Gang of Youths: Trials and Therapy On The Road
This article is presented by The Appointment Group (TAG), an award-winning global, independenttravel and event management company.
“I feel like I’m progressing. If I stop swimming, I feel like I’m going to fucking die.”
Complacency is not a word that you will find in Dave Le’aupepe’s vocabulary. His shark-like instincts devalue contentedness and forbid even a momentary period of motionlessness.
Speaking to TMN from the confines of a makeshift bedroom at his parents’ house, the fearless frontman of Sydney band Gang of Youths is coming clean on his touring addiction – a dependency that replaces a history of substance abuse with a far more rewarding outlet.
“I get the drug that I need every single night. I strap on a guitar and I step on stage and I get my hit.”
Le’aupepe’s comment is a shrouded reference to his previous ways; his publicised past saw him tragically wind up in rehab after a botched suicide attempt in June 2014. The details of that incident are vividly recounted in Magnolia, Gang of Youths’ third single from their 2014 debut album, The Positions. His week-long bender, which included copious amounts of drinking and smoking, with little sleep, resulted in the singer laying in front of oncoming traffic in an attempt to end his life.
His bandmates, concerned for their friend’s well-being, contacted police who were able to avert the disaster. The exact date of the event is profoundly recorded in the song: “There’s no kind of right way to do what I’ll do, but I’m king of the earth, with impossible blood on this 3rd of June.”
Nowadays, the enigmatic and self-confessed ontological obsessive thrives on his addiction to a touring lifestyle and cathartic songcraft. Le’aupepe’s nomadic instincts mean he’s constantly on the move, both physically and spiritually, searching for creative inspiration and a sense of meaningfulness to fill what he refers to as “this God-shaped hole in my life”.
“I’ve learned to just acknowledge it,” he admits.
Having just finished a sold out national tour prior to the release of new EP, Let Me Be Clear, it is only a matter of time before Gang of Youths embark on another stint on the road.
Touring alongside Grammy award winners Vampire Weekend in the summer of 2013-2014 proved to be a monumental breakthrough. Unexpectedly for the band, the tour inspired recognition from major industry players. FBi Radio and Spotify deemed the band ‘The Next Big Thing’ and ‘One To Watch in 2014’.
In 2013, when The Positions was undergoing the initial stages of post-production surgery in Sydney, the band took to the road with American indie outfit Manchester Orchestra through the UK. The band have also toured New Zealand and the US, where they showcased at South By Southwest 2014 – all before The Positions was even released.
As the album experienced commercial success, debuting at #5 on the Australian ARIA charts and hogging local airwaves with the glistening sounds of Magnolia, the band’s gaze was on the open road.
The 2016 tour reached all major cities in Australia, including three shows at Melbourne’s 170 Russell to accommodate high demand.
“I’m in a period of my life where I don’t associate a place to live as something that is representative of progress,” Le’aupepe tells TMN. “I consider it to be aregression if I’m in the same place.”
As Gang Of Youths’ music gained traction and the band’s profile was increasing, so did the capacity of their venues. Local small-time gigs were becoming a thing of the past for the ARIA and J Award nominees as demand for tickets was rising.
“I miss being able to walk out with a long lead and sing with the fans,” says the band’s bassist and founding member, Max Dunn.
Dunn is seated at Sony Music’s main foyer in Sydney chatting to TMN about the Gangs’ touring highlights and nadirs.
“Those shows are really memorable,” he recalls of the early days when the band would perform on ground level. “I actually miss a lot of the awesome moments now because of the way that we set out our stage. I’m always right by [drummer] Donnie at the back.”
Few things are more rewarding than performing music night after night – an elusive euphoric injection that stems from playing in front of people who believe in your cause. However, when touring life seems too good to be true, it usually is. The demanding lifestyle can be a test of one’s patience and endurance.
While Le’aupepe sees touring as a therapeutical practice and naturally “finds it more taxing coming back to Sydney,” Dunn is more conflicted on the subject.
According to the New Zealand native, the unpredictability of touring life brings a level of instability back home that can be emotionally crippling and a scheduling nightmare.
