Fresh off their headline tour and ready to take 2012 by storm, we anticipate good things for new band, Lawson. The boys popped round our offices this week to chat about touring with The Wanted and Will Young, their worst gigs and their ability to read minds!

Hi guys! We want to know everything about you! Let’s start with how you formed.

Andy: A couple of us went to music college together – the ACM, down in Guildford and Adam went to one in Brighton! 

Adam: One day I stumbled upon Andy’s MySpace page and… yeah, hated what he was doing. I gave him some advice on improving… I’m joking! Yeah, I checked out his music and then got in contact and decided to set up a band. Ryan knew Andy and Joel already, so that’s how he got involved.

On your official website you go on about all the rubbish gigs you’ve done. Tell us about your first gig. Was that rubbish?

Ryan: That was actually a really good one!

Andy: But only because it was our first, to be fair. It was in a pub, so it was quite fun. 

Joel: It had a great atmosphere. Our music’s quite easy to listen to, so people often are keen to give it a chance – we’re not like a heavy metal band! We don’t offend any ears.

Adam: We performed in front of 3 people once at a gig in Cambridge. 

Ryan: That gig is renowned! Whenever anyone asks us what our worst gig was, we always pause and go: “Cambridge”.

Joel: It was just horrifying. The sound guy was completely crazy. He was playing like…

Ryan: Pirate music.

Andy: It was also because no one knew us then, so there was no reason for anyone in Cambridge to come and see our band, apart from a couple of friends we had who were at uni.

Adam: It was funny because we were meant to be headlining, which meant that we were meant to be bringing people in and we managed three people… and they were all Andy’s friends.

Andy: My mate, his brother and his girlfriend I think it was.

But obviously things are bigger and better now! You’ve just finished your headline tour around the UK. How was that?

Andy: It’s just been amazing.

Joel: Yeah, we did Glasgow, Manchester, Brighton, Birmingham and London. 

Andy: And they’ve all been so much better than we could have ever imagined.

Joel: Yeah, we sold out like 90% of all the nights.

Do you get noticed a lot now when you’re out and about?

Joel: We’ve been stopped on the street a few times.

Andy: If the four of us are together we get noticed… like in Sainsbury’s or something.

No rock and roll moments yet then? 

Andy: We’ve had fans chasing the tour bus down the street! 

Adam: At the Brighton show there was a stage invasion. The whole front row just got up on the stage. There was like 100 people on stage with us, jumping around. It did get a bit out of control.

Ryan: That was a proper rock and roll moment!

You’ve supported some cool acts over the last couple of years. The Wanted and Will Young come to mind. Did you get any good advice from either of them?

Ryan: It’s not so much advice, it’s more things you pick up while touring with them.

Joel: Supporting The Wanted was almost like our big break and the show they put on for their theatre tour was just immense. 

Andy: So professional.

Joel: Yeah and you sort of aspire to be like that. You know, it made us want to put on a show like that. It’s inspiration we got more than anything. Like, watching Will Young performing… his voice is just sensational.

Ryan: How he arranges his songs as well.

Joel: Yeah, it helped us learn like, the dynamics of a set.

Andy: Yeah, you learn a lot touring.

Andy, is it true you’re really good mates with Max from The Wanted?

Andy: Yeah, I am. I used to be in a band with Max. When we were in that band together we were just inseparable. We’re such good friends. We sort of have that Northern banter; you know, he’s from Manchester and I’m from Liverpool, so we have really good banter. But The Wanted are all great lads. 

Joel: Yeah we had loads of fun on tour with them.

Tell us some unusual facts about Lawson.

Ryan: Joel’s got a phobia of belly buttons. 

Joel: Can I just clarify it’s not just belly buttons. It’s when people put fingers in their belly buttons – that freaks me out!

Okay, and another?

Joel: The hole in Andy’s chest is quite unusual.

Andy: Yeah, I’ve got a like a dip in my chest. Oh! And I’m 6ft 2 and have size six feet… that’s quite unusual, isn’t it?

Joel: Oh, we can read minds too!

Interview by Ben Pulsford

Check out Lawson reading each other's minds in the video below!