9 things you need to know about The 1975

The 1975 is a young band from Manchester who are in town to play four shows around Metro Manila this weekend. Before you go da hu?!, allow us to introduce you to this English pop-rock band. Because, from the looks of it, you might be singing along their songs all summer long.

1. They started the band 10 years ago because they were not good at anything. At least that’s what lead vocalist Matthew Healy jokingly said at the press conference yesterday. “We’re not good at anything. We felt it was safer to do music,” he deadpans.

2. They named themselves after a scribble. At the back of a beat poetry book, Healy found scribbles dated “1 June, The 1975.” That was that.

3. They are not about the Manchester music scene. Music fans know Manchester as this super cool music town—there’s the madchester of the 80s, the Britpop of the 90s, and all the super cool artists from said eras (and beyond). But the 1975 isn’t about upholding that tradition. “We just do this because we love it,” Healy says cooly.

4. Listening to their music is taking a peep at his diary. Everything, Healy says, is based on real life experiences. “It’s almost like a diary, a scrap book of ideas.” This is pretty titillating, because look, a song entitled “Sex.”

5. They are fans of 90s American RNB. “Boys II Men, Ashanti, Bryan McKnight,” the entire band went a-listing.

6. But they also listen to math-metal outfit Glassjaw.

7. They’re not collaborating with One Direction. “We’re doing them a favor,” is Healy’s strong statement. And when asked how this gig came about, this is what Healy had to say: “They asked us and we said yes.” Fair enough.

8. They’re trendsetters. Check out youtube for their videos and you’ll see all of them are in black and white. On twitter, their tweets always begin with a backslash, which their followers have started doing, too. All these, they say, just happened. They just caught on.

9. “Money,” “Menswear,” “Somebody to watch you,” and “Chocolate” are their favorite songs from their record.

The 1975 will be at Market! Market!, 4pm and Glorietta Activity Center at 7pm today, Mar 28. And then at 4pm, Fairview Terraces and 7pm at Trinoma activity center tomorrow, Mar 29.