Public Service Broadcasting: 'Sputnik' video premiere

Roisin O'Connor
Wednesday 11 November 2015 13:03 GMT
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Public Service Broadcasting at Jodrell Bank Observatory
Public Service Broadcasting at Jodrell Bank Observatory (Press image)

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Public Service Broadcasting have produced the video for their new single "Sputnik", off their second LP The Race For Space - probably the most vibrant track off the record - and you can watch the exlusive premiere here.

They were granted rare permission to film at Jodrell Bank Observatory in Manchester, which suits their sound and narrative brilliantly. Take a look and let us know what you think.

Q&A with J Willgoose, Esq. of Public Service Broadcasting

How did it go opening for Editors in Amsterdam last week?

Playing to other bands’ crowds is always a bit of a challenge, but we like that.. they seemed to respond fairly well to us. We’re a bit odd though, so you never really know how it’s going to go down! Still, playing a song about the Elfstedentocht in Dutch is a pretty good way to win people over.

Where do you source the archive footage for your music?

All sorts of ways but firstly (and fundamentally) via the internet - whether it’s tracking down footage, rights holders, people of interest, phone numbers, anything really. Without the internet I think what we do would’ve been a lot harder. We’ve also had a lot of great help from the BFI who send along long lists of recommended titles when we badger them about specific topics - they’re unbelievably helpful and supportive.

Which artists have you been listening to recently?

I’ve been listening to Francois and the Atlas Mountains a lot, as they’re supporting us on our tour and I wanted to brush up on their back catalogue - Piano Ombre is one of my favourite albums of last year. Besides that I’ve been listening to Palace after seeing them at Green Man Festival - they’re great and definitely going places. And I hadn’t heard Editors’ new album until we were asked to support them so I’ve been catching up with that. It’s really interesting seeing where they’ve gone from album 1 to album 5. Not many bands get to stick around that long - there’s normally a very good reason they have.

What’s your favourite film soundtrack?

Probably Blade Runner. Or 2001. Or Edward Scissorhands. I really liked the very minimal music in All Is Lost, too.

What was your first gig, and what’s been your best so far?

It was a solo show in The Selkirk pub in Tooting and it was terrifying. I owe a lot to Simon Ashley, who organised the free gigs there, for putting me on - it gave me the encouragement to take PSB out of the bedroom and into the live world. In terms of our best gig, it’s hard to say really - we’ve had a lot of very memorable ones. I think in terms of sheer surprise and visceral whack it’s going to be hard to beat our Glastonbury debut in 2013 on the Williams Green Stage. There was a lot of love in the room and it was an incredible feeling.

PSB play the following tour dates - tickets here. The Sputnik/Korolov EP is out on 20 November

26 November – Great Hall, Cardiff

27 November –02 Guildhall, Southampton

29 November – 02 Academy Brixton, London

7 February 2016 – Refectory, Leeds

8 February 2016 - Queen's Hall, Edinburgh Sold Out

10 February 2016 - O2 Academy, Liverpool

11 February 2016 - Rock City, Nottingham

12 February 2016 – OPEN, Norwich

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