"I get a real freedom in the idea of character" - An Aesthetic History of The 1975

The 1975's Matty Healy talks through the band's visual evolution, from the 'Facedown' EP to their upcoming album 'Notes On A Conditional Form'.
--
Official Channel of BBC Radio 1
Here you can find your favourite live performances, the biggest movie stars, amazing interviews and more...
Still haven’t subscribed to Radio 1 on KZbin? ►► goo.gl/QSjLSr
Follow us on socials:
/ bbcradio1
/ bbcr1
/ bbcradio1

[@christianebusani]

Matty really eats the pages of dictionaries for breakfast

[@chloeluke8197]

I eat breakfast

[@tomgat6314]

I eat breakfast

[@aerique955]

i beat reakfast

[@shrn4697]

i breat eakfast

[@vickil9458]

@@shrn4697 im ebriated

[@сеням-о8ч]

‘you know why i did that? because i’m a wanker’ his mind

[@mac.not.donalds2845]

what did he said before that ?? the wabi sabi thing? what is that?

[@samira7164]

a stroke of genius

[@heylookitsn0ah]

@@mac.not.donalds2845 he got a tattoo on the inside of his lip lol

[@ashleighprifogle722]

is that a british swear word omg

[@itsjustmepri4379]

@@mac.not.donalds2845 Lol I know its been almost a year but just in case you didn't know, wabi-sabi is this Japanese idea of art that basically centers around imperfection and impermanence, so the fact that he has it written on his inner lip, where the tattoo is impermanent and fades is super meta, to the point of being pretty wanker-y :) I love how self-aware he is ahaha

[@annaholland3920]

'more like a brand than a band....songwriter'

[@mattiemclean9882]

I knew somebody would repeat that line in the comments. God KZbin is getting so predictable!

[@ruthlessrays9761]

@@mattiemclean9882 big deal?

[@crystalxo5038]

I mean it’s iconic how do you not want it to be repeated lmao

[@annaholland3920]

@@crystalxo5038 true anything Matty says is iconic

[@rismaperdana420]

i found this comment while the line comes up

[@kittymae]

matty has such an interesting mind, could honestly listen to him speak forever

[@chloeluke8197]

Thank you

[@naomitecsi8451]

I think the same. He is very intelligent.

[@bruhlewis9508]

Shame he’s an arsehole

[@m0niKaLe]

AMEN

[@gidya5719]

SAME

[@tias7942]

I want a documentary on the 1975 with just matty talking the entire time.

[@aziara369]

There's i think a 40 minute video where he's talking about art, culture, music, etc. I think it was produced by GQ. Just search it on youtube hehe

[@cspmishra9577]

George too

[@cheesecakelasagna]

I imagine something shot like Andy Warhol eating burger type.

[@이민-h6h]

Lol matty talking the whole time lol

[@MrAyley7]

I wanna hear Hann and Ross talk too all day

[@joanaaaaa07]

His vocabulary is broader than my future.

[@rfcalm]

matt Healy is where the normal world meets yours

[@fathenrycavill]

His hair in "Somebody Else" is what I live for.

[@Anam.Fatima19]

mood

[@courtxsummer]

Yes same

[@lesleyjuarez4691]

Autumn Austin that shit was so sexy

[@MariaMartinez-we3ip]

Also that look he gives to the camera in “The Sound”

[@evelynoliveira9447]

sameeee.

[@laurie711hopes6]

Matty's MIND. He's a breathe of fresh air in an industry so saturated with mediocre talent. He truly is a beautiful artist.

[@theresafloresca367]

So British 😶

[@blueandpurple5467]

laurie711hopes omg well said, it really is saturated with mediocrity, damn

[@NathanielClarkeson]

I've seen thousands of mattys

[@musicalman1995]

Pretty ignorant comment. The industry is not at all saturated with mediocre talented. There are more underground artists than mainstream artists.

[@jamesdavies5266]

Are you stupid?

