that might be the worst thing you can ask
[Music]
hi there it's Sarah Champion backstage at the Isle of Wight Festival in georgetta's dressing
room how are you sir yeah does it live up to any expectation were there any expectations I
was having a little look around seeing what's on your Rider booze in the corner yeah there's
a lot of water which is needed yeah today um but great to have you back on the island thank
you for having me to talk to me now well you've only been on the we've only been on
site for about an hour oh is that right yeah okay and how did you get here was it Chopper
someone I was in the pub the other day and someone I never I'd met them at the pub and they were like
I'm throwing a party so I was like oh okay they said you should come I said when is it and they
said Oh I said oh unfortunately I'm going to be the Isle of white right he said the wheel
of Ranger helicopter for you I said I don't know how could this party is that you're throwing but
we're not doing it oh no we're not so you came over on the ferry we came over on the ferry yeah
okay but yeah also we came over on the ferry last night we stayed in a hotel down the road
I went down to the little beach near there today went for a little stroll got onto site
um and we were saying different festivals you know because the things that change are more
often the things out front you know that you might get a new stage or the layout might be
different but the backstages are often the same like you're always the same and some of them
come right back to you and this is just always been the same it doesn't matter where you are
really it's not a negative thing it's all this nice well last time you were here at the Isle
of Wight Festival uh you had your leg up in the air yeah and you know what I did then for
the rest of the summer so it was the day before we performed I went for a run and
rolled my ankle and it went you know we was like oh twist my uncle it went the size of a
yeah it was huge yeah because you did the cell on a stool yeah yeah I've ended for the rest of the
summer because it was just very weak it felt like any little bit was like ah so but it was
fine it was good fun yeah it was brilliant they don't get me wrong but it's just nice to see in
full health thank you with no bandages I can see that are visible um you're pretty good at marking
anniversaries on your social media I couldn't help noticing so for instance um there'll be a post
saying five years since shotgun was released or I think this this week one year since Gold Rush kids
um nine years since you walked into the radio studio uh where I was to tell me that wanted to
avoid to just gone to number one um amounts happened in that nine years for you George
yeah what have been the biggest kind of pinchmares is actually happening moments I think the it's
an easy question to answer because they are the standout moments and there'll be Festival
performances they'll be your own I remember really clearly the first time playing a festival in
people singing Budapest along you know things like that you can't put a price on them and you can't
then recreate them that can only be the first time that happens and you know everything that happens
between now and then is exciting for different reasons but it's that first record I think
they're the things that stand out yeah the first yeah the firsts of it and the first keep coming as
well because although it may be the first time you play at the Isle of Wight festival for instance it
might be the first time you play on a particular stage and the next time you're back is the first
time that you play on a different stage and right and yeah but they they keep rolling in it's good
I mean what is that like to stand on the main stage as you will be this evening and have 60
000 people singing your lyrics back at you it's surreal you know how you'll hear I'm
sure someone will have said to you before in an interview it's when they know somebody in
the audience that's when they're most nervous yeah yes so you can it's almost the opposite the
the size of these Festival audiences on the main stages they're so
so vast it's hard to get your head around they actually become less nerve-wracking because you're
I don't know and also as someone that grew up going to festivals you're aware that people
don't get me wrong they're there to enjoy the music but it's also people
are kind of like floating through we might stop here for five or ten minutes we might
go around there it's a bit less stressed out by the bins as well so that's that
George has the fans this weekend not only are you co-headed in the main stage this evening you are
big top tomorrow morning are you aware of this no go on tell me should I be aware well maybe
um there's a special screening of your documentary I did know this because someone asked me what the
um like the audio spec was and I was like I said so and I was like I'm really sorry I have no idea
um that's a lovely thing for the Sunday crowd Sunday morning crowd to just you know yeah
there's a few opportunities this summer where we'll be playing the film at festivals it's a
bit of a stroke of Genius to even be invited to do that because it is again going back to
going to festivals you do want those breakout moments of right cool I need to just disappear
it's a nice watch I can say that it really is I mean for the uninitiated by the way
it's uh Lands End generates you and two of your best mates just having an a hilarity in shoes
yeah yeah we walked from London to John o'groves and we meet meet musicians as we go and uh
it's unbelievable yeah it's a lovely thing um how are you feeling about co-headlining the Isle of
Wight Festival of the two I mean at this point just as it's kind of equal nerves and excitement
equal excitement and terrifying honestly right now it's very calm I won't really
be aware of what's about to happen until about an hour before the set
I'm kind of like blissfully unaware and then something kicks in oh yeah
kicking like the actual being able to comprehend what that looks like and it's like oh okay yeah
there's a job at hand um it feels very calm in here I mean do you have a kind of pre-ritual
meditation moment where you just kind of Zone get in the zone no we've been floating around today
genuinely it's just been I wish I could tell you something more exciting
it's like Jameson's in the corner so you know pretending he's not rock and roll but it'll be
that totally thrown out the window in no time you wait um finally I can't let you go George without
um re-asking a question I did ask you nine years ago and you wouldn't answer and I asked it twice
you're very Coy about the answer your band that you're in at school you wouldn't give me the name
of the band yeah you're still not no absolutely not I don't know why on Earth I would hi because
I've seen it like this I'm really worried about that someone's gonna find it on YouTube of course
like it's I'm not even worried about I'm sure people will or have I just don't need to be
spending my time my opportunity talking to you talking about that one when you first said that I
was like oh no what's she gonna rise that might be the worst thing you can ask all on that bombshell
so much for taking the time to speak to us have a great set thank you