Music interview: Apollo Junction

This weekend Apollo Junction are due to add another feather to their cap – by performing at one of the summer’s biggest music festivals on the Isle of Wight.

“We’re playing on Sunday,” says singer Jamie Williamson, explaining the band normally do all their gig bookings themselves. “Isle of Wight was booked by the main promoter himself, he’d listened to us and agreed to take us on which is amazing, we can’t wait, it’s a dream come true, it’s one of those which we’ve always wanted to play.”

The five-piece will be part of a strong Leeds contingent at this year’s festival, with Samuel S Parkes, The Barmines and Clay also on the bill.

On Sunday June 19 Apollo Junction will play at Willowman festival at Knayton, near Thirsk. “We’re on the main stage there in a nice afternoon slot,” says Williamson.

Then on Saturday June 25 they’ll be playing on Rick Witter’s Premiere Stage at Apollo Festival in York.

“We can’t complain, we’re keeping nice and busy,” Williamson notes. “Our sound we think it fits every venue but [particularly] those outdoor stages. After playing Bingley Festival last year on the main stage and hearing what our sound sounds like through such a big PA system to so many people we can’t wait to get out and play some of those songs, and some new ones as well.”

To coincide with their festival appearances Apollo Junction have just released a new single, This Could Be The Day. Williamson reveals it’s a ‘tester’ for the band’s first album, which they aim to complete by the end of this year.

“We’ve started writing a few songs for it and started the recording process and this song just appeared, it came out really quickly, and we thought we’ll put it out and see what people think – and before we knew it Janice Long played it, she’s played it loads of times now on her show on Radio 2, and Graham Norton heard it and played it then BBC 6 Music played it a few times.”

The video was filmed at Leeds Irish Centre. “They very kindly let us in and all the people down there are fab. Now we want to get out there and get playing it,” Williamson enthuses.

The album will comprise “the staples that have been the live set for the past year” alongside new material. “Hopefully we’ll do it in the classic way of having lots of tunes then we’ll pick what goes best as an album,” the singer says, adding: “We like each song to have its own little life and hopefully we’ll show that by it being a heck of a collection.”

Initial sessions were with a dance producer. “Now we’re moving over to The Nave studios, which is where we’re going to do the album, having heard lots of things that have come out of there,” says Williamson.

The band plan to release the album themselves but, says Williamson, they’re “open to options”.

“We’re happy to DIY, we always have been, I personally really enjoy it, the booking side of it, talking to producers, talking to DJs, but, like anything, in order to go as big as we want to be, we have to look at the next steps as well. we’re open to those, it’s just about it being the right thing for us.”

A tour is being discussed to correspond with the album’s release. “The last few shows we’ve done have been fab. To play the festivals then get out and play in a few other cities would be amazing,” says Williamson.

For details on Willowman festival visit http://willowmanfestival.co.uk/

For more on Apollo festival visit http://www.apollofestival.co.uk/