Since their formation in 2004, The Guillemots have established themselves among the UK’s most established and arresting bands.

This month, to follow the release of their third album, Walk the River, they play The Old Market in Brighton as part of an extensive tour of the UK and across Europe.

With new single I Don’t Feel Amazing Now released on 23 October, the foursome from Birmingham are set for more highs alongside existing success stories as Mercury Prize nominees and gold record selling artists.  Chris Thom met with drummer Greig Stewart to find out what’s been happening, and what’s still to come…

The new album, Walk The River, comes three years since the previous LP. Has it been in the process all this time and does a busy touring schedule take time away from being creative?

It took over a year in total to complete. To begin with, in that time, we’d be getting together about four times a week to write together and discuss things. We needed it to be a laid back experience this time as our second album was a real push. Touring obviously keeps you busy but when the time came to record we were good and ready.

The band went to Bryn Derwen Studios in Wales to record. Was this a conscious decision to get away and into a peaceful setting?

It was a clear decision. When we recorded (second album) Red we did so in London. There were too many distractions and the potential for random acts of fun was rife! At Bryn Derwen we were situated around Snowdonia, the middle of nowhere basically. Our producer David Kosten knew it well and suggested it. It has a cottage on the grounds so we set up base there. The nearest pub was an hours’ walk away. We made the trek a couple of times…

There’s a lot of buzz around the upcoming new single, I Don’t Feel Amazing Now. Did you know immediately that it would be released and is this true of other singles? How involved does the label like to get?

It can be a real dog fight, especially if there’s no obvious choice for a single. We didn’t feel there was any real clear option off the new album and this certainly makes it harder. Sometimes you can go around in circles and it can get quite political. There have been times though when it’s been a lot easier to spot one. We’re lucky with our label as they’ve never pressurized us into making a decision about making a release.

The Guillemots have many previous successes to date; Mercury nominated, top ten albums, Fyfe’s critically acclaimed solo work. Does this weigh heavy on the mind when it comes to new material and is there pressure to recapture the highs?

It can be in the back of your mind but we really try to avoid falling into that trap and getting sucked into thinking that way. If you let it creep up on you then you can end up chasing your own tale and all of a sudden perhaps you’re not enjoying anymore what you originally set out to do. The previous album had some good radio songs so yeah, I guess that really boosted our status, but you’ve got to keep an open mind at all times otherwise it’s just going to get in the way of the creative process. You do what you do and try not to think about it I guess.

Busy touring schedule this year as with other years. You have many shows in Europe. What are some of your favorite places to go to and where do you think you are best received?

Amsterdam’s always good, we enjoy going back there. We seem to have played Paris and Barcelona a lot so I guess we’re doing something write out there. Next year we head out to South America and everyone’s pretty excited about that.

Are there any other solo projects in place? For you, Fyfe or anyone else from the band?

Yeah I’m often working on stuff, whether it’s co-writing with the band or other interests I have. I do a lot of DJ-ing and in recent years I’ve discovered a passion for dance music although not what you might pigeon-hole traditionally as dance music. I’m hoping to put together a really ambient sounding album of my own before too long. MC is very much involved in film making and is constantly working on stuff there and I’m sure Fyfe will be encouraged to build on the success of what he’s already done.

Guillemots to play The Old Market on Mon 31^st October

New single I Don’t Feel Amazing Now released on 23rd October