The Dirty Youth Interview

We were lucky enough to catch up with Soundscape favourites The Dirty Youth before the bands show at The Moon Club in Cardiff, a review of which you can read here, and although the much anticipated second album is still top secret we managed to pry some info from singer Danni Monroe for you lucky people.

Since the tour with The Rasmus and the DVD release you have been really quiet, what’s been going on?  Danni – We’ve been in the studio doing the album, basically we went to Rockfield, spent quite a bit of time there, really just making sure that we get it right, because with the last album we had quite a lot go wrong with it, we recorded it and then the hard drive got destroyed and we had a week to do it all again, so even though it turned out really well and got a great response it wasn’t exactly what we wanted it to be, it felt rushed in the end, but obviously this time we’ve taken the time, its probably about six years since we wrote that last album, even though now we’ve got this album ready we are already writing album 3, we are always gonna be like 2 years behind what we release because we just like writing!

So is the album completely recorded now? Danni – It is.

And is it completely top secret? Danni – It is! I can give you a name, which we should be announcing shortly, its called Gold Dust.

Where were the bulk of the songs written? Danni – To be honest with you it all stems from Matt (Bond – Guitarist) he’s the artistic one in the band, so he’ll come up with something, bring it to rehearsal and goes from there really. He’ll put a demo together with some programmed drums and some vocals and I’ll hear that and get the vibe he’s going for and we all add our own twist to it then.

Who and what are your main songwriting and musical inspirations? Danni – We’ve all completely different tastes in music, when I was younger I was massively influenced by diva’s, Freddie Mercury, Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera, Whitney Houston, all stuff like that, that’s how I taught myself to sing, I love pop, always have, I’m not really a metal singer which is almost what came across on the last album, it was quite heavy stuff in places and this time I want to do something that’s more true to me.

So, how will the album compare to Red Light Fix? Danni – It’s typical Dirty Youth, we’re just not trying to play as much as we can and make every song so busy, and we’ve actually got a ballad on this album!

You’ve just announced a massive UK and European tour with Glamour Of The Kill and Heavens Basement, how did that come about? Danni – We have the same agent, that helps! And Matt knows the guys really well cos he recorded Glamour Of The Kill’s album up in Rockfield, and I think we’ve just met Heavens Basement loads of time, just doing different festivals really, and we got offered it and I was like “Hell yeah!”

It’s a big tour as well!  Danni – I thought the last one was hard, thats was 28 days, this is 36!! It’s gonna be fun, and at least it’s not in winter like the last one, that was hell!

And no falling apart van? Danni – No, we’ve still got the falling apart van!

What’s the best and worst things about touring, for you? Danni – The best is obviously the crowd reaction and being onstage every night is absolutely amazing. Touring is probably the best and worst experience of my life, it’s absolute hell when there is frost inside the window, and I actually thought one night when I woke up and was so cold I couldn’t literally move and shouted everyone’s names and no-one answered me and I thought everyone was dead! Believe it or not this was in Glasgow!

What’s the most embarrassing tour story that you can actually share?  Danni – In Amsterdam we all decided to try some ‘special’ muffins, just because I like chocolate muffins, I mean how bad could it be? It wasn’t really a good experience, Leon (Watkins – Bass) probably reacted the worst, he was lying in a sleeping bag with it done all the way up, in the van, shaking and saying “call my family I’m going to die” and he was like that for 4 hours, he was really freaked out, it was hilarious for us.

What’s the strangest gig you’ve ever played?  Danni – It was probably one of the first ones we ever did, it was in Aberdeen, and the promoters friend, who we were staying with was a ninja! There was a five story building  and he said I bet you I can get through the tiny little bathroom window at the top, and we were like ‘fuck off, you cant’, and he did! Ran up the drain pipe and through the tiny window and I was just like what! Scared the hell out of me, I was up all night wondering what the hell he was gonna do, that still tops it for me!

The band are known for your really great live show, how important is that to you?  Danni – Very, I would have like to have planned it more tonight, but local shows are always the worst, you’ve got millions of people texting you all day, the show is the easy part, trust me, and this the first show we’ve done in Wales in 18 months, so I’m a bit nervous. I’ve got my family coming and we are showcasing the new material, I would say 65% of the set is new songs.

What will the rest of 2014 hold for The Dirty Youth?  Danni – Album release, festival season, we are gonna take it old school style and do 2 or 3 single releases before, with videos, in fact we shot the video for the first one yesterday, up in lovely, cold Bolton, it was a wicked shoot, did it with Sitcom Soldiers and they are awesome, cant wait to see that, hoping for a late January, early February release, then really hitting festival season, hoping to do a third single release around that tour and release the album when we get back, unless we do 2 singles then album, not really 100% sure yet.

Are you really gonna push the album? Danni – Yeah, definitely, it’s got a real Radio One vibe so there is nothing holding us back from branching out and hitting the mainstream.

Any new album releases that are exciting you right now?  Danni –  To be honest with you, this year, I haven’t really been with it, been so busy with the album I haven’t had a chance to check out new releases and stuff (Danni asks Matt who has just walked past with Padge from Bullet For My Valentine) Are there any amazing releases thats have grabbed your attention?

Matt – Bullet For My Valentine, Raising Hell!

What albums are the favourites on your ipod at the moment?  Danni – I’m terrible, I listen to old stuff, In my car I have 1 CD, It’s been in there for about a year and a half and I won’t change it, It’s Nickelback!! Everyone laughs at it, I know every song on it, I know its not cool but the songs are absolutely amazing! The sound of it is ridiculous, but when that first drum fill hits thats it, I’m done!

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