Photos by Kathryn Farmer @ Lany, Brisbane.
LANY are currently in the country for another tour, playing songs from their self-titled debut album. It's the start of a massive year for the US trio, leading towards their debut performance at Coachella.
We got LANY on the phone with an Interns superfan for a chin-wag.
So first of all how does it feel to be back in Australia for the third time?
We’re almost there, we play Shanghai tonight and then we fly to Brisbane tomorrow, it’ll be our first time in Brisbane. Obviously we love Australia or we wouldn’t have come back three times in like a year. We love it there and it’s really important for us to always come back so we’re super excited.
So you’re playing Melbourne and Sydney again, Brisbane for the first time and also these shows are all ages so are you excited about finally having more all ages shows?
Absolutely, I don’t know, it was just difficult to do in Australia I think with some of the laws, but it’s amazing that we’re able to do it now and it’s going to be so much fun.
Yeah cool, so I’ve spoken to you before and you mentioned how you were really keen to grow something special in Australia with the shows and fans, how have you seen this all grow since February last year?
I think we’re gunna do like 2100 tickets in Sydney which is amazing and I think all 3 should be like sod out or close to sold out and you know, can’t really complain about that. It’s been a really cool journey and we really build slow and steady but I think slow and steady wins the race. It’ll be so much fun to come back and this time, for the first time we’ll be able to play like our full album set with all of our lights and production and that’s really important to us so these shows will be night and day compared to what anyone has seen us do in Australia so far.
So I’ve also been to a couple of LANY shows now and I think you guys create a really special…
Are you? I know who you are... I know who you are!
Omg really?
You take our photos and stuff… this is perfect.
Amazing! So you create a really special connection between the fans, your shows have such an intimate, unique vibe compared to other shows I’ve been to and I’ve watched this grow really organically. Can you describe to me how YOU feel at these shows, when you jump into the crowd and hug the fans, what’s that feeling like?
It’s just really honest and it’s really pure. This hasn’t been handed to us by any means you know it’s all just come from total conviction and hard work and believing in the songs that you make and believing in what you say you’re called to do and so every night is the most important night and every night to me, every time I step on the stage, it’s the most important thing in the world to me, that’s what I live for.
I think obviously people believe that and they see that because it’s the truth and I think that means a lot more to them. This is my job but it’s not just my job it’s just like my existence and it’s really the only thing that I live for and the only thing I care about and I think people feel that in the room and a lot of times I feel like that’s reciprocated and essentially them coming to a LANNY show that night is the most important thing to them, in that moment, is being at the LANY show and it’s really special.
Yeah I love that. So you’re track ‘Super Far’ seems very in your head like self-answering your questions with ‘I don’t think so, I don’t think so’’s in the verses. Can you take me into your headspace when you were crafting that track?
Sure, it was just about being in what felt like a one sided relationship. Kind of like giving a lot and not getting that much back and I think we all find ourselves in that, whether it’s emotionally with love, or if its just in a friendship, or maybe its even like a job, or you feel like you’re pulling more weight than the people around you and that just sucks, that feeling sucks. There’s just like this kind of acknowledgement of that emotion and I think that’s what that song is, you know, it’s me acknowledging that this is how it is and this is what’s going on and something’s gotta change. This is the problem and this is how it is and this sucks so we either need to get it together or just get out kind of thing. That was the emotion
Your album has been out for quite sometime now, and you often mention how you like people to slowly fall in love with the music you release and find their favourite tracks. How has it been playing these live across the world for sometime now and watching the crowd connect with different songs?
It’s been really amazing and I think certain songs can connect differently live than they do when you listen and I think that’s really interesting and cool. I’m not sure how many people listen to ‘Hurts’ but when we play ‘Hurts’ it like it just goes off, it’s the same with ‘Hericane’. So there’s a few songs that aren’t as popular on Spotify but they are so so important live and to play. That’s the beauty of being a band and making albums and not trying to like write just a bunch of radio hits. That’s the beauty of it like you know that when you walk into a room every song has it’s role and its importance and yeah this one might not be as quote unquote popular on the internet as some other ones but it’s just as important that we play it and that’s what’s so fun about playing live and travelling the world and having a fanbase.
