Photo Credit: Larry Heath – Backstage at Lollapalooza 2015
Earlier today, it was revealed that UK outfit Django Django would be returning to Australia as part of the massive Falls Festival lineup over the New Years period (full lineup details HERE). Earlier this weekend, we caught up with Jimmy Dixon and Tommy Grace from the group while backstage at Lollapalooza in Chicago, to talk about their return to Australia, their latest album Born Under Saturn – and we find out why the new tracks have yet to become a dominating force amongst their sets. We also talk Metallica fans, defining moments and of course, cowbell.
Larry: Welcome to Lollapalooza! How did the set go?
Jim: It was good, yeah. It was nice to see people actually dancing the baking sun. I was kind of wondering how they were managing to actually move around out there. But it was good, I really enjoyed it. First time here. It’s huge! Huge place, amazing, amazing line up. Amazing bands. It’s good to be here.
I noticed there were a few cross armed Metallica fans at the front… were you spotting them out? (the band would be headlining the same stage later in the day)
Jim: They were great!
Tommy: It was brilliant, yeah.
Jim: I think Vinny won them over in the end. He got a good two thirds of the Metallica fans to sit down during “War”. So I think we won them over in the end.
Tommy: At one point they looked a wee bit like a picket line right up the front. But then we broke them down after a while. There were a few scabs in there. It’s good.
Jim: We probably don’t look very heavy metal to be honest… we don’t look like Metallica fans to be honest. So they were probably just wondering what was going on.
Are you secret Metallica fans?
Jim: You know when I was 12 or 13, I went through a Metallica phase, so I’m actually going to see them…
Tommy: Really I didn’t know that? I haven’t really listened to much Metallica. I’m up for seeing them. We don’t have to leave until Midnight.
So you’ll get to check them out! Is this your first time back here since Born Under Saturn was released?
Jim: Yep, first time. To be honest, we should have been here earlier. But when we launched the album, it managed to co-incide perfectly with the birth of Vinny’s kids, so we couldn’t come out at that time. So we’re catching up for lost time really, being back over here. But it’s really great response. Love it over here.
I was surprised by how much older stuff you’re playing in the festival sets. Is there a reason for that?
Jim: We got the album finished, and then literally a couple of months later we were out playing, gigging. The way we write songs, we don’t necessarily play them as a band… we record them, record parts, chop stuff up and then it’s almost like we learn how to play the songs at the end of the recording process. I guess we only had time to get 5 or 6 songs up to scratch that we’re playing at headline shows. But at festival sets, you only have a shorter time…
Tommy: Just give em what they want, yeah.
Jim: The more time we have, the more new songs we’ll get into the set.
Are you enjoying the new songs you are playing?
Jim: Totally. I think the more you play them, the more confident you get, the better they sound. The more people respond do them. Today was great, I think we played 4 or 5 new songs? It was good to do that.
When you’re looking ahead to the rest of the year, how is 2015 rounding up for you?
Jim: We’re touring pretty much. We come back to the States in October. We have UK shows in December, festival shows, European shows. Then at the end of the year we’re coming back to Australia. We’re going to have a busy year right up until 2016.
It’s been a while since you’ve been down to Australia! Are you looking forward to coming back down under?
Tommy: It’s always been really great. Good for me as well, I’ve got family there and stuff. It costs quite a lot to get over there. So I don’t think I’d be getting over there if I wasn’t playing in the band. For me it’s brilliant! I can’t wait until the new year.
One thing we’re talking about with bands here at Lollapalooza are your defining moments for the band. Can you point to a defining moment?
Tommy: We’ve been asked this a few times and I always find it hard to answer because it really has been one big ramp… it’s been these little moments that have all sort of gained on us. Maybe something like when we played Japan, that seemed quite astonishing. Massive crowd. Today felt like a massive step. Main stage, Lollapalooza. Loads and loads and loads of people. Everything feels like a gradual progression.
Jim: I always remember, we had a headline show at the end of the year that the first album got released in London. I remember that… it always sticks in my end. It was the end of the year where we’d worked so hard and we came back to London and played this huge show. As Tommy said, it feels like there have been so many steps, it’s difficult to put your finger on one particular moment.
Thank you – and really did enjoy the set! Every time I see you there’s more and more cowbell. I love it!
Tommy: Naturally!
Jim: Give it a year and it’ll just be cowbell.
Cowbell and a massive tambourine!
Want to hear more from our exclusive chat as the band talk about fans getting married and more? Listen to the full and uncut conversation here:
———–
Django Django‘s new record Born Under Saturn is available now. For more on the Falls Festival announcement head HERE and for more on Lollapalooza head to our Lollapalooza hub!
