5 Things You Need To Know About Mini Mansions

When asked what it was like to work with the legendary Beach Boy, Shuman replies, “I’m sorry to disappoint.” Bassist Zach Dawes had appeared on Wilson’s album, No Pier Pressure, so his appearance on the track Any Emotions was to return the favour. “He did all of his takes at his own studio. I think he’s a very private guy. It was awesome to work with him though. You’d send him something and he’d send back a big five part harmony.”

“I write the songs on guitar, but we don’t have a guitar player in the band,” Shuman says. “So for a song like Creeps, there’s an electric and an acoustic guitar on the track, but when we play it live Zach plays one of the lines on the bass.”

“Al has been a friend for ages,” Shuman remarks on their collaboration on the tune Vertigo. “He was working in a studio not far from us while we were working on the album. We had that part in Vertigo, almost like a rap part, but we couldn’t figure out who should do it. It wasn’t till we were basically done with the album that it clicked. He came and wrote his lyrics and did it.”

“I’ve been going since I was about 17 and it’s a harsh environment for an artist,” Shuman recounts of his Texas experiences. However, he is much more optimistic of other festivals: “Glastonbury was really good. People were singing our songs and we were kind of like, ‘maybe people actually like our band’.”

Being such fashionable, well-dressed gentlemen, I asked Shuman if he gets sweaty in a suit on stage. “Yes,” he laughs. “I had a custom suit made and they asked if I wanted cotton or polyester and I went with polyester. I don’t know what I was thinking.” Shuman also remarks on his scent. “My girlfriend says I don’t smell though. I get really sweaty, but don’t smell.”