Interview: Foals

MUSIC is full of fads and phases and every few weeks there seems to be a new "flavour of the month", whether it be The Courteeners or Scouting for Girls. Things change so fast, I'm always left wondering how many of these bands will be around in a few years.

One band currently getting name-checked in Corrie and having matey sessions with Colin Murray are Foals – but singer Yannis Philippakis, himself named in NME's 2007 Cool List, hopes the band are not seen as a passing one-trick pony.

"To be labelled a 'singles band' is almost a dirty thing to say. We just want to be seen for the band that we are.

"We don't feel like a 'one-song band' because we put the same effort into all our songs."

These are fighting words, but then this is an unorthodox outfit.

"They didn't even start as a normal band, but as a project for a bunch of friends to get together and have fun with and a random word to describe it.

"When we started, we weren't really a band and Foals was a word to describe what we were doing – it was like 'We're going to do some Foals stuff' and we knew what that meant."

And from an unconventional start, the band have retained their experimental nature and they have been careful in their choice of record label to ensure that they can keep trying new things.

"Transgressive were the most enthusiastic of the labels that approached us but also we get to keep full control of what we do – they're not a carnivorous animal looking to destroy our stuff, they're not trying to change what we're doing. They're a small company and they relate well to us.

"They act as like a buffer between us and the more hostile elements of the industry."

Currently, with their popularity high, it's an industry that is far from hostile to the five-piece from Oxford.

Already having featured on Skins, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and Later With Jools Holland, the band are current favourites of Radio One's Colin Murray with whom they recently did a live session.

According to Philippakis, the band will continue to experiment musically, but are equally happy with mainstream recognition.

"This kind of mainstream support can be important.

"However different we want to be, we still want to be heard as widely as possible. National radio and media is an incredible resource and to have support from within that is amazing and we really appreciate it.

"I've seen so many bands that could and should have made it but didn't – bands that have changed my life but are still making frothy lattes and pizzas for people that don't appreciate it.

"We see ourselves as lucky in that way, definitely."

A higher profile tends to mean higher-profile friends and, when things go awry, higher-profile brawls: in July news of Foals and Kaiser Chiefs pitching in to break up an attack on Bloc Party's Kele Okereke in Barcelona and Philippakis's subsequent arrest was media gold.

Understandably, the singer is getting tired of the whole episode.

"I can't say much that I haven't already said really. But when you see your friend getting beaten up, you just jump in – anyone would."

With latest album Antidotes having reached number three in March and the band embarking on their biggest tour to date, the band are riding a wave of growing popularity and they hope that their live show can keep their star rising.

"It'll be a visual spectacle. I always enjoy seeing people like Bowie and Bjork as there's a fantastical quality about the shows, so we try to bring a bit of that and there'll also be physical contact, primal energy and loud, loud music!"

Foals play Rock City on Tuesday September 30. Tickets are £13.50 from the venue or by calling 0871 2200 260.

STEVE HAINES