Ahead of the Great Estate Festival which takes place at Scorrier House in Cornwall over the Jubilee Bank Holiday Queen’s extra long Coronation thingy weekend, we chatted to a wonderful band called COLOUR TV. We covered loads of topics including musical influences, their humble beginnings into the world of music and their top three tips to survive a music festival, for all of this and more, read on….

Please tell me about the band, who is in it and what you do.…

Of course! We’re Colour TV, we’re a four-piece. Occasionally we’ll get up on stage and play some music, but mainly we stand around looking the part. Behind the drum kit there’s Sean Goldsmith. On the bass, James Elliott. Jack Yeo plays guitar better than you can. And I write words and try singing them in key.

When did you start your musical journey?

In 2015 my family went on holiday to Denmark but I stayed in England with my step-dad. It was a very pure week – we listened to lots of music, mostly rubbish C86-era indie pop. It left an indelible impression. The straw that broke this camel’s back was going to the local pub to watch his mate, a postman, shyly perform his acoustic songs from behind a pair of sunglasses. It must’ve been August because it was the opening day of the season Leicester City won the Premier League. The sun glittered against Godmanchester’s Great Ouse, Frankie sung these beautiful songs he’d written and it dawned on me that I could sing and write my own songs. Someone else would have to handle the musical side of things.

Luckily, around the same time, far away, the other three were learning their instruments. Their practise and natural talent makes for a better answer to your question than mine.

You're based in Liskeard, do you have to travel in order to enjoy live music?

The other day James saw My Chemical Romance at the Eden Project, which is just down the road. We don’t have to travel, see, live music just comes to us. Liskeard in particular is a thriving hub of social activity, Sungirt Car Park and the Rapsons Arena being just a couple of go-tos.

What style of music do you play?

Energetic guitar music with emphasis on rhythm, emotive songwriting and popish melody.

Who would you say are the band's musical influences?

To rattle off a bunch: the Stone Roses, Pink Floyd, Suede, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Bowie, the Smiths, Hendrix, Bloc Party… There’s no unanimous influence we swear by, other than each other. We influence one another to each create the best part, song-by-song.

There’s no desire to park in a specific genre or to replicate anyone. If we came to be thought of as invoking music of the 90s, we’d go out of our way to create something that comparison couldn’t apply to. I’m going off-script a bit, but “revivalism” is worlds from what we imagine this band to be. Lyrically, if I’m not saying anything fresh or unique, my role feels redundant. We must express life as we live it. Not in a worldly sense – I just want to be true to our surroundings, and for that to beacon clearly not just in my words but in our music.

Do you know what day/time/stage you're playing at the Great Estate Festival?

We’ll be playing the BBC Introducing Stage at Madame Wong’s House of Wrong, 1:15pm on the Saturday.

What can the audience expect from your live show?

Ah, you’ve seen us! How would you describe it? I don’t know, I’ve never been (un?)fortunate enough to be in the audience while we’re on. Apart from a couple times the line between us has blurred.

The bill is looking pretty good for this year, who else would you recommend the festival goers make a beeline for over the weekend?

Southwest Hotel, Haunt the Woods and DJ Yoda.

There seem to be more Cornish festivals popping up all over the county these days, what is it about them that keeps people coming back year after year?

The weather. Keeps them guessing.

Tell me a funny story about a festival/show that you've attended in the past.…

I don’t get out much, but James caught Elvana at Download Festival a few years ago. (The novelty band who cover Nirvana in the style of Elvis.) As they took to the stage a flood of people ran full pelt down the hill to catch their set. That’s a riveting one, I know. Sean saw the Skinner Brothers recently, he was feeling a bit rough/hungover but went out of his way to catch them. They played his three favourite songs as a medley, the transitions all happened right before “the best bit”. To wrap this answer up, last year we were at Boardmasters – the highlight was going back and forth in an open cage attached to the back of a buggy. Sorry, you asked for a funny story didn’t you…

Give me 3 bands or artists that you would like to headline at your own festival (you can choose ANY band/artist dead or alive)

1. Foxhole

2. Amy Winehouse

3. Kurupt FM

Please tell me about any new music that you have in the pipeline and when can we expect to hear it?

We’ve just released a new single, called “Wherever You Need”. It’s a relentless, rampant track that becomes an evermore ambitious soundscape as it plays out. Musically it’s our greatest accomplishment so far, the summary of everything at once – imagine the Stone Roses on hard(er) drugs, informed by a Bowie-ish sexual ambiguity, unravelling into a Pet Shop Boys-style spoken monologue. It’s Colour TV at our most charged and “unforgiving”, as the lyrics put it. I’m turning this round, what do you make of it?

So that’s out now – next month you’ll hear “Pavlova”, a bittersweet, romantic pop song with crunch. On July 22nd our EP “How To Ask” will arrive digitally, the follow-up to last November’s “Is That You” (which you can buy on vinyl from HMV and Rough Trade online). We’re so happy with the way these songs have developed, it’s such a strong record and there’s more to come.

Lastly, tell me your top three festival survival tips?

Tip 1: Bring deodorant. You don’t want to smell like a chemical weapon.

Tip 2: Check out new bands, all your tried-and-tested are past it and will underwhelm you.

Tip 3: Only sleep with strangers you really like (and remember to use protection).

We’d like to thank Sam for chatting to us, always a pleasure and never a chore! If you’re heading to The Great Estate Festival, you can catch Colour TV on stage at the BBC Introducing Stage at Madame Wong’s House of Wrong from 1:15pm on Saturday 4th June. If you’re NOT attending the festival, keep your eyes on their socials for news of forthcoming live shows.

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