The Radio Station

Chapter Five - What Does It Matter If I Lie to You?

6th of March, 2016

The album had been... an enlightening experience for her to listen to when it had come out. It confirmed a lot of her suspicions about the sort of person Matty had been becoming in the time that they had spent apart. There were clearly still a few remnants of the man she knew in there, but a lot of the phrases he'd used within his lyrics on The 1975's sophomore album made her wary of getting close to him again. It was almost as soon as she had finished her first listen of the album that her boss emailed her asking her to get Matty back on the show for an interview. She had agreed, on the condition that they asked the rest of the band to join him. After how their last interview played out, she didn't really want to be one on one with him again - that buffer of other people would help try and cover up some of the awkward atmosphere that had left the studio tense the last time they'd spoke. And now that her show was growing in popularity, they had decided to start filming her interviews. Which meant that she would need to try extra hard to keep things civil both in her tones and in her expressions. In the end, they had only been able to get George to come with him, but that was okay, it was still at least someone else to prevent her being cooped up alone with him in the studio for half an hour.

Matty and George had arrived exactly on time for the interview, but certainly Matty seemed like he hadn't wanted to. He pushed his way into the studio and took a seat without saying a word while George went through the pleasantries and hellos. The singer's hair was cut a bit shorter now than what it was last time, but was still sticking out wildly in all directions. He still had the smell of smoke and alcohol clinging to him which wafted through the room as he entered, and he seemed skinnier than what he had five months ago. His face was littered with stubble, which was the first time she'd not seem him clean shaven, and the dark circles under his eyes gave the impression he'd not been getting much in the way of sleep lately. He was also wearing some ridiculous looking leather jacket with a fringe along the sleeves. George meanwhile looked much the same as what he had the last time they'd seen each other at the bar. To be fair on their near late-ness, she was grateful that they hadn't arrived early. It meant that she didn't have to try and kill time with them before they could get underway.

After the introduction tracks played out and the cameras were good to go, she began her usual introductions. "We have here in the studio half of The 1975, Matthew Healy and George Daniel, to discuss their latest album with us which was released last week."

"Nice to be back." George smiled.

"I'm all yours for the next half hour." Matty nodded. "Many women would pay a small fortune for that privilege." He added under his breath, forcing a snort of a laugh out of his mate.

She decided to pretend she hadn't heard him, "How are you guys?" She asked.

"Yeah, doing well." The drummer answered.

"Fine." Matty shrugged. "It's my birthday in uh... about a month."

"Turning twenty-seven." George said with a grin as he nudged him enthusiastically.

"Mmmm... twenty-seven club." He mumbled with a pointed look.

She figured it was best to instantly segue away from that line of questioning, electing to jump into a lighter topic, "This is the first video on our station Youtube channel!" She said, spinning around in her seat to take a glance at all of the cameras across the room.

"The first?" George asked with an excited look.

"I've been tricked into this." Matty deadpanned as he stared directly into one of the cameras.