Music Q&A:
Wolf Alice

Having built a buzz around your EP releases, did you have any expectations in mind when heading into the studio to record your debut LP?
I think we tried to not have any expectations at all. We were worried it was perhaps an album people weren’t expecting, having been labelled a grunge band, so we were quite nervous. But we knew we’d done a good job as we were all enjoying the album ourselves.

What significance does Angela Carter’s eponymous short story have for the band?
I like the darkness in her writing, the theme of growing up twisted in to a dark fairytale.

The story is about childhood, and childhood themes are evident in your songs – is My Love is Cool a coming-of-age album?
I think it is quite heavy on the subject, yes – a lot of the lyrics were written just as I finished school, or remembering that age and time and how confusing it was, so yeah.

Why did you choose to title a song about female friendship Bros?
To me it’s just a word you call your friends; I didn’t think much about it. Me and the particular friend I had in mind call each other brothers anyway, cause we used to look like ugly boys.

Are you the main songwriter?
I wrote most of the lyrics but we all have a heavy hand in songwriting. It differs with each song.

The band began as a duo between you and Joff. Do you and he lead the band or has it become a more collaborative effort over time?
It’s a collaborative affair, but we are four very different people so we play different roles and bring different things to the table. Joff and I started playing music under the name Wolf Alice but it was a different project, a different band, with different music.

Are you a more natural songwriter, musician or vocalist?
I like singing and I find it easier than playing an instrument but writing is my true joy.

Antonia Charlesworth

Wolf Alice play Sheffield Plug, 22 Sept and Manchester Albert Hall, 25 Sept as part of a wider UK tour.