It’s no secret Pale Waves are Dork faves. We’ve loved the goth-poppers since day one, and since they’re a bloody hard-working band – playing not one but two sets at this year’s Latitude. Since it’s nearly been a year since the release of debut ‘My Mind Makes Noises’ we grabbed a bit of time backstage with guitarist and singer Heather Baron-Gracie and drummer Ciara Doran to see how things are going.
Hiya Pale Waves, how are you doing?
Heather: Good, yeah. We’ve just arrived at the festival, so it’s exciting.
Ciara: We’ve never been here before.
Heather: We play pretty soon as well.
Ciara: Do we?
Heather: I mean, at three o’clock.
So you’re playing a main stage set AND a secret set, how did that come about?
Heather: I don’t actually know. We just get told, ‘you’re doing two sets today’.
Ciara: I didn’t get told, I just looked.
Heather: But it’s going to be fun because we’re going from main stage to BBC Introducing, so completely different, and both full band!
How has the rest of the year been for you?
Heather: Amazing so far, we’ve done so many great things, like support ’75, then supported Muse, and played like loads of European festivals, a lot of festivals in the UK – just really busy, but also like really productive because we’ve been writing loads. It feels like it’s a constant sort of movement.
Is it ever tiring, or do you thrive on the constant?
Heather: I think it’s a bit of both.
Ciara: You get tired with all the travelling.
Heather: But it’s all part of it, definitely.
And what have been some highlights?
Ciara: Playing the Etihad! We used to go to the Asda which was opposite it when we were in uni, so it’s weird to play there.
Heather: Yeah, it’s weird going in there and stepping foot on stage, in front of that many people.
Ciara: And I went with my Dad to watch the football
Heather: And going to Russia! We got back from Russia like a few days ago, and we played a festival there. I was so shocked by how many people knew Pale Waves.
What are festivals like there?
Heather: It was very beautiful, looked out and there were trees.
Ciara: And a lake.
And what’s the UK festival scene like for you, between the bigger ones and smaller ones?
Ciara: Take it as it comes really the thing about festivals is it’s different every time.
Heather: With shows and stuff, you can sort of get into the same routine pattern because venue sizes are very similar.
Ciara: Arena tours – everything’s the same, but this is something different every day.
The secret sets like today must give that a nice variety.
Ciara: We love a little show, little shows are fun!
Heather: Very intimate.
What’s the rest of the year looking like?
Ciara: We’re just going to try and record an album.
Straight into an album, as opposed to doing another EP?
Heather: I think so, that’s kind of what it’s looking at right now anyway, diving deep into the second album.
Ciara: The second album needs to be really good, so if we don’t take the pressure off with an EP we can really focus on the writing and the album.
Have all the experiences you’ve gone through influenced it?
Ciara: We’ve been writing since we finished the last album.
Heather: Yeah, I feel like it needs to be some sort of progression. So we’re being mentally aware of that and seeing what we could’ve done better on the first album, and getting more creative.
Taken from the September issue of Dork, out now. Order your copy below.
Words: Steven Loftin
