Blossoms

When your debut album goes straight to number one, you’ve supported The Stone Roses at Etihad Stadium, where do you go from there? Why, straight to the Waterfront in Norwich, natch! Young indie band Blossoms have left their home town of Stockport behind, and are busy conquering the world with their irrepressible guitar pop. I spoke to lead singer Tom about what it feels like to have a number one album and weird things their fans have given them.

How does it feel to finally have the album out and in the world?

It feels great! We're very excited to be able to now play these new songs off the album live. We feel like we waited just the right amount of time to release the album - we always wanted it to make a big splash.

When did you find out it had hit No.1 and what was that moment like? Is chart success something that means a lot to you?

We found out at Boardmasters festival, and it was a surreal moment. We never set out to make a number one record and it isn't something we got too focused on. We wanted to make a record that meant something to people, but the fact it got to number one does make us very proud and we feel like it belongs there.

What was it like assembling the album, in terms of choosing which older material to include? Did you re-record anything?

We'd released a lot of EPs going into the album so we put the lead singles from them on the album because we felt like they were great tracks that assembled an almost 'greatest hits' half of the album. Then the rest of the new material was written in between studio sessions for the album and our touring schedule from September to December 2015. Because of the touring schedule we built these tracks in the studio as opposed to jamming them first in a rehearsal room.

We always wanted it to make a big splash

Do you have a favourite track on the album?

My favourite track is Honey Sweet. I think we captured a perfect pop song which is something we always set out to do. I saw a fan online describe it as a modern day Heart of Glass by Blondie which I thought was really cool.

You’ve supported pretty much every major indie band under the sun – Kasabian, Jake Bugg, The Charlatans, The Libertines, The Courteeners, The Stone Roses, The Last Shadow Puppets. Did you pick anything up from watching those acts perform?

We definitely picked up something. It's sometimes hard to put specific things into words but I'd say just an added confidence that those bands breathe.

It’s interesting that your influences on one side are quite engrossed in lad culture, and others like ABBA are very pop orientated. When finding your sound was this a balance you considered, because ‘pop’ can be quite a dirty word for rising guitar bands?

Our sound has never been preconceived. We have all these influences but ultimately when we get together and make music it's always been a natural thing. We always wanted to be poppy and catchy, and all our favourite bands managed to capture that without it being frowned on.

I notice when I see you guys live how disciplined/choreographed your show is – you introduce everyone, for example. Is that something you put a lot of thought into?

Not really, no. I mean the more shows we do the more freedom we're all picking up onstage, I think this last year we've really come into our own onstage. As for the introducing it’s just something I've always done, even from playing to 10 people to when we played the Etihad Stadium with The Stone Roses.

You’re very patriotic about Stockport. Did forming/growing up there play a big part in making you who you are as a band and/or as people?

I think wherever you come from does that. I wouldn't say it's bled into the music or lyrics as such, but definitely us as people. We've lived there all our lives, every time we come home from a tour and see the viaduct it's a comforting sight!

You’ve done lots of in-stores recently, and I wondered if you’ve had any particularly touching or funny moments when meeting fans?