You know how much I like talking to people so having my own website really makes people quite happy to talk to me (or at least my website). One of my favourite bands in the world (I am not doing that Johnathan Ross thing where I pretend all bands are my favourite, these chaps actually are) It Hugs Back kindly engaged in a little discussion about the band, music, name discussions with a member of Sonic Youth and what their preferred hot beverage is. If you haven’t already done so, go and have a look at their beautifully designed website and or listen to their music for free on their myspace page. Alternatively, you can buy their EPs and CDs… I find the latter most simple.

Hello It Hugs Back, how are you today?

Hi.. pretty good thank you.. although I’m having one of my wisdom teeth out tomorrow so not looking forward to that too much!

Now this is the question everyone asks, who are you and what do you do?

I’m Matthew and I play guitar and sing! Also in the band is Jack who plays organ and sings too, and our bassist paul and drummer Dimitri.

Music ey? What on earth made you want to do that?

What else is there?!

All the people here at T BIRDS are interested in how you got the name for the band?

I’m slightly ashamed to say there is no great story behind the invention of the name.. it was just one that came out.. Although Dimitri, the drummer, and I did happen to meet Kim Gordon at the Tate Modern just before our first gig and she reassured us enough that was an o.k name for us to go under and that was that!

Why all the EPs?

It was good.. it allowed us time to develop.. it’s been only been 3 years since first forming the band now and we released 4 singles before thinking about an album of all new songs.. it gave us a chance to progress, and get better I guess.. and it felt best to wait until we could make the best first full length record we could.. but I guess it’s not entirely normal to release 6 singles before an album but that’s o.k!

Was it a conscious choice to have the only physical format of your music on vinyl?

Not really.. just what was offered or would sell.. cd singles are disappearing.. we did collect all the 4 limited 7” onto a cd later on though!

Can I just say that “Sometimes The Sun” is one of my all time favourite tracks. Please say there is a story behind the track. (or I will just fake the answer!)

That’s really great.. it was a song I wrote originally.. it had words too, but we took these off, and build up the textures and layers instead… it was fun recording that.. and the whistling took me ages.. I hadn’t realized how hard it is to whistle in tune!

Both my Mother and I like the artwork on your albums, who does it?

The artwork is all hand made and designed by Ffion, who goes under the guise of Ffi Ffi Mon Chee Chee, she is super talented and we’re very very lucky! It was important for us to create a design style that we could use to make all the bands artwork coherent and I think she has developed something unique and recognizable as hers (and ours!!)

This is more of a self plugging question, will we ever be able to get a full album of material?

Our first album is out on April 6th 2009 on 4AD. It’s called ‘Inside Your Guitar.’

Now for the quick fire round are you ready?

Ready!

Trainers or shoes?

Trainers.. I’ve just discovered Keep shoes.. seen them?! They’re very nice.. I have a pair that kind of combine a Christmas jumper and a trainer.. and ofcourse, can’t beat Converse Chuck Taylors…

CD, MP3 or Vinyl?

I buy mostly CD’s, but enjoy listening to vinyl most, it’s just not as practicle, affordable and available as CD, so CD!

Strictly or X Factor?

Honestly..? neither please!

Eastenders or Corrie?

Well, this is a variable but at the moment, Eastenders! Just for bradly/stacey & dot.

Tea or Coffee?

Coffee! but tea a close second.. The thought of loosing either is pretty bad!

Thank you It Hugs Back, sorry if some of the questions weren’t what you expected.

Go Go Go. Go Shorty it’s your Birthday and yes it is. It’s all still very early in the morning here in humble England, but as you can see below I got one of my favourite presents ever. The highest denomination note in the country. The epic £50 note, I think I like this note best, simply because you don’t see them that often and… I like the colours. This is the first time I have ever received one too. Let’s just see how the rest of the day goes.

On another one of my adventures today and I came across a whole host of ducks. I have no idea why I like this bird so much, but there is just something about it that makes you smile and nostalgic at the same time. I have no idea why, but my Grandma and I always used to feed frozen bread to the ducks. Maybe they liked it? No Idea…

Maybe that is why the company logo is of a duck, yet again I have no idea. I just think it’s ace when they all come together and sit by the river just chilling. Sometimes I wish I was a duck.

My sister works at a hospital and decided to spruce up her locker door today. How nice…

Regular T BIRDS viewers will know how much I love Phlegm comic. I have had this since Christmas, but just haven’t had the time to blog about it. There isn’t much else to say other than it’s a comic full of adverts that will make you tinkle they make you laugh that much. The Jelly Babies advert is my favourite.

In other news the NGU x T BIRDS shirts are getting close to being sold out so get your skates on and secure one before you aren’t cool anymore…

Here we are, the new shirt for this month presenting the “Stamp” shirt. On premium heather grey shirts made in the UK as per usual. The graphic is by yours and my favourite graphic designer NGU. There isn’t much else to say really other than they are going quick… get yours here

Here is just one person’s order so it is clear that it is getting serious (no I haven’t just stacked them up for dramatic effect!)

I also believe that Toast in Sheffield are releasing some of the shirts and they should be available from Friday, so that may well be your last chance!

I bet when you saw that title, you thought I was going to write about the new NGU x T BIRDS collaboration that landed at the offices today, but no (That comes later) today I was astounded by the weather.

I like it when it snows everyone seems to stay in and just look at it, like the sort of wonderment that you had as a kid. Anyways all I will say is get your PayPal account ready for tomorrow as the NGU and T BIRDS shirts goes live at 12.00PM (GMT) so pretend that you are ill at work, Uni, school or whatever and get buying… what Credit Crunch?

I like taking pictures. This was the first thing that I saw this morning. It just inspired me to keep working hard and smiling.

You’ve got to know where you’ve been…

To know where you’re going…