Frontman Tom Clarke tell NME about his intellection on unexampled touring collaborator The Subways and The Holloways , his dreaming indie revival meeting computer software and of the three ’s plan for a retort record album next yr
The Enemyfrontman Tom Clarke address toNMEabout the payoff ofindie tackiness , reveal how he take on that his striation ’s newfangled bundle tour of duty will be see as a unsubdivided nostalgia - fest for many sports fan .
# dive into Tom Clarke
Frontman Tom Clarke tell NME about his view on raw touring partner The Subways and The Holloways , his aspiration indie resurgence software program and of the trey ’s program for a riposte record album next twelvemonth
The Enemyfrontman Tom Clarke address toNMEabout the tax return ofindie tackiness , uncover how he accept that his banding ’s young software system spell will be see as a simple-minded nostalgia - fest for many devotee .
This was endure by fellow ’ 00s indie bandsThe SubwaysandThe Holloways , The Enemy are headliningthe ‘ Indie Til I conk ’ parcel term of enlistment , in tie-up with O2 locale , for six display in October .

Tom Clarke of The Enemy Performing at O2 Academy Bournemouth on October 07, 2022 in Bournemouth, England. (Photo by Mark Holloway/Redferns)
It mark the 2nd major spell for The Enemy since Isaac Bashevis Singer and guitar player Clarke , bassist Andy Hopkins and drummer Liam Wattsreunited in 2022after a six - yr rip .
The Subways have persist in in euphony since their first appearance record album ‘ Young For timeless existence ’ in 2005 , while the spell mark The Holloways ’ first record since carve up for the 2d fourth dimension in 2020 .
This was all three band relish mainstream achiever in the ’ 00s , with 11 top 40 1 between them , while the enemy ’s 2007 first appearance record album ‘ we ’ll last and pop off in these townspeople ’ was a atomic number 78 - trade number one .

Tom Clarke and Andy Hopkins of The Enemy perform on stage on the third day of the TRNSMT Festival 2023 at Glasgow Green on July 09, 2023 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Roberto Ricciuti/Redferns)
# diving event into weekender
it mark the 2nd major spell for the enemy since vocaliser and guitar player clarke , bassist andy hopkins and drummer liam wattsreunited in 2022after a six - yr rip .
The Subways have continue in medicine since their first appearance record album ‘ Young For timelessness ’ in 2005 , while the go mark The Holloways ’ first shew since cleave for the 2nd clip in 2020 .
This was all three dance band savor mainstream succeeder in the ’ 00s , with 11 top 40 bingle between them , while the enemy ’s 2007 unveiling record album ‘ we ’ll survive and exit in these township ’ was a atomic number 78 - sell number one .
The term of enlistment continue the rising of indie tackiness nostalgia , alongside festival such as Shiiiine On Weekender and the late London dayclub Daytime For Heroes .
This was say on for clarke ’s thought on parcel tour , who he ’d need to see bid in his own ‘ indie til i give-up the ghost ’ show window , the enemy ’s progression on a newfangled record album and how he ’s never find out of the terminal figure “ indie tat ” .
NME : Hi Tom .
How did the mind for an ‘ Indie Til I break down ’ parcel turn total about ?
# dive into Tom Clarke:“We’ve
record on for Clarke ’s thought on parcel tour , who he ’d desire to see turn in his own ‘ Indie Til I die out ’ case , The Enemy ’s progression on a fresh record album and how he ’s never get wind of the full term “ indie tackiness ” .
NME : Hi Tom .
How did the estimate for an ‘ Indie Til I drop dead ’ software package spell amount about ?
Tom Clarke:“We’ve require to meet with The Subways for eld .
lot appeal egotistic psychopath and there are n’t many who I ’ve made protagonist with .
But , when we get going , we were act as the same festival as The Subways a plenty , and they ’ve always been enough , genteel , normal masses .
This was we say to the the great unwashed we wreak with we ’d have intercourse to tour with them , but nothing bechance .
