Good Trip, Bad Trip: Demob Happy

On the road with the Brighton group...

Demob Happy have done things the hard way.

Loading up the van, the Brighton band take DIY to a new level, taking charge of everything themselves.

Acclaimed second album 'Holy Doom' is out now, with the band taking a further step with brand new single 'Less Is More'.

Speaking of the new track, frontman Matthew Marcantonio says:

“It looks like less, but it sounds like more. You can dissolve it any way you need to, but for us it wasn't literal. We threw our all at it, doing things that made us uncomfortable, because you wither and die if you don't keep moving. There's so much hidden away on this record you'd think we were joking, but we aren't. Less Is More, more or less…”

Set to hit the road for a full headline tour, Demob Happy revealed a few touring tips for Clash in Good Trip, Bad Trip…

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Best trip…

We did 20,000 miles touring the US last year in a bashed up RV for six weeks. That was quite a way to get acquainted with a country for the first time. At one point we got embroiled in a gun siege at a motel in the middle of the night. It was probably the greatest and maddest trip we’ve had so far.

Worst trip…

I mean, everyone’s had stinkers. We had a show years ago that we still refer to as rock bottom. We drove a very very long way including breaking down in shitty weather and getting lost to play to one angry sound guy, the place had ran out of beer, then we had to come straight home. Events that may one day inspire a musical called Rock Bottom.

Favourite foreign venue…

The Fillmore in San Francisco was pretty special. It's a beautiful place so steeped in musical heritage and we had a fuckin' sweet show there.

We are surprisingly popular in…

Argentina apparently. Big shout out to the Demob Happy Argentina fan page. Never played there but we’re working on it!

Best or worst exotic foodstuff…

Trying snails on a hangover for the first time in France was difficult. At first. Then we started to get into it.

Most interesting individual you’ve met on the road…

We met this shamanic kind of rock-wizard called Victor up in the desert hills above Joshua Tree in a commune called the Boulder Gardens. He had a long white beard and gnarly rings on every finger and looked kinda like Keith Richards crossed with Gandalf. We stumbled across the place and people living up there amongst the giant boulders in this beautiful oasis and ended up staying all day, having a swim in their rock pool and getting deep with Victor about the universe.

Worst on tour injury, or infection or accident…

We’ve had quite a few hospital visits on the road over the years. Tom still owes the Swedish government money for x-rays. Think Matt takes the biscuit though finding a river bed with a broken nose/face after a particularly spectacular dive off of a cliff.

My essential travel item…

Probably portable speaker to get dancing in the dressing room.

My essential travel tip…

Socks on the radiator. Get another day out of em. Also don’t put all your clothes on for a wash in a laundrette thats about to close for the night when you need to leave Germany in an hour's time.

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Catch Demob Happy at the following shows:

February
24 Manchester Soup Kitchen
25 Birmingham O2 Institute
26 Edinburgh Sneaky Pete's
27 Newcastle Northumbria Institute 2

March
1 London The Garage
2 Brighton Concorde 2

Photo Credit: Bridie Florence

Join us on Vero, as we get under the skin of global cultural happenings. Follow Clash Magazine as we skip merrily between clubs, concerts, interviews and photo shoots. Get backstage sneak peeks and a true view into our world as the fun and games unfold.

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