Future Islands have returned to Australia for an exclusive performance at Splendour in the Grass this weekend, but not before stopping by AU HQ for a catch up in Sydney. Having not been in Australia for a few years, the band reflects on previous tours out this way, where they have built up a strong and loyal fan base.
“The first time we played Splendour in the Grass was the first time me and our drummer Mike tried to surf,” Will Cashion says. “Did not do well. We had on wetsuits and we were out there for a while in the water. Our friend who tried to teach us how to surf there…he said he refuses to get in the water where we’re going to be because it’s totally infested with sharks! He’s terrified of getting in the water there.”
Touching on the recent casting news surrounding Disney’s live action Aladdin film (co-incidentally, the album opener of Future Islands’ The Far Field, the band weighed in on ‘Disney’ themed music.
“Let’s get this big Dis money!” Samuel T. Herring joked. “Will Smith is a great actor, much better than a rapper. I think he’s a much better actor than Shaq…”
“We have a song called “Pinnochio”,” Cashion added. “You know we spelled it wrong – I spelled it wrong, that was my fault. We’ve got to figure out what the next Disney movie we’re going to name a song after [is]…”
Working with famed producer John Congleton on The Far Field, Future Islands dish on what it was like having his presence in studio.
“While we are definitely open to his ideas, we are also probably closed too.” Herring says. “I think we are open to his ideas but when we go into a studio, we already have ‘This is what we are going to do’… I think it was really easy communicating with him. John has a very similar dark sense of humour that we have, so it was really easy getting along in studio, cracking jokes.”
Check out the full videos above and below!
Future Islands play Splendour in the Grass’ Amphitheatre Stage on July 22nd. Head here to find out more!
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