Diet Cig talk about the "big, goofy, fun dance party" of life on the road

Diet Cig have long been a firm contender for everyone's favourite new act. They've only got an EP (Over Easy) and a single ("Sleep Talk"/"Dinner Date") to their collective name, but with their unique brand of "slop-pop" the New Paltz duo have cemented their names in the hearts of fans worldwide.

Returning to the UK for the second time this year for a string of tour dates - including performances at this year's Great Escape Festival - singer and guitarist Alex Luciano chatted to us about life in one of New York's most endearing bands.

You were the first Father/Daughter band (hopefully of many) to tour overseas: what was it like making your first venture over to the UK?

Ahh, it was so much fun!!! The shows were so incredible, and we got to tour with Bruising, who we became great friends with! It was a little more of a culture shock than we expected, but in a cool way. We made tons of friends and honestly just had a blast.

What's it like being a part of that roster?

We are so proud to be a part of the F/D roster! There are sooo many amazing bands releasing with them, and some of our best friends are in them. It's awesome when you get to fangirl over your friends! We love F/D so much, we definitely wouldn't be where we are without them.

Did you get to see a lot of the country when you were last over? What were your favourite places/sights/things to do?

We were up and down all of England, which was super cool - the drives were so scenic. We only really got to hang around London when we weren't playing, but we actually got to see the Brixton Bowie memorial the day after he passed. It was really intense, and it felt very special to be able to pay our respects in the neighborhood he grew up in.

How does touring/playing in the UK differ from the US?

The drives!!! They're so, so, so much shorter. Our longest drive in the UK was only sixhours, and that's so short in the U.S.! The crowds were surprisingly similar, but it was exciting to play to all new people in the UK. Also, I can legally drink in the UK so things got a lil sillier last time : )

If you could give one piece of advice to new bands looking to make their first venture to foreign shores, what would it be?

Make some friends over there first!! The internet is cool, and if you go over and already have friends to crash with and guide you around, life is so much more fun. We got to see a lot of places in London we definitely wouldn't have gone to if we didn't stay with someone who lived there.

What are you most/least looking forwards to about being back over here?

We're most looking forward to seeing our friends, and also playing Paris! We've only ever toured within the UK, so it's exciting to have a date in the EU. We're also excited to play our first festival there. We'll get to see a lot of awesome bands! Least looking forward to figuring out how to get our merch over there.

You're playing The Great Escape: is there anyone/anything you're particularly excited to see?

OMG, to be honest there are SO MANY awesome bands we want to see, but I am PRAYING I don't miss Cakes Da Killa <3

What can people look forwards to when they head to see you play live?

A big, goofy, fun dance party!!!

Besides shows, what did you most enjoy about being on tour here?

The friends we made! We're so excited to come back and hangout with our pals that live across the world.

What are your tour essentials?

Floss, extra sewing needles, and slippers!

You're working on your debut album: how's that going so far?

It's going great!!! We're feeling really great about the songs we're writing and think they're our best yet.

What can people expect from your first full-length?

All new songs, written more cohesively than previous tunes, but with the same honesty and simplicity. They're gonna be fun!

When are you looking to get the record out?

Hopefully early next year! Fingers crossed :0

Diet Cig kickstart their UK/EU tour this week. Stream the "Scene Sick" video below, and find details of the upcoming dates beneath.

May

20 - Brighton, UK @ Great Escape Festival, Green Door Store
21 - Brighton, UK @ Great Escape Festival, The Hope & Ruin (Downstairs)
21 - Brighton, UK @ Great Escape Festival, Sticky Mike's (Downstairs)
23 - Paris, FR @ La Mecanique Ondulatoire
24 - London, UK @ Dalston Victoria
25 - Birmingham, UK @ Hare & Hounds
27 - Manchester, UK @ Dot to Dot
28 - Bristol, UK @ Dot to Dot
29 - Nottingham, UK @ Dot to Dot
30 - Leeds, UK @ This Must Be The Place, Belgrave Music Hall