Unashamedly it's the allure of the Australian
sun that provides the drawcard for Manchurian Peter Turner. He
makes up one fifth of the UK's most recent overnight success story
Elbow, and along with his fellow band members who've been basking
in glory they'll be heading here in March just in time to take
reigns on the V Festival taking place nationally.
An overnight success story 18 years in the making
is the headline to accompany this band's tale and Peter has no
qualms himself in confirming this fact.
"The
Mercury was the big thing, I think it changed a lot of things
for us overnight, I mean it kind of put us up there in the mainstream
a lot more really."
Winners of the reputable Mercury Music Prize late
last year for their album The
Seldom Seen Kid and has literally bought Elbow
back from the 'wilderness' of music making they had been wandering
in.
"It was hard this one cos we were in-between record
labels, we didn't think V2 promoted 'Leaders' very well and we
didn't want to write another album, spend ages on it, for it not
to be promoted and not to sell that many copies.," recalls Peter.
This year's Mercury Prize awarded for their most
recent long player recorded this time through label Fiction has
proven a different story though. It delivers a mix of their signature,
melancholic instrumentation embedded by earnest and at times sombre
lyrical motifs.
A clear favourite this year for judges who were
choosing from an array of bands including acts such as Last Shadow
Puppets, Laura Marling, Estelle and Neon Neon and the success
story doesn't end there just yet for the five-piece who came together
in rehearsals back in sixth form ( equivalent of year 12 in Australia).
They've also received recent nominations for three of the prestigious
Brit Awards, including: Best National Release.
The album has been around just on a year now but
it's still the carrot the band uses to build their fanbase. Peter
considers their swell in crowd numbers an opportunity to educate
listeners in their back catalogue. However he remains realistic
about the effects of acclaim on bands.
"The thing that I think we've all sort of thought
recently, we've always of our four albums always had the critics
really on our side, I think now we're sort of fair game and there
will probably be a bit of a comedown now from you know, critical
acclaim." He says matter-of-factly.
'Grounds for Divorce'
If you thought the band might be quaking in fear
at producing a follow up to their award winning album, Peter thinks
it's likely to be the impetus the band need to retain their status
as one of the UK's most favoured acts.
"We certainly won't put anything out that we feel
isn't up to the standard and better of previous albums which for
us is now four albums.
"The next album we really want to write something
that's a bit better for us, it's just like a bit of a challenge
really."
Another challenge for the five-piece made up of
Guy Garvey (lead vocals) brothers Mark and Craig Potter as well
as Richard Jupp could be their ability to remain passionate after
so long together. Touring, some band members now with family,
the dynamics of the band one would imagine aren't the same as
their fledgling rock and roll years.
However give the band some alone time, off the coast
of Scotland on an island to record their upcoming album which
is what is ahead for them shortly and Peter knows exactly what
he's in for.
"You know we've not really sat down the five of
us and talked about the fun things that have happened, so it's
the five of us hanging out, just having fun, eating and drinking
- just hanging out.
Embarking again shortly on a British tour and then
of course travailing seas to head to our shores, Peter's mindful
of the fact the band remain as tight as they were back in their
initial performances.
"There is no hierarchy or anything like that, it's
just a good bunch of mates all going out doing shows and then
having fun, you know drinking, meeting people, we're actually
really good friends," he says.
Catch Elbow when they perform at V Festival nationally.
Visit: www.vfestival.com.au
for ticket and event details.
Also see them when they perform in sideshows just
announced:
Brisbane: The Tivoli March 31. Tickets available through Ticketek
Sydney: The Metro April 1. Tickets available through Box office
and Ticketek
Melbourne: The Corner Hotel April 2. Tickets available through
www.cornerhotel.com.au.
"The
Mercury was the big thing, I think it changed a lot of things
for us overnight, I mean it kind of put us up there in the mainstream
a lot more really."