Undoubtedly at the forefront of British Rock, You Me At Six have certainly excelled themselves, aged only 21-22 the pop-punk sensation have taken the UK by STORM, breaking into mainstream markets, touring the world and playing alongside some the worlds most well-known bands. I interviewed Guitarist Max Helyer to find out more about their success.5 years ago did you ever anticipate how successful the band would be?
We never expected anything really, we wanted something to do in our spare time and music was something we were very fond of and enjoyed. To go from practicing in bedrooms and cheap studios to being a full-time band touring the world isn’t really what you expect when you start a band. The way I see it as is when you start a band you don’t think about being the biggest band in the world, you just want to concentrate on writing good songs that you enjoy and being a good musician.
At what point did you realise your music was being accepted in the mainstream market?
To be honest I’m not even sure, I would say when radio started playing our songs at daytime. To hear your song on the radio being played next to people like Rihanna and Lady Gaga is when I started to think is our band branching out into the world of people who wouldn’t normally listen to our style of Rock music. But then you don’t know really it could be classified mainstream before or after then, everyone has a different opinion of mainstream and what it is.
Who has been your favourite band(s) to play with and why?
My favourite band we have played with is Paramore, this is because of their attitudes towards the daily lifestyle of being in a band. You have fun but then you have to realise when you are on tour it is pretty much your job and you have to be sensible at times and look after yourself. They are also an incredibly tight live band and really make a show. We learnt a lot from touring with them for our own personal benefit of being musicians.
Where has been your favourite place to play and what has been your favourite ever show?
My favourite place to play outside of the UK is Melbourne Australia. That place is so magical and every time we have been there the shows have been off the hook, probably the biggest crowds we have played to outside of the UK. My Favourite show ever was when we played Main Stage at Reading festival in 2010. We must of played to over 30,000 people and the view from stage was nuts. Before we went on it was pissing it down with rain and we thought great just our luck you know, the biggest show we have done and its raining, but the rain went and the sun came out and just made it more of a memorable moment.
Do you ever get stopped in the street?
Yeah weird to say but recently I have been stopped a lot more time just going out round the shops and hanging out with my mates. It’s not a bad thing at all though, just means that our music is now reaching more people and they want to feel part of the band which is rad. We always have time for people as well that know us, and we try and not make it awkward also.
What is the weirdest thing/comment you’ve ever received from a fan?
Well the weirdest thing we have ever had was recently on our last tour in the UK in Birmingham, someone decided to make a You Me At Six 2013 calendar of naked men and decided to print pictures of our faces and put them on their heads, we found this rather amusing but we won’t ever release a calendar like that. We have also had some very random comments from fans but some of them are far to rude to even say.
Are you pleased with the responses from your new single ‘No One Does It Better’?
Yeah definitely, at first it was a bit hard because it’s different to what we have done before and people weren’t connecting with it as easy as our other songs, but after time it seemed like everyone was getting into it more and it now has achieved things we weren’t expecting like getting us on the B list on Absolute radio, we are the only rock band to even be on the playlist there so hopefully we are doing something right.
Have you got any festivals lined-up up for the summer?
Yeah we have got Download festival in June and we are headlining the Second stage which is madness, and then we are also playing Reading and Leeds festivals this year on the Main Stage again. We are also doing a few shows with Coca Cola for the Olympics and we get to play Hyde Park the day before the Olympics start.
You created the ‘world’s first rollercoaster single’ for Thorpe Parks ‘The Swarm,’ have you been on the ride and what did you think of it?
