Music

Everything Everything on Reading Festival, success and keeping weird

Everything Everything are a bunch of nice guys making weird music (don’t worry, the last part they admit themselves).

Last week I popped down to Denmark Street for a little catch up with the band, who have just announced a pretty epic competition in partnership with Relentless’ Here to Be Heard. If you’re an unsigned band, check it out. It’s a search to find the next big band or DJ, judged by Everything Everything (they’ll also be mentoring the final five). The prize – if you’re lucky enough to win it – is a slot at Reading Festival.

Everything Everything talk Reading Festival

What are they looking for? Alex Robertshaw simply wants someone, or something exciting. Jonathan Higgs explains, “there’s stagecraft, there’s songwriting, there’s performance, there’s attitude.” It sounds like there’s a lot going into the judging.

And the prize? Everything Everything played the BBC Introducing stage at Reading for their first festival show. Jeremy remembers seeing Zane Lowe in the crowd and talks about that performance as “a turning point as a live band.” “They’re something else, the Reading crowd” he adds.

Everything Everything are no strangers to being starving artists. Michael recalls sleeping on friends’ floors and surviving just on riders. They ate a lot of Quavers, apparently. Now, as a successful band, they are still focused on the music. It’s a “balancing act”, Jeremy explains – of making sure they’re evolving their sound but not alienating people. Jonathan agrees, adding that they ask the question: “is it still connecting with people, moving people?”

Michael explains, “music should always be honest”. For them, this means that they can still be “on a big label and be a bit weird”.

Check out our own guide to new talent in London, Ticketmaster Rising.
Get tickets to Everything Everything’s UK tour or Reading Festival.