Lambrini Girls at Reading & Leeds 2024 on supporting IDLES and using their platform for change
At Reading 2024, Lambrini Girls caught up with NME backstage to discuss their upcoming shows with IDLES, how it feels to be more vulnerable in their songwriting, and why they want to use their platform to incite political change.
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00:00Hi, I'm Liberty from NME. I'm here at Reading 2024 with Lambrini Girls. How are you doing?
00:11Decent. How are you?
00:12Yeah, not too bad. I just caught your set. You guys are great out there.
00:16Thanks for coming.
00:17What was it like to get on the stage?
00:20I think it was good. I mean, we've just come back from America. So we're a bit frazzled
00:26because we came back from America, and the next day we went and played Green Man. And
00:30then that was just like bonkers. And then we had a few days off. And then it was our
00:34mates Hendoo yesterday. So we sent it. And then we woke up this morning and now we're
00:39here at Reading with you.
00:42And then Leeds tomorrow?
00:44Yeah, if it doesn't blow down and flood. Yes.
00:50I feel like 2024 has been a big year for you guys. Like not only did we see you at Glastonbury
00:55and get such an amazing response there, you also did your biggest headline show to date
00:59in London. What's it been like to see all these new fans coming in?
01:04It's been nice, really. It's like, well, thanks, everybody. I mean, it's weird to think I don't
01:08mean like this band's played to like two people in like a 30 cap venue before. So to go and
01:13play, you know, like a sold out show at Scarlet was amazing and really fulfilling. You can't
01:18really ask for much more. And if you did ask for more, I think that makes you a wanker.
01:24So it's really nice. And it's nice to see people connect with the music and mosh and
01:28have fun and enjoy it. I'd say. Yeah.
01:32It was very intense there today. Like you guys were lying on the floor in the mosh bin.
01:36This one hand you a Bible or something while you were there. Yeah. Did I hear that right?
01:40This person like handed me a Bible. And I was like, what the fuck? Like, why have you
01:46handed me a Bible? And they were like, it's a joke. It's a joke. And then I was like,
01:48okay, it's a joke. It was just like a legit Bible. It looked like they just stolen it from
01:51a library. And then I was like, cause it was a joke. I was like, well, I'll say fuck
01:55and you say the Bible and everyone could go along. But I think that'd be very different
01:59if someone like very genuinely handed the Bible, like you need Jesus. So it was, it
02:04was funny. And it wasn't insulting because it was a joke. But if they genuinely handed
02:10me a Bible, I would be very offended.
02:13Still wouldn't be an insult, be a compliment of anything to be honest. Someone was like,
02:17you need Jesus. I'm like, thank you. Very good. I'm doing everything right. People think
02:24I need Jesus.
02:26I feel like it's a weird thing to bring to a festival and just like be carrying around
02:29like that thing isn't light. I feel like you've probably seen some weird things at your shows,
02:33right?
02:34What's like the weirdest thing you've ever seen off the top of your head? Can you think?
02:37Bible. Bible. Bible takes the cake, I think.
02:42I'll actually shout out these two guys. I can never remember their names. I've met them
02:46multiple times. They just come to our shows dressed like fried eggs, just dressed as
02:51fried eggs, egg, like egg men, egg boys, egg boys, shout out egg boys. And they just come
02:55to all of our shows dressed like eggs. And one time I saw one of them in Dublin, just
03:01at like the workman's club, great venue, just for no reason. Wasn't even there for our show.
03:06And I was like, Oh my God, is you egg boy? And he was like, was he dressed like an egg?
03:09No, he was just there in Dublin. And I was like, well, the fuck you're one of the egg
03:13boys. Yeah, but you don't even like speak to them that much at shows. They just turn
03:16up, crack on, if you pardon the pun, and then leave.
03:25Hopefully Leeds can outdo that. I feel like Reading's set the bar pretty high, like we
03:29might have a new champ, but we'll see. It's really good to see you guys playing at festivals
03:34again because obviously earlier this year you did boycott quite a few out of solidarity
03:38with Palestine. Why was it so important for you to use your platform to speak out on issues
03:42like that?
03:45I think with boycotting in general, I think obviously there was, you know, such a massive,
03:53very prevalent, you know, conversations around boycotting and there was so much like, should
03:57we boycott? Should we not boycott? And I think every band, like to be totally transparent,
04:02it is a conversation that you all do have. I think existing in the music industry, which
04:08is an inherently very capitalist industry, means that you do have to really look at how
04:12much autonomy you have over your actions and making sure that your actions align with your
04:17beliefs and values. The targets of boycotts, which were organised by bands, Boycott Barclays,
04:25was amazing to see that much, you know, mass mobilisation and collective solidarity. So
04:30of course, you know, it was something that, you know, you have to participate in. So really
04:35what it does, it raises visibility. I think there's, ultimately, it was about making as
04:40much noise as possible, really, and bringing these issues to the forefront, which it did.
04:44And it was amazing. You'd see it in like the mainstream media. And there was so much coverage.
04:48And I think what that does is it gives the opportunity for people who may not be exposed
04:52to this to learn and educate themselves on what's happening, especially if you know,
04:56a lot of people do want to bury their head in the sand about these things. And if you,
05:00you know, make enough noise that it's unavoidable, it's everywhere you look, then you have to
05:04learn and be like, this is what's happening. So it was really good to see that collective
05:08effort and coming from a community standpoint. It's really cool.
05:13Speaking of using your platform to address important issues or important topics, you
05:17recently released a new single, Body of Mine. What's it been like to address topics around
05:23like gender identity? And have you had any fans reach out for you and sort of say that
05:27maybe it meant a lot to them?
05:30I guess like sometimes people will be like, like with a lot of things when you play people
05:33like, oh, that meant a lot. Or you get people say, I really identified with that. Or sometimes
05:38you'll get, oh, I didn't know about this issue. And now I do, which is amazing. I think with
05:43that song in particular, usually when we sing about like societal issues, it's usually about
05:49pointing the finger at other people like, I'm pissed off about this, I'm pissed off
05:52about this, I'm pissed off about this. But that was more like pointing the finger at
05:56yourself, which I think is arguably a lot more scary, because you're kind of laying
06:01yourself out on a platter and being like, here you go, everyone. Here you go, BBC Radio
06:05Six, have a chomp on this, which is scary, because you know, you feel a bit more vulnerable.
06:09So we don't really play that one as much live anymore. Ironically, when we play it just
06:14makes me feel a bit more dysphoric. And then I'm like, I don't like this. So that that
06:18one is now, that's just like, we slow it in the set occasionally. But there's I think
06:25there's, we were speaking about this earlier. I think it's hard to find a boundary of like
06:29how much you give of yourself. So like a band and how much you like portray of yourself
06:34and present yourself and like what, arguably, what can you give and what also are you allowed
06:39to keep for yourself and like sort of finding that balance is quite difficult. And I think
06:42that's something that we're both like still learning how to do.
06:46I mean, I think I think that varies from artist to artist. Like I think there's a lot of artists
06:52out there who are much more comfortable looking inwards and kind of use music as a means to
06:57do so. But I don't think necessarily maybe you're not that kind of lyricist. But like,
07:04you know, it's something that we don't usually do. And you did it and you did it well. And
07:10I think it was just kind of a part of, I guess, musical growth a little bit as well, drawing
07:16inspirations from different things. So, you know, I think for me, for me, like I don't
07:22write the lyrics. So seeing you kind of expand yourself like that was a really nice, like
07:27a really nice sign of, you know, growth in that sense.
07:32The next song's about croissants. So more growth, more growth on that front.
07:37Do we get a nod to the egg guys? In the croissant song?
07:41Maybe. Do you put eggs? I don't eat eggs. But do you put them in croissants?
07:46I wouldn't say so. But I think it's like a breakfast thing. So it could work.
07:50Croissants and eggs.
07:52Croissants and eggs. I think what would be really funny, actually, is next headline we
07:55do just like lace the floor with butter. Because then everyone's gonna just slip and slide
08:01everywhere. Banana peels.
08:03Yeah, banana peels. That'd be pretty good. Eggs. Banana peels. Yeah. Yes. Yeah, that's
08:12all I've got to say on the matter, really, frankly.
08:15Speaking of upcoming shows, we've got the massive Ali Pali gigs with idols. How did
08:20that come up? How did you find out about that?
08:22I mean, we just got offered it, but we've been banging on idols' door for a while now.
08:27Being like, hey, can we support you? And then eventually I think they were just like, yeah,
08:32go on then. So it'll be really fun. We love idols. And Lily knows the idols boys and has
08:38known them for quite a while. I've been a big fan, always.
08:42Me too.
08:43Yeah. It's really good to see that come to fruition.
08:45And I feel like there's a lot of common ground between you two. I feel like it's gonna be
08:49a really, really incredible show.
08:50Yeah, it's gonna be sick. I think one night it's us, Battles, and then Idols. And then
08:55the second night it's us, Willie J. Healy, and Idols. And I'm excited for that one because
08:59it's gonna go like crazy, screaming. And then Willie J. Healy, who's like, hey, I'm Willie
09:03J. Healy. And then back to Idols, we're like. So it's gonna be like a nice sandwich with
09:07like a little bit of calm in the middle for the mums.
09:11Calm sandwich meat.
09:14You've kind of touched upon it already, but going forward, what's next in the pipeline
09:18for you?
09:19A lot of festivals. Allegedly, not that we're saying that we would, if there was to be a
09:26larger body of work released at some point, it would be really good and amazing. And everyone
09:32would love it. But that's neither confirmed or denied. But just, I mean, we've been writing
09:37some, we have written some more music. We've been trying out a lot of it live. There's
09:42been really nice responses to it. So just ultimately cracking the fuck on and smashing
09:47it as much as we can until we explode, I'd say.
09:51OK, lovely. Thank you so much. I'm going to let you guys rest. I feel you've earned it
09:56after that gig.
09:57Thanks.
09:58Yeah, thank you. Nice to meet you.