With Ellipsis, Biffy Clyro’s seventh record, Simon Neil and his bandmates for the past two decades—bassist James Johnston and twin brother Ben Johnston on drums—wanted to make sure that they weren’t becoming too predictable. Ellipsis covers familiar sonic territory for Biffy—blistering hard melodic rock with a touch of ’90s alternativity and a quick taste of sweet-tart pop—while offering a furiously contemporary energy. Biffy Clyro will be editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our feature.
Ben Johnston: I’ve loved spending time in the countryside since I was a boy. The freedom it affords you is incomparable to city living, and the sense of calm is unachievable anywhere else. Some people don’t enjoy the feeling of isolation, but for me the lack of distraction is extremely calming and helps me process my thoughts and feelings. From an early age, I’ve always had either a field or a country park directly behind my house, so I count myself extremely lucky. Fresh air is underrated by most, even if the smell of manure can offend, it’s certainly healthier than toxic exhaust fumes from cars and buses. But the thing I love most about the countryside is the lack of humans around to spoil the peace and harmony.
