It hasn’t even been a year since the release of British alt rock group Wolf Alice’s debut album, “My Love is Cool”, and the band has already earned a Grammy nomination for their single “Moaning Lisa Smile.” It’s just one more achievement among innumerable accolades from the alternative and mainstream tastemakers. We got to chat with drummer Joel Amey about the band’s musical sensibilities, group dynamic and rise to international fame. When I first heard Wolf Alice, I heard one heavier song, and pegged you as a grunge band. But as I listened more I realized you have a wide range of moods, tones and dynamics. Is that something you aim for, to not repeat yourselves? Nothing has been very contrived with us. There’s no need to have one sonic identity anymore. If anything, that’s more limiting. It’s whatever’s best for the song. We might want the next record to be as heavy as possible, but if we end up writing twelve acoustic lullabies that are stronger and more in tune with where we are at the time, then that’s the album we should make. With Ellie Rowsell as the lead singer, and the only woman in the band, it might seem like she’s the main creative force. But you all contribute to the songs. So I wonder if there’s an advantage to that kind of anonymity for you three, because the attention’s probably mostly on her. It’s funny, because I know her, and she doesn’t think of herself like that. Ellie’s the most un-egotistical, modest, down-to-earth superstar I’ve ever come in contact with. In my opinion, she’s the star, and it’s wicked to be in a band with her. But we are all involved. It’s the four of us coming together. You’ve said that Wolf Alice’s big break was a mention on the NME’s “Radar” in 2012. People could view that as dumb luck, maybe, but they’d probably also be discounting the work that led to it. There is an element of luck involved, but it’s 90 percent getting off of your backside and treating it as professional as you want it to be, even if it’s not your “professional” profession. The day we decided “Let’s be that band who rehearse every day and write songs every day, even if they’re rubbish, and send them to each other,” that was when Wolf Alice became like, “Well actually, we could maybe do this.” IF YOU GO:
Philadelphia
April 1, 8:30 p.m. New York
April 2, 7 p.m. Boston
April 3, 8 p.m.
Union Transfer
1026 Spring Garden St.
$18, all ages, 877-987-6487
www.ticketfly.com
Irving Plaza
17 Irving Pl., Manhattan
SOLD OUT, 800-745-3000
www.livenation.com
Brighton Music Hall
158 Brighton Ave., Allston
SOLD OUT, 800-745-3000
www.ticketmaster.com
Wolf Alice through the looking glass
Getty Images
