IDLES' Joe Talbot talks politics, showing love on 'Tangk' and headlining Reading

To celebrate their heart-driven new album 'Tangk', Idles frontman Joe Talbot sits down with NME to tell us about overcoming his past trauma with love and self-worth, working with Kenny Beats and Radiohead producer Nigel Godrich, shunning social media, the state of politics, and the chances of them headlining Reading & Leeds or Glastonbury in the not too distant future
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[@pearlsbeforeswine60]

I am 71 years old and I am just riveted by Idles. I don't feel the same way about all the material, but I love the fact that they are totally original , don't sound like anyone else and they keep me growing musically. Back in the day ,I was a radio DJ, and Tangk would have been on my turntables for sure. Listening to this very insightful commentary by Joe, makes me understand why I feel as I do. He runs deep.

[@Equinoxious342]

Without a shadow of a doubt, the best interview I have ever seen. So much credit must go to the ego-less interviewer allowing Joe all the space in the world to talk and open up. Totally professional in every way, allowing things to go where they should. Then to Joe himself for being totally in the room and showing his inquisitor complete respect, no false self-deprecation, no holier than thou, no bollocks and just being a solid, grounded human being.

[@LittleGrayMouse]

This man is so full of love I can feel it in his talk and his music. I loved the band the moment I first heard them play. Everyone in the band is outstanding , with beautiful souls.

[@eddiedunn8061]

The most interesting band I've heard in years. The music speaks.

[@tylerpurrden]

Didn't think i could be more compelled by this man's voice but I hadn't heard him speak

[@jesseasch-ortiz6136]

so to speak

[@peternilsson8193]

and the sweat

[@vvvoda]

Easier in an interview to focus on the cold cold butter running down your neck

[@getthoseskills4451]

Cool guy. Been following Bristol UK music for a while now. So much talent. Huge shout from the US. Loving Idles and other Bristol acts like Massive Attack, Portishead, Tricky, Roni Size, DJ Krust, AllFlaws

[@joeman8523]

Roni Size is an up himself prick

[@wakeywakeyriseandshine]

It's great here!

[@getthoseskills4451]

Hope to visit one day@@wakeywakeyriseandshine

[@boabglen]

Check out Fink too 😉

[@sassipantsyoga5868]

The new album is soooooo good and I find Joe intriguing and passionate. Each member of IDLES is so committed to what they do. Profound respect and full enjoyment for what they do. Plus, I am a sister in sobriety. Love that :)

[@amyliedtke1310]

THANK YOU IDLES FOR SHOWING ME A NEW LOVE

[@debracooper8264]

We love you Joe! Thanks for sharing your message of radical compassion!❤

[@murtaghj]

Love this interview!

[@redchemicalsltd2324]

Joe, thank you for telling us how it actually is.... you are the real deal... l'm in my late 50's & idles are as current as it gets in this mess called the UK.... Thank you to the whole band ❤.

[@zhuzher]

Love Joe, love IDLES, good interview!

[@frontpuff]

Very cool! Sweet real talk! Humble. Insightful. Tru dat. Looking forward to seeing them in cologne!! Much Love from Germoney

[@yenohtnA]

Freudenfreude, joy on joy Cheerleader, happy boy Strong like bull, vulnerable Keep my people up, that’s my tool Freudenfreude, happy boy Top seeder, lucky coi Heat seeker of a missile smile Don’t let pricks take your inch to a mile. Freudenfreude, bada bing She’s a freight train, man Watch your swing Holy water eyes, soft skin Bricks and mortar, horizon begins Sunbeams, oh sunbeams like -god- from your face

[@AdamDay-zg1in]

Fascinating interview

[@dosesandmimoses]

Hey Joe.. thank you for existing- godsend you are!

[@DanDerham-]

beautiful stuff

[@drlongwind]

Love Joe. What an inspiration

[@annettepeterson862]

I salute you. Gives me hope. Our divine masculine speaking clearly, truthfully and from the heart. Brilliant. Thank you.

[@donniebobb74]

seems super spacey/comfortable compared to other interviews. super cool!

