Popup Interview

Damien Popup: Probably global warming...and also, action breeds action, you know? There's so much going on all the time, so if you want to stay busy, you can. There are really supportive and clued up djs like Vic Galloway and Jim Gellatly. There are also loads of great bands to keep you on your toes. My Latest Novel are great, The Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit, De Rosa, Galchen -my personal favourites-... I could go on and on. Basically Scottish music came into its own after the punk days and has just kept progressing ever since. Glasgow is obviously at the heart of all that, it's a great place to play your music.

Artrocker.com: How was The Great Escape?

Damian Popup: Well I do like to be beside the seaside n'that. And it was very nice of those lovelies at Artrocker to have us down, but our actual gig was a bit of a disaster. The stage lights had been switched off; we don't know why and didn't know they were even meant to be on at the time. We broke strings, drumsticks and guitar tuners early on in the set, and everyone left before we started to see whoever was playing next door. But we play so many gigs that we can't afford to get too stressed about these things. Shit happens. It was nice to be asked, a great festival and a nice town.

Artrocker.com: Celtic ran away with the league this year, now that Walter Smith and Ally McCoist are in charge of Rangers are we going to see a closer title
race next season?

Damian Popup: No chance.

Artrocker.com: Not many people consider the hardest parts of being in a band...so where do Popup go between sound check and show time?

Damian Popup: To eat, to sleep, to read, to fix guitars -having forgotten before soundcheck that you dropped it walking off stage the night before-. They definitely are the tough hours. I've not managed to get on top of it yet but something happens in those hours that determine how the show's going to go. There's no formula I've stumbled on yet, but I'll work it out one day.

Artrocker.com: You had a song on the last Artrocker Magazine unsigned cover-disc. What was the reaction to that?

Damian Popup: From us? It's always been a nice surprise that Artrocker have chosen to get behind our band. A nice compliment. I don't know about public reaction to that specifically, but it obviously helps whenever you get endorsments from good publications.

Artrocker.com: Where can we expect to see you Popup next?

Damian Popup:All over the place. We "just can't wait to get on the road again..."