After hearing that SCOUTING FOR GIRLS are headlining the main stage at this year’s English Riviera Food & Music Festival, we wanted to chat to the band and find out more about their relationship with food (we know all about their relationship with music). Read on to find out how a visit to a Michelin starred restaurant ended up in a trip to the local chippy, dream dinner party guests and their gastronomical feast that the lucky guests can look forward to tucking into….

Scouting For Girls need no introduction, you are legends in your own right and have amassed a worldwide army of loyal fans over the years that you've been playing your hits, how does it feel to be headlining the English Riviera Food & Music Festival on May 26th in *sunny Torquay?

That’s the best intro we have ever had! I’m going to put it out there and say this will be the best festival of the summer.

You have 5 albums to choose from (6 if you include the 2021 'Easy Cover' album), how do you go about selecting the tracks for the setlist?

Usually we spend the Monday of the gig week analysing the festivals we’re playing that weekend. Looking at various factors, set length, type of festival, weather, if we’re headlining or not. Then by Friday we’ve just picked the easiest songs to play and throw in a few covers.

I've seen you a bunch of times over the past 5 years at festivals and your own headline shows, what is it about your music that keeps the fans coming back for more?

Mainly punctuality! We will always be on and off on time. But we do try very hard to be the best festival party, singalong band we can be and make the audience almost be part of the band. And I think over the years we’ve got a reputation for that, which is why people come back.

I was watching some of your videos on YouTube recently and can't believe that some of the songs are 13 years old, do you still enjoy performing them live as much as you did back in the 'early days'?

We do. Now we’re at national treasure status and been going for 15 plus years, it means we can throw in a few new songs to keep things exciting and there’s all the back catalog to fall back on.

As you're performing at the English Riviera Food & Music Festival, tell me about your FAVOURITE food?

Pizza! Bread, cheese and tomato sauce.Job done! And it’s usually in a box, so no need for any washing up!

Do you enjoy cooking? If so, what is your signature dish? Any tips for budding chefs out there?

No I eat a lot of Fray Bentos pies! My advice for new chefs would be get into the Michelin star restaurant food! They charge a fortune for not a lot! Then flog you a book about making it, to which you come nowhere near close to the picture in the book and you’ve spent 50 grand on ingredients you’ve never heard of!! Went to one once, had to get some chips on the way home I was that hungry!

Which of the other acts on the bill over the weekend are you most looking forward to watching?

The Fizz! (formerly known as Bucks Fizz) We played with them before, they are absolute legends and it goes off in the mosh pit when ‘Land of Make Believe’ kicks in!

And probably Rebecca Ferguson. As I know she doesn’t live to far down the road from me, so if I’m nice she might give me a lift home.

You're hosting a dinner party, what are you going to prepare (starter, main and dessert)?

• Starter: chicken nuggets with tomato ketchup. Paired with some weak Kia-Ora 

• Pallet cleanser: a mint Magnum 

• Mains: Findus crispy pancakes (other crispy pancakes are available) with chips, beans, and some tomato ketchup. Paired with a can of Tizer.

• Dessert: a trio of puddings. Including a Walls Viennetta, Birds Eye Arctic Roll and a butterscotch Angel Delight. Paired with a can of Lilt (for that ‘totally tropical taste’)

You can't have a dinner party without guests, who will you invite (can be dead or alive)?

• Phill Collins: my favourite artist of all time.

• David Hasselhoff: for the banter and stories.

• Jet and lightning from gladiators: add a bit of glamour.

• Roy and Greg too. But I’ll need to get the trestle table out the shed and the extra chairs out of the loft.

Any plans on the horizon for new music or are you too busy touring the globe playing your incredible back catalogue?

We are currently working on new tunes. We’re on tour with Olly Murs this spring. And hopefully we will tour in the winter all over the globe (England, wales and Scotland)

Lastly, Torquay is renowned for family summer holidays, have you ever holidayed there in the past and if so, any memories that you'd like to share?

I went to the English Riviera power boat festival in about 1993. That’s all I have!

Scouting For Girls headline the English Riviera Food & Music Festival on Friday 26th May, tickets are available HERE

Thanks to James Rowlands (drummer) from the band for sparing the time to chat to us.

*This is in no way a guarantee that the weather will behave on the day, let alone shine….