Noon in Buenos Aires may be the perfect time and place for a siesta.
That’s the impression we get when Fran Healy, lead singer of Scottish rock band Travis, takes our questions at 12.10pm from his hotel room in Argentina between apologetic yawns. After 26 years of music-making and promo, though, Healy’s earned himself a couple of drowsy, introspective interviews.
Healy and co — bassist Dougie Payne, guitarist Andy Dunlop and drummer Neil Primrose — have eight records together, sprinkled with hits such as Sing, Why Does It Always Rain On Me and Re-Offender. On November 11, they’ll be performing some of their biggest songs — and a few tracks from their 2016 album Everything at Once — at Dubai’s Party in the Park festival in Media City Amphitheatre, alongside the Kaiser Chiefs and the Charlatans.
“As a band, it’s not lost on us why people go to gigs. Some bands are reticent to play their hits — we are not. We’re quite happy to do that because that’s the whole point of going to the show,” said Healy.
I’m sure this changes over the years, but what’s your favourite song to perform live?
It changes every night and you really don’t know until you do it. My thing is [that I’m] always concerned about singing in tune and not flatting or pitching.
Really? Even after all this time?
Of course. Because every gig is different. Every single show is different. So you have to sort of play it by ear — literally.
On the latest record, you were the primary songwriter. But on a couple of Travis’ records, you shared the credits more. How is that decided, who writes on what album?
At the very, very beginning of our career, I wrote everything. The guys in the band write as well, but it’s tough for them, because I have to sing it. And I’ve said to them — look, as the singer of the band, I’m going to sit and you’re going to give me a song and it’s like I have to own it. If I’ve got to sing it, I’ve got to believe it, and if I don’t, then I can’t sing it, because it won’t work.
I mean, if Dougie wrote ten insanely good songs, then I’d be happy to do that. But singing someone else’s song is like your friend giving you their shoes that they’ve worn for a year and saying, ‘Right, there you go.’ Even if you’re the same size shoe, it’s a weird feeling. It’s not a nice feeling. Multiply that by a hundred if you’re going to singing it live every night.
You guys have been friends for nearly three decades. Aside from the longevity of the band, did you always know you would be a significant part in each other’s lives?
No. The other day, we were in Chile, and we were in this guy’s house — this beautiful, modern architecture house. They were doing a film of us singing songs … And we were standing there, Andy and me, and I had this funny flashback to us in a rehearsal room, in the house of one of the guys that used to be in the band like, 20 years ago. I thought: ‘Wow.’ If you had taken us out of this bedroom in Glasgow or Scotland and just dropped us in this place in Chile 20 years later, or given us binoculars to see that moment, and say, ‘Look, this is you in 20 years — you’re still together, you’re still doing this’. It’s weird. It freaked me out when I was standing in Chile.
There’s nearly 20 years between your debut record and Everything at Once. If you were looking at Fran Healy of the Good Feeling days, what would you think of him? What would you say to him?
Now, looking back at a younger me? I would not say anything. I would just watch quietly. Because I think I’ve been really, really lucky, and I don’t think I would change anything. I wouldn’t touch it. With respect to the space-time continuum.
What’s next for you guys? Is there a ninth studio album on the horizon?
We’ve already sort of begun writing the next record. And then we’ll go and demo. And then the same thing starts again…
*Tickets for Party in the Park (2pm-12am) are Dh350-Dh1,200 from Virgin Megastores or platinumlist.net.
