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While most of you are waking up bleary-eyed from your results party this morning, I was busy chatting with Woody from the indie pop sensation, Bastille. Woody, real name Chris Wood, groans jokingly when I ask him what his grades were like at school.
“I kind of realised half way through A levels that I wanted to do music as a job,” admits 31-year-old Woody. “So once that happened my grades really did start to tail off.
“I actually wish someone had told me at school that if things don’t quite pan out results wise then it’s not the end of the world,” says Woody. “But for me, there was no Plan B – I probably should have thought about that!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXVJ0W0rWTQ
Luckily for Woody, who’s played drums in the band since they formed in 2010, there has been no need for a back up plan. The band have hordes of fans on both sides of the Atlantic, selling almost 10 million records in the UK and US. Their last album, 2013’s Bad Blood went straight to number one and it’s lead single, Pompeii, is still in our heads three years on. Next month they’ll release their sophomore album, Wild World and embark on their biggest ever tour. Phew!
The band’s incredible success is proof that you can achieve your dreams not matter what your grades are. “I know people that didn’t really do much at school but are now incredibly successful builders or whatever,” says Woody. “There are so many different avenues to go down if you work hard.”
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Woody adds that he was also lucky to have the support from his parents once he decided on a career in music and can’t wait to return to his hometown of Plymouth later in the year. “I threw a massive tantrum and demanded it, so we are going back to Plymouth for a date on the tour! When we performed there last time it was one of the best nights of my life. I can’t wait.”
Check our full interview in the Autumn issue of Source, out 30 August, and pre-order Bastille’s new album Wild World here.