[@ellamawson4224]

i’m living for the 3000 different hair styles

[@hlhihlhi7204]

a bit too many styled like our cultures and how we grew up

[@Rest-xs2tp]

'So I went on tumblr' *level up for vsco girls*

[@hlhihlhi7204]

those " vsco girls " are styled like our generation

[@morgan786]

no one: absolutely no one: matty: SeLf reFerEnTial

[@eden-wu3gl]

BIG PROPS TO WHOEVER MADE THAT INTRO THAT WAS ACTUALLY GENIUS WHY IS NO ONE TALKING ABOUT IT

[@ninanaps151]

A work of art

[@m0niKaLe]

IKR? AMAZING EDITING 👏🏻💥

[@haileynakayxx]

this is irrelevent to your comment, but i love you pfp! it's kurt! 😂❤

[@jd4923]

True

[@juliaastarina8763]

Matty in interviews is the kind of person you want to keep on listening to, or having a long brainy discussion about anything and everything. That's a trait we don't see much these days.

[@rfcalm]

you are just looking in the wrong places. Your social media shapes your mainstream.

[@naar6807]

@@ghost8974 ok then tell me some more intelligent ppl I can look up please

[@luana7241]

i like it when you you sleep era was the masterpiece aesthetic cause you can recognise the band immediately even if you’re not a fan. self titled album and abiior doesn’t have the most iconic aesthetic but the elements part of it like robbers music video or that rabbit rat and so many other things don’t let us forget why those four guys are genius

[@hlhihlhi7204]

they are styled like our cultures and how we grew up

[@user-nb5by1po6w]

ilwys is THE era. nothing is gonna top that

[@slinkymalinki7844]

I love how the transition from self titled to I like it when you sleep was partly controlled by the fans. There's something really beautiful about that and pink was the ballet choice for the fans. It's warm, romantic and real which is what I think when I listen to all the songs on that album.

[@danielroberts6474]

Drink every time Matty says 'self referential'

[@abbyxoxo48]

Alcohol poisoning

[@undomyhead4557]

it's the new "juxtaposition"

[@fernandorossi5746]

"Self awareness"

[@bettinabence6218]

Reference

[@user-20392]

he said self referential right when i read this no fucking cap

[@adelinegutowski867]

he seems so healthy and in a good place... so proud of him

[@qzurg]

Adeline Gutowski he looks like he hasnt slept in months and just had some weed

[@spacemanspiff3039]

So a perfectly normal human adult? Looool

[@meganmcdowell9521]

Qtence well he was basically touring for a year non stop i mean i would be tried aswell

[@aziara369]

I love how these "aesthetic" details were personally addressed by him. Oftentimes, i wonder a lot why a music video has to look the way it looks, but Matty gave me an answer: because it's fun and he doesn't wanna get bored! That's why a person like me loves Matty. He pays attention up to the smallest details and i think it's just incredible

[@littleuneasy]

matty's passion for what he does and his seriousness when it comes to making music/art always amaze me. he's such an all round artist who puts every bit of his soul into not only singing but also every other field in the industry. i wonder what his IQ is?

[@beano_burrito]

Tiara KP it's over 9000

[@spaghettibolognese1084]

Saw them at reading. Honestly was such such an incredible performance.

[@finnpeters7867]

Spaghetti Bolognese i cried

[@whatscarlareading]

i saw them too absolutely amazing

[@leesahh_x]

me too then i tried to buy spag bol after but they ran out of spaghetti

[@ma-vo4xz]

Me too I got to the front he was amazing

[@lukebridge7925]

Their performance was so moving.. So many bands talk so cheesey on stage, but he felt so real, so connected to the crowd! Reading was amazing!!

[@scifikoala]

Hearing him describe the first album as an "80s teen movie" is so insane to me because when it came out I was 17 and basically in this phase where I was obsessed with turning my life into a classic teen movie. And the first time I heard The 1975 (as introduced by a guy I liked, of course) it blew my mind because it was uncannily perfect for that point in my life

[@lindsayjanae]

one of my favorite things matty’s ever said is that they want all their slow songs to sound like the last song played at an 80s prom 😍

[@chelsieguedesse463]

I love he doesn't take himself too seriously, and then sometimes it seems like he might and you're just trying to figure him out but he's already gone onto the next thing.

