A Christmas catch-up with Dog is Dead

Questions from our Lou.

It's 16 months since I met you in the bar at London's Lexington before your first sold-out gig in the capital. How've you been?

Very well thank you! Keeping ourselves as busy as possible

You must be very proud of your first album, All Our Favourite Stories - the Guardian gave it 4 stars and called it 'solid gold indie pop'. Did you find it easy to translate the songs you'd been playing live into album material?

I wouldn't say they were all easy to translate but some of the songs off AOFS were nearly 4 years old, eg. Glockenspiel song, so we'd had plenty of time to iron out any difficulties we came across when putting the songs on record.
 
In 2011 you told me you were ambitious, and you've proved that with your rise from local Nottingham heroes, to a nationally acclaimed band with a massive fan base. What's next for Dog is Dead?

Well we're pretty restless. We've started writing again and in the new year we're setting off on our first European headline tour!

  
What's been the highlight of 2012 for you so far?

Personally I'd say my highlight of 2012 was playing at Reading and Leeds, we've been going to the festivals as punters since we were 16 so they hold a place in our hearts. The turn out at our shows was unbelievable as well!
  
You still seem very active on Twitter, and your fans are too. Do you think that this easy communication has contributed to your success?

Twitter is a great way for bands to interact with their fans. We like to keep people up to date with what we're doing and where we are. It's nice to chat to them too.

Who were you backing to win the Mercury? 

I'm going have to say Alt J. One of our friends at Leeds Uni got me into them early last year. The sound is hard to put my finger on and I think they have an off kilter approach to some aspects of the music they make which I find interesting.

Have you found time to go to any gigs, other than your own, lately?

We go to a lot of gigs when we have time off in Nottingham, which isn't that often.  I saw Haim the other week, they were awesome.

Any nice plans for Christmas?

Going to spend it at home I think. A quiet one for sure.

Dog Is Dead tour dates:

February 2013

22 February                   Oxford                           Academy 2

23 February                   Gloucester                    Guildhall

24 February                   Cardiff                           The Globe

25 February                   Norwich                         Arts Centre

27 February                   Portsmouth                   Wedgewood Rooms

28 February                   Preston                         53 Degrees

March 2013

1 March                        Nottingham                   Rock City

2 March                        Hull                               Fruit

3 March                       Sheffield                       Queens Social

6 March                       London                         KOKO

7 March                       Manchester                  Sound Control

8 March                       Stoke                           Sugarmill

 You can BUY TICKETS HERE  

To get you all in the festive spirit, Dog Is Dead have recorded a cover of Sir Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmas time HERE

SINGLE – ‘TEENAGE DAUGHTER’ – DECEMBER 17

Louise Neilan spoke to Trev and Rob from Dog is Dead before their headline gig at the Lexington in London (13/07/11) HERE

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