Music / IncomingThe 1-2-3-4 Festival Pick: Black LipsWe chat to guitarist Cole Alexander who divulges his survival guide for the festival season and what tricks the band have instore for this 1-2-3-4 performanceShareLink copied ✔️July 7, 2011MusicIncomingTextDazed Digital Set to play this year's 1-2-3-4 Festival in Shoreditch alongside the likes of Becoming Real, Dam Mantle, Zombie Nation, to the Fair Ohs, Autokratz and The Raveonettes, Atlanta-bred off-their-rockers Black Lips will be returning with their garage punk vibes. We speak to the guitarist of the band, Cole Alexander, about his festival tips and the future of their sound. Dazed Digital: You're playing the 1-2-3-4 festival this summer- what are your festival tips?Cole Alexander: If it's outdoors drink lots of water. If doing drugs, keep within moderation, and always have protected sex. Doesn't sound very rock'n'roll does it? I don't give a shit.DD: You've been making music as a band for a while now, has your sound changed in any way since you started?Cole Alexander: Yes when we first started we were more of beat group kind of purist to the late 50s early 60s. Now we have evolved to incorporate different sounds and genres to give it a more eclectic feel.DD: Any dream collaborators and why?Cole Alexander: On our next album would like to have John Cale produce it. He is so legendary and had made so many great projects like Stooges, Dream Syndicate, Nico, and Velvet Underground. I'm surprised more young indie bands don't seek him out.DD: Having had such legendary live shows, what do you hope to achieve with your performances now?Cole Alexander: We are always improvising and coming up with new hat tricks we will be getting better and better. I think it would be cool to commit suicide on stage. But it would be a big commitment. Black Lips are playing THE1234 Festival, Shoreditch on Saturday 9 July, 2011 Escape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.READ MORELil Uzi Vert: ‘Everything’s too goth, we need more steampunk’5 of the best Oklou collabs, ranked Reebok Your favourite Reeboks are getting a makeover‘Alt girls get their flowers’: Oklou and PinkPantheress go head-to-headWatch: fakemink on lust, obsessive fans and his new album, Terrifiedfakemink: ‘I’m the Eminem of the UK underground’Pokémon, pigeons and a car crash: Tracing fakemink’s digital footprint GucciEsDeeKid, Fakemink and more shut down Gucci’s AW26 afterparty5 acts to know from Manchester’s musical undergroundThe 7 most bleak, hopeless and depressing Mitski songs – ranked!February 2026 playlist: All the music we loved from the last monthMagdalena Bay on romance, fate and the best advice they ever receivedEscape the algorithm! Get The DropEmail address SIGN UP Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday. Privacy policy Thank you. You have been subscribed Privacy policy