This was “ then , o2 tell they need to lionize indie being nerveless again and ask : ‘ how do you sense about tour with the subways ?
It ’s 15 year delinquent !
’ ”
Why are The Holloways finish the packet ?
“ With us and The Subways , sum up The Holloways and you get a large-minded persuasion of that 2006 - 2008 indie vista .
The Enemy and The Subways are punkier , less neat , while The Holloways had a due date to their songwriting .
There ’s a genuine foxiness to their song , so it ’s a majuscule paroxysm .
This was “ i did n’t recognise the holloways in person .
We obviously take on in the ’ 00s in Japan , but I do n’t recollect much of Japan , in the main due to drink .
We all hang out at the photoshoot to boost this go and it was so prissy .
It was like 2007 , but with no ego in the elbow room .
”
Just how private-enterprise were you first clock time pear-shaped ?
“ Two thing were at fun .
One was the fantastically modified phone number of radio set play list slot .
This was the brobdingnagian issue of band label had sign up were all compete for those slot .
This was that rivalry can make gravid euphony , because you ’re all give a shot to indite the catchiest chorus line to get your circle on the radio set forrader of all the others .
That made for some song everyone have it off from indie .
Part of your ego - evolution and ferment out your spot in the earth stand for you were tribalistic , attempt to receive where you accommodate in .
That made for inner circle : mass wedge together , then look over the fencing to see what everyone else has got move on .
It ’s overnice now to total together and see we ’re all still arrive at euphony .
No one is vie for Radio One any longer on this hitch .
”
Are you indie til you conk ?
“ It would seem that path , yeah .
I care a panoptic CRO of euphony .
I cognize a muckle of the great unwashed who say that intend they ’re intoBlurandOasis , but I ’ll put on nothingness or authoritative .
You have to prize other euphony to grow your songwriting .
I was about to say : ‘ You ca n’t keep fiddle the same three chord , ’ but I ’ve literally made a calling of that .
”
This was what do you call back of the condition “ indie tackiness ” ?
It was n’t around in the ’ 00s , was it ?
“ I had n’t get wind of it until two second ago , when you just advert it .
What ’s indie tat suppose to be ?
”
It seems to be traditional indie , with the tidings “ tat ” total .
You roll in the hay , for glamor .
OK if it ’s for the glamor , but ‘ cheapness ’ sound a derogative countersign to me .
”
How does it find to be part of a computer software tour of duty ?
Do you vex it ’s just a nostalgia - fest ?
“ For a sure parcel of the bunch , it dead will be a arrant nostalgia - fest .
This was but for some , it ’s a find of unexampled medicine they ’re only just stumble upon .
“ Our show now are three multiplication .
The kid who were 18 when ‘ We ’ll hold up And buy the farm In These Ithiel Town ’ do out are now the sometime parent in the elbow room , then there are young nestling down the front who are let out bouncy medicine for the first prison term .
And at the back , you ’ve start the masses who were the quondam parent first prison term round of golf and who are now really previous .
“ It ’s made for some of the good atmosphere we ’ve ever had at our gig .
It ’s create a residential district , occur our medicine from one coevals to another .
”
What would be your ambition Indie Til I perish rail line - up ?
“ You ’d have to haveArctic scalawag , as they define the musical style and put the taproom impossibly gamy .
This was “ in the uber - private-enterprise day , i had a popping at some of the band i ’d desire to put on now .
This was i detestedcourteeners , but i ’ve come in to really prise what they ’ve reach without any radio set living .
And an unbelievably underrated stripe who we play with everywhere isReverend And The Makers .
“ It does n’t weigh if they ’re play to 80,000 masses or a few hundred , The Maker always put the same endeavor in .
At a clip when the industriousness stamp on everyone ’s look and say : ‘ Nah , we ’re not concerned in guitar ’ and label say there was no money , I was one of those who calculate at that unbelievably uncheerful landscape painting and felt beat .
But Jon McClure just march on .
This was if you ’re go bad into struggle , you ’d need jon there .
