Photo Credit: Clumsy Bodies
With a busy week ahead playing shows in support of their forthcoming debut album Oh Dearism, we caught up with itoldyouiwouldeatyou vocalist Joey Ashworth to hear their top tips and stories from the road.
Favourite thing about touring:
Every show we play on tour I’m amazed at the people who open their homes to us. There’s something amazing about sleeping on a stranger’s floor knowing that all has connected you up til this point is music, politics and the internet. That’s fucking great. That and listening to music in the van for hours on the way to shows, dissecting it and arguing about it.
Least favourite thing about touring:
Tiring out my voice singing, mostly in the van. Getting backache from sleeping badly. Feeling bad for not watching every band we get to play with cos I need to sleep. Worrying about money. In fact scrap all that, running a small business out of your van sucks. That’s why we intend to make the transition to Big Business.
Five essentials for the road:
1. Durable headphones
I have broken so many nice pairs of headphones on tours past. I have learned that quality is a luxury – I really just want something loud that won’t break.
2. A pillow
I never bring one and always, always wish I had. If you’ve got space bring a duvet but let’s face it – who’s got time for that? Bring a big coat – that’s your duvet now. Your duvet is a coat.
3. Reading a book
Honestly there’s so much time spent waiting around, bring a book you’ve been meaning to get to. You will spend so much time waiting or travelling at some point you’re just gonna have to start that book.
4. Writing a book
Honestly there’s so much time spent waiting around, start writing a book. You will spend so much time waiting or travelling at some point you’re just gonna have to start that book. The book you’re writing.
5. Publishing a book
Face it – you’ve been thinking about this for a while. YOU wanna get into the publishing game. That’s where the money is. So open up your manuscript drawer, put on your tiny glasses and get publishing! Honestly there’s so much time spent waiting around, bring a book you’ve been meaning to publish. You will spend so much time waiting or travelling at some point you’re just gonna have to start that book.
Your favourite way to pass the time:
We spend a huge amount of time on tour just coming up with silly voices and characters. These often make up our lengthy, absurd Instagram stories. Also we’re rarely all together for a long period of time outside of tour so I also like to spend the time getting up to date with everyone, making plans and talking about where we’re at as a band, where we wanna go. I love planning shit like that, that makes the time go so fast if you’re excited by it.
“The Most”
Memorable moment:
I’ll never forget our first ever headline show, watching fresh open for us like three years ago. I was just so excited that’d we made it even that far. That all the bands playing were so good and the atmosphere was just so relaxed.
Hilarious moment:
Not really tour, but when we recorded the Get Terrified EP we all had to get up super early and take the train. Luke and I were just super excited and everyone else was just not having our enthusiasm. I have this strong memory of having tears in my eyes laughing while we screamed “DONT TALK TO ME UNTIL I’VE HAD MY COFFEE” in such whiny voices at Ollie. To be honest I’m surprised Ollie is still in the band after that. I’m the worst, huh?
Embarrassing moment:
Honestly I’m embarrassed every night because I invariably meet a ton of people and immediately forget every name cos I get so anxious about it. This means every show is an exercise in trying to work out the name of some super nice person who is like, talking to me about serious shit.
Outrageous moment:
Meeting Guy Garvey by accident in a locked pub we were playing that night while we waiting for our guitarist to do a poo.
Drunken moment:
My personal favourite is being in Holly’s mum’s house eating McDonald’s, falling asleep while Connor and Ollie worked on Oh Dearism on seperate laptop either side of me.
Rewarding moment:
Playing to a packed stage at ArcTanGent. It was mostly packed cos of the rain but I think we won some people over. I’m sure I’ll have a new answer in a year though, watch this drive.
itoldyouiwouldeatyou‘s debut album Oh Dearism is out on 16th November via Alcopop! Records x Failure By Design, available to pre-order HERE.
See itoldyouiwouldeatyou at one of the following dates:
November
Tue 13th – OXFORD – The Wheatsheaf (w/ Laughing Lamb)
Thu 15th – LONDON – Sister Midnight Records (album listening party)
Fri 16th – BRIGHTON – House Show
Sat 17th – MANCHESTER – Soup Kitchen (w/ Tricot)
Sun 18th – LONDON – Scala (w/ Tricot)