I remember when you guys played I think it was ‘Purple Teeth’ at the Oxford Arts Factory show and nobody knew the song but it bought such a good vibe regardless.
Yeah well I don’t think we’d released it yet, so obviously nobody knew it because we hadn’t put it out and I dunno if we’d do that again but you know that’s another one that is kind of more of a deep cut in the album that people really like when we play it live.
SO along with that is there one song that you enjoy playing the most or one that is your favourite to see the crowd singing back to you?
Hmmm… ‘Hericane’ is always so powerful, we end our set with that and it’s just such a moment. Let me think.. I dunno I think “Hericane’ is definitely one of my favourites or ‘Hurts’ is pretty fun to play aswell.
Yeah I love hearing ‘Hurts’ it’s actually one of my personal faves!
Yeah it’s going to be amazing.
You did something like 135 shows last year so were you writing whilst on tour? Has hearing these songs live kind of changed and developed the way you know write songs?
No, I can’t really write on the road. The only song I’ve ever written on the road is ‘Tampa’ and that took FOREVER to write but it’s a special song for sure. I guess playing that many shows does influence and inform your writing process but at the end of the day the writing process for me is just so pure, it just has to be honest and kind of unpersuaded, not persuaded? I dunno if that’s a word. Not informed by just ‘oh what is this gunna be like’ its all about kind of communicating that sentiment and that emotion in that time and place that you’re in so I keep that really scared. Those hours and days of crafting a song I keep that pretty sacred.
Yeah, I think that’s what makes your music very special as well, just that honesty you bring into it.
Thank you.
I also wanted to know have you had that moment yet where everything has hit you, like that the music you started making on that Dell laptop a couple of years ago is part of the reason that you are now getting to travel the world and meet all the fans you’ve connected with? Or is it all still a bit surreal still?
Yeah I have! There are definitely moments where I kind of realize we’re not really like a little band anymore. There’s those moments I have that but then I just wanna be the biggest band in the world and we’re not there yet and what that means is I just want to write like the best songs ever and just have them resonate with as many people as possible. Everyday is just working to get there and doing everything that we can to get to that place. SO while I’m like super thankful I’m not totally satisfied and I think that’s a good thing it’s not a bad thing its not like I’m insatiable and completely outrageous but I’m very driven and I have a vision for what I want and what I wanna be and we’re not there yet so we’re going to do everything that we can to get there.
Yeah, no I get that. It’s like you’ve done all of this amazing stuff but you kinda just want to do even more and be more and get to that point that you dream about.
Exactly!
Also can we expect any new music soon? I saw you dropped the name ‘Malibu Nights’ for album 2.
Defintely, we’re going to put out album two this year for sure. The way that we write is that I kind of write what I call a skeleton of a song where you have all the words and melody and the structure of it and the you into the process of like packing on the muscle or the meat to the bones, which is the production side of things and the sounds we’re gunna use and what layers we’re going to incorporate into the song. So we just go to the packing on of the muscle bit about 2 weeks ago, we did it for 2 weeks and then we had to stop to come on tour, which was a couple of days ago. Then once we’re done with this we set aside a tonne of days, like we have a lot of planned touring that we’re potentially going to be going on and doing but we shuffled all the dates around so we can work on the music and pack on the muscle to these songs and hopefully bring something out in like September this year.
I cannot wait to hear more music!
It’s going to be so good, Can’t wait.
When you come to Aus to play these shows do you have any plans to go out and see the different cities whilst you’re here or is it going to be really quick?
It’s so quick, like it’s the quickest time. Usually we have like a day or two in Sydney for press and promo but we just have to keep it moving because we play Coachella like 3 days after we get home from Japan. We’re just cramming in these dates so I think its Brisbane Melbourne Sydney or Brisbane Sydney Melbourne, I can’t remember but it’s just bang bang bang and then we go straight to Jakarta after that. It’s a shame because I love Australia a Lot and I wish we had more time there.
Mentioning Coachella, how excited are you to