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The return of Hope of the States: ‘There will be no tantrums. I’m a grown man now’

The artful square pegs of the early-00s indie scene saw their careers upturned by the death of a band member. Now 18 years later they’ve reunited, finding their youthful spark still intact

The gigs, along with a new EP, mark 20 years since the group’s debut album The Lost Riots bucked the early-00s trend for short, spiky indie songs in favour of epic soundscapes that incorporated military drums, Morricone-esque strings and portentous lyrics about the perils of nationalism. He recalls guitar strings constantly breaking while recording Later … With Jools Holland, and Top of the Pops making them play live on unfamiliar instruments (“We were drunk … It was a disaster”). But when his wife pointed out the 20th anniversary date, and music industry friends expressed enthusiasm for a reunion, he reached out and found the band were keen to make it happen.

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