Ordinary Boys: Interview - Islington Academy

William and Preston from the Ordinary Boys took time out between their Islington sound-check and hitting the stage for real to talk about the band's current situation and future plans. Perched on old plastic stools and bits of backstage clutter in a 'glamourous' concrete corridor both of them were clearly looking a little worn down by the short NME tour that has just helped them to move the Ordinary Boys another notch or two up the PR ladder.

The usual ice-breaker came when they saw the nifty little palm computer that doubles up as the VF dictaphone. Like boys in all bands around the world, they clearly love gadgets, although Preston feigned indifference by noting that he'd once had a crap job selling hardware and software for palmtop's, so he'd seen it all before.

Before we could get down to any questions to the band, they had one for me..."so what is Virtual Festivals?" asked William. Well of course it doesn't take a rocket scientist to work this one out really does it...but I did my best to explain the whole concept of the Internet and how websites are like magazines and newspapers, but you don't have to have them stuffed through your letter box once a week. When asked about their own experiences of and views of festivals both 'Boys just shrugged. "I've been to a few," mumbled William, "but to be honest the idea of sitting in a wet field full of a load of pissed students isn't my idea of a great weekend!" Preston was a little more up-beat however, "I used to think that people went along not giving a toss about the music...I thought they just spent two days wearing jesters hats and painting their faces with the English flag. But I've seen another side to them recently, and I think they're actually a great way to introduce people to new live music."

Asked whether or not they'd be playing any festivals this year Preston confirmed that they were booked for the Reading/Leeds Carling Weekend and also for Glastonbury. "We'll be playing the second stage at about 2.00pm on Sunday," he said. William woke up at this, complaining that "that's rubbish - everyone will be going home by then!" I set him straight by explaining gently about how very wrong he was.