Music Q&A: Darlia

The Blackpool trio are set to play the Festival Republic stage at this year’s Leeds/Reading Festival on 22 and 23 August. Frontman Nathan Day sets out their plans for the summer.

What does playing the Leeds/Reading Festival mean to you as music fans and as a band?

As a band it’s a real honour. I can’t say the same in terms of being a music fan though. I’ve never been before. I’ve never been interested in that side of music.

You ended up smashing a guitar on stage at Glastonbury – was that through triumph or frustration? 

I bought that guitar off eBay a year ago for £70. The first time I played it was when I played music with Dave [bassist] for the first time. It was a symbolic guitar – to break the tone in with Dave at our first ever sessions, then to break it in when we played Glastonbury the next year. It was a symbolic gesture. Now if I’d have smashed my Gibson then I’d be a total idiot.

How important is it for you to capture the live energy when you’re recording?

A record is a piece of art. Playing live is living it out. You’re not going to compromise a piece of art by your limitations – but you’re not going to go overboard and do things that cannot be replicated live. But I see a record as a masterpiece. It needs to aesthetically stimulate in every dimension. I’m repulsed by the attitude of making things sound shit on purpose – in order for it to sound punk or rock. It’s such a dead-end attitude.

Do you use the band as a platform to speak about things that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to share with people?

Are you Derren Brown? Because you nailed it. If I were to talk about things in person, I’d make it ambiguous and vague and yet in a way where it addresses things directly. Music has always done that for me. Melodies genuinely process in my mind as almost a sentence being spoken. I found I could say things in music I couldn’t say aloud.

You can hear Nirvana as an influence but recent single Dear Diary was more pop. Would you agree? 

Dear Diary came out to wipe away the word “grunge”. That was focused on pop. We’re not a grunge band – and we’re not a pop band. Lyrics come as a collection of exactly what is happening right now and maybe a word that’s been stuck with the melody for years. I’m excited for our next single – it’s the new noise.

Lianne Steinberg