[@renmelii]

he is one of my favourite human beings for sure

[@BulletProofBacon]

Can we just keep talking about that first era? Man that black and white aesthetic was truly perfect.

[@lesbian7000]

the editing compliments his thought process so well i love it

[@mahamahmed6803]

man i really want to visit Matty's house someday. like check out the books and vinyls he has. smoke at 2AM on the roof while talking about the true meaning of life. just yakno, for once, coming out of character, and looking at the world from a different lens.

[@competitivelips3379]

Maybe he doesn’t have either of them, he’s all about being an individual person and not being perfect, and the idea of him having books and vinyls is too...perfect

[@delilah8618]

اول فان عربي الحمد لله

[@niibinaba]

I had to stop like every 30 seconds cause I had to look up a word I didn't know. This man is incredibly well spoken, that's so attractive

[@theestrangest]

I'll never forget the way the I like it when you sleep point in time made me feel. The easter eggs and everything was so fun, the singles, everything. The concert was the cherry on top. It was the first time I had a band make me feel so immersed in their universe!!! Pure brilliance

[@haiisou]

I didn’t know this was coming. I wasn’t prepared😩

[@whirlwhind666]

"I get a real freedom in the idea of character" i relate to this so much!

[@angelofrago3096]

"Cause I'm a wanker" that's what he said

[@theresafloresca367]

Oh

[@lelecancook9474]

12:25 what did he say? wappy sappy?

[@angelofrago3096]

@@lelecancook9474 He said wabi-sabi... it is a kind of lifestyle.

[@littlesquidward8117]

Angelo Frago really I couldn't tell

[@angelofrago3096]

@@littlesquidward8117 Yes... that's what i heard the first time and what I'm hearing still during rewatch. If you check it, it also checks out and fits within the context of what he is saying.

[@nextned]

This is a brilliant idea for an interview... I've always been so curious about their constant change in aesthetic, especially after attaching them to the black and white weird rock n roll vibe.

[@hlhihlhi7204]

lol rock n roll

[@rutaestereliepniece312]

I have to pause the video so many times because he’s too big brain for me and my small brain can’t keep up

[@charlottewhitfield3671]

bananamarana big braiiiinnnn

[@alliejohnson8983]

Charlotte Whitfield LOL Im reading comments and listening to it at 1.5 speed ahaha

[@rutaestereliepniece312]

Allie Johnson Good for you big brain

[@ririschannelx]

Wow you must be dumb then

[@amyzshan]

BIG BRAAAAIN

[@yea4289]

weRe nOt a pOp bAnD

[@hlhihlhi7204]

why are those stranger things people also styled like our generation in real life

[@teichihondo9217]

i love how his mind wanders

[@natbatrat-d7e]

I just want a massive list with all the references matty did on all of his interviews so that I can study then and maybe - just maybe - understand what happens inside of his head.

[@ely2833]

Tell me if you ever do it, I'm interested

[@arielhernandez3517]

I could listen to Matty speak all day, he has a way with words and expressing himself very articulate

[@Hydeshinomori]

One of the most interesting bands today. Following them is a wild ride, you never know what to expect.

[@kylem6165]

Nobody: Matty: “Im just really self-referential”

[@Elena-gc5xc]

I'm not sure why I watched this since I don't know anything about the 1975 but damn I'm glad I did! Absolute pleasure listening to him speak

[@spencerb.240]

The fact that he listened to what the fans wanted for their sophomore album is so humble. He knows how to cater to his audience and to meet what that want and I LOVE IT

[@junenye]

Take a shot every time Matty says reference, self referential or deconstruction.

[@evafranklin368]

I get so mesmerized by Matty and his mind. I adore him, and how he can go from being very serious to making jokes in the split of a second.

[@RushatiMukherjee]

Oh, this was great. Trip down memory lane to vintage 1975 and back to now. I need to get back into this band.

