Blossoms spill Glastonbury's backstage area isn't as glamorous as people think
Blossoms have spilled that playing Glastonbury isn’t at all glamorous.
The indie pop group performed Smiths covers with Rick Astley at the world-famous festival in Somerset, England, last year, and in 2022, they performed 'Spice Up Your Life' with Sporty Spice, Melanie C.
However, the ‘Honey Sweet’ band have admitted that, unless you are a headliner, you must share toilets with everyone else on the bill.
Frontman Tom Ogden is quoted by the Daily Star newspaper's WIRED column as saying: "Backstage at Glastonbury or any festival, unless you're the headliner, toilets are shared aren't they."
Drummer Joe Donovan said: "And they're Portaloos, they're not like any better toilets - sometimes they are like a little bit better but they're still not like unreal."
Tom added: "Oh it's not premium is it and if you've not been in there at 8.01 when they've just been cleaned, by f****** half nine they are peppered aren't they!"
Meanwhile, Blossoms’ new album, 'Gary', is due for release on September 20, and is produced by the band’s regular collaborator James Skelly of The Coral, alongside Jungle’s Josh-Lloyd Watson, who produced ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?’ and ‘Nightclub’.
Singer CMAT (Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson), 28, has also co-written two tracks on the album – ‘I Like Your Look’ and ‘Why Do I Give You the Worst of Me?’
Tom said: “The heart of this record is about the five of us recording live in a room together for the first time in years.
“We wanted to capture the energy of what it’s like when five friends decide to start a band and make music together.
“We collaborated more than we ever have on this record too, and alongside working with long-time collaborator James Skelly, we brought in Josh and CMAT.
“We hired an Airbnb on the seafront in Anglesey and locked ourselves away for the writing session with Ciara and it was one of the most inspiring few days we’ve had as a band.
“During the writing process, we were listening to a lot of Bowie, Blondie, and Hall and Oates.”
Other standout tracks on the album include ‘Big Star’ and ‘Mothers’, with Tom noting how they were also inspired by true stories: “The album tracks themselves are based on different stories, mostly from personal experience.
“On ‘Big Star’ after seeing a well-known music journalist in the Chateau Marmont, I debate going over and introducing myself but then shyness gets the better of me and I don’t.
“‘I Like Your Look’ is a tipping of the hat to Blondie’s ‘Rapture’ and a wink to Joan Baez ‘Time Rag’, and lyrically it explores a tongue-in-cheek approach to high fashion.
“‘Mothers’ is an ode to my and (bandmate) Joe (Donovan)’s friendship and it references the fact that our mothers were friends back in the ’80s.”
Blossoms are supporting Tom Grennan, 28, at Gunnersbury Park on August 10, and are set to play festivals including Isle of Wight and TRSNMT, before the band’s biggest headline gig to date at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester on August 25.
Since forming in 2013, Blossoms have enjoyed widespread success and acclaim.
Their 2016 debut LP topped the album charts for two consecutive weeks and went on to earn the band BRIT Award and Mercury Prize nominations, while 2018’s ‘Cool Like You’ charted at No.4 in the UK album chart.
Their fourth album, 2023's 'Ribbon Around the Bomb', reached No.1