IN THE RIGHT VEIN: ROYAL BLOOD

British-based rock duo Royal Blood counts Dave Grohl and Josh Homme amongst their fans. Fresh from their fourth #1 album and worldwide tour, drummer Ben Thatcher chats Back To The Water Below, jamming on a speed boat and heading Down Under this December

Interview by Zara Richards

You’re part of the way through a global tour for Back To The Water Below. Where in the world are you at the moment?

I’m in Portland, Oregon. I’ve got a show tonight. I’ve just woken up from a little nap, just to make sure I’m on my A-game tonight. Tour is going great, I’m having a really fun time out here in the US of A, and we’ll be in Australia very soon. We haven’t been there in a while so it’s quite exciting for us! 

Back To The Water Below is your fourth #1 album in the UK – congratulations! What changed this time when you returned to the studio?

[The album] is quite a progression. Not just in terms of the music but us as people. We’ve come a long way since the third album [Typhoons]. That was written in a dark time for musicians with COVID... so, this fourth one feels free. 

You’ve previously said this album was more enjoyable than the last two and a record you’re the proudest of. Why do you think this record stands out so much for you?

For your first record, you’ve got all the time in the world to write that. And for us, it was almost so successful that we didn’t know how to back it up. We didn’t know how to write another album. And then you’re on a timeframe – you don’t want to be the band that is a flash in the pan. 

A lot of these songs [on Back To The Water Below] came from Mike being at the piano, which is the instrument he started playing before the bass. So, it’s drawing back to what we love about music and how we started playing. There was a freedom in that. Producing it ourselves was nice because we could just go down to our studio whenever we felt inspired instead of beating ourselves up if something wasn’t coming out right. I think this one was just far more enjoyable to make in the end. 

Following three #1 records, was there pressure to surpass what you’ve achieved previously?

Yes. You’ve got to make sure that you don’t repeat yourself and also explore different things musically. Lyrically on this record, Mike has opened up and become quite vulnerable with what he wants to say, whereas sometimes he was hiding behind the music. 

What inspired Royal Blood to place importance on being an exciting live act?

We’re inspired by everything we see. Any band we see, we subconsciously take something from – especially bands we’ve toured with, like Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters and most recently, Muse. Watching those bands every night, you learn lots of things – not just about the gig, but about how to tour and how to stay healthy. [It’s] important to feel good in yourself before you walk onto a stage as well. 

As we’ve mentioned, you’re on tour right now and battling all different time zones. Where do you find the continual energy to perform something so massive?

It’s the crowd. Coming out to play in Australia is fucked, the time [zones] are fucked. But it’s that energy that you get [from people]. You could be having the shittiest day and then you walk out and there are so many people there who are buzzed to see you. That energy just like soaks into you – there’s nothing like it. Australia is one of our favourite places to come. We’ve had a great time out there and have some good memories. 

You played in Australia a lot in the early years of Royal Blood. What are some Aussie shows that stand out for you?

Our first tour away from home was Laneway Festival. I remember playing a gig on a barge in Sydney Harbour, I think for triple j. [Part way through], Mike got off it, went on a speed boat and started doing a bass solo around the barge. That same tour, we were doing an interview with Spotify. They wanted to do it from a Black Ops helicopter. I’m terrified of heights and it was one of those with the door open and you’re hanging in there. They would ask us questions and then drop the helicopter sideways. I wasn’t too great at answering – just fearing for my life. 

The ascent of Royal Blood was fast. When did you know that you and Mike had created something special?

I think it’s the chemistry between Mike and myself. As soon as we start playing together, we bring smiles to each other’s faces, and we try to make each other laugh. Not saying anything and connecting through music is quite a powerful thing. Before Royal Blood, we were in so many bands together, wedding bands and whatnot, since we were 15 years old. So yeah, the rise of Royal Blood was quite rapid, but we were also ten years prepared with the slog of being in other bands and playing to no one. 

How do you think knowing each other since you were 15 influences the duo dynamic?

It’s always friendship first for us. You don’t want to be touring with someone you hate. We’ve been doing this for so long that we’ve learned each other’s quirks and I think that dynamic serves a purpose and lets us do what we love. You’re going to work with your best mate. You want to keep that relationship healthy and thrive off it. 

See Royal Blood at Hindley Street Music Hall this December 19. Tickets on sale now.