“Because of the nature of touring, you never know where you are going to be. It’s very hard to have a normal life and integrate back in,” Dunn says, half bemused, while contemplating his belated Law degree.
“The worst part about being a musician is the fact that you could be lined up for a tour next week that’s going to take you away for two months,” he adds. “It may get cancelled or pushed back, then you have to decide what you want to do for the next two months. “You have no control over where you’ll be.”
The dilemma can often cut deep. While many artists and individual band members have crumbled under the intense pressure of touring life, Gang of Youths have managed to consistently beat the odds in pursuit of doing what they love.
“You almost feel like you are home and in the place where you expect to be,” Dunn continues. “It’s fun; weird shit happens. You’re waking up in a new city everyday. We have a very unique family atmosphere out there on tour.”
That statement extends to their relationships with other artists, namely Peking Duk and Middle Kids, bands whom the group originally met through Sony Music Australia, the record label Gang of Youths have been associated with since before The Positions was released.
Friendly camaraderie is as conventional as a bad night’s sleep while on tour. The group’s lead guitarist, Joji Malani, can often be found serendipitously “bro’ing out with the Leon Bridges guys”, according to Dunn, while effortlessly striking up musical conversations backstage with anyone who’s willing to listen.
However, both Le’aupepe and Dunn admit there is a curious underlying rivalry amongst bands on the road.
“There’s definitely this competitive undertone on the touring circuit,” Dunn explains. “When you are at the backstage of a festival, there is that whole clan mentality going on. There’s a mix of friendliness and a deep desire in every band to be better. It’s a weird tension.”
In typical fashion, Le’aupepe subscribes to the obscure antics on tour: “It’s kind of a controversial thing because when it comes to other bands, you’re supposed to be like “Oh man…we’re all in this together!’
“I believe that to an extent, but at the same time, I believe in a spirit of competition when it comes to art.”
That same spirit has existed throughout musical history, both on tour and in the studio, as Dunn confirms. “You have the famous rivalries like The Beatles and Beach Boys that drive awesome music.”
Not to mention notorious musical feuds between Smashing Pumpkins and Pavement, Blur and Oasis and Pearl Jam and Nirvana; musical rivalries that have often begun and come to a dramatic end on the touring circuit.
Nevertheless, being on the road is like being at home for Le’aupepe, who uses his time alone as an opportunity to purge and unleash his deep-seated creativity. “The sea change for me is really important,” he reflects.
“Dave is just one of those guys that you just have to get out of his way and let him do his thing,” says Dunn. The bassist fully understands the indispensable nature of Le’aupepe’s contributions to the band.
Demonstrated by his storytelling abilities and excessive interview chatter, it is no wonder that the masterful songwriter has developed a penchant for words and poetry.
“I get a lot of time to read on tour,” says Le’aupepe. “Emotionally, that’s good for me. Whenever we are in a business lounge at the airport, I’m usually curled up in a corner reading or sleeping.”
The band are afforded these kinds of touring luxuries by virtue of their relationship with international travel and tour management company, The Appointment Group (TAG).
Since early 2016, TAG has worked alongside Gang of Youths on local and international tour dates, delivering streamlined tour management services.
Speaking on the band’s history with the company, Le’aupepe recognises the strain that TAG takes off his shoulders. “TAG are really useful in that way. It saves us having to deal with idiots at border control and airlines.”
Gang of Youths’ Band Manager, Kurt Bailey, commends TAG for organising and simplifying the intricacies of international touring.
“They were great in providing the best options for touring internationally on whatever budget we had,” Bailey told TMN.
According to Dunn, Gang of Youths are in line to enter the studio in January to record their much-anticipated follow-up to The Positions. Of course, these plans will certainly dampen any touring prospects during that time, and being holed up in a recording studio for months isn’t exactly conducive to Le’aupepe’s wayfaring impulses.
“I’m really addicted to touring,” he concedes. “I don’t have an address, I don’t have a home. I have a storage unit with my stuff in it, a suitcase and two boxes of books – that’s all that belongs to me right now.”
This article is presented byThe Appointment Group (TAG). TAGis an award-winning global, independent travel and event management companydedicated to clients around the clock from offices in London, Manchester, New York, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, Melbourne, Sydney and Singapore.