[@michaeldwatkins_]

"and do you know why I did that? because I'm a wanker!" - this, right here, is why Matty and The 1975 more generally, get to have their moments of pretention and self-indulgence. They're in on the jokes, they get it and, tbh, they're the most interesting band around right now because of it.

[@whatscarlareading]

they were insane at reading omg i was so lucky to see them

[@rachelrobot]

I'm sorry but I still laugh every time I see the part in The Sound video where it says "if this band thinks they have a charismatic singer..." *shows Matty* "...they're wrong" *shows sad Matty with head down* 😂😂😂😂

[@sai-bi2rh]

like, "BITCH, PLEASE 😒" it's hilarious.

[@vickyh677]

The editing really topped this video off, will be watching three million times over

[@rifahasanah1809]

0:06 i love when he call his name with british accent

[@charbear_x]

Matty you beautiful man reading was one of your best concerts ever!!❤️

[@nicojones555]

Why is he a singer when he can be an amazing English teacher?

[@jjcallmejj8953]

555555

[@somethingdifferent39]

A beautiful mad man walking around as a genius

[@cjb1961]

This video is so well edited

[@junenye]

Seeing this band live was everything

[@amicitiaishere]

this is genuinely one of my favourite videos of all time

[@ashantimaluleke2267]

I love him. I want him and Jonathan Van Ness to interview each other

[@muntianuanisia7498]

I want him to do a song with grimes

[@goldwincs]

I wish he would have talked about what happened to the "She's American" music video. It's my favorite song of the record, and i was so looking forward to see the video for it.

[@its_ambs]

Because of what was happening with the pulse shooting, trump etc they scrapped it because they said they didn't feel right putting it out like it wouldn't have been appropriate

[@Hannah-po7pj]

3:17 "ART" I got throwbacks to... 'And I do make art, thank you very MUCH!'

[@zhahrahafizhah5540]

The 1975 the most aesthetic band everrr, who's the art director ? I always love them concept, I can't wait for new albums

[@hlhihlhi7204]

lol most aesthetic they´re fucking styled like how we grew up

[@BrianSmith-vl7xu]

"I get a real freedom in the idea of character" that sounds like something Bowie said back in the 70's. That's a good thing. Take characters to an extreme.

[@sweetlife6299]

GOD I just love listening to Matty talk so much so that I'm gonna go revisit my playlist of The 1975 interviews so I can listen to him talk some more 🌚

[@beatriz2364]

“the fans were bored so we changed everything“ bro 🥺🥺🥺🥺 what a bro

[@andinations]

Man I'm getting so emotional and nostalgic watching this, I've been a fan since 2013 when I was 12 and I've seen them twice. I miss the old eras so much ):

[@francy-bh]

I love him! He is so funny but also very smart and intelligent, I love to hear him speak. He hasn't been doing interviews lately (I think because of the controversy that came out in May when he was dating Taylor Swift) but I hope to see him again soon in an interview.

[@Akomarongg]

this was legitimately one of the most fascinating things i've watched in a while

[@Ray-ui1pm]

Whoever edited this NEEDS THE RAISE OF THE CENTURY!!!!!

[@martianqueen3553]

I’ve said it on numerous videos, I admire Matty so much. He’s very self and socially aware and continues to grow as a person and artist. Not sure I would ever want to commit to spending too much time in his mind but I would love to have a conversation with him. These are some of my favorite videos, where they just let him talk and explain his ideas.

[@Pinnfeathers]

Their aesthetic is so incredibly chic. So many clever, beautiful choices, so well done. Matty is a true artist.

[@doraaaa0613]

facedown still gives me chills whenever i hear it, god that entire first album has such a big place in my heart. i'll never get tired of listening to it. such beautiful sounds

[@carlyg8995]

I know its easy to just focus on Matty and all the beautiful and interesting things he's telling us about but holy shit that video!! the way its been put together is absolutely brilliant, great job!!

[@caitlynjones9929]

Can we talk about how amazing they were at Reading and how mental and excited the crowd was

[@SickVapeTricks]

It was so good it got me into the band hard

[@KelticLegend]

To me, nothing can beat ILIWYS. It was mature, introspective, humiliating, gentle and so so vulnerable. Beautiful record.

