Maximo Park

Paul Smith, front man of Newcastle based popsters Maximo Park, is excited. “We're playing in a Roman amphitheatre tonight! I think its the oldest gig we've ever done, in terms of structures and buildings at least.” Smith, a classically trained artist, appreciates such things as structural beauty. Currently in Switzerland, where his band are in the middle of a short European tour, he is relishing his time in the Alps. “We're off to a festival in Austria next. REM are playing as well, I've never seen them, so I'll be doing a bit of a fan-boy thing and trying my best to party with Michael Stipe.”

It's little surprise that Smith is a huge fan of REM. He shares with Stripe a real passion and zest for live performance. “I love playing live. We play with the same energy every night. People might not like us, but they go home at least saying 'well that band gave everything they had'.”

Anyone who has witnessed a Maximo Park gig will testify to that. Since bursting into mainstream consciousness in 2005 with the fantastic single Apply Some Pressure, they have developed a reputation as a witty, intelligent group with an ear for a great pop tune. Their first LP, A Certain Trigger, is without doubt one of the great debut albums of the decade.

Through a relentless schedule of touring and a classy second album, Our Earthy Pleasures, Maximo Park have managed to achieve the near impossible and match critical acclaim with commercial success. To Smith, its all down to hard work. “We are just a band from Newcastle who aren't part of any scene, we're not on a big label, we never took anything for granted, we just tried to reach people live, and just worked as hard as possible.”

After their European sojourn, the next stop for Maximo Park is Edinburgh, and a gig at the Corn Exchange. “Edinburgh is one of the great cities of the world” enthuses Smith. “It's up there with New York, Berlin etc. It's history and culture are second to none. But Scotland in general is just a place we all love coming to as band.” Does Smith plan to take in much of the festival? “I love the festival, even thought I've never been for more than one night! I saw Bonnie Prince Billy at the Queen's Hall a couple of years ago, a lovely little venue. That's the beauty of an event as big as the festival, you can stumble on wonderful things wherever you go.”

In between touring, the band have been working on their, as yet untitled, third album – tentatively scheduled for release early next year. “I feel like the last two records have been very band orientated,” explains Smith, “with this new record we can embellish it this time, make the guitars sound a bit weird or something! People can expect the same sort of quality - we are very into song-craft. It will be a departure, but it won't be electronica suddenly or anything.”

It's no secret that today a band's shelf life is a lot shorter than it once was. Whilst Maximo Park may be recording their third album, many of their contemporaries didn't even make it onto their second. Now that the band have been around for a while, does Smith feel more pressure? “Not really. Ever since we were a band in Newcastle, just playing in a bedroom, since our first gig, we've felt pressure. I didn't want to look like an idiot in front of my friends, running around on stage like a headless chicken without songs! We thought now that we've proved we can play in front of people in our hometown, now let's get a repertoire of great songs. We've always set ourselves little goals. With this album, it's 'can we still write good songs? Can we still entertain people?'”

One of the factors that has set Maximo Park apart from the crowd is their lyrics. “I'm always pruning my words at the last minute, so they stand up. I don't want them to be another bunch of meaningless words.” Composed by Smith himself, they are poetic caricatures detailing joys and observations of daily life, a far more escapist approach than the kitchen-sink style dramas favored by bands such as the Arctic Monkeys. “I want my songs to change people's lives for three minutes. Thats what I look for in music, something that will transport you away.”

Six years on from when they first started out, does Smith still enjoy being a member of Maximo Park as much as he once did? “I'm probably enjoying it more!” he laughs. “I'm a bit more relaxed about how we go about things now. When you first start and you've just come out a crap job, and you've been given the chance to go on tour. You are wired every night, and that can often lead to a tense kind of atmosphere. Now I just try and enjoy everything for what it is. I feel very lucky to be able to tour so many beautiful places with my band.”

Maximo Park play the Corn Exchange on Monday, 18th August. Tickets £19.50