Artist info
Genre
Indie, Rock
band members
NIK PALLE GEORGE HAMISH
Influences
Arctic Monkeys, Cold Chisel, Thundercat, INXS, Tame Impala, Mildlife , BADBADNOTGOOD
Unearthed artists we like
Dulcie, Great Gable, Sly Withers, Noah Dillon, Teischa, CLEWS , Carla Geneve, Material World Orchestra, JunoKind, Jack Davies and The Bush Chooks, Mal de Mer , Spacey Jane, Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers, Asha Jefferies, The Southern River Band, Indigo Bloom, E for Echo, SUPEREGO, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Morgan Bain, GAZEY, Demon Days
Website
Bio
Death by Denim are a four-piece alt-indie formation known for their high energy live shows, versatile song writing and tendency to wear outlandish combinations of denim.
Hailing from Perth’s coastal suburbia, DBD exploded onto the scene in 2016 after earning a converted spot at Southbound Music Festival. Their unique blend of R’n’B, rock and funk has resonated, with the band now selling out venues across Australia.
DBD had a massive year on the road in 2019 - completing three national tours with sold out shows in Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane as well as opening Falls Festival Fremantle for triple j Unearthed and playing a set at Falls Byron Bay.
2019 also saw the band release their sophomore EP ‘Year Long Minute’ with breakout single ‘Wiggy’ added to full rotation on triple j, peaking at number 3 most played on the station and taking out a top 50 spot in the Unearthed most played tracks of the year.
This week on triple j Unearthed you'll be hearing from WA legends and this week's feature artist, Death By Denim.
Tell us about your music. How did you develop your sound?
We all come from quite different musical backgrounds and we love to mash up all of those into one big melting pot of sound. Whether its classic 80s Australian rock, to Britpop, to the Perth Psych scene and Hip Hop. There are really no limits to what we will consider putting into a track and we love to play around with different styles. It’s no coincidence that we struggle to define our genre at times. When recording it’s basically anything goes. If someone wants a robot in the track, a robot will be produced and its place in the track thereby evaluated.
What’s your greatest source of inspiration for making music?
I think music has played a very important role in all of our lives as we have grown up and it’s amazing that we get to share that emotional connection as a band. Personal experiences always come into play for songwriting inspiration. We’ve made songs about a family break up, Tattoos, mental health, after parties, cigarettes and honey - anything really. We don’t take ourselves too seriously but at the same time we have definitely built up a confidence to explore deeper emotions in our tunes.
What can punters expect from a Death By Denim live show?
A Big Party. We want everyone to come to a gig, feel safe and just forget about their problems for a few hours. When we are on stage, we are free from all of our anxieties and can just be doing what we love to do and hopefully that resonates with people. Also, a lot of average banter by Nik and George.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given and who was it from?
A frequent piece of advice has been to work hard and keep pushing. Making and performing music is something we all love to do and we have developed quite a strong work ethic in the band as a result. Whether it is songwriting, performing, or organizing the next 6 months – we are always working on something. I think this mindset has been really important when it comes to writing. It can be easy to forget about this when other things seem more important or urgent. In the long run it really takes the pressure off the music if you already have a bunch of exciting ideas to work on when it comes time to produce that next track.
What Australian track would you play to cheer up someone who was crying?
'Elephant' by Tame Impala.
What Australian track would you play to someone to make them cry?
'If You Were My Hero' by Asha Jefferies.
You’re the DJ at a party. The dance floor is pumping. What Australian track do you put on next?
'Need You Tonight' by INXS
What was the last local gig you went to? How was it?
We all went to Wooly Mammoth’s final ever show and it was amazing. Was pretty sad to see those boys finish the band as we’ve become pretty close with them over the years, but they all have other things in the pipeline that we are very excited about!
Tell us about the bands or people in the WA music community that inspire you.
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets come straight to mind who are really inspiring us at the moment. Working so bloody hard and have achieving so much – it has been an amazing journey to watch. Riley Pearce, Spacey Jane, Dulcie, Great Gable, Keeley Connelly - all the artists that are flying the WA flag with so much pride inspire us to be able to do the same. I could list another 20 bands, WA music is just the best. Whether it’s a group that has been together for a few years or one who has just formed – you never know when you are going to be blown away by at a local gig. Fresh on the scene Material World Orchestra recently supported us and had some incredible synthy vibes – I think we were all listening and silently taking notes. Francis Foxx is also one to watch with an amazing energy on stage. The list goes on and on.
What are your plans for 2019?
Planning to release either an E.P or a full length album in October/November which we are currently working on at Debaser studios with Andy Lawson. We will be heading out on our biggest tour run at the end of the year in support. Basically we will be working very hard but making sure we have the best of fun too. It’s a very exciting time for sure.
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if there are any Holy Holy fans who aren't already big Death By Denim lovers, this track will remedy that. colourful synths and anthemic vocals atop a classic guitar-driven base - it's everything my indie-rock-loving heart needs.
if there are any Holy Holy fans who aren't already big Death By Denim lovers, this track will remedy that. colourful synths and anthemic vocals atop a classic guitar-driven base - it's everything my indie-rock-loving heart needs.
Review
Feels like euphoria! Really loving all that dreamy, synthy textures, that golden atmosphere and your voice Nik is next level lush. Love!
Feels like euphoria! Really loving all that dreamy, synthy textures, that golden atmosphere and your voice Nik is next level lush. Love!
Review
the myriad of colours that death by denim have access to is almost unfair. this one chugs and swirls and gets me even more pumped for the debut record!
the myriad of colours that death by denim have access to is almost unfair. this one chugs and swirls and gets me even more pumped for the debut record!