New Underpants for ASIWYFA!

"We were kind of put under their noses,” Friers says, “and they all had a listen and invited us to play. We’re trying to not fantasise too much about it. We just Google-imaged all the venues and then swiftly went upstairs and put on a new pair of underwear!”

But as Friars adds, “It’s scary, it’s like – they’re the three dudes right there! When we first heard about the project it almost didn’t even matter what the music was like – just the thought of three people of that stature all just rocking out! … When we finish each night we want to do the, ‘Stick around for the next band, they’re really good!’ routine.”

He also stresses how the band are fully psyched up for their Irish appearances at Blessington’s Knockanstockan Festival and Cork’s Indie-pendence, and also believes that attitudes on the Belfast scene have changed. “If something good’s happening for another band, nobody’s like ‘the fucking bastards!’ It’s like ‘Go on the lads!’”

As for their second album, “We’ve got about 25 songs written.”

Read the full interview with ASIWYFA in the latest issue of Hot Press, out Thursday July 15.