1. After a triumphant 2013 climbing to
the headline spot at Reading, this is
the year that Biffy Clyro take their
place at the top of British rock...
“We don’t want to rip anybody off.
We certainly want to write the best
tunes we can and play every show
as if it’s ouR last.”
“THE GOLDEN RULE”

2. In 2013, Biffy Clyro claimed their
place at the top of British rock. It was
a year that saw the band headline
Reading Festival after making their
greatest album to date. Their ascent has
been anything but smooth, but it has
given the band the tools to cope with
life as one of rock’s heavyweights.
“We learned over the years what to do
and what not to do,” says drummer Ben
Johnston.
“When you’re younger you just want to
party all the time and the band suffered
as a result.”
For Johnston, this nihilistic lifestyle
manifested itself as a serious problem,
and he was forced to overcome a
drinking problem prior to recording of
their sixth album, Opposites.
“Now, we’re not that daft,” he reflects.
“We don’t want to rip anybody off. We
certainly want to write the best tunes
we can and play every show as if it’s out
last.”
The refusal to accept anything less than
the best of themselves led to the triumph
that was Opposites, which is viewed by
critics, fans and the band themselves as
the best album they’ve made:
“I hope I don’t come across as big-
headed here, but we feel that we cannot
possibly make a better album than we
have. There are moments on this album
that are better than anything we have
ever done before and we’re still as
proud of it a year on.”
With the success of Opposites, people
began to label Biffy Clyro as the biggest
bandinScotland.“Obviouslyit’sgreatto
get a number one record I’m not going
At T we’re the home boys,
and we’re playing in front
of a home crowd. It feels
like a cup final on our own
ground.

3. to lie about that,” remarks Johnston.
“But it’s not something that matters
massively to us. We don’t feel the need
to engage in that kind of competition.
Biffy are my favourite band, and that’s
what’s important. All we really want to
do is impress ourselves with our songs,
and that’s what we’re doing.”
But as the band continue to grow in
popularity, they are thrust further into
the public eye as they find themselves
reluctantly entering the world of the
celebrity.
“That’s sometimes a by-product of
being in a band; some people even get
into a band to enter that world. But it’s
something that doesn’t appeal to me
at all. We’re more than content with
playing our tunes at getting paid for it!”
Last summer they got the chance to do
exactly that in front of 90,000 people
as they were faced with the biggest gig
of their lives, headlining the prestigious
Reading & Leeds festival:
“It really was a challenge for us, but we
both overcame it, and took the time
to enjoy the occasion. It was a huge
moment for us, I’m really proud of the
boys and we’ve love to do it again.”
With Reading & Leeds conquered,
many of Britain’s biggest and best
festivals have queued up to offer them
the chance to top their bill. This summer
sees the band headlining the historic
Isle of Wight festival before returning
to Scotland to headline T in the Park.
“I can’t believe we’re headlining that
festival”, says Johnston of Isle of Wight.

4. “It’s had people like Pearl Jam, The
Who and Jimi Hendrix play- the top of
the musical pile. It’s the sort of thing I
tend to not let sink in, I try not to let
the occasion affect me until it’s already
happened. It’s too much of a mind-fuck
really.”
As he discusses the prospect of
headlining the festival, it is one of
the few moments of the interview in
which he seems overwhelmed, filled
with anxiety and excitement in equal
measure.
But his prevailing expression is humility:
“We’re absolutely honoured. It’s going
to be a real moment for us in the
summer, and we really are thankful.
We’re playing with some other amazing
bands and I’m really just blown away.”
While the Isle of Wight festival has the
feeling of a challenge, T in The Park is
undoubtedly a celebration.
“At T we’re the home boys, and we’re
playing in front of a home crowd. It
feels like a cup final on our own ground.
Everyone’s behind us, and we feel at
home, and now we’ve headlined a big
festival it feels right that we’re doing it
this year.”
It is a festival that is a big part of Biffy
Clyro’s history, with 2014 being the
tenth time the band play the event.
‘It really is a home from home for us.
We’ve evolved as a band through T in
the festival, slowly playing higher up on
the bill, and we’re proud to be a part of
its history.”
A cup final is nothing less than the
band deserve. After spending years as
the industry’s underdogs, Biffy Clyro
Catch BIFFY CLYRO
this summer at:
Pafe Festival (Hungary)
PinkPop (Netherlands)
Isle of Wight
Heineken Live (Ireland)
Rock for people
(Czech Rep)
Rock Werchter (Belgium)
Eurockeenes (France
T in the Park
Gurten (Switzerland)
Arenal Sound (Spain)
Taubertal (Germany)
Rocco del Schlacko
(Germany)
Frequency (Austria)
Pstereo (Norway)
Serengeti (Germany)
Belsonic
are enjoying every moment of success
thrown their way.
As he looks ahead to the next few
months, Johnston smiles, remarking:
“It’s going to be a brilliant summer.”
by Josh Carvell
“MOUNTAINS”