Guillemots frontman Fyfe Dangerfield has paid tribute to the “magic” of Sir Ian Mckellen, who guest stars in the video for their new single.

Speaking to Gigwise about the shooting of the video, which took place earlier this week, Dangerfield said McKellen had “an incredible power and presence” on set.

“When you actually get to see him up-close, like when he did King Lear but also just seeing him on the video set as well, he had no words or anything, it was his face, how he could just make the slightest of movements, he just looked exactly like the song.

“He’s definitely got that magic thing that not many people have,” he said.

Dangerfield also revealed how the Lord Of The Rings actor, who was introduced to the band via a young relative two years ago, made him enjoy the song more.

“I liked it but it probably wasn’t one of my favourite tracks on the record but seeing him act with the music in the background it went so perfectly and was quite moving really,” Dangerfield said.

“It was flattering that he wanted to do it but also that he got and understood what the song was supposed to be about because I didn’t really talk to him about it.”

Dangerfield also spoke to Gigwise about the mixed critical response for the band’s new album, ‘Red’, which was released earlier this week.

“I don’t think we knew what was going to happen,” he said. “I think we knew it would confuse people a bit. I personally think it’s a record that ordinary people will listen to very differently from critics.”

He added that, although critics responded well to their Mercury Music Prize nominated debut album, ‘Through The Windowpane’, the band never felt they really understood it.

“When the critics listen to something they listening for angles and they want to be able to describe it and put it in a category, and that’s the antithesis of what we want to do,” he said.

(by Jason Gregory)