The Vaccines: "The Novelty Of Hyde Park Never Really Wears Off"
- Jul 10
- 3 min read
Written by Lauren Page | @LiveWithLP
There are certain bands that soundtrack entire chapters of your life. For me, The Vaccines are one of them. So, I'll admit it, I started this interview by telling the band exactly that. After seeing them light up BST Hyde Park supporting Lewis Capaldi, there was no pretending I was playing it cool. Thankfully, they took it well.
The band had just stepped off one of London's biggest stages, but despite having played Hyde Park several times before, it hasn't lost its magic.
"It's the biggest stage in London," Justin Young told me. "I can basically hear this gig from my house, so it's about as close to a hometown show as you can get."
When you think about it, The Vaccines have become part of Hyde Park's history.
They've supported Arcade Fire, The Rolling Stones, Kings of Leon and now Lewis Capaldi, yet somehow, every appearance still feels just as special.
"The novelty never really wears off," Justin smiled. "It's the one all our friends and family want to come to. It's just a great day out."
One thing I love about BST Hyde Park is that every lineup brings together fans from completely different corners of music.
That also means every artist has the chance to win over thousands of people who've maybe never heard them before.
"I think we got announced after the show had already sold out," Justin laughed. "So you kind of have to assume there's not a single person here because you're playing."
It sounds daunting, but that's exactly what excited them.
"It's an opportunity to hopefully win some people over." Judging by the crowd's reaction, I'd say they managed exactly that.
As exciting as Hyde Park was, there was another reason fans should be paying attention.
New music is officially on the horizon.
The band revealed they're currently putting the finishing touches on LP7, with fresh music expected later this year before a brand-new album arrives in 2026.
"We're just in the middle of finishing LP7," Justin said. "Hopefully there'll be new music this year, a new album next year and a new tour."
Naturally, I wanted to know what this next chapter sounds like.
Every Vaccines record seems to evolve while somehow still feeling unmistakably... The Vaccines. Justin explained that touring their last album played a huge role in shaping where they wanted to go next.
"Sometimes you make a record and then realise only two or three songs really work live," he explained. "With the last record, it felt like everything worked."
Rather than reinventing themselves, this album is about building on that feeling.
"We wanted to make something that felt like a band in a room. Purposeful. Alive. Live."
Tim added that sometimes songs only truly reveal themselves after months on the road.
"You tour the record and realise you like the songs even more once you've really got them under your skin."
This time around, they're chasing that feeling from day one. Listening to them describe the process made perfect sense to me. Because whenever I think about The Vaccines, I think about summer. It doesn't matter whether it's July or the middle of winter.
Their music somehow carries that feeling of driving with the windows down, shouting every chorus back at the speakers. I told them exactly that.
Justin's response summed up the band perfectly.
"I think there's definitely an element of euphoria in all our choruses... even if there's a sad undertone."
Honestly?
That probably sums up why so many people connect with The Vaccines.
The songs make you want to dance first, and think about your feelings afterwards.
Before wrapping up, I asked my favourite question that I ask every artist.
Who's someone we should all be listening to?
The recommendations came thick and fast.
Justin highlighted T Truman, calling him "amazing."
(Clip to me writing this up not putting two and two together.. that's Tim's solo venture.. face palm)
Tim tipped listeners to keep an eye on Frank Ox, whose music is still to come.
And Jan gave a shout-out to French artist MDNS, describing him as "an incredible singer."
If The Vaccines are recommending them, they're immediately going on my playlist.
After more than a decade together, countless festival stages and another unforgettable Hyde Park performance, one thing became very clear during our chat.
The Vaccines aren't interested in chasing trends, they're interested in making records that feel alive.
And if LP7 captures even half of the energy they brought to Hyde Park - we're all in for something very special.