stage?

TW: The fridge stinks. There’s been some pretty unholy camembert in there that’s pretty much, yeah.

TW: Grown legs and jumped around the bus for a while.

TW: Cos erm, there’s no hummus on the bus. There’s some bread, lots of cheese.

TW: We watched Demolition Man yesterday.

SC: Any good?

TW: Er, yeah, it wasn’t. Well, no, it was great, it’s mor

Isle of Wight Festival: Live audio, pics and review

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:55:15 +0100

Sarah Champion caught up with the cheeky northern lads backstage at Isle of Wight Festival to talk about the success of their debut album 'A Guide To Love, Loss and Desperation' and this being one of their biggest gigs ever.

Keeping it rock 'n' roll, the banter includes a profanity or two, as well as queries about the crowd's general levels of intoxication, which are - naturally - climbing with every song that goes by. However, influences aside, the crowd are loving the playful cheekiness and catchy tunes, and the return of the sun from behind a cloud isn't the only reason the fans are warming up.

The audience is more than satisfied with 'Let's Dance To Joy Division', 'Moving To New York' and last but not least 'Backfire At The Disco', and it's ironic that one particular lyric from Murphy states "Hope no one ever leaves, cos I don't want to be alone with me" which is an unfounded worry given the evident number of avid followers of these three talented types from up North.

Zoo Session video

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 16:27:57 +0100

The Wombats paid us a visit, fresh from winning an NME Award for Best Dancefloor Filler for their smash hit single, 'Let's Dance To Joy Division' check it out with this Zoo Session!

Singer Matt Murphy was sadly suffering from the effects of tonsilitis, which is difficult enough at the best of times, but when you're singing at an intimate session, it's an absolute nightmare!

You can find out more about The Wombats in this Introducing Interview but if you just want to see the session, we've got video footage of the all three tracks right here.

Photos: Photos from the 2008 Isle of Wight Festival

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:36:44 +0100

Photos: Isle of Wight Festival 2008 Setlists

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:45:54 +0100

Listen: Interview with Adrian Hieatt

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:39:35 +0100

Photos: The Wombats live in session

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:08:37 +0000

V Festival 2007

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:12:17 +0000

We stood amongst the Trilbys and straw hats to hear The Wombats play in the Virgin Mobile Union tent. We weren’t greeted by furry Australian marsupials; instead we actually got a three-piece Liverpudlian band kicking out their poppy post-punk tunes, including 'Lets Dance To Joy Division'. They introduced their audience to a cuddly toy wombat mascot, ‘Cherub’, to whom the crowd responded by chanting his name, Jerry Springer style.Those attending the 25 minute set included a series of superheroes including Wolverine, Superman and The Incredible Hulk, all of whom seemed to be enjoying the performance, along with those posing for their "MySpace photos" (standing with back to the band, taking a self portrait) as they played – clearly a band that had fans eager to see them.

Photos: VFestival 2007

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:46:06 +0100