Twin Atlantic go coast to coast
Gary Fitzpatrick • Published 4 Apr 2012 09:30
TWIN Atlantic are living the dream travelling coast to coast in the United States.
The Glasgow indie rockers have had a great year since the release of their superb debut album 'Free' last year.
They have been concentrating on making their name in the States recently but are heading home and play the Alhambra on 15th April.
The Press caught up with bass guitarist Ross McNae when the band were between gigs in the USA and Canada.
"We played Rochester in New York last night and we're in Toronto tonight. We've been in America for a couple of months and we've pretty much covered the whole country," said Ross.
"Not many people from back home will get to see this part of the world so to do so with a band, playing music - we're all feeling very lucky."
The band were back at the South by South West Festival in Austin recently. "We've been before but we had always come and done small shows, little bits and pieces. This is the first time we've done bigger shows. We had a couple with Kasabian which went well."
Where have the enjoyed visiting most?
"We're all suckers for New York. Just from the films, growing up watching all that stuff. There's just something about New York and I think everybody who goes there likes it.
"We were also at Seattle which was cool. We've had a couple of shows up in Washington State which kind of feels like Scotland. Same with Oregon."
How difficult is it for a Scottish band trying to make it in the States?
"It's difficult to get over the first hurdle of getting people to book your band. It's not so much getting them to believe in your band but getting them to believe that you'll go there.
"There's so many bands who are much bigger than us in the UK but when they come to America they're back at square one again. They maybe come a couple of times but going back to the beginning isn't really appealing to them.
"A lot of people here have had those kinds of experiences with bands and are less likely to take a chance on you. They've seen it so many times, bands who say they'll come but it ends up they don't.
"So there's that but from the point of view of your music, if somebody's got a good song it doesn't if you're from Scotland, Mexico or wherever. A good song's a good song. Hopefully we've got good songs and people like them."
How did Twin Atlantic get from playing pubs gigs to touring the States?
"I don't even know how we got here. We never really think about it much but there's little moments maybe when you're on the bus and you look at each other and think, 'This is amazing'.
"We honestly slogged away for three years for absolutely nothing. Just going at it. I suppose if you just keep going people will be bullied into liking you.
"Me and Barry did driving deliveries to hotels, Sam worked in bars and Craig had a job in B&Q. We just basically worked as hard as we could, made as much money as we could then we'd hire a van and go away playing for a few days, just anywhere that would have us. In pubs and all that stuff.
"We did that for a while then slowly but surely we started to get better things. I think people could see you were willing. It's not everyone who gets the chance to turn that into what we're doing now. It was a lucky combination of things I think."
The band are returning home to play a tour of Ireland and the UK then are heading back to States before coming back to play festivals including the main stage at T in the Park.
"We don't have any time off so we're writing our next album as we travel around. We'd like to record it in the second half of the year.
"The schedule gets tiring but you ask yourself if you'd rather be doing this or what we were doing before and you're automatically not tired.
"We've been going to T in the Park for so many years it's a dream come true to be playing the main stage. We used to go there to watch bands with our friends, then we got one of our first breaks when we got to play the T-break tent.
"It's great for us to have gone from the smallest tent a few years ago to the main stage. We'll be pinching ourselves before we go out."
This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 04 Apr 12
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