Glastonbury 2024: English Teacher on the “classic, timeless” power of Richard Hawley’s music

English Teacher have spoken to NME about their love for Sheffield songwriter Richard Hawley and his Standing At The Sky’s Edge musical – watch the interview above.

Speaking at Glastonbury 2024, vocalist Lily Fontaine, alongside guitarist Lewis Whiting and bassist Nicholas Eden, told us about their experience of seeing the show, which is currently playing in London’s West End. The production interpolates a slew of tracks from across Hawley’s discography, including 2006’s Mercury-nominated ‘Coles Corner’ album.

“After our recent New York show, I went outside and a guy came up to me and said, ‘I really enjoyed the set. I live here but I’m from Sheffield’,” Fontaine said. “I told him I went to see [Standing At The Sky’s Edge]. It was pretty crazy… he then told me this mad story about him. I was like, ‘What am I doing in New York, and why is this guy talking to me about Richard Hawley?’

“I loved it, I cried,” she continued. “I wasn’t sure if Richard’s music would translate into a musical but it was really special. I don’t want to give the story away, but [in the show] there was this mixed-race girl from Yorkshire and the story was all about home. I really related to a lot of the themes in it. To have Richard’s music soundtracking it too – it all felt really personal and special.”

• READ MORE: Richard Hawley talks his musical opening in London, Pulp, Arctic Monkeys and The Leadmill

She added: “He makes really classic, timeless music. Unless you know who he is, you wouldn’t be able to put a time, a place or an age on his work. His lyricism is relatable and not too flowery. There are so many special reasons as to why I love him.”

The band also explained how they arrived at Worthy Farm days before their own Left Field stage appearance on Saturday (June 29), specifically to catch Fontaines D.C.‘s Friday night Park stage headline slot.

“It was something we were all really looking forward to, it felt like a proper moment. We were surrounded by loads of friends and they absolutely smashed it,” Whiting said of the performance, which earned a five-star review from NME.

“I had a really good time but it was interesting, too,” Fontaine said. “Loads of people whine about how they believe there aren’t any really good bands anymore, or [they say] that ‘music is dead’, but this felt like a classic Glastonbury set. I’m really excited for them.”

Check back at NME for the latest Glastonbury 2024 news, reviews, interviews, photos, rumours and more. Check out the NME liveblog here for all the latest Glastonbury action as it happens.

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