Aussie indie upstarts Radio Free Alice caught up with NME backstage at Studying 2026 to speak about Anglophile sound, taking part in with “genius” Cameron Winter and Geese, plans to maneuver to London, and what to anticipate from their “coming of age” debut album ‘What’s In Between’.
After smashing an early afternoon set in The Gallery set – certainly one of our highlights of the weekend – frontman Noah Learmonth, drummer Lochie Dowd and guitarist Jules Paradiso got here and sat on the NME sofa the place they they mirrored on their set and the “hefty weight” that comes with taking part in a competition with the historical past and legacy of Studying & Leeds.
“We had been taking part in at 2pm, however we had been actually pleased with the group. It was a full tent and it was sick,” mentioned Learmonth. “I really feel like that is the one competition that, being from Australia, you’re so conscious of – this and Glastonbury. Nirvana at Studying and all these legendary gigs implies that it carries a specific weight that different festivals don’t.”
Off the again of a packed summer season of festivals and simply a few months away from the discharge their long-awaited debut album, Radio Free Alice have been having fun with a runaway 2026 as current singles ‘Kick In The Shins’ and ‘Crying For You’ dominate indie airwaves and tackle a lifetime of their very own on-line. The yr began with the band being thrown proper within the deep finish, supporting Geese again of their native Australia.
“It was loopy to see Geese in particular person,” Learmonth instructed NME. “Cameron Winter and Geese have been on my cellphone incessantly, so to see him in particular person and be speaking to him backstage was so unusual, so topical. That was sick. It was superb to share a stage with essentially the most talked-about band on the earth.”
Does Cameron have linear conversations or do issues are likely to veer off into one other universe?
“He appears, as you’d anticipate, to be super-smart to me,” the frontman replied. “He’s an attention-grabbing man. He performed a solo gig in Melbourne the evening earlier than, and we had been speaking about how in Melbourne there’s a legislation the place it’s a must to have a assist act. He by no means has a assist act when he does solo exhibits, so he introduced on this 10-year-old little one prodigy to come back on and play a piano concerto earlier than him. That’s only a completely genius Cameron Winter thought. He was beautiful.”
However now the highlight falls on Radio Free Alice. How does it really feel to abruptly have so many extra eyes and ears falling upon them?
“I don’t know,” replied Dowd. “It simply appears like all of our eyes and ears are contained within the van that we transfer in, and we wouldn’t even know if anybody was paying consideration.”
Paradiso agreed: “Since we introduced the album, it appears like there’s just a little extra consideration than there could be in any other case. That’s equally as anxiety-inducing as it could be thrilling: simply to lastly put it out.”
The band beforehand instructed NME that the core of their sound is the shared influences of New Order, The Jam and The Housemartins – with their open-hearted however bittersweet, kaleidoscopic and widescreen strategy to indie calling on the extra euphoric components of The Smiths and The Treatment.
Requested the place the album takes their sound from what we’ve heard earlier than, Paradiso replied: “The songs weren’t all written on the similar time. A few of them had been written two years in the past, some a month in the past, a whole lot of them weren’t written with the intention of being on the album, a whole lot of them had been jams we’ve been taking part in through the years. It’s a little bit of a blended bag. You’ll be able to anticipate a sound similar to what we’ve received out already in the intervening time, however I feel it’s a step in a barely totally different route.
“I’m undecided precisely what that route is. The album continues to be very melodic, however I feel it’s much more thought-about, much more intentional, and we’re all actually happy with it.”
Additionally, with such an Anglophile sound that’s proving to be catnip for depressing British indie followers, have that not thought-about a transfer to the wet UK?
“We love Australia and we’ve grown up there, however we’re fairly excited with the prospect of shifting to London,” Paradiso shared. We’re all already on the lookout for locations and a few of us have discovered locations. We’ve type of made the transfer.”
And the way are they discovering London lease costs?
“Brutal. Very brutal,” mentioned the guitarist. “Noah’s simply moved to Bow.”
Learmonth agreed: “Bow is an efficient a part of city, however lease is hard…”
To assist make lease, the five-piece are hoping that you simply’ll be heading out to purchase their debut album subsequent month – one written with a coronary heart that we will all relate to. “Trying again, I’ve at all times been a sucker for something ‘coming of age’,” mentioned Learmonth of the LP’s lyrics. “Numerous my favorite motion pictures rising up had been that. There’s a theme of ‘dispossessed younger particular person’, amongst others.”
You’ll have to attend till the day earlier than Halloween to get your arms on it, thoughts. Sharing their costume alternative could be Learmonth as Gru and the remainder of the band as minions, the Aussie trio regarded forward to the spooky season. Paradiso ended: “I’m going to be scared sufficient with the discharge.”
Radio Free Alice’s debut album ‘What’s In Between’ will probably be launched through October 30 through Atlantic Information, and is obtainable to pre-order right here. Their upcoming UK and European headline dates are beneath, with tickets out there right here.
NOVEMBER4 — Copenhagen, DK — Best Bar at Vega6 — Berlin, DE — Frannz Club7 — Hamburg, DE — Turmzimmer8 — Cologne, DE — Helios3710 — Amsterdam, NL — Tolhuistuin11 — Brussels, BE — Botanique Rotonde12 — Paris, FR — Level Ephémère14 — Bristol, UK — Thekla15 — Birmingham, UK — O2 Institute217 — London, UK — Electrical Ballroom18 — Leeds, UK — Brudenell Social Club20 — Manchester, UK — Academy 221 — Glasgow, UK — Artwork School22 — Belfast, UK — Ulster Sports activities Club24 — Dublin, IE — Button Manufacturing facility
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