Music

Wet Wet Wet: “When we tour now I see things with my eyes open”

Wet Wet Wet will be live in the UK this July, with one-off shows taking them from Cheshire’s Tatton Park through to Scarborough Open Air Theatre.

We chat to bassist Graeme Clark ahead of the shows – read the full Q&A below. 

Hi Graeme! So, where can UK fans see you live this summer?

“You can see and hear us making our musical noise at Tatton Park, Cheshire, Concerts By The Lake ( Fri 29 July) and Scarborough Open Air Theatre (Sat 30 July)! We were also recently live on stage at The Royal Hospital, London in mid-June and toured the UK in Feb and March… It’s been a busy one!”

What’s your favourite thing about performing live?

“Being on the road is fantastic. There is no one thing that you can pinpoint to say that’s the best thing. Usual clichés like the crowd, playing our music etc… For me it’s a combination of lots of things, including the chance to behave like a show off, being with my buddies, creating and entertaining. Travelling is also a side benefit – you get to see the places you might not normally see, the perks of being a musician playing in a band.”

How have your touring habits changed during your time as a band?

“When we tour now I actually see things with my eyes open. In the past we would travel the world, see the most exotic cities in the world and stay in bed – in a faceless hotel and miss out on a lot. Now, if I get the chance, I get up early, go out and try and least see a bit of local culture whether it be Eccles cakes in the North or Rijkmuseum in Amsterdam. I enjoy it more now for sure.”

Any tips for young bands hitting the road for the first time?

“You know what, I don’t have tips for anyone, even if I did I doubt the bands of today would listen, and why should they? It’s keeping it simple, try and enjoy. I know from our past we did ran fast along the touring road and there wasn’t really the time to savour what we were doing. But that’s the nature of bands touring. We were always aware that it could all end in a Clydebank minute, so you are caught in that hamster wheel. It’s different today. And for me, better.”

Book tickets for Wet Wet Wet in the UK this summer at Ticketmaster.co.uk.