[@leerog1]

I thankfully got into this band two albums ago and am so glad for that. Idles are the first band to make me feel love, joy, bliss, energy, and sanctuary since Nirvana. The more I hear of them, the more they impress, and to hear that Joe grew up on hip hop, well, that's sublime. So did I. Joe Talbot, we should talk, I'd love to find out who he's into hip hop wise and talk to him about who I listened to growing up. He'll never read this so that'll never happen. Going to see them for the first time in July in my hometown, Cardiff and I cannot wait 😌

[@ballerinawallenberg]

He was into Sagat, Lupe Fiasco and MC Serch.

[@leerog1]

@ballerinawallenberg interesting, thanks. I'm old enough to remember Mc Serch with 3rd Bass and was still listening to hip hop when Lupe Fiasco came along. I could definitely open his ears to old skool, and he could probably open my eyes and ears to more recent hip hop too 😊

[@BunnyInes]

Love this ❤

[@ndarcy92]

'If you don't know what I'm talking about it's because neither do I' sums it up really.

[@666lenn]

This man wants me to be a better man❤

[@PedroDVC]

Great genuine guy!

[@Hambokuu]

Just saw them in Copenhagen, and the new songs definitely gives the show the sort of arc/journey that makes it a very deep, meaningful experience. Even to people who are not too familiar with the lyrics and themes of all the albums over the years.

[@sirdouglas2010]

I love the Idles more every album!

[@annieole]

Your growth has healed things I could never get closure on.....grace in your being my leonard cohen interworld. Thoughtfulness. Connection. Passion . Love with accountablity....is magic is the meaning many of us needed. AIL

[@temite80]

When he talks about politics here he says "there is no love in the right". I don't think there is any love in left, right or any other realm of politics. There are facades of love and empathy that certain areas of the political spectrum exploit to gain favour among the populace, but under the surface it's always about power and money. Don't pick teams in politics. Just be open-minded and don't hate people based on who they happen to vote for or who they identify more with. We all have our values and all perspectives are valid in some ways and wrong in others, that's how we maintain balance. Don't let them separate you.

[@GerardFrankMcr]

LOVE IS THE FING

[@capo3rdfret]

love that he shouted out blur at glastobury as the best show he's ever seen

[@jon29071980]

Idles are a great band

[@theutopia777]

So dead from being lied to.... LET'S CREATE LIFE!

[@benal40]

Got into Idles about a year ago. Absolutely love TANGK. 🖤 Anyone know where I can find the boots he's wearing for this interview?

[@gripp9k]

Love these guys. Joe is the man. Their sounds is INCREDIBLE.

[@cmay205]

Well spoken 🤘

[@cablepp]

Great interview, Joe is legit

[@Evan95.]

legitimately buzzed

[@bugmanuk]

I loved what he said about why the band and is it anger or not. Lovely take.

[@beyondbroncos7867]

i wanna hug Joe’s shirt creator - Beavis is the King

[@CleetusTheBun]

I love…my man I love….my man

[@philipmorris57]

Nice hat ❤

[@_o__o_]

love is the fing!

[@Mark-Gillis]

This guy doesn't need an interviewer.

[@freeradical5535]

He needs an interview with an improv background. He's hilarious, but the interviewer doesn't know what to do with that chaos energy. Someone like Conan is the right caliber of interviewer to extract and purify the raw, pure energy Joe exudes.

[@MrMookRecords]

Hi NME. Question: why isn't the interviewer credited in the title or description?

[@coffeeandpeach]

anybody know where got that striped shirt he's wearing over the T-Shirt from?

[@spraymie]

The every man For the people As a person and as a band Best of the very best

[@gmantramp404]

And how old are you with that statement?? 16

[@spraymie]

@@gmantramp404 I’m 43, what has my age got to do with my thoughts and statement?

[@gmantramp404]

@@spraymie when you say best of the very best.,. Just saying....

[@spraymie]

@@gmantramp404 IDLES I’ve followed for a good seven years and in my view they are the best band in the UK. An option, my opinion.

[@gmantramp404]

@@spraymie yeah but you had me thinking of the bands I saw live in the late 70,s in the punk era and I can assure you there were bands as talented as Idles such as the Ruts 👍

[@gothicgorey]

What’s the t shirt ?

[@thecaptainnoah]

Anyone know where he got that sweet hat at ?!

