Scottish indie rockers We Were Promised Jetpacks have been steadily releasing music since their 2009 debut, but the band’s latest effort, Enjoy The View, marks their first time recording as a trio after founding guitarist Michael Palmer left the band in 2019. Despite the lineup change, Enjoy The View is demonstrative of the band’s staying power, another strong entry to their storied catalogue.
To celebrate the new album, vocalist Adam Thompson sat down to talk Old School, The Weeknd, and loving New York City in the latest Indie Mixtape 20 Q&A.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
They were great live! You shoulda seen ‘em go! I think we might be doing a reunion show by that point actually!
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
New York. Never had a bad gig here, it just doesn’t seem possible for us. Not sure why as we’ve had bad gigs most places!
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
Scott Hutchison! He was great at being a frontman, his tunes were class and his band, Frightened Rabbit, came along just at the right time to inspire us to do what we are still doing now.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
I don’t know about best but not too long ago I went to a place in the East Village in NYC called Sakagura to celebrate a happy occasion and loved it. Ate so much good food and drank so much good sake. I think we were there for about 7 hours. Was going to go again recently but saw it had closed down! Bummer!
What album do you know every word to?
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
Black T-shirt and dark jeans and comfortable trainers. Classic. Takes decision-making out of the equation if I just wear the same thing every show. And when looking back you can’t ever look too silly in black
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
“Mull Of Kintyre.” That gets blasted as we enter a new country or return home to Scotland. We also like to have a song that gets played when you all get in the van at the end of the night on tour. The last song was “Return to Innocence” by Enigma. If you play the same song at the same time each night you grow to love it and appreciate the routine! Anything by Mrs Miller as well. Check her out, especially the covers of “Monday, Monday,” “Moon River,” and “Downtown.”
What’s the last thing you Googled?
What is required of me to fly back home to visit Scotland. What test and when do I need to take it?
What album makes for the perfect gift?
Any album! As long as the person giving it loves it and is just trying to share the joy.
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
We stayed at a hotel somewhere in the middle of the USA that had been designed to look like a medieval courtyard with a swimming pool in the middle. Medieval swimming pool right outside your door.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
None of us have a single tattoo!
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
The Weeknd.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
My parents being super nice to me and taking care of me until I could take care of myself! What a thankless task!
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
Enjoy playing all these shows and all the fun stuff that happens to you and appreciate it you piece of shit. At least try and be happy!
What’s the last show you went to?
I went to see Catholic Action play in New York just before SXSW was meant to happen in 2020. Everyone was starting to freak out about Covid by that point. Everyone knew it was getting serious by that point.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Old School. I ended up watching the last hour a few nights ago actually and it always seems to be on!
What would you cook if Obama were coming to your house for dinner?
Something really simple. I try to be a good cook but I just don’t get it. Salt, fat, acid, heat. I get too stressed cooking for people I don’t know. I make a decent pesto with basil from my garden. I think he’d appreciate that I grew that basil. Pesto pasta. And he better say he enjoyed it or I won’t be able to sleep for days.
Enjoy The View is out now via Big Scary Monsters. Listen here.