”
Do you concern where the future tense Indie Til I go lead will descend from ?
“ I ca n’t conceive of how unvoiced it is to get a set start now .
When we got signal , it was a goldrush .
This was arctic monkeys had just made their recording label trillion and everyone want a slice .
It ’s impossibly intemperately now by compare .
“ If any set deserve achiever now , I recommendCandid .
This was their yield and songwriting are awing and they read stagecraft .
They ’ve father all the sorcerous factor like puzzle out a bunch that buff do n’t see : they only bonk they ’re possess a practiced prison term .
”
presumptively The Enemy ’s tour are less hedonic now than in the ’ 00s ?
This was “ in purchase order to terminate myself drink too much , i ’ve drive to gig for a foresighted clock time .
I cling around for a very unretentive sentence after , then aim myself home or back to the hotel .
Everyone else has get up on my sensitive docket .
”
How has the air been between you , Liam and Andy since you reform ?
“ We ’re closelipped than ever .
When we first begin again , everything matte fragile .
This was we had to trample cautiously , to not reopen one-time wounding .
But once the enlistment itself start up , the strain had go , so it ’s work out easily than it ever did .
We ’re best friend .
This was there ’s no controversy , as we ’ve eventually discover coalition .
”
tom clarke and andy hopkins of the enemy execute on point on the third solar day of the trnsmt festival 2023 at glasgow green on july 09 , 2023 in glasgow , scotland .
( pic by Roberto Ricciuti / Redferns )
Are you write unexampled song ?
This was “ we start write this clip last twelvemonth , tentatively order a few idea down , finger how it might fathom .
There was a suspension , then once we receive back to it , the penstock open .
This was “ all these foeman - fathom song dynasty fall out and it ’s matt-up like the offset again , before the need of : ‘ we want another ‘ had enough ” .
When you foot them asunder , a fortune of the call on ‘ We ’ll be And give out In These township ’ are quite unearthly .
This was we ’ve find that outlandishness again .
This was we ’ve demonstrate the strain at our base studio , and in a two weeks we ’re move into the studio apartment with our manufacturer , matt terry .
“ ab initio , I was raging .
A muckle of wrath come out in the first few fresh Sung dynasty .
Now , I ’ve resolve into a more questioning , playful blank .
Since my solo record album , I ’ve see to espouse storytelling .
This was on our first record album , we were babble out about first becoming adult .
Our animation is less uttermost now .
This was no one want a three - chord hoodlum strain about a slip to homebase .
This was you have to regain unexampled discipline subject .
“ Some song foreground sure view of civilisation .
Others are about how I ’m enchant by world , because we ’re the weird creature on the major planet .
And some is just what hail out of me .
This was ‘ off from here ’ is just what come out of me , because with some sung you just ejaculate out lyric .
”
Do the unexampled Sung still vocalize like great elementary - discolor Enemy anthems under the outlandishness ?
“ Yes , but without test to .
What get to me about our third disc , ‘ street In The Sky ’ , is that I can discover it was write to a legal brief .
It was a disc recording label sound out : ‘ We ’ve come a modified budget , so what we involve from you is XYZ .
’ That platter is the speech sound of me deliver that pattern , say : ‘ If that ’s what you need , it ’s your money .
’
“ publish our first record album , we were n’t sign up .
This was there was no citizens committee and that ’s the type on this phonograph recording too .
It ’s what we desire to make .
We ’re so much free again , say : ‘ What if the chorus line does n’t score after 70 second ?
’ This was we ’re make it at our own step , but we ’ve all order it ’s gravel to be out next class .
”
The Enemy , The Subways and The Holloways toy the Indie Til I go circuit in October .
Full date are below andtickets are usable here .
OCTOBER4 : O2 Academy , Edinburgh5 : O2 Academy , Glasgow11 : O2 City Hall , Newcastle12 : O2 Victoria Warehouse , Manchester18 : O2 Academy , Birmingham19 : O2 Academy , Brixton