It’s fair to say that recent Bedford signings Maydays have had a busy 2011 but they have had a particularly busy Summer with live dates all over the UK and recording a single with Bedford Records in the Scottish countryside.  We thought we’d grab them for a quick “Q + A” to find about a bit more about what goes on behind the scenes in the Maydays camp and also see what they have in store for the near future.

Can you describe your sound in 3 words?

Probably not. We struggled for a longtime to describe it in a paragraph.

Who would you say are your collective influences when writing or in the studio?

Most of us love The Band and are very influenced by the them in certain ways but its not very apparent in our music. Maybe bands like The Strokes &The Walkmen are more prominent but rather than set out to sound a certain way together its more a case of individual influences that just happen to create the sound and style we have. And those influences can change depending on what each of us are listening to.

You recently did a UK tour which took you down to London and back – what were the highlights?

Club Fandango in London was class. The Buffalo Bar is nice and small and it was suitable busy. Edinburgh was also great. The Wee Red Bar has a great vibe and the remainder of the night was great catching up with friends. As was Glasgow.

Last Friday you performed at King Tuts which is a pretty special venue in music circles- does your set change for big shows like that?

The usual rules apply – in and out. It’ll be a short 6 (7 at a push) song set. The idea is that you still remember the first song by the time we’ve played you our last.

Has there been a standout moment in the band along the way which has really inspired or encouraged the band?

Probably the Scottish Parliament gig back in July. It brought attention to us and set the ball rolling. Before that it was seeming like it might be quite hard to get people to listen. So yea, that or the Pete and The Pirates support slot from which the organizers for that gig seen us and invited us to play.

Outside of music, what do you guys do in your downtime?

Work unfortunately. We consist of a Yard Assistant, a brewer, a postman, an ocean scientist, a sometimes pipe weld examiners mate and a customary student. Little time for anything else once you subtract the hours of travelling we do to make the band work.

Its currently Freshers Week – the time of year where a lot of people are starting University for the first time and moving away from home.  What would your advice be to any wet behind the ears freshers?

Loans are there to be blown but the trick is to be wise as to how you blow it. See bands, that’s top of the list. Find a good kebab shop and stick to it. Always keep enough money for a public transport journey home. Try to phone your mother once a week…it’ll make her happy.

What is on the agenda for Maydays for the rest 2011?

Writing. And lots of it. Maybe a release of some description before the years out. And gigs whenever possible.

Thanks guys and keep up the good work!

The Maydays “By Appointment To” is out to buy NOW from Bedford Records.