London Grammar doesn’t rest on its laurels

YesYou can do a lot in 10 years: study to become a doctor, find and quit countless new hobbies, or finally deal with the stack of books collecting dust on your bedside table. In case London GrammarHowever, they have gone from being teenagers playing music while at university to becoming one of the UK’s best-loved bands; group that just started large-scale arena tour Europe and the UK, including an upcoming show at London’s huge O2.

With their distinct blend of trip-hop, indie And electronic The music, backed by frontwoman Hannah Reid’s sonorous vocals, has earned the trio a loyal following over the years. Emerging as a hip band in 2013 with their first EP, Metal & Dust, followed by their debut album, If You Wait, they captivated audiences with era-defining songs like “Wasting My Young Years” and “Hey Now.” This was followed by two more records – a more stable year in 2017. “Truth is a beautiful thing”received mixed reviews from critics, and jubilant reviews in 2021. “California Soil”recording on which NME noted that “London Grammar is coming to life” – along with exhibitions around the world.

In some ways, though, the band feels like their latest record, September’s The Greatest Love, is the end of a chapter—and the beginning of a new one. “For me, this album, this whole process of making it, is us just kind of letting go,” says multi-instrumentalist Dan Rothman, calling from London Grammar studios in Ladbroke Grove. “There’s this feeling; it exists between the three of us. I can’t explain…”

Rothman’s bandmate Point Majorsitting next to him helps sum it up: “It’s like a rebirth.”

“This is true!” Rothman agrees. “This is the end of an era in our lives. It’s like the death of our youth…”

“I wish we could completely disappear behind the music” – Hannah Reid

It may be a revival, but “The Greatest Love” still includes everything listeners love about the band’s music: soaring melodies (“You & I”, “Ordinary Life”), down-home euphoria (“House”, “Rescue” “). and blissful, slow-burning festival anthems (“Into Gold”). That’s not to say that there weren’t major changes, both literally and figuratively, that went into the making of the record.

“This is the first album where we’ve ever had our own space,” muses Major, referring to the new headquarters of London Grammar, the band’s aforementioned West London studio. “It’s really a huge shift.” Previously, the band would write a demo and then go into a “big commercial studio” for a few weeks, knowing that they had to finish the recording within a set amount of time. However, having your own space means “you can go and work on something for a few days, and it doesn’t matter if it ends up being wrong,” Major explains. “There’s a lot of similarities to our first album, when we started doing a lot of stuff on laptops because we didn’t have our own space.”

Thinking about what has changed in The Greatest Love takes us to the cornerstones of London Grammar. One thing that still remains at the forefront 10 years later is their friendship – indeed, without it, the band would not have enjoyed such longevity. They have the kind of tight-knit family dynamic that only a decade of working together, sharing experiences, and sleeping on tour buses together can foster.

The band has supported each other through the ups and downs, from difficult situations navigating the thorny landscape of the music industry, demanding touring schedules and working as a work band, to Reed’s experiences of rampant misogyny in the music industry. a theme explored throughout the band’s music, especially their previous record, Californian Soil.. When she was thinking about NME on the release of this record: “If I’m strong-willed, then I’m really ‘difficult’ or act like a ‘bitch’… whereas guys just have ‘integrity’ in what they do. It could be a very, very small thing, but if you have it every day and it turns into a thousand moments, it can really change you.”

When asked how the band defines success, Major told his bandmates, “I really think success is how I—how we—treat each other. When I think about where we are, our friendship and the love I have for these two, that’s how I feel about success.”

This revelation was met with smiles from his bandmates. – Oh, Dot! Reid exclaims, with Rothman adding, “That’s very sweet.”

“When I think about where we are, our friendship and the love I have for these two, that’s how I feel about success.” – Dot Major.

“That’s really how I feel,” Major continues. “To be at this point in our lives… not many artists are able to get there. We’ve always said from the beginning that we want longevity, and I think the reality when you get there is, “What is that going to look like?” And actually the way it looks now is pretty darn cool.”

Rothman agrees: “When we played Glastonbury there was something about this show this year that in a way epitomized for all of us what success is, because suddenly we felt like we were on stage, looking back at our lives, looking back at the work that we’ve done, and you’re playing songs that they’ve grown over time.”

He turns his attention to the band’s second album, “Truth Is a Beautiful Thing,” a record that he says people were “very critical of.” Perhaps it’s a self-deprecating statement, but after the meteoric success of the band’s debut, the melancholic follow-up received a scattered collection of reviews. “(Now) our fans love it more than anything else,” he laughs. “They think the new material is terrible compared to the second album! This is the aspect of heritage that really interests me at the moment…”

Reed interrupts with a laugh: “Oh, Dan, you think you’re on your deathbed!”

“No, actually I feel the opposite!” Rothman answers. “The fact that I can see the future and the past is the key to success for me. The body of the work is what’s so beautiful.”

WRegardless of their status in the industry hierarchy, The Greatest Love has a new confidence that can’t be denied that underpins the record. Take “House,” the record’s opener, where Reed sings about setting boundaries: “This is my place, my home, my rules” Being able to make these kinds of decisions gives you the confidence that only life experience and maturity can provide.

Looking to the future, the band aims to expand their boundaries and focus entirely on music. Reed says, “I’d love for us to completely disappear behind the music and still make what we think is great music, and I hope our fans will still be there.” London Grammar previously suggested that this album could be the last time the band appear in their music videos, reveling in the fact that while they’re playing at London’s 20,000-capacity O2, they can still walk down the street without being mobbed by fans .

At a time when artists’ personalities are often used as marketing strategies, why do they feel comfortable retreating? “I think it’s because we keep trying and it just doesn’t work,” Reed explains. “I’ve literally tried so many times to be in music videos to look good and I just don’t think it works.” She lets out an annoyed laugh. “So now I’m done with it. Made. Never again.

“There was something about Glastonbury 2024 that came to symbolize for all of us what success is” – Dan Rothman

In the future, if fans want to see the band’s faces, they will only be able to do so at their increasingly live shows. The aforementioned O2 show is their highlight so far, and Reed’s nerves are on edge as it approaches. “I’m in denial, so I just won’t say anything,” she shares. “There’s a bit of excitement at O2,” Major adds jokingly.

Despite being a decade behind us, there’s still plenty of excitement for the trio’s future. Right now, on the cusp of an end and a new beginning, London Grammar enter their second decade as a band with renewed confidence – and this is one of the biggest shows of their career. Here are the next 10 years.

London Grammar “The Greatest Love” out now via Ministry Of Sound Recordings. The band is currently on tour