The Datsuns new album, ‘Eye To Eye’ – their first since 2014 – is released on May 28 and the band’s new single, ‘Suspicion’ is out now. GRTR! recently caught up with vocalist/bassist Dolf de Borst to discuss the upcoming album and how the band have been coping during the lockdowns…
1. Brain to Brain is your first new music in 7 years, what have you been doing during this ‘time off’? A comeback during a pandemic seems like unusual timing?
Ha! I guess it’s new to everyone else but Brain to Brain has been around a while. It was the first song we wrote for the new album back in 2016 and we played it live on our last New Zealand tour too. The album has been finished for well over a year now and we finally got sick of sitting on it, so it’s coming out, pandemic or not. It’s art?! It needs to be out of our heads and released into the wild.
2. Is the material on the forthcoming album, old, new or a mixture of both, and what are the themes?
All the material was originally conceived back in 2016 but then slowly refined over time. We are living in three different countries so the logistics of it all can kinda slow things to a crawl sometimes. Thematically it touches on our inner demons, human evolution, cynicism and post-truth logic.
That all sounds heavy and pretentious but it’s just a simple rock record. Turn it up!
3. I’ve read about the making of the video, and how this was creatively worked around band members being apart during the pandemic, how has the pandemic impacted you – both personally and professionally?
Personally, it’s been a bit tougher, more psychological pressure, more time to hear those internal monologues and doubts speaking.
Professionally? Well, I haven’t played any shows in 12 months or so, so that tends to hurt financially. That said, I don’t really wanna gripe about it too much because I live in a good situation compared to some. We’ll be fine, I think…
4. What bands do you enjoy listening to? We appreciate any band, book or film recommendations you may want to share, to finish up our lockdown!
The Lemon Twigs – “Songs For The General Public” LP
Reigning Sound – “A Little More Time” Single
Ursula K, Le Guin – “The Dispossessed” Book
5. NME called you The Heroes of the New Rock Revolution back in 2002, 19 years later – what keeps the fire in your belly?
Not much has changed in our motivations, it’s maybe evolved a little? I try to listen to and experience new shit that makes me excited and wanna go and make new things too. To create and have that buzz around your brain when something fits together in a fun or new way.
I live for that. Sure, there’s a danger in getting too comfortable or worse cynical and sneering about art, especially as you age.
That can be pretty destructive I guess. But you always wanna express yourself right? At least I do.
6. Any message for your fans in the UK/Europe?
It is my sincere wish to be back playing shows, I really miss the immediate and visceral thrill of it all, and as soon as possible we will.
We just need to hold on a little longer!
The Datsuns new album, Eye To Eye is released May 28th , pre save
New single Suspicion is Out Now, listen here
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Power Plays w/c 15 April 2024
ENMY The Ledge (FiXT)
KAROBELA Get Hard (indie)
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THE BEE TELLERS River Poem (Black Sand Records)
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