Getting To Know: Adult DVD
Prepare to set sail on a sonic adventure with Leeds' dance-rock sensations, Adult DVD, as they drop their self-produced banger, 'Yacht Money.' With their infectious hooks and euphoric live performances reminiscent of a wild club night, they've won over a devoted cult following and caught the ears of industry giants like Clash, Radio 6, Radio 1, and more. Drawing comparisons to the legendary LCD Soundsystem, Adult DVD effortlessly blend indie charm with acid-house vibes on 'Yacht Money,' capturing the essence of their undeniable appeal: humor, danceable beats, and unforgettable tunes. This interview promises to be a voyage into their unique musical world, so buckle up and get ready for a wild ride! We caught up with them, here's how it went down:
1. The description of your music mentions that you bounce between chorus-centric indie and acid-house
floor-fillers. How do you manage to blend these diverse styles into your music, and what inspires this
unique fusion?
It's not a conscious thing for us to make things sound unique or different, it's just six people all inputting their influences. We all listen to an varied mix of music, so naturally, it comes out in each of our playing.
2. Yacht Money is described as a tongue-in-cheek ode to living the high life. Can you tell us more about
the inspiration behind the song and the story it tells?
Yacht Money was the second track we all wrote the lyrics together as a band, I think after it worked so well with Bill Murray it's something we want to always do. I'm not sure how we got onto the topic of living the high life on a yacht, I was probably watching too much Below Deck at the time! But yacht was the starting word, and we all sat around just coming up with the lyrics. It's so fun to write that way, we don't take it too seriously because we are not very serious people and neither is the music, so it portrays us very well as people and the band. you should hear the next track, it's even more ridiculous!
3. It's impressive to see that you have a devoted cult following and have received recognition from
various media outlets and festivals. What do you think has contributed to your success so far?
What's more impressive is how much we are paying these people to feature us/put us on these shows, it's not sustainable! Really though, Leeds is great for artists championing other artists. It's a good scene, everyone is happy to see others doing well and from that, you gain new listeners and people coming to your gigs. That and the support from the BBC introducing has helped us a lot. Our friends are also very supportive and always share/shout about our music, they've probably never listened to us. Just good friends!
4. Your live shows are said to be euphoric and almost like a club night. How do you translate the energy of your music into your live performances, and what can fans expect from one of your shows?
We're really influenced by people like Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim and watching the videos of their shows from the late 90s - we just all wish we could've been there, so we want to try and recreate that kind of feeling today. Anyone coming to our shows we want to leave excited about us and our music so I suppose we all feel obliged to put everything into our performances every time we play.
Yacht Money; is described as a self-produced single. Could you shed some light on your creative process and what it was like working on this particular track?
Everything we've done so far has been self produced. Originally we used to do it between my old flat and Dannys old basement, the good thing about our music is the only thing you have to track loudly is the drums. Luckily Jonny is shit hot and can smash out takes, so there was never an issue with noise complaints. For this track, we did it at the Nave studios in Leeds where Danny now works. We took in a rough version of the track and recorded drums and vocals, on one of the hottest days of the year. The Nave is great, so much nice equipment and just a fun space to hang out, we had a lot of fun.
6. Adult DVD's sound is compared to that of LCD Soundsystem, but with a Northern English twist. How do you feel about this comparison, and what do you think distinguishes your sound from other contemporary acts?
We're always flattered by the comparison, we're all huge fans of LCD. The music is very much influenced, but I think our lyrics and our energy is much more influenced by our home - Leeds is a slightly less romantic setting than New York. Our approach is to make music that is catchy and interesting and ultimately just make ourselves laugh. Anything that sets us apart just comes from us putting ourselves into it and I suppose no one else would be daft enough to write what we write!
7. As you celebrate the release of 'Yacht Money'; with a headline show and upcoming gigs, what are
your goals and aspirations for the future of the band?
Buy a Yacht and get more celebrity autographs. We managed to get Bill Murray to sign the artwork for our tune Bill Murray, so it would be nice to get more celebrity autographs on the wall. One each would be nice.
8. Can you share any anecdotes or memorable moments from your journey as a band, perhaps something that happened during a live show or while working on new music?
We played a show the other day in Leeds for Belgraves 10th Birthday and I think that was our favourite yet. Greg did a hat flip too, which was the real highlight.
9. What's next for Adult DVD after the release of Yahct Money; and the upcoming shows in the Autumn? Are there any exciting plans or projects on the horizon for the band?
We are currently for booking a tour for 2024 and working on some new music. So lot's upcoming post Yacht Money.
We also got our heads together to discuss a music video idea, so hopefully we will have that together soon.
