Festival No.6 asks... Wire

(Phil Sharp)

Post-punk titans Wire discuss their art and influences ahead of this year's Festival No. 6.

Describe your music in three words

Diverse, propulsive, harmonic

If you owned a festival, what would you call it and why?

We do. It’s called DRILL, followed by the city it’s happening in. The last one was DRILL: LONDON, and the next will be in a city in North America in November.

Who from the Festival No. 6 line-up is your must see act?

I’d say Johnny Marr, but I also want to see Teleman and a few others

Name five people (dead and alive) you would like to go to a festival with

Is this like fantasy football or who would win out of a bear or a giraffe? No idea. I haven’t been to a festival as an audience since I was 19.

What’s your best festival moment?

Playing or being at? Playing - Comet at Pitchfork Festival, Chicago in July – Attending, it was too long ago.

What record changed your life?

There are loads. For today only, “A Wizard A True Star” by Todd Rundgren gets the vote.

If you ruled the world what would your first rule be?

Have elections.

Who would be your ideal headlining act at a festival?

Well it’s hard to say anyone else but Wire… (see Q5)

Who were your biggest influences?

Everything and nothing. Do you only have influences in the past? This question sounds like it’s asking 'who did you copy when you first started?' I’ve never made music from that standpoint.

What inspires you?

Bright mornings, bright people, intelligence in the face of stupidity, nature, love, the usual things.

What’s coming up for you in the next year?

UK tour, European Tour, short Middle east Tour, some festivals, back to USA then Aus/NZ in the new year. Busy Busy…

Wire are performing at Festival No. 6 which takes place on the 13-15 September in Portmeirion, Wales