Royal Blood’s last twelve months have “been overwhelming”

It’s been a little under twelve months since Royal Blood unleashed their first offering into the open. A thrashing, brutal effort that saw heads turn and eardrums explode on all fronts, their first mark on the world was one of deliberate intent. This was a band unafraid to sound huge, and their progress has followed suit.

It should come as no surprise really; from their homemade t-shirt that Arctic Monkeys’ Matt Felders donned for the latter’s headline slot at Glastonbury last year, to their acceptance across all realms of rock and roll, theirs has always been a future destined for massive stages. The speed at which they’ve covered ground, though, is something no one could’ve predicted. From incendiary sets at SXSW, to headline shows across America; from causing frenzies in the city festivals earlier this year, to somehow managing to sound blisteringly loud even on the radio, it feels like there’s nothing Royal Blood can’t do.

“I think from the beginning up until now, it’s been overwhelming,” offers up one half of the band, Mike Kerr, in the new issue of DIY. “It feels like every other day, we’re doing something where we’re on the other side of the world and we’re playing a huge show. If anything, right now kinda feels like the first UK tour that we did; we’re playing in a bunch of towns and cities that we’ve never played in before, and we’re putting in the groundwork here. We’re having a really good time.”

The groundwork looks to be paying off: the duo are currently on course to hit the Number 1 spot in this week’s chart, with their self-titled record.

Read more in the September issue of DIY, out Friday 5th September.