Elliot Minor

By Claire White

There has been a lot reported about Elliot Minor recently, with the announcement of Ali leaving the band, which was shortly followed by Drummer Dan Hetherton announcing he was joining a new band, The Dead Famous, as well as remaining in Elliot Minor.

The band at the time were on tour without bassist Ed Hetherton and many fans started to worry that this was a sign of things going downhill for the band.

After talking to the guys and seeing the band live, we can assure you that nothing has changed and they can still put on a fantastic set no matter the circumstances!

We caught up with Ed and Ali on the bands (very nice!) tour bus before their Edinburgh show;

Do you have any special requests on tour, for example a rider or anything?

Ed: Yeah we have a rider for every show, but we specify what we want before we go on tour so each rider is the same everyday, it’s pretty boring actually! We’re pretty boring really. We don’t have anything special, but we should!

Ali: Nothing special! Just beer, a bottle of vodka and sandwich stuff…

Ed: Some of them go really cheap and buy like Asda’s own brand, which is really pretty rough!

Ali: There’s nothing wrong with Asda though…

Ed: There is nothing wrong with Asda! Anyway nothing that interesting!

Is there anything you request every single tour?

Ali: We wouldn’t survive without alcohol!

Ed: Beer is a must, at least there has to be beer and that’s about it really!

Ali: Vodka!

Ed: Yeah vodka. We’re just alcoholics…not really!!

What’s been the funniest moment on the tour so far?

Ed: On this tour…

Ali: I haven’t laughed once.

[Laughter]

Ali: Um….

Ed: There must be something! We’re pretty boring people to be honest…

Ali: I can’t think of anything…

Ed: Oh sh-t….

Is this a realisation for you haha?

Ed: Yeah haha

Ali: We need to try harder!

What’s the thing you most look forward to about being on tour?

Ed: Seeing our fans.

Ali: Awwww!

Ed: Also spending time with the guys…[Laughter]. Good nights out and of course playing shows.

Ali: Yeah the nights out are good!

Ed: I like travelling around the country, it’s pretty cool.

Ali; I like the moment when you go to sleep, like at the end of the night when you’re really really drunk, and you just close your eyes and you know you’re gonna get a decent 6 hour or 7 hour sleep!

Ed: Once you’re in your bunk, people are pretty respectful. Once your curtains are closed it means ‘don’t come in’, so it’s quite a nice feeling. You’re in your own little capsule!

If you could take any song and make it your own, what would it be and why?

Ali: 30 Seconds To Mars! What’s the song? [Humming]

Ed: [Joins in humming] Yeah, what’s that called….

[Laughter]

Ed: Ali I quite like that one you’re listening to these days, the Labrinth one. I think we should cover that!

Ali: [Singing] Let the sun shine, let the sun shine baby…

Ed: Why would we cover that…

Ali: Cause we’d get loads of money innit!

[Laughter]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but there has been talk of an acoustic tour in November?

Ed: Oh yeah, we were talking about that this morning actually!

Ali: You’re not wrong!

Ed: It hasn’t been booked yet, but I reckon it might happen!

Ali: It’s status is pending!

PLEASE NOTE: This was before the tour was confirmed, the dates are now available on the bands website!!

If it happens, do you think you’ll play a mixture of old and new songs or throw in any covers?

Ed: We’re thinking a mixture of second album, first album and we might throw in a cover there somewhere in the set. We haven’t really talked about it yet!

So Ali, what’s been your highlight of being in Elliot Minor?

Ed: Spending time with me eh?

Ali: That won’t be the one….

Ed: Fine!

Ali: I suppose what I’ll always look back on is playing London Astoria. It was amazing, but I also had like 18 members of my family there and that was the only show they’ve ever seen me in, so it was pretty lucky that that was the one!

If you were stuck on a desert island, what three things would you take?

Ed: There’s no point in having a toothbrush, cause you can’t really brush your teeth…

I suppose! Then you’d need to have toothpaste as well…

Ali: Hmmm.. a house?

A friend of mine; Why not take a boat?

Ali: You don’t know how far the island is…

Take a huge one!

Ali: Like a cruise ship, a fully stocked cruise ship!

Ed: A cruise ship, yeah!

Ali: And a toothbrush and toothpaste!

So what would your name be if you had to be a drag act?

Ali; Edwina Monton

Ed: Yeah I like that! How about you?

Ali: Em… Alisandro Qi Do Paolo Sosa

Are you trying to say something I cannot type?!

Ali: I thought it sounded a little bit Portuguese, I like it!

The last question is, what upcoming bands do you recommend we check out?

Ed: The Dead Famous! Let’s just put that out there. I would recommend Furthest Drive Home, but they split up…

Yeah they were good!

Ed & Ali In Sync: They were amazing!

Ali: Actually do you know who I think look like a really decent band, I haven’t heard their music so I can’t comment on that, The Futures. Just from what I’ve seen, their posters, videos etc.

Ed: Francesqa! They’re pretty cool.

Yeah they’re really good!

Ed: And The Shower Scene!

Good choices! Thank you very much for your time!