Austin Williams may have hung up his guitar for now, but he's still got the magic – and a treasure trove of stories to match. As we caught up with the Swim Deep frontman, the Birmingham indie outfit's chart-topping past and supergroup shenanigans came flooding back. It was 2017 at the NME Awards, where Williams joined forces with pop sensation Charli XCX, along with Olly Alexander, Isaac Holman of Soft Play, and Peace, for a blistering rendition of The Rolling Stones' 'Gimme Shelter', all in aid of Help Refugees.
Williams took us back to that iconic moment, describing the supergroup experience as akin to a 'talent contest at school' – with Charli XCX being the star pupil. Yet, he revealed that even M.I.A.'s on-stage intro slipped under his radar until recently; it seems you don't always know what's happening behind the scenes, even when you're in the midst of history.
Of course, Williams' own journey with Swim Deep has been no less remarkable. He waxed lyrical about their 2013 debut album 'Where the Heaven Are We', which soared to number 20 on the UK album chart, a whirlwind period that still brings a smile to his face today. In fact, he confessed to having gained a newfound appreciation for those early days – and an enviable perspective – while sharing a poignant moment with bassist Cavan McCarthy at his stag-do.
But it's not all seriousness with Williams; we got a glimpse of the lighter side too. Like the time he borrowed a Robin Williams 'Mork & Mindy' T-shirt for Glastonbury 2015 – although, in typical rockstar style, he couldn't quite remember the details at first! Or the cheeky stunt he attempted to sneak friends onto the crew list at the same festival (unsuccessfully, we're told). Meanwhile, Fat White Family's guestlist antics left him gobsmacked.
And then there were the unexpected encounters. Like when former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron expressed his eagerness for a new Swim Deep album – an unusual fan in high places! Or the hilarious appearance by Tyler, the Creator backstage at a European festival in 2014, where he praised their 'King City' video to the point of leaving Williams and co utterly speechless. Even Liam Gallagher got in on the act, offering a cheeky comment outside Camden's Pizza Express during Swim Deep's 'hippie era' – all of which only adds to the band's colourful history.