@hotpress: Hi Jez, how are you today?
@utahsaints: Great, it’s fantastically sunny here in Leeds.

@hotpress: Same here. Are you looking forward to the Indiependence gig?
@utahsaints: Yeah, its great. It’s a long time since we played in Cork. We supported U2 there in ‘94.

@hotpress: What was that experience like?
@utahsaints: Honestly one of the best gigs we’ve ever played. We just fell in love with Cork. We’ve always had good gigs in Ireland.

@hotpress: What’s the strangest festival story you have?
@utahsaints: At one festival in the UK, the organiser went bust halfway through and couldn’t afford to pay the trucks that empty the toilets.

@hotpress: Right, what happened then?
@utahsaints: Well, the trucks filled up then blasted back sewage down the drain. And the pipe burst under the artist catering area which was flooded with raw sewage.

@hotpress: Who’s the oddest showbiz character you’ve met down the years?
@utahsaints: An Irish link here. We met the guys who did Zig and Zag, I don’t know if they’re before your time?

@hotpress: Sadly, they’re not. Where did you meet them?
@utahsaints: We met them when they did the Big Breakfast. They were merciless with a lot of guests but thankfully were nice to us!

@hotpress: You had great success in the early ‘90s. What was the atmosphere like at that time?
@utahsaints: It was really exciting when electronic music kicked off. You got people making music in their bedroom and having a hit with it. And the great thing is that’s happening again now!

@hotpress: Bill Drummond called you “the first true stadium house band.” What was it like to receive that compliment?
@utahsaints: It was amazing. We were massively influenced by the KLF so to get a compliment like that was incredible.

@hotpress: What plans do you have going into 2014?
@utahsaints: Working on a third album based on collaborations with artists we respect on Soundcloud. And a film soundtrack type album. Nothing specific! 

@hotpress: What’s the best thing about Leeds?
@utahsaints: At the moment it’s sunny all the time! It’s the right size, and there’s always stuff going on and good music to be found.

Utah Saints play Indiependence at Mitchelstown, County Cork on Friday August 2