[@chadstchad]

♥️✨

[@dadsonicdad]

❤‍🔥❤‍🔥

[@jwr04CFC]

Joe! Please! Idles to NZ mate please

[@Aynddufraine]

Love is the Fing.

[@Hambokuu]

Joe Talbot has such a pirate/kindergarten teacher energy. Very difficult to not love this man.

[@garyholmes2568]

There's no love on the right.... but there's definitely no love on the left. It's so difficult sitting somewhere in the middle when it's so polarised right now. We're being lied to from all angles.

[@deathisaprimitiveconcept]

4:50 Interesting comments about anger... people had the same misconception about Coltrane and Free Jazz in the 60s... it's not angry... It *can* be angry, but it's not inherently angry... dismissing it as 'angry' is lazy; listen with open ears and change your mind.

[@chriskosowan21]

Check out the new Idles album

[@HarveyJackson1967]

Nah man

[@chriskosowan21]

You tube comments is your only friend . Be TANGK full for that mate .

[@HarveyJackson1967]

That much is true I like you tub I am very lonely

[@OneForTheNorth]

He had me at “fuck the king”

[@yu1142]

James Franco's been watching a lot of Russell Brand. 🧡Idles.

[@rodrisoulalalia6278]

The album it's so unique, sodaspique...

[@alsanderz5199]

5 words to describe IDLES: Laudable Observant Veracious Ecumenical

[@Steve-by4uf]

boring, repetitive, predictable, mid

[@RiccardoAlbertini]

Wait, wasn't that 4?

[@alsanderz5199]

@@RiccardoAlbertini L O V E five.

[@jackodriscoll3817]

​@@alsanderz5199??

[@spiritoftime8464]

​@@Steve-by4ufbruh you are describing yourself or what?

[@Traxxworld]

he gave you the clue at the beginning. don't be convinced by what he says as wholistic truth. as convicting and poetic as he is..

[@maryburke5423]

Convicting is something that prosecutors do. Convincing?

[@JimmyJazz217]

Great fella. Great band. Despite the comments trying to degrade/accuse these of being faux, from some confused bitter middle-aged man from Nottingham who sat on his hands when someone displayed a Palestine flag at a gig - “Don’t be asking me to pick sides for something I ain’t got any real idea about”. Someone who has based his entire career on apparently fighting against injustice lol.

[@slewthervandross773]

Leave sleaford alone lad

[@mickmcmahon545]

29.14 ...

[@plantaetivoli1178]

Not anger, PAIN🙏🏼🫶🏼☮️

[@portoink2340]

Joe, why did you spend the entire interview scratching your nose?

[@teacyprichova7170]

Why is he alone when it is band.

[@JonnyLuney-bu4ue]

Since the second album Every press release he has been using this same excuse about his bullshit cycle of behaviour I get it and respect the man but fuck me It’s the same every album now

[@joeman8523]

Well his fucking kid died so lets see your bullshit cycles of behaviour when that happens to you...

[@mariocipollini1998]

combined with a heavy digital marketing campaign and after some months I'm selling my tickets for next month. dudes are full of shit

[@bananana2624]

Sonic Beavis and Butthead

[@jennyfurburgursarto9047]

Conversation is so wonderfuly put! Explained on a wonderful wavelength. Felt every word. 👏👏👐🪷

[@olivialoot]

I would love to see Joe on the Lex Fridman podcast. They both share a philosophy rooted in love.

[@funobruso]

absolutely! that would be a joy to listen! i wonder if lex ever listened to IDLES

[@ajaces96]

Uhh... What? The Elon Musk guy?

[@olivialoot]

⁠​⁠@@ajaces96he’s a podcaster and so much more than “The Elon Musk guy” lol

[@ajaces96]

@@olivialoot that's right he had Kanye on to talk about the Nazi shit

[@ajaces96]

@@olivialoot point I'm making is, I don't think an openly leftist musician who's spoken out about racism, misogyny, and bigotry his whole career will see eye to eye with the guy who made his name sucking up to billionaires

[@TheAmateursOriginalMusic]

Good album but its a bit too Nigel Godrichy for me, prefer the angry…I mean brush strokey sleeve stuff✌🏻😉

[@MrKicksandseats]

i’m balding and fat 😂 still hot tho

[@angelsosa1397]

Joe is my new Alex Turner

[@RBGRBGRBGRBG]

Ya know, when I first heard a previous version of Joe’s spiel (which he’s doing here, which he’s done for at least the last couple albums give or take and which has only really been added to here by talking about his being a father), I thought: wow, how cool that someone in post punk is being so vulnerable and down to earth. Three albums later hearing the same shit (and being vaguer about it every album cycle), it just sounds like a sales pitch. I get he’s selling an album, but to have yet another album be about, in part, how he was a fuck up whose trying to ask for forgiveness etc, and I’m just like: well no wonder the new record’s boring. He’s clearly either not learning the lessons he’s hypothetically talking about working through over and over again or he’s going to the same well of pain and abuse that he was culling from from years and years ago. Not to mention he sounds completely up his own ass. If this keeps up he’s gonna be sounding like James Brown in a few years. Real Shame, I hate to say it. The new record blows. This coming from someone who actually liked crawler and doesn’t need them to be a previous iteration of themselves. Just feels in the work *and sounds in things like this that success got to his head.

[@d_walsh]

New album is weak.. whats happened to them?

[@DukGef]

Might all be right on paper, but I liked Idles much more when they were angrier and in your face.

[@jobinmcgooch]

eh

[@antsteep]

Idles are such a great example of being the modern male.

[@ballerinawallenberg]

He seemed okay until 10:15. From then he started speaking speculative behalfs and sounded like Russell Brand.

[@humanbeing4841]

Russell Brand is smart though

[@ballerinawallenberg]

Joe Toilet.@@humanbeing4841

[@nockee]

@@humanbeing4841hardly. But I sense Joe is losing it here.

[@carg9927]

Wired..

[@JMD166]

narcissist alert

[@nockee]

Y. He seems to be drifting that way for sure. The way he degraded the drummer and bass player in a back handed way was lame.

[@Beelzebunge]

Cheap indeed. Typically being in a think tank would require expertise. Not many vocalists.

[@twofoldgarden]

new album? oh... no

[@laak72]

Stop with the constant "lied to". Whichever way a person thinks, just because they might not agree with you, doesn't mean they are ill informed or not capable of independently researching a subject and coming to their own conclusions. Find his outlook incredibly patronising. Get over it mate, not everyone thinks the same.

[@peterhulse7239]

Imagine thinking the left is any different 😂😂 undermines all of his other thoughts

[@refracted6349]

^ victim of horseshoe theory

[@peterhulse7239]

@@refracted6349 hahah the levels of stupidity this takes are fascinating

[@tobyb1018]

“The left” and the Labour Party are not the same thing. Most who are truly liberal, truly left wing, are not supportive of Labour anymore if they ever were. Yes there’s less of a gap between right and left within our political parties themselves but that is because Labour ARE more right ring nowadays… on the left sits compassion, empathy, equality, fairness, creativity, on the right sits selfishness, bullying, racism , homophobia, greed and many more nasty nasty things- that has nothing to do with the political parties that’s just the way it is and what left and right is and always will be.. what we have now is Tories hard hard horrible right, Labour soft right pretending to be socialist

[@mariocipollini1998]

you should spend more time listening to both sides if you think the world is so black and white. it will seriously help you. its also how a democracy is set up.

[@bawsack69]

​@@tobyb1018 you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

[@ivonabehalova8022]

Nice bloke and I don't even like Idles lol.

[@alisdairmccabe7497]

Didn’t they write a song about ‘gammons’ living in racist rural England? Sounds like the antithesis of compassion 🙃

[@michaels.8388]

Tangk is horrible. Sputnikmusic sums it up pretty well.

[@quentinferreira2972]

I'm going to listen to this album because I like Idles sound from a musical perspective, but my word this guy has his head so far up is own a** it's unreal. Joe's perspective is not punk, nor is it rooted in counterculture. It's absolute yuppie,establishment nihilism and it results in exceedingly boring lyrics that only feed into the pervasive pseudointellectualism of the media class while allowing Joe to wear the veneer of empathy in order to claim a moral victory that his own actions would otherwise belie. Wasted musical potential...

[@mariocipollini1998]

I saw them at a small venue in Leipzig in 2022, and they made the crowd chant "F*CK THE QUEEN", which made me feel goofy as it was done completelyy out of context. Then later, when the queen died, I also saw some clip where Joe made some respectful statement. As an American, I honestly don't give a damn about the royal family one way or the other, I just noticed the disconnect and it felt manipulative. Musically, they do rock hard af tho.

[@joebrown6339]

Hmmm, I am hearing at least one pretentious pseudo-intellectual with their head up his ass, but it ain't Joe.

[@jasonhammond6667]

Don’t get too smart

[@importedmusic]

Absolutely insufferable.

[@mumbles8078]

Listened to the new album earlier today. Pretty mid tbh. Lots of corny lyrics and Joe's bellowing has gotten really old. The most interesting tunes are the more Godrich-y ones where he actually sings, funnily enough. Not bad, just not that good. Doesn't reach the heights of Brutalism or JAAAOR, but better than UM. Didn't enjoy it as much as Crawler tho.

[@tobyb1018]

I’m getting into it- was underwhelmed first listen, it doesn’t flow very well, I feel it would play better if the tracks were shuffled around some- a lot of the louder / rowdier songs are bunched together later in the record.. but I like it now after a few listens. Still think Joy is their best and Crawler grew on me to become my second fav but Joy is still the more immediate and more fun record… I appreciate they try different things and to progress always respect that in a band whether I like the music or not. Lyrically I can’t see a lot of the lyrics in this record being about love, in fact I can’t tell what he’s getting at in a lot of them, sort if the opposite of the deliberately blatant lyrics of ultra mono 😂

[@mumbles8078]

@@tobyb1018 100% agree with everything you said! 👍

[@michaelcox545]

absolute toolbox

[@BenBrownMusicOfficial]

Intolerable

[@joelb6605]

What a helmet! Painful watching someone thinking they’re cool by swearing a lot.Poor guy

[@ashd-h4911]

Does that, love compassion and empathy extend to only those you agree with? Or only those with the 'correct' view s? Real love is when you project that to those you would otherwise hate in order to win them over by example. Putting 'homophobes' in coffins is not the way.

[@thejosie]

Never tolerate the intolerant.

[@ashd-h4911]

@@thejosie being intolerant to intolerance is intolerant itself so you too must not be tolerated. How about disarm the intolerant with love ?, teach them what love is and be tolerant and patient enough for them to grow and change? Your (non) tolerance and (,non) ethics only allow a cycle of violence. Remember every individual has had a series of events that led to their good or bad behaviour. We are all products of our environments and upbringing. Some of these negative traits can be changed with a bit of patience by those around those people.

[@thejosie]

@@ashd-h4911 You just agreed with me. You agreed the intolerance should not be accepted and we should work on changing it. It's the paradox of tolerance. Look it up.

[@ashd-h4911]

@@thejosie no I don't agree with you at all. To fight intolerance one must be tolerant. Not acceptance or agreement of those intolerant ideas but tolerant of those who espouse those ideas in order to get through to them. You advocate a cycle of violence which is unacceptable.

[@mcxii5709]

It's a good comment they can be hypocritical regards this

[@SeanChurchill97]

Uch. So un-rock and roll. So pseudo-intellectual.

[@apl2606]

What he is saying is actually very down-to-earth and grounded. Sensible. (If this is "un-rock and roll", so be it.)

[@tobyb1018]

When you grow up you’ll be able to understand

[@user-qd9mm5mt4i]

Joe is becoming a Conservative.

[@patrickdennis2066]

Many people do as they age

[@maryburke5423]

Yeah…I heard him support trump and the Tories at least 10 times in this interview 🙄 Watch some older idles interviews….hes saying exactly the same things.

[@tobyb1018]

😂😂 you clown..

[@crumbtember]

i didnt listen to the whole thing, what did he say that was conservative?

[@Lucas-vj8rr]

oh please another Bono 😵😵😵😵😵😵😵 stick to music

[@reneekortenoever4687]

idles has always been political

[@danieltownsend6500]

The lyrics are awful on this album, he needs to get of his high horse thinking he's a poet

[@jamesdaniels1036]

Oh look we've got a poetry expert here guys

[@danieltownsend6500]

@jamesdaniels1036 I couldn't give two shits about poetry but I know a pretentious fanny when I see one

[@sideview_north4963]

*off

[@joeman8523]

Fuck off and don't listen then. lol Simple.