INTERVIEW: MAXÏMO PARK IN CONVERSATION WITH PAUL SMITH
Interview by Cecilia Pattison-Levi
Paul Smith of MAXÏMO PARK
Talks 2026 Tour of Australia and the 20th anniversary of their seminal debut album ‘A Certain Trigger’
It’s hard to believe, but Newcastle Tyneside art-rockers Maxïmo Park’s Mercury Prize-nominated debut album ‘A Certain Trigger’ is now officially 20 years old. It was one of the best albums released in 2005 with its angular guitar riffs and authentic voice of youth in Northern England. Maxïmo Park dialled up the pop-punk passion, literate lyricism and heartache into a danceable frenzy. And that album has not lost its swagger, nor has the band.
Maxïmo Park comprises of Paul Smith, Tom English, Duncan Lloyd with Jemma Freese and Andrew Lowther. The band have always had a drive to remain interested, and interesting, and politically and socially relevant in the indie rock scene. Maxïmo Park are known for high-energy live performances driven by frontman Paul Smith's charismatic stage presence, their blend of catchy guitar rock paired with poetic songs, and their continued dedication to honest and authentic songwriting.
It is with great excitement that Maxïmo Park will tour Australia in April 2026 for their 20th anniversary, where they will perform their debut album ‘A Certain Trigger’ in full, along with other fan favourites. The album captured the mood of the times. It spoke, and still speaks, to listeners in an authentic voice about the trials and tribulations of youth. Songs like ‘Apply Some Pressure’, ‘Now I’m All Over The Shop’, with keyboardist Lukas Wooller’s agitated keys, and ‘The Coast Is Always Changing’ reflected the millennial changes society was undergoing, with the cry of: “I am young/and I am lost”. Paul Smith’s lyricism spoke to the ambiguity of life and reflected the uncertainty about how life unfolds. The album was a classic!
Not that the band has stopped writing great or other classic music. Maxïmo Park have released some absolutely amazing albums in their career. The brilliant 2024’s ‘Stream Of Life’, 2021’s ‘Nature Always Wins’ and 2012’s ‘The National Health’ are just a few worthy contenders amongst their 11 other beautifully written albums. What will the band bring and perform in Australia?
“Well. That has been up for some discussion here,” said Paul Smith, lead vocalist and songwriter for Maxïmo Park. “We haven’t been back to Australia for a while. Back in the day, we played the first album in full with B-sides and rarities to bolster the setlist the last time we were there. But we need to make a list that is a fine balance, to please people, and us, but we need to show not just ‘A Certain Trigger’ – there has to be more. So, we are going to try and play the album and at least one track from each of the other albums”.
“As a band, we like our songs. We think they have wit and honesty. We have always thought it is really important to have something to say,” said Paul Smith. “Looking back to our older songs is great as it can show you where you have come from and where you are going. The album made us who we are. We love ‘A Certain Trigger’ – even those impossibly high registers – but we have also moved on. We always have something to say in our music. It is important for us to move forward and show our audiences that new side”.
“We are really looking forward to coming over and playing live,” explained Paul Smith. “It’s exhausting but rewarding. I feel so lucky to be able to play music – we are a consistent band. It might not be sexy. But we give everything we’ve got when we play live. We try and have fun with no injuries”.
“We’ve worked hard to make this reissue and tour of ‘A Certain Trigger’ worth the listener’s while, and to celebrate both the album itself and the context in which we made it. Delving into the archive has stirred so many memories – mostly good ones! The album documents a time and place in our lives, but we had no idea that it would eventually serve the same purpose for so many other people,” stated Paul Smith.
“It’s wild to me that we, as a band, have made it,” declared Paul Smith. “When we started out, we were awkward but we just did what came naturally. I wasn’t a singer but now I am. It was a baptism by fire. I think through my singing and our music we want to reach out – as the frontman I am the conduit for the band – soul to soul – and live in the moment with the music and the audience. Our early records were escapist but we have grown since then. Still fun but with a view of our world from Billingham and Newcastle”.
“As with a lot of our songs, the advice within the song is directed towards myself as much as anyone else,” said Paul Smith. “We always try to be inclusive rather than didactic. Music can really open your eyes to the world and give you that creative pulse or just make you see things differently. And it is a pleasure to play it for our fans and audience. We can’t wait to see them in 2026”.
Maxïmo Park’s innovative album ‘A Certain Trigger’ speaks freely to, and resonates with, anyone who may be searching for their own path in life. Hearing it live, with their other great songs, will be an absolute treat. Rock on 2026!
Tickets to see Maxïmo Park live are available now via Destroy All Lines.
Thursday, April 23: Fremantle, Freo.Social
Saturday, April 25: Melbourne, 170 Russell (Early Show)
Sunday, April 26: Adelaide, The Gov
Wednesday, April 29: Brisbane, The Triffid
Thursday, April 30: Sydney, Liberty Hall
