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Purple Revolver caught up with Dan Flint, the drummer and heartbeat of You Me At Six, he talks 12-hour box set marathons, waking up in a coffin, trashing Travelodges and being told off for not Tweeting enough.
How do you keep entertained while on the road?
We watch a lot of films. We did Band Of Brothers, 12-hour box series back-to-back. It’s pretty sad.
What’s your favourite movie?
It changes all the time. At the moment it’s Crash (2004 version). I recently switched on the TV and it was on, but it was the 1996 Cronenberg one. I was a bit weirded out.
Who would play you in the story of your life?
Someone who looks like me, like Jared Leto. Or David Beckham, but I wouldn’t let him speak.
You’re away from your bed – are your dreams different on the road?
We just did a month’s tour in the US and slept in some bunk beds on the bus every night. It’s kinda weird, like being in a coffin. You have to be careful what kind of dream you have when you wake up in a coffin. I often woke up and hit my head on the ceiling wondering where the hell am I?
Did you get to meet any of your musical heroes at the festivals this Summer?
We did Reading and Leeds, and had an hour set aside for nothing. There was talk of a surprise band playing. So I set up my gear and sat behind the drums and on walks Them Crooked Vultures – Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones. It was amazing, I texted my dad and he nearly wet himself. I was in awe, just amazed to be in front of these living legends, stood there with my mouth open.
What’s your craziest tale from all the parties on tour?
We played Yeovil and it was the last night of the UK tour, we were so pumped after the gig and thought what the hell!
We went to a club and partied, then got a Travelodge. We persuaded the support bands to come too. There were about 15 of us in two rooms. We partied and paid for it all in cash. We pretty much trashed the room, a foot went through the wall, people were in the shower. We didn’t get kicked out and the bar person even came up and partied with us.
What about the seedy motels in the States?
That Portland motel was pretty seedy. Imagine a place where you’d take hookers. It was quite a rock ‘n roll place to stay, loads of bands stayed there. There were black doors and they left chalk out for you. We drew dicks all over the doors, ours got filled quickly so we drew on our neighbours’ too.
Imagine your very own YM@6 hotel – describe it to me.
In the basement we’d have a massive nightclub, but we’d have to approve everyone that went in. We only want nice people. And on the roof we’d have a hot tub for the VIPs. The rest of the hotel would be themed. A rainforest scene, one room would be spacey, another room would have a jungle theme.
What are the American girls like?
I was expecting to go to the US and they’d be amazing, like heaven. Thought I’d be knee-deep in plunge. But they weren’t that hot. They were pretty snobby and pretentious in California. It was quite a snobby town.
What’s been your soundtrack to the Summer?
Sing It Loud, the new All Time Low, Thrice and the Kanye West album.
Who do you fancy collaborating with?
Jay Z or Rhianna would be cool. It would be cool to do something different, out of our genre. Everyone wants Haley Williams on their record, it’s cool but not different, we’d go for something a bit different.
Your tour sold out in an hour. How do you spend your perfect hour?
I’d spend it asleep or watching TV. I’d get The OC DVDs out.
How obsessed with social networking are you? Are you a Twitter fiend?
We all got told off for not using Twitter. We had a huge lecture on how to act and we have to use it more to sell more records. I’m rubbish at it. I don’t follow anyone but my agent Mark and he’s got about 40 Tweets about what he’s eaten with pictures of the food. So I started copying that. So on tour I’d Tweet about our exquisite treats Magners and Pot Noodles.
I’m a big Facebook person, I’m on the laptop constantly. But I’m not into Twitter, I’m gonna be forced.
You Me At Six are the cover boys for Kerrang! (again) would you strip for a fashion shoot/charity?
We did a couple of shoots on the beach, but in shorts. I’m not sure, Max would if you asked him. If you ask the boy to get naked he would. I think Josh would let the team down. Maybe if you bribed him with chocolate.
What are you doing tonight at 6?
We’re going out for dinner, then seeing Jack’s Mannequin. And we get to pick out some stuff at Niketown.
What would you be doing if you weren’t in the band?
I’d get into the production side of music. Or go back to do a music course. I paid to go to music academy but got into the band instead.