Currently in Australia for their first-ever tour of the country, iconic English indie band Courteeners seem like a match made in Britpop heaven for Aussie indie heavyweights, DMA’S.
Not only did the two bands join forces on last year’s excellent single, “The Beginning of the End”, but DMA’S’ Johnny Took’s side project with brother Matty, BIIG Time (who will release a new single, “Bigger Than Nothing”, on March 28th), have supported Courteeners throughout their debut run Down Under.
To celebrate their chemistry and connection, Took sat down with Courteeners frontman Liam Fray to discuss the tour, their recent arena run around the UK, and potential future collaborations between the bands.
Find Courteeners’ upcoming tour dates here. Find DMA’S upcoming tour dates here.
DMA’S Interview Courteeners
Johnny Took (DMA’S): What’s the story behind “The Beginning of the End?” Did you always imagine it as a collab/how did you know that we’d be the right fit?
Liam Fray (Courteeners): It’s the realisation that the kind of love you have might be changing. It’s still there, but it’s slowly slipped into something else.
J: [Courteeners’ 2024 album] Pink Cactus Café had some great reviews. How do you feel now that the album has been out for a few months?
L: It was such a fruitful experience working on this album that I forgot how long it took. It takes over your life. I guess I feel relief, and pride, that it’s out in the world in exactly the guise we wanted.
J: You’ve been at this for years now. How do you keep things fresh and exciting after all this time?
L: Imposter syndrome is a powerful catalyst!
J: What was your favourite memory/moment from the UK tour?
L: Opening with “Sweet Surrender” felt pretty good. Kicking things off with intent shows belief in the record and people got it, which is all we can ask for really. We’re so lucky to have this connection with our audience. They get us, and we get them.
J: What was your least favourite moment?
L: Probably not being able to play some of the newer songs. And also having to leave older ones out… choosing the setlist is getting harder after seven albums! Having said that, it’s banger after banger, so no complaints.
J: You worked with a bunch of different artists on Pink Cactus Café. How was working with us different and did our input impact your usual creative process in anyway?
L: I’d wanted to work with you guys for ages really, but I wanted it to be in the room the first time it happened… not online. I felt like that was important. I’d not done lots of sessions with other bands before, so I was actually quite nervous. But it was a joy to be honest. I liked how we all let each other breathe, we had a connection and an understanding really early on. Johnny is such a good sounding board and [DMA’S lead guitarist Matt] Mason comes up with the flourishes of genius… we make a good team!
J: This will be your first Aussie tour – what are you most looking forward to while you’re here?
L: The sun. I feel like it’s rained in Manchester since September. The people. The food. Get us on that plane!
J: You’ve recently finished an arena tour back home – how do you think playing more intimate venues like The Metro and The Forum will compare, particularly for this record?
L: I think it’ll be super intense. In the best way. The feeling when you see whites of people’s eyes, the veins in their necks, it’s like nothing else on earth.
J: BIIG TIME are pumped to be joining the tour – how do you think our sound will complement the energy of the shows?
L: We’ve had you on in the rehearsal room and it’s been getting us pumped so it’s gonna be a riot. People are in for a treat.
Courteeners Interview DMA’S
Liam Fray (Courteeners): What did you guys think when you first heard “The Beginning of the End”?
Johnny Took (DMA’S): [It] was super exciting to hear the final product after knowing where it came from. The writing experience was so natural, fun and easy. It was written in a few hours!
L: We loved having you on the track. How do you balance staying true to your sound when collaborating with other bands?
J: I think Courteeners and DMA’S are from a similar world, and we love and respect similar facets of songwriting, so that wasn’t an issue for us!
@dmasmusic One month since UK 🇬🇧 We’ll come back for a headline tour soon x #ontour #livemusic #livemusic #courteeners
L: What was your favourite memory/moment from the UK tour?
J: Playing [Manchester arena] Co-op Live!!! Amazing venue in front of a Courteeners home crowd!
L: What was your least favourite moment?
J: Abruptly leaving after the last show in Birmingham to catch a 5am flight back to Aus.
L: How do you think this collab is different from others you’ve done in the past?
J: DMA’S have never been shy about our affinity with British music. This was our first British collab and it couldn’t make more sense!
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L: After all this, do you think we should do another track together sometime? Got any ideas?
J: I have no doubts if we got back in the studio songs would blossom instantly. I’d love to do another.
L: We’re finally heading to Australia! What should we expect from the crowds/any big differences between UK and AU shows?
J: You’re gonna love it. You’re playing great iconic Australian venues, and the crowds will be up for it!
L: BIIG TIME will be supporting us on this tour – what’s the story behind the project, and what can fans expect from their set?
J: This is a side project by me and my brother (Matty Took) – think distorted British/Pop Rock mixed with Australiana!
