Colourful, chirpy and full of beans, it’s bands like the Wonder Villains who have helped make the Irish scene so diverse. Creating dancy pop tunes about the most quirky regions of popular culture, you’d be hard pressed to find somebody who doesn’t have a special place in their heart for the Derry quartet. It has been a fantastic few years for them, growing from A-level upstarts into one of the most popular bands in the province! It’s been a whole year since we last heard from them and with an album in the works, now seemed like a good a time as ever to catch up.
► It’s been a year since we last talked. How would you describe that last twelve months being in Wonder Villains?
Ryan: 2012 was an amazing year for us! This time last year we’d just returned from SXSW – really missing the sun and cocktails right about now… – and we were lucky enough to play the UK a few times over, hit up fun festivals, finish our album and even wind up in Morocco!
► Festival season will soon be upon us once again. After playing quite a few sterling sets last summer, what are your main memories of revelling in the open air and around tents in 2012?
Ryan: I think Glasgowbury may have been our favourite set, the crowd was incredible, we were so happy and it was just so much fun, it always is. Forfey is also a big one for us, it’s got such a chill vibe. I think it’s the best festival I’ve ever been to. There are no set clashes and the camaraderie of everyone moving together as a gang in such a beautiful setting is wonderful. We’ve made lots of friends there! Also, big memories tearing up the tarmac across the UK with A Plastic Rose in June. We played the Dot to Dot festival together and we had a big funny van. It was more disco than van. A club on wheels!
► On the subject of festivals, Radio 1’s Big Weekend will be coming to your home town in May! You played the festival back in 2010, what can the people of Derry expect in a few weeks time?
Eimear: We had an absolute blast in 2010, it was a total shock to be invited back then. We were thrown in at the deep end but it was lethal, kudos to the BBC! I think it’s amazing that Big Weekend is coming to Derry again. Unfortunately we missed out on tickets first time round so we just hope Ash and Avril Lavigne return…
❝Near the start I think we were all wearing black clothes, because that seemed like the cool thing to wear. But we quickly realised that on stage, the background is almost always black too, so you just blend in!❞
► Staying in the North-West, what Derry acts – past or present – have a special place in your heart?
Cheylene: Well obviously The Undertones. They’re SO GOOD!! Though a Derry band that will always have a special place in my heart has to be Future Chaser – Kieran and Ryan’s old band!
I went to see Future Chaser almost every Friday night in the Nerve Centre during my teenage years. They have some serious tunes and they’re why me and Eimear wanted to start a band in the first place! Haha! Nadine Coyle has to get a shout out too though. She’s the reason we wanted to be popstars!
► In the past couple of months we’ve seen bands such as Kowalski and A Plastic Rose decide to move to mainland UK in the pursuit of making that “next step” as a band. Have you ever felt the pressure to move to possibly help further your career?
Eimear: No! I think we’ve kind of felt the opposite. It’s not fun that it costs so much money to go and play one show in London. But we have so much great support in Belfast that it makes perfect sense for us to be based here.
► The music scene in Northern Ireland is as healthy and exciting as it’s ever been – but if you change anything or bring something new to the scene, what would it be?
Cheylene: We would love to see more bands with girls in them! There are a lot of great girl singers and songwriters but not many with drums and guitars and keyboards. It gets a bit boring just talking to boys all the time at soundchecks and things!
► You’re well known for your vibrant and quirky stage attire, what inspires your wonderful colourful look?
Cheylene: Near the start I think we were all wearing black clothes, because that seemed like the cool thing to wear. But we quickly realised that on stage, the background is almost always black too, so you just blend in! That’s how the whole bright colours thing started – so we’d stand out on stage. It’s got a bit out of hand though! Now, when someone asks “is this too crazy?” the answer is NEVER “yeah you should probably tone that down.” Bring on the crazy clothes!!
► As a female fronted band what women do you look up to in the music business?
Cheylene: We have a very exact answer for this! We made a YouTube video called ‘Eimear and Cheylene’s Top 20: Girls That Rock” where we list our top 20 female artists in a medley form! The winner is, of course Beyoncé! She’s so FIERCE and so pumping live! One day I hope I can dance around in heels for even HALF as long as she does!!
► Your music has been described as everything from sherbet-pop to anti-pop. What do you make of all these sub-genres and tags given to your music?
Eimear: I like them! They’re always really fun words that I would never think of using to describe our music. Sherbet-pop sounds really tasty and anti-pop makes us sound badass which is fun.
► Do you have a particular favourite?
Eimear: We’ve been described as “Fizzy, high-energy indie pop” which I thought suited us well.
► How do you feel your sound has developed since you first started out?
Eimear: I think our music has got more groovy. When we first started I think we were more punk rock. We liked to play everything as fast and loud as we could but now we have slowed some things down and added some groove. It’s awesome cause groovy’s a great word to say.
► You’ve got a debut album which is set to be released this summer. Currently titled “Rocky” might this be an ode to Mr. Balboa? Or maybe even Start Together’s Mr. O’Reilly?
Eimear: Yeah it’s totally named after Mr. O’Reilly! Rocky’s one of my all-time favourite people. When we first started talking about album names, “Rocky” was suggested as a joke but we soon realised it’s the perfect name for our first album. I’m delighted with it. Plus our next album can be called “Rocky II” Sorted! Haha!
► Gianfranco Zola, How I Met Your Mother and Cool Runnings have all been given the Wonder Villains treatment. Are you able to reveal who or what else might be paid tribute to in a future tune?
Eimear: We have a song on our album about Bruce Springsteen! I always feel like The Boss when we play it which I love!! I like to write about my favourite things. I’m getting really into rollerblading so I can see that popping up in a song soon! Haha!
► Is it hard to choose what older tracks to move forward with? Which songs have you unfortunately had to say goodbye to from your live set?
Kieran: Yeah that has definitely happened, but it’s not too difficult to choose. We are usually pretty agreed on which songs are most fun to play live. We don’t really get to play Calgary 88 anymore, or Mar Vista.
It’s a similar situation picking songs for the album. We wanted to put a lot of new songs on so there wasn’t room for all the old ones. We tried to use some of those songs as b-sides to our singles.
► What can we look forward to hearing on your new record? More big dancy sing-a-longs or maybe the odd ballad?
Kieran: Both! We wanted to have some new ‘big dancy sing-a-longs’ as you put it very well! Haha! But you can’t have an album without the odd ballad, can you?
► From your previous tracks what might make it on the record?
Kieran: Well all our previous singles will be there and our live set at the minute is a pretty good guide. But about half of it is new stuff that we can’t wait for people to hear.
► When it comes to live shows, when might the band be setting off to play a few more gigs?
Eimear: We love playing gigs, or as we call them, ‘rockshows’. We have a few last things to get organised for the album and then we’re ready to go!! No sure plans yet though
► Finally in one years time what are the goals which you would like to achieve?
Eimear: Well the album should be out by then and hopefully people like it!! Aside from that, just to play in as many places as possible. We’ve never been to Europe, I know that’s something that we would all love to happen!!
“Blonde” is out 22nd April
Facebook ► https://www.facebook.com/WonderVillains Twitter ► @WonderVillains
