Meet The Milk.

the milk at brownstock
Although music festivals make for some pretty damn amazing locations for outfit photos, there is obviously the music part of the weekend to contend with. There were plenty of artists on my "to see" list that I managed to tick off (I'm talking Mark Ronson and Benga), ones that I will see as many times as it is legally possible (erm, hi Fratellis and crème de chèvre, I'm not creepy, promise), and then there's one that I tweeted about six months ago to ask if they'd be playing the festival again. I planned to see locals The Milk for the third time the moment they were added to the line up, and was lucky enough to sneak backstage to have a chat with frontman Rick and lead guitarist Dan before they graced the Brownstock stage on the Saturday afternoon.

the milk brownstock 2013

I first saw you at Brownstock a few years ago, and you've been back a few times, is it the local crowd you come back for?
We played it twice as an unsigned band, and four years ago, after a promotor saw us at a gig in Chelmsford, we came back with a record contract. It helps that we live locally, of course, and homecoming gigs are always going to have the best crowds. We're friends with Mat [DJ/Promotor] and he really looks after the artists, which is a bit different to V, the bigger local festival. We've played V twice, and the atmosphere is so different; it's amazing to come and play a homecoming gig to a massive crowd with the added credibility of playing a bigger festival, but when it comes to the big versus boutique festival debate, we firmly side with the underdog. It might surprise you to hear that one of the best gigs we ever played was in Hull! Brownstock's great because you get your friends and family hanging around backstage, and it's my nephew's first festival. V's good, we used to rent a flat in central Chelmsford and could hear it from the back garden, but Brownstock is a real contender.

the milk brownstock performance


Do you ever change your set for a local crowd?

Not really; we play what we want to perform, which is a mixture of new and old stuff, because the crowd's not going to be interested in listening to something if you're not into playing it to begin with. It's 45 minutes of playing to both fans and people who've never heard of you before, so it's more like a musical experience Telling a story? Nah, more like working your way through a musical piece - ranging from fast tracks to ballads. It's a set, not a story, but there is definitely a beginning, middle, and end.

brownstock artist interview


If you're playing new tracks, will your next album be similar to the first? I love the gapless nature of "Tales from the Thames Delta", which joins tracks with Greater Anglia voiceovers and ring tones, any intentions of doing more of the same?

It's still the same kind of sound, but we're not going gapless again. That first album was a bit like a DJ mix of everything one after another, but now we're making moments. That technique was drawn from the soul music we listened to a lot at the time, and the idea behind it was that you listen and you keep going through the whole album - a bit like a live show, really. It maintains that level of energy throughout. The recording was pretty old school, we did it all in one take rather than play separately. We did it in this medieval barn with stone walls, resulting in a sound that isn't too clinical or sanitised; our producer did say it was full of "happy mistakes" and we loved the little imperfections. It's more a show of being musicians than getting it perfect every time.

the milk interview 2013

And, as musicians, does that mean you don't get the festival experience any more?
We played Glastonbury on the Friday this year, and just said that we weren't going home. After finishing our gig on the Left Field stage we had the rest of the weekend to explore the rest of it - the perfect Glastonbury experience. Billy Bragg had asked us to play, and that's a pretty good start, so we made the most of our weekend.

the milk tales from the thames delta


The Milk's first album is currently available on iTunes (and is one of my most played), and click here for more of my Brownstock coverage.
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Be like the bluebird who never is blue.

Closet mirror print dress: c/o Stylistpick. Denim jacket: aunt's. Satchel: Brit-Stitch. Shoes: mum's. Necklace: vintage. Lipstick: Topshop Mischief (sadly discontinued).

Do you ever put on an outfit and think of a blogger immediately? Well, I do. Every time I wear my circle skirt I think of j rox, something that involves clashing colours is certainly a Lucy speciality, Carven brings Kristabel to mind, and I always remember Amy's smock dress phase/obsession when I put mine on. When I opened the box this dress was packed in, I immediately remembered Olivia's post, which I described to her as "the pastel Brighton one with the ladylike dress". I may not have been Brighton-bound for this post, but one afternoon trip to Hylands Park with my mum mid-September did mean that I had an excuse to wear something a little more fancy than my current jeans and t-shirt uniform, and I'm never one to pass up an opportunity to get dolled up (even if it is just for a cup of tea).

Tonight I'm headed to the wharves of East London for a gig (no surprise what I'll be wearing) as it's been far, far too long since I saw live music. The rest of the week will involve a lot of dancing as I pretend to be a fresher tomorrow and then get to see my best blogging chums this weekend in Birmingham. Come Sunday evening I'll be cowering beneath my duvet claiming all I need is a good book and a hot chocolate. Well, at least until I'm told otherwise.
22 Comments

Stop the world I wanna get off with you.

Stop the world I wanna get off with you.
carnaby street sign
tesco boots
fickle tattoos
Stop the world cos I wanna get off with you
Stop the world I wanna get off with you
london autumn ootd
Stop the world because I wanna get off with you
Striped tee: £7, H+M. Shorts: £69, Carven via Cricket. Leather jacket: The Kooples. Boots: £25, Tesco. Navy panama hat: £26, Urban Outfitters. Necklaces: Elsie Belle and vintage. "Ship happens" temporary tattoo: c/o Fickle.

Navy, stripes, and leather? I really am taking this autumn dressing to heart. I wore this ensemble for a trip along the central line to meet Charlie (her blog is wonderful and full of impeccable styling, definitely worth a click through!) for a wander round the shops and a bite to eat, before a night in with several episodes of Gossip Girl, ice cream, and pink wine - all in all, I make that a good day!

You may have noticed something peeking out of my sleeves... Don't worry, I haven't actually got a tattoo as I can barely make my mind up for a week, let alone make a decision about something so permanent, but it's one of Fickle Tattoo's temporary offerings. Warning: they don't like being rubbed against leather (hence why mine's come off slightly), but we wore them out on Saturday night and I've been told that my friend's is still going strong. I got mine off completely with a little of my make up remover's persuasion, so there's nothing to stop you inking (or, erm, dampening your skin) up. And I have to quickly mention these boots as, on their first wear, I managed to walk a fair amount of soho, then a trip to Westfield without so much as a blister or sore ankle - not too shabby for a teeny £25, is it?
17 Comments

Hello, I'm Rebecca: social media exec, new-ish coffee drinker and loafer-wearer.
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