XYZ: Hello guys, loved the gig, how are you all feeling tonight?
Joseph: Yeah good thanks! A bit hot…!

Could you describe Metronomy in 3 words?
Joseph: Errr…Oscar, Gabriel, Joseph…Haha
Gabriel: Your Best Friends!

Your name, Metronomy sounds pretty cool – where is it from?
Joseph: It was invented when I was 17, it doesn’t mean anything it just sounds good in different languages.
Gabriel: Even in Japanese!
Joseph:I was trying to splice two words, Metronome and Astromy…Maybe not worth printing that!

You’ve remixed a lot of famous artists, like Kate Nash, Charlotte Gainsborough, Zero 7 – who’s your favourite one?
Joseph:Don’t know really, they’re all awful, I just did it for money!! Lol. Nah, I like Charlotte Gainsborough and Late of the Pier as well, they’re a good band.
Gabriel: It’s not a great remix but the band is good!
Joseph: Well it’s not one of our best no…But I prefer to do remixes for smaller bands really, the big bands tend to not really give a shit about who remixes them…

Did you do the remixes before you started with your own material or did that come afterwards?
Joseph: No it came after, I started with recording stuff and getting a band together and then my manager started getting some remixes and because we didn’t have any money it kinda happened then, whilst the band was already going on.

You played at a French festival (The Transmusicales in Rennes) earlier on this year, how do you think French festivals compare to English ones? Are they as much fun?
Joseph:I think the Transmusicales is a bad example to be honest because it’s quite an industry festival…It’s in an airport, in an aircraft hangar …so it feels more like a rave. And we don’t like raves! But our label is French so we spend quite some time in Paris and we love the French really! If you’re touring you don’t usually know people and every time we go to France there are always people we know so it’s great.

How’s the French crowd?
Gabriel:One of our French shows was in Marseilles whilst we were touring with Bloc Party and the crowd was great.
Joseph:: The French seem more open music wise, they’ve got less of a set idea of what they like or what’s cool.
Gabriel: I mean we love our English crowd and most of our fans are English but it’s funny going to Europe and you realise that people aren’t as cynical there.

I hear a sequel to your first album is coming out in 2008?
Joseph: It should come out in March – At the moment is called “Night out” and it’s kinda more poppy with more vocal tracks and well hopefully, maybe, we’ll get on radio 1 and then people who haven’t listen to interesting pop music might hear it!

When are you next in Brighton?
Joseph: I’m not sure but soon hopefully. We all used to live in Brighton and Oscar is still here so it’s really nice to play here.

Where do you hang out when you’re in Brighton?
Joseph:I’ve reverted to Riky Tik – I used to hate it! It’s open late you know…Actually the best pubs are the Greys and the Basketmakers Arms.
Gabriel: Well I was on the Indie scene for quite a few years and..
Joseph: Oh, are you in a band?
Gabriel: Actually, are YOU in a band?! (Laughter)
Gabriel:And I stand by the heart and hound, it’s a really nice pub..

Do you have a random story for us?
Oscar: The problem is we don’t really remember stuff you see… But in Bristol the other day a boy who was about 8 walked up to me as I was smoking a cigarette outside and said: “Hello Oscar, I love your band”…That was quite strange!!
Joseph: That’s what you get from touring with Kate Nash!
Oscar: I like to think of myself as a hero for the shorter people…

What do you get up to when you’re not on tour with Joseph then? (Oscar and Gabriel only contribute to the live shows)
Oscar: Yeah well I don’t do much really – I like working on little songs on my keyboard, and do some pop covers…If anyone want to book me: www.myspace.com/oscartcashproductions! But other than that I just get very involved with reality television…(laughter)

XYZ: And you Gabriel?
Gabriel: I make music but it’s a lot more old fashion…And I’m probably going to use the Metronomy trademark to make some money.
Joseph: Gabriel does a lot of online banking when he’s not touring…

When was the last time you guys had a good giggle?
Gabriel: Well we’ve been touring in towns where we don’t know anyone. So after we’ve done our gigs, we go to our hotel room and we put on music telly and shout at the TV.
Joseph:: Last night we were watching Michael Buble! Everyone laughs…
Gabriel: Michael Buble and Westlife..They’re amazing.
Oscar: I suppose a way to describe it is that we are quite passionate about pop music and watching music telly has been our therapy at the moment. Getting opinionated about it and releasing a little bit of frustration from being in a band everyday…But I’m not complaining, you know it’s great!

Thanks a lot guys, good luck with the next album and hopefully see you soon down in Brighton!

Words by Leo Rahban, pics by Jess Barry -2008