[@juliaballaron2684]

This is so insightful, I love hearing about how he thinks about this with music and the visuals, it all just ties in. And I love all of the references, it's so fucking amazing.

[@hlhihlhi7204]

references or rehash

[@tangozmangoo]

That was so interesting. He’s so charismatic.

[@mary-gx5cl]

i really could listen to him talking about how everything is made and just the thought process behind every little detail FOR HOURS

[@mekailamorris]

this video brought me to tears for some reason. so lucky to have been here throughout the whole evolution :')

[@ritam8938]

this was such a good explanation. very interesting matty 🖤.

[@ellie20lm]

Whats your favourite ? Like for 'i like it when you sleep' Comment for 'a brief inquiery into online relationships'

[@angelofrago3096]

But what about the self titled album?

[@finnpeters7867]

Ellie Harrington brief enquiry is their best

[@JamieWAbbott]

Hands down 'The 1975' over either of these.

[@muntianuanisia7498]

So 76 people don't know how to type?

[@alfinkurnia7381]

You're making it sound like they only have two albums

[@faitharooo]

I love the way he talks & feels. Every concert of theirs, that I've been to, is such an amazing, emotional experience. Highly recommend them as a whole

[@Robotbaybee_]

This man's a bloody genius!

[@mariavic1304]

Matty seems so smart i love him 😭💞 as an Arts student, i really appreciate this kind of videos

[@miguel-fw4nv]

I don’t even know what he’s talking about but I’m so captivated with his talking

[@leni_ty3117]

this interview only confirms what I already figured out from their videos, so I'm pleased with myself :)

[@rachzainhass]

Jeez I am crazy cus I followed every word of that. I could listen to him talk all day. I dont think anyone plans out their videos lyrics songs themed aesthetics like him I bet the next three albums are already done in his mind. There is truly not many people like him he knows exactly what he wants to achieve and produces it. Even the highest paid stars and some of the greats he looks up to dont FULLY produce their own voice. I could go on but Bravo!!!

[@milleevb]

I really needed this in my life tbh

[@Drekon009]

absolutely loving the new song ‘People’ 🤗

[@selmaosei5672]

Damn. It’s so much more than a band. It’s like what they’re doing has a meaning within a meaning and I’m LIVING FOR IT.

[@anyaa3576]

This is such a great video! I always wanted to do an analysis about the way The 1975 uses their image but now Matty did it for me. idk where to begin, i think the "image" or brand of the band started as a very ironic thing but then it grew organically to a precise curated aesthetic, im saying so many words lmao my favourite has to be ilwys bc as matty mentions it's very reflective of the time (2016) and the 1975 as a band, as an aesthetic continues to be, the campaign/promo for abiior was top notch in my opinion and i see they're doing something similar for notes, i can't wait to see what these guys got in store for us

[@hlhihlhi7204]

lol they are styled like our cultures we grew up in

[@hollyoneill2902]

best interview ive seen in a while

[@BRYANLEECABATAY]

I can never thank my bro enough for introducing me to this man

[@rylandmoore1128]

It’s amazing that he talks a million miles per hour yet I still keep up

[@petrova7603]

He is so dreamy, aesthetically intelligent. Big brain, Matty.

[@hauntmybed6037]

ikr he's amazing

[@angelilopez2251]

He can explain literally any thing to me and learn so much about it

[@artnool4807]

He mentioned Ecco The Dolphin! God knows how much time I spent on that game when I was a kid.

[@freddiemeyer4563]

hes so handsome ( hes spooky looking and i like it!) that he litrally looks good with ANY hairstyle

[@trina_ph]

Matty Healy, you are a genius, and an icon.

[@fadesblue]

8:44 i too feel at my most comfortable when i’m a clown

[@camilavictoriagil]

love this

[@bingsu1688]

i can listen to him talk all day without feeling bored

[@lindsayjanae]

to this day, I have yet to find a person who truly understands what this band means to me