The Wombats’ Secret To Nearly A Decade Of Music

UK trio The Wombats have been the heartthrobs of many a teenage girl for almost ten years now – following them from their debut record to their lush new release, Glitterbug. For lead singer Matthew Murphy (aka “Murph”) the band is like a marriage that takes a lot of work and communication, he said, “People aren’t supposed to be around each other as much as we are, but we make it work.” The Wombats appear to have the key to a happy union; navigating harmoniously through the glitter of stardom and with that, warding off some wannabe groupies.

“Luckily no one has tried to kill us or anything.

“It gets a little bit weird sometimes,” Murphy confessed. The band has a significant following from young women which sometimes includes a delusional fan, or two. Murphy continued, “There has been times when someone thought they were in a romantic relationship with one of us and we have to be like, ‘Hang on, you’re not my girlfriend! You can’t just come on our tour bus.’” Perhaps their nice-guy image makes them a little too available. Murphy joked, “luckily no one has tried to kill us or anything.”

“[Glitterbug] is a bit raunchier than our previous albums.”

While the ladies can be a bit troublesome, tour life has been kind to the Liverpudlian guys who have been lucky enough to travel all over the world. Making their way to the states is always a highlight because the band gets to experience a mix of sold-out crowds with more intimate performances. “We get to play smaller venues where they might not be as good for the bank accounts, but they help us reconnect with the sound a bit more and develop a more personal relationship with the crowd,” Murphy said.

It’s this relationship with their devoted fans that keeps The Wombats’ popularity strong, along with their evolving sound. Their latest release, Glitterbug, is a happy medium between their prior record and the sounds of the early days. Murphy said the first album was too indie and the second too moody, but this time around, they’re all proud. He even revealed that Glitterbug is, “a bit raunchier than our previous albums.”

So what do the next ten years of The Wombats look like? Murphy has no idea, but he did mention perhaps taking a breather to recharge and try some new things. In the meantime, the marriage of The Wombats will stay strong.

Interview by: Shannon Kurlander
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Photos by: Angelo Kritikos