DEAD! are heading off on a UK Headline tour in the wake of their debut album The Golden Age Of Not Even Trying coming out this very month on the 26th. DEAD! already have an infectious roster of records with voluminous chorus' and tightly packed riffs with an electrifying flavour. This is a quartet you should be keeping your eyes on, with a dedicated fan base and DIY sensibilities, there is an exciting momentum that is quickly building.
I questioned frontman Alex on the upcoming album, the UK tour and the reveal of some serious Spice Girls lovin'.
Where are you right now and what was the last song you listened to?
London Town. No Such Thing - Avelino
You have created a community for your fan base, Damned Restless Future, which is an awesome way to closely connect with your fans. What made you want to make this and what does it entail?
The Damned Restless Future is a community of people who happen to be fans of our music that are connected both digitally and in real life. They have Damned Restless Future social media groups including a hugeeeee WhatsApp group chat. They get demos that no one else will ever hear, they are the first to get news on tours/shows etc. It's our way of connecting with people who want hear and see more of what we create on another level. We also do “Damned Restless Future” shows which are different in the fact they are always in odd locations…we’ve done some in recording studios, art galleries, Tunnels & all sorts of other odd places. These shows are usually very small and sweaty and personal. An ode to our DIY ethic that is still very much instilled in both us and The Damned Restless Future.
You have also supported a range of artists from Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes to Coasts, it must have been really interesting playing to different types of crowds?
Every support tour we embark on, at the start there is always that question hanging “will their crowds like us?” But after a certain point the best you can do is to go up on stage every night and give it your all. You’re not gonna win everyone over but even if you win just one person over that night the show was worth it. The Frank Carter tour was a real lesson in the fact we got to watch that band work it every night like absolute pros. All the knowledge and practice both musically and non musically they have culminated over the years is insane to witness, and the show you get presented with is this streamlined beautiful chaotic wonder. Playing to different crowds is something we want to continue, the walls between different “scenes” are made to be knocked down. We’d like to be the kind of band that could support The Smashing Pumpkins one day and The Cribs the next.
Your debut album The Golden Age Of Not Even Trying is coming out on the 26th of January, how are you feeling right at this moment about dropping the debut record which was recorded at Dean Street Studios?
Its been a while coming now but we're finally at the point where we can go out and kick ass with this album. We recorded it at Dean Street Studios in Soho with a fabulous producer called Charlie Russell. He was wicked to work with as he saw exactly what needed to be done with us, but also gave us a lot of space to breath and create in the studio. But whenever he had points or changes he suggested to the song, they were always the suggestions that were needed to make it as good as it can be. He was invaluable to the process. The album its self is a body of work thats culminated over the past few years, and I think very loudly speaks and tells the story of us both as a band and as individual people.
You’ve teased a few tracks on Instagram and its definitely building lots of hype. You can hear the diversity through the clips,W9 sounds like it has a sprinkle of grunge to it, how did it go down with writing and recording the album tracks?
We made sure to not think to much whilst writing about how people will perceive this as that can send off all sorts of triggers in your brain and end up making you question your creative instincts. We always try and write as honestly as possible to what we like or how we feel. But it wasn’t all written at once. We had about half the tracks fully written before we went into the studio for pre production, and then the other half came together very fluidly in the writing room. Any Port and Youth Screams Fades were the last two tracks to come together. We also recorded nearly all of the instruments live together, so when the guys were playing in the live room they were playing like they would at a show which definitely adds an extra element of energy into the mix.
It’s also physically available on Vinyl, CD and Cassette Tape. Can you remember the first CD you ever bought, the first Vinyl you ever spun and the first Cassette you ever listened too?
I think my first CD was either The Witch Doctor or Spice girls haha! I think the first vinyl was a dub remix of The Temptations “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” and again for the cassette it must have been spice girls or something like that. I was a big fan…
You’re about to embark on a UK tour, how are you feeling about touring the album?
Even before we recorded the album we knew that this tour was always gunna be special. Getting to tour our debut album is something we’ve all dreamt about for years, and know how important a milestone it is for a young band. So yeah its exciting seeing the past 5 years of work come together and getting to share that every night at shows with people from around the country.
I can imagine your live shows get pretty crazy and with a dedicated fan base, has there been any standout, interesting experiences whilst touring on the road?
The shows are always sweaty and loud. Theres been a few cases of broken bones. I jumped/fell of a balcony playing a show and ended up in hospital, broke a few bones and was a bit sore…but still played the show the next day! We got hit by a 22 Ton lorry that wrote our van off. RIP Battlebus.
Each of your music videos bring in a really unique charm. From artistic approached visuals in Enough Enough Enough to a really eye catching vintage aesthetic in Up For Ran$om. Do you have preconceived ideas about how you would like your music videos to look for each track?
Definitely, we’ve spent the last couple of years trying different videographers and methods to figure out which one garners the best result for us. And to be honest some of the most fun shoots we’ve had are for the vids we’ve done ourselves such as You're So Cheap and a new one that’s just about to drop... We get our photographer friends to shoot it and then Sam usually edits everything. Working with a big production for a video is cool and fun but I think for a band like us you do slightly lose the personal touch and heart which is so important for people to connect.
What has been your biggest achievement as a band so far?
Its impossible to pin that down to one thing to be honest as it differs from person to person. But Reading & Leeds, Download Fest & Touring Europe festivals have all been major points in our careers so far where its been like “wow we’re actually doing this what the fuck”
For the past couple of years you’ve been gaining well deserved and exciting attention, what would be your pinnacle achievement as a band?
Just to be able to keep creating, and for people to want to hear more stuff from us and feel connected to what it is were making. The fame and money isn’t what were in it for and if your in music for that reason then thats not right. Getting to tour the rest of the world would be amazing. Seeing North & South America, Asia. That would be awesome.
What is next on the cards for the rest of the year?
Touring touring! We’ll be putting out a bunch more DIY Vids and of course we are gunna be writing a hell of a lot as well, you spend a lot of time sitting around on tour waiting to play so putting that time to good use to be creative is a goal.
And finally, what is your favorite life motto that you will stick to for the rest of your career?
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