Interview: Alias Kid talk latest festival announcement

Alias Kid are set to make a return and play their first festival of the year at Enjoy Music Festival, Aberdeen. The event will take place on Friday, 1st June and will see a huge array of artists come together for a weekend of fantastic music and entertainment at Hazlehead Park.

Alias Kid have gone from strength to strength throughout their already shining musical career, having been signed by music mogul Alan McGee on their 3rd ever live gig. Not only are they the only band from Manchester signed to creation since Oasis, they’ve also been handpicked by a huge array of fantastic artists to support them on tour, including The Happy Mondays, Black Grape, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Sleaford Mods & more.

After the successful release of their debut album Revolt To Revolt, and having already been chosen as head support for a massive array of bands including Black Grape, The Enemy, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Sleaford Mods and The Happy Mondays, the band have also completed their own successful headline tour and are currently recording brand new songs alongside producer Dan Broad (The Happy Mondays) which are set for release in 2018. A band not to be missed! For now check out Smoke and Ashes below!

We managed to catch up with Maz from Alias Kid as he talked about the upcoming festival and more!

So how proud are you to be announced for Enjoy Music Festival?

We’re all glad to be getting back to Scotland – it’s always top up there no matter what city you’re in. This time we’re going in summer which will be good; last time we went to Aberdeen it was about minus a million degrees. Looking forward to mixing with a load of drunk Scots after the set too.

Do you prefer playing festivals to live music venues?

Yeah you’ve got to right? Gigs are top but with a festival you finish the set and you then just knock around for a couple of days watching other bands, getting pissed and having a laugh. Can’t really argue with that – it’s like going on holiday.

How has Alan McGee signing you, made you the band you are today?

McGee sets the bar high for obvious reasons. He’s a top person to have in your corner – loyal and supportive to us and always has our backs. When you have that belief behind you then you can be free to do what you want musically. Too many bands in the mainstream are just contained by their labels – that’s why there is such a glut of bands doing the safest and most meadiocre rock and roll in history. I am pretty sure none of them could even say something like that in an interview without running it past Mr Label Boss. So when we have McGee we have support, wisdom and freedom – you can’t buy that as far as I can see in the record industry today.

Can you tell us something about your upcoming music you are set to release this year?

It won’t be safe indie pop coming out from us this year. We should have some releases over summer – I personally can’t wait to get some music out there again – it’s been too long. We are looking to do a few singles I think but we are in the early stages so nothing is decided yet.

What is it like working alongside Dan Broad when working on new music?

Yeah we are recording at the moment with Dan from Happy Mondays producing it. He’s a fucking genius with this stuff. I like working with people like that; people who think fast and get on with it. Plus he has top creative ideas and these have helped us to shape a slightly different sound – as I said before it’s not going to be safe indie pop.

If you could work with any band on a new song, who would it be and why?

No bands, just Dr Dre – reasons should be obvious.

Have you got any tour dates lined up for 2018?

Yeah we have some dates set to be announced this year but can’t say much more than that. There will be more festivals and maybe we will get back on stage closer to home too.

What was the first gig you ever attended as a kid?

I went to see Madness in Manchester years ago. They were fucking mental live from what I remember – I was pretty young but I’ve just got this overriding memory of the saxaphone player painted blue being surfed around the crowd on a magic carpet.

What do you get up to in your spare time when not working on music?

Pretty normal stuff – watch football, go out and that sort of thing. Sounds pretty boring now I say it back… I’ll have to up my game so I can give you a better answer next time we talk.