Music

University of Nottingham band, The Great Danes, are self confessed indie pop rockers who've been busy gigging around the city centre.

They are Ed Naish (Vocals), Oliver 'B-man' Escritt (Guitar), Ben Cowper (Guitar), Jamie Burns (Bass) and Hugo 'Metronome' Turner (Drums).

Hi Guys, thanks for agreeing to talk to us today. Okay! Let's jump in at the deep end. Who are the best band of all time?

Ben: No, No!

Ed: You can't ask that! Radiohead; without a doubt.

Ben: Same here.

B-Man: They have changed and developed over time to stay innovative.

Ed: I think people who like music, even if they don't like this band, still appreciate what they do.

Jamie: Don't give Radiohead too much credit. Aphix Twin were doing a similar thing long before.

Ed: Blur are good as well. Keeping it British is always good. Damon Albarn is a genius.

Where's your band name from?

Ben: The Great Dane is the nickname for [former footballer] Peter Schmeichel. We were thinking of dropping 'The' from the title, but the name would become a bit too ambiguous.

How would you describe your sound?

Ed: Indie pop.

Ben: That's not intentional; we just like music that's main stream.

Ed: Our new stuff is very We are Scientists. However, I do want our band to have its own sound. We're half way there, I think!

Jamie: We bought a synthesiser recently. When we work out how to use it we will start sounding like Maximo Park.

All: Giggle!

Worst gig?

Ed: It was a couple of years back. We played a hall on university campus.

Ben: The stage was on a slant. My friend had to sit in front of the bass drum to stop it sliding off the stage.

Ed: It was rather amusing, in the end.

Do you have any pre-gig rituals?

B-Man: We all get very, very nervous.

Ed: I tend to go to the toilet a lot.

What's your favourite track you've written so far?

Jamie: Itching at Me and High Society.

Ed: Itching at Me is about wanting to get out of something, such as a relationship. It always seems to go down well with the crowds.

Ed: It starts off sounding like Bloc Party but then it turns into our sound a little later on.

Favourite album of all time?

Ed: Ok Computer by Radiohead.

Jamie: Melancholy and the infinite sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins.

Hugo: I was a big fan of What’s the Story Morning Glory by Oasis at one point. What about you, B-man?

B-Man: I like The White Album by The Beatles but it’s not my favourite.

Ed: I really liked The Great Escape by Blur. I appreciate Think Tank, as well. That's when I started getting into edgier music.

Favourite hangouts in town?

Ed: Rescue Rooms, Stealth.

Hugo: Me and B-man are into university nights, while the other guys are happier in town.

If you made a video for one of your songs which song would it be and where would the video be set?

Ben: Itching at me.

Ed: I'm not sure where it would be set. A desert? A tree?

Favourite Nottingham band?

Ed: I saw a band at Junktion 7 called Burning Man. They were really good.

Ben: We're not really into the local scene. Most of the university stuff we end up seeing is metal.

What embarrassing secrets lurk within your record collections?

B-Man: Lighthouse Family.

Ed: Take That's Greatest Hits.

Are you living the rock and roll dream?

Jamie: We have too much studying to do to live the dream yet.

What's your opinion of the smoking ban?

Ed: I smoke, but a ban is good.

Hugo: I want to stop, so I don't mind.

B-Man: They have rooms where they can smoke within pubs in Ireland. Why can't they do that here?

Is the internet is killing the traditional high street music shop?

Hugo: The net gives the music listener more choice.

Ed: It's great for new bands who want publicity. But this also means there is so much choice we get many one album bands in the charts, which is probably bad for music stores as well.

What's your favourite cheese?

Hugo: Something French.

Ed: Hugo's French, as you can tell from his English accent!