Indie
Interview: Kyle Falconer on his new album, what he knows about Line of Duty from pal Martin Compston and his collaboration with La Roux
Contact Music caught up with Kyle Falconer to talk about his new solo LP Lovely Night of Terror and much more...
Kyle Falconer has been soundtracking indie nights and small-town dreams since the mid-2000s.
As the frontman of The View, he burst onto the scene in 2006 with a run of electrifying singles that captured the raw, unfiltered energy of a new wave of British indie. Tracks like Same Jeans and Wasted Little DJ's turned Falconer into one of the most distinctive voices of his generation, their scrappy charm and sharp lyricism helping debut album Hats Off to the Buskers rocket to the top of the UK charts.
But success came fast, and the years that followed were marked by turbulence as much as triumph. Line-up tensions, shifting musical directions and the pressures of life in the spotlight saw The View struggle to recapture their early momentum, with periods of hiatus punctuating their career. Still, the bond between the members and their loyal fanbase never fully faded, leading to reunion shows that proved just how enduring those early songs remain.
Away from the band, Falconer has carved out a solo path that leans into a more reflective, melodic side of his songwriting. Trading chaotic tour buses for a slower pace, he decamped to Spain, where he set up a songwriting camp that offered both creative renewal and a sense of escape. It was there that he began crafting solo material that balanced introspection with the same ear for a hook that first brought him fame.
That change of scenery has gone hand in hand with a shift in his personal life with Kyle, his wife Laura and their four children fully settled in Spain.
Kyle is now back with his fourth solo album Lovely Night of Terror which is his first ever record of collaborations, featuring The Libertines frontman Peter Doherty, Lottery Winners, Dave McCabe of The Zutons and Jamie Webster.
Contact Music caught up with Kyle who revealed how the collabs album happened, how he is helping La Roux create her first LP for six years, his close friendship with his former flatmate, Line of Duty actor Martin Compston, and what is the future of The View.
Contact Music: How did Lovely Night of Terror come about with the various collaborators?
Kyle Falconer: I've always kind of collaborated. I've done a lot of work with Mark Ronson. I was always doing collaborations with Paolo Nutini and stuff. And so I just thought in my head, because I was collaborating so much, because I had the songwriting camp over in Spain, I thought it would be cool to write a sort of more poppy record, and get all my sort of old friends that were doing different kinds of music, and try this style of music. And see what people thought of it. And I think just the challenge of getting, like, Pete Doherty on a pop song and stuff was pretty cool, and everyone was really up for it. So it wasn't really the challenge I thought it was going to be, everyone seemed to just be into the music. So it was really cool.
Your song I'm Lost (You're Dead) with Jamie Webster got a great reaction, what was the experience like working together?
I've known Jamie for a wee bit, and we've kind of always kind of texted. Years ago, he sent me a cover because my mates' mate sent me a cover of him singing one of my songs for the radio, and I've kind of knew him ever since that. So he came to my songwriting camp in Spain, but just started chatting away. And I showed him a couple of the songs, and he was like, 'Oh, I love this one,' so he wanted to get on it. So yeah, it was class, man. Just a great boy, great energy.
The songwriting camp that you run has had a big influence on this record then?
Yeah, well, that was the first time I've had my own studio. So I was able to work from home and not, like, be away from the kids or that. So I was able to do the daddy duties, and then come back and just, like, just go in the studio. It's good to not be far away, because I think that's what I've always kind of wanted. Just literally be in the studio working with Justin Hawkins or someone and then going next door to my house. It was a dream come true.
This is a much better way of working for you then?
Yeah, I've got four kids. I mean, I was just away in Nashville, I was there for a week. So it's quite a long time to be away from my wife with four kids. So it's finding the balance man, it's quite hard. It's not the old days when you could just jump on tour for like six months.
Are your kids quite young?
They're nine, seven, four and one.
You say you want to do the daddy duties, is that going to affect how you tour?
I still do it. But, I mean, it's more like, the babies come with me. I take the kids with me, like, because we live in Spain, so they are off for three months in the summer, so I just kind of take them around with me.
We've done it the past few years in the camper van the band. When I was with The View, the band would travel on the tour bus, and we'd all travel in the camper van. It's pretty cool, man, it keeps you grounded.
A different kind of chaos to the tour bus, I'd imagine?
Yeah! Sometimes I'm like, 'Why am I doing this, man?' I should have left them at home.
You mentioned working with Pete Doherty on a track. What was that experience like?
It was class, man. He was in Edinburgh. He phoned me up after TRNSMT, and it was quite a big party the night before. And he phoned me up and said, 'Oh, I listened to the album.' He says, 'I want to do a track.' So I was like, 'What do you want to do? Do you want to do Midas Touch?' He says, 'I love that one.' So I just thought ... I've known him for 20 years, so he's been one of my heroes. So that was really cool. Me and my three kids were going to see Oasis in Dublin. So I stopped off in Edinburgh to see Pete, and he had his kid there as well, and his dog, and we just went backstage and recorded it in like half an hour. That was class. It was just great to see him.
When something happens that quickly it often produces the best results doesn't it?
Yeah. I mean, the song was already done. So I think it was just getting him to leave his comfort zone, because he's never really sung a pop song before. He was like, 'Oh, I feel like Michael Jackson!' He kept doing this kind of awkward dance. So it was just really funny. Pete was like, 'I need a drink for this one.' He was freaking out. So it was just a bit of a mad moment for both of us.
We recorded the video in France a few of weeks ago, the both of us were just talking and it's like we're sort of two indie guys but singing this complete pop song. It's cool.
I was kind of worried about it, worried about the song coming out and what people's opinions are going to be.
Was it a similar thing with Justin Hawkins then, because obviously he doesn't do sort of poppy songs, and he's synonymous with with hard rock and metal with The Darkness, albeit with some comedy...
I was just showing him songs and he was like, 'Oh, I really love this one, I love the chords on it, I love the writing on it,' and he got in depth about it. I said, 'Do you want to sing on it and he was like, Yeah. But he was like, only if I could write a verse or two.
And his voice just really surreal, man. It was just that he was, like, one of my heroes more than anybody. That was like my childhood going to see The Darkness and The Libertines and The Zutons. and I got Dave from Zutons on as well. And that was just madness. Everyone is just class.
Is there a possibility to do more with these collaborators?
I think I'll still be writing with them. McCabe is coming over to the camp again to do some writing, so is Jamie. But yeah, it's class, and we've got some exciting new people coming up to the writing camps as well this year that we're getting in. So it's getting bigger and better every year, and we've moved to a new place.
Would this be for Pete's solo record, or was this for you?
I don't know, we're just talking about writing. And we're always, I think I was just there seeing him in France, and we're talking about loads of stuff. It's very arty. We were painting together, and just like talking about films. And there's always so many doors to open.
Have you already got some songs?
I've always got songs, I'm always writing. You've always got a back catalogue. I'm in the studio all the time, I'm always writing with new artists. So there's a bunch and if somebody doesn't take something that ends up with someone else. There's tons in the back catalogue.
You mentioned writing for other artists. Do you pitch for pop stars?
I've actually been working with La Roux, she was a friend of mine growing up when we were both coming out at the same time. That was cool to work with her. She's got some stuff coming out, which is pretty cool. And who else, again?
I've also been working with a few under-18s artists. We're doing an under-18s camp. They are all new up-and-coming artists and they're all brilliant.
Have you got any names, I should be keeping an eye out for?
There's this guy called Ben Walker, who I wrote quite a lot with. There's a guy called Dove, he's brilliant. He's really operatic.
That's interesting you mentioned you are working with La Roux because it's been a few years since she had anything new out...
I don't know when she's going to be releasing stuff, but the stuff we did was amazing.
The View at the Specsavers Scottish Music Awards in 2022 / Credit: Getty
In terms of The View, what's the future?
I don't really know yet, it's kind of up in the air. Currently, there's not any plans for anything at the minute, to be honest.
Nothing concrete about getting back together for shows or anything?
Nothing yet, there's nothing set in stone, but never say never say. It's all good though.
I guess the writing camp is really fruitful for your own writing and for other artists, isn't it?
Yeah. It's just great fun. I've always been a songwriter, but what I would normally do is, unless I was going into a session or I was writing an album. I wouldn't really do it. It was just the kind of thing that I would do over a couple months. But since I've had this camp, it's pretty much every day. There's not a day that goes by where I'm not writing. There's always a project going on somewhere, or I'm always working with somebody on something else, and it's just non-stop.
It keeps my head good. I've got ADHD and all that stuff so it helps occupy me without me having to find a another creative outlet.
I do a lot of painting as well. I painted all the artwork for my albums. So that kept me happy for about six months. I've done about 30 paintings for that, for the front cover and all the single artwork and stuff and I like doing all that, and I need to do something. But I think with the writing, there's so many different writers that I work with so it's always exciting.
Lots of artists who have ADHD have said it helps with their writing. Would you agree with that?
Yeah, definitely. When I was in Nashville doing this album with someone and we were writing, and the guy I was working with, was like, 'Oh, yeah, I'd like to go away and do the lyrics over a few weeks.' And I was like, 'Let's just finish it now.' He said, 'That's not my process.' I went, 'Come on.' I think some people think that if you rush the lyric, it doesn't mean anything. But when you're writing all the time, you don't have to think about it. It just comes out. You know what I mean?, it's a well oiled machine.
Can you share the name of the artist who you were working with in in Nashville?
Just a Nashville artist. He's a producer.
Was this for his own record or for someone else?
A few things. Possibly something for my stuff and possibly something for his. His name is Adam James.
You mentioned going to see Oasis in Dublin. You also saw them in America with your good pal Martin Compston. What did you think of those Oasis Live '25 shows?
It was great, man. I saw them at Wembley twice, and then in LA, and then Dublin. I was just blown away. I took my daughter as well. It was just me and my daughter at one of them. Then the next time was with my wife and Martin Compston, and the other time I took my three kids to Dublin. But that was f****** crazy, because we were right at the front, and it was a bit mental. My wee boy fell asleep but my three kids were crying because they were that blown away.
My eldest daughter, she was eight at the time, she was like, 'Guys, you're gonna love this.' My wee boy was only three at the time, and he was on my shoulders, and he was crying because he was so happy. Proper fans. My daughter's got a signed Special Edition of Definitely Maybe on the wall. And they are all obsessed with Oasis. And my eldest daughter got a tambourine from Liam as well. Liam sent her it.
Oasis reunited on stage at Wembley / Credit: Avalon
Wow, that is amazing. The Oasis reunion gigs were simply phenomenal. Is the hope that because of the interest in those gigs and the cross generations that it might spark a revival of British guitar music?
Definitely, man. The kids that I'm working with, like, some of them don't even know who Oasis are. You get kids now that just know what's out now. But when I was a kid, I knew everything, from the present to the 50s, but kids just don't know. Some people I'm working with don't even know Wonderwall! It's crazy. But it's also cool.
Did you get a chance to hang out with Noel and the band backstage?
No not Noel. I was with the rest of the band, but not Noel. I saw Andy [Bell] and everyone.
What was their take on the reunion?
We were backstage at Wembley. It was just great, man. Just great to see everyone. It was like everyone was there, everyone. The Cast boys and everyone. And tons of people... Lewis Capaldi, Kevin Bridges, everyone was buzzing.
You went with Martin Compston and you guys are great friends, do you have any inside info on the new series of Line of Duty?
Me and Martin lived together when he first got the part from Line of Duty. And even he never knew it was going to be that big. He was always practicing his lines with me and going through all the stuff, and he'd be like, 'Yeah, this is me English accent,' and everything. I could do a better English accent than him. He never knew it was going to blow up. So when it blew up, it was huge. I mean I've not really kept track of it recently, but it's still phenomenal. Everyone's obsessed with that. It's so funny. I used to have one of the coats, a coat of DC Arnott's, I used to put it on with a beret and walk around, it was funny man.
The interest in the show is off the scale and the secrecy around the scripts for the new one is unbelievable from what I've been told...
Yeah, it's mental. I haven't got any inside info on it!
Has acting ever interested you?
Funny you say that. Martin got me small part when we were in LA one time. He said, 'I've got you this part, don't f*** it up.' And we went there and I ended up having a couple of shots of tequila to get in the mood, because I was freaking out.
I had a couple of lines, but I ended up having to ad lib, and I've never done that before. There were 100 people in the room, and I was like, 'F****** hell.' I think I just ran out of the room, I was freaking out. I just couldn't do it. So I think I would need to be more prepared if I was gonna have another go at it.
What was that for?
It was for a short film, years ago. Martin was like, 'Don't screw this up, man.'
You mentioned that you live in Spain now. What do you like about living in Spain compared to the UK?
I like the weather. I like just like sort of being in the middle of nowhere and my kids are within walking distance to school. Everything's great, man, I've always loved Spain, having a pool. I love being 10 minutes from the beach. It's what I like man. I get a bit depressed with the weather.
You never miss the rain of Scotland then, Kyle?
No way man!
Kyle Falconer's new album Lovely Night of Terror is available to buy HERE. It is available on dark red vinyl and CD.
You can listen to Lovely Night of Terror HERE
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