"Ah fucking hell I've just electrocuted myself." Wolf Alice might paint a glamorous picture - jet-setting across the world on tour, receiving a Mercury nomination for their debut album My Love Is Cool and generally nailing the alt-rock aesthetic - but today, at 3pm on a bright, crisp afternoon, Theo Ellis is yet to open his curtains.
To be fair, the bassist has earned a few days off. Since Wolf Alice broke into the world of music with their debut EP, Blush, two years ago, the band's collective feet have barely touched the ground. They've toured extensively, made waves over festival season, and attracted critical and commercial acclaim.
We've caught him on the phone in the midst of a panicked attempt to clear up his flat ("Sorry if I sound out of breath, my girlfriend's coming over and I'm trying to tidy) to talk fame, awards and his love of Eagles Of Death Metal. (The conversation takes place, of course, before the tragic events that unfolded during EODM's Paris gig this weekend).
Gigwise: What have you been doing today?
Theo Ellis: In all honesty, I woke up at 1, and I've been playing Xbox. That's probably one of the more depressing things I've said as a 23 year old but I've been on tour for so long that I actually don't think I mind any more. I've also just realised since you rung me that I haven't turned any lights on in my flat, so that's kind of disgusting as well. I've kind of just been in the darkness all day. It's real 15-year-old boy syndrome going on right now. I'm not doing well am I?
What game were you playing?
Grand Theft Auto. I'm so sure it's responsible for so many of my... the way I perceive what reality should be, but... it's fine, I'm gonna ignore that.
Anyway, congratulations on the Mercury nomination. Did you know before it was announced that you'd won - sorry, been nominated?
Yeah no I know we've won already, I can tell you. *laughs* No, we didn't really know anything until just before it was announced, it's a bit of a blur. We were in San Diego, towards the latter half of our last US tour, and by that point all our minds were so frazzled, I think we'd just forgotten about that even being a thing that's happening. It was obviously one of the most overwhelming things when our manager did tell us, we all fucking freaked out.
We've kind of been celebrating everything that's happening for about three months, so we could do without any more reasons to celebrate I think. Too much celebrating. I'm always celebrating.
So you're hoping you don't win then, obviously. It'll be too much for you.
Fuck that, no, I really do want to.
Have you listened to the other nominees much?
I've listened to Jamie xx's album, which I think is amazing. That Gil Scott-Heron record he did is still one of my favourite albums ever, and I think this solo record is also just as interesting and creative. Our bass tech was telling me I should listen to Gaz Coombes' record yesterday. I love the Slaves boys, because I think they've just naturally got loads of energy, and they're mates as well. I went round to Laurie's house the other day and got a tattoo and had some risotto with him.
So if Wolf Alice don't win, who would you like to win?
I just want music to win. I don't, I want Jamie xx to win.
Are you still enjoying playing this album live, or are you already looking towards new material?
We're sending each other ideas already, and we're really quite itchy to get into recording some new material properly. We're not gonna make a point of going away and hunkering down and working on some completely different second record, I think we want to get new music out as quickly as possible.
You're not going to do an Adele then, and disappear for five years?
No because, I can tell you why, we're not fucking massive. She's literally the biggest... I was reading some statistics the other day, and I was like, 'Of course she went away for ages, she's done everything. She's No.1 in every country.' What a legend.
I assume you've listened to her new song?
Literally no idea what it sounds like, haven't listened to it at all. I definitely should listen to it, but I have more respect for the fact that she can just do... She doesn't even fucking play gigs! She can do whatever she wants. No-one can do that.
People are holding her up as an example of why you don't need constant Twitter and interview exposure - but she's surely the exception.
She's an anomaly that holds up most of the music industry financially, signed to an independent label. She literally can't be used as an example - you know what, we'll fuck off from Twitter and Instagram and see how well we do. Not well, I can tell you now.
You guys aren't quite as big as Adele, admittedly, but you have become pretty big in the past year or so. And there always seems to come a point when a band becomes big where they suffer, not exactly a backlash, but they start to be...
Hated? People are bored of them. There's so many sponsored posts on the internet, and there's so many fucking singles being released off the album that you're like, 'Go away. Do something else. Change your hair'. Have we got to that point yet, is that what you're asking?
Sort of. And also whether there's people who were fans of yours when you were less big and now think, 'They're too popular'.
Probably. The strange thing about fan culture these days is you're almost possessive over members of the band and the band's actions. Because you have Twitter you have a direct line not just to the band but to individual members. When I was a kid I'd be like, 'Ah shit, they're that big now'. Because we've had radio play and certain things, it would mean that we are quite widely known, but I think it's the wrong mentality to take if you do start to dislike a band because they're getting big.
That's like saying, 'I don't like carrots just because I don't like carrots, because everyone eats them'. That's the worst analogy I've probably come up with for music in the world.
What's the best gig you've been to recently?
I went to see Eagles Of Death Metal at The Forum. It was fucking amazing. Brilliant. Genius. Five stars. Did Gigwise review it? Can I review it for Gigwise? Rat Scabies from The Damned came out and played 'Brown Sugar'. It was amazing. It was great. Jesse Hughes is just the most enigmatic and engaging frontman. I was swooning a lot. I was very high up on the balcony, but I was still swooning.
Do you get recognised when you're out and about at gigs and elsewhere?
Ummm yeah, sometimes. It depends where you are, it's a lot easier to get recognised at like a Swim Deep gig, but... Nowadays, slowly, a bit more, like when I'm out drinking in Camden or somewhere, but it's by no means proper fame. Someone saying, 'Can I have a selfie?' while you're in a pub isn't like getting chased down the street. It's no infringement on my everyday life at all.
Good. We'll catch up in a year or so and see whether that's changed!
I highly doubt it will have changed that much. But yes, we'll catch up in a year. On that note, I'll see you in a year. On this very day. It's a date.
Wolf Alice's debut album, My Love Is Cool, is nominated for a Mercury Prize. The winning album will be announced live on BBC this Friday (20 November).
Next year, the band embark on a massive UK tour. See full dates below, and get tickets and more information here.
Fri March 04 2016 - BELFAST Mandela Hall
Sat March 05 2016 - DUBLIN Olympia
Mon March 07 2016 - STOKE Keele University
Thu March 10 2016 - MANCHESTER Academy
Fri March 11 2016 - NORWICH UEA
Sun March 13 2016 - OXFORD O2 Academy Oxford
Mon March 14 2016 - PORTSMOUTH Portsmouth Pyramids
Wed March 16 2016 - GLASGOW Barrowland
Thu March 17 2016 - YORK Barbican
Sat March 19 2016 - LEEDS O2 Academy Leeds
Mon March 21 2016 - FOLKESTONE Leas Cliff Hall
Tue March 22 2016 - BRIGHTON Dome
Wed March 23 2016 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Thu March 24 2016 - CARDIFF Cardiff University Students Union
Sat March 26 2016 - LONDON O2 Forum
Sun March 27 2016 - LONDON O2 Forum
Mon March 28 2016 - LONDON O2 Forum
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