The National’s Aaron Dessner pours the perfect pint!

In the Hot Press Annual (in the shops now) Aaron Dessner from The National explains to Stuart Clark how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness. “I watched the bar staff in The Clarence Hotel and copied their technique!”, he laughs.

Bar skills aside, Dessner then recalls a pep-talk the band had from REM’s Michael Stipe, at the Clarence Hotel. ‘Don’t be afraid to write a pop song’ is I think how he put it when we stayed up all night drinking with him and Mike Mills after Oxegen.”

The National have also been given useful advice from Bruce Springsteen. He said, ‘you create a wave and then have to ride it. What was most inspiring about Bruce Springsteen and Michael Stipe is how down to earth they both are. I didn’t sense any arrogance or condescension.”

Read the full interview with Aaron Dessner from The National in the Hot Press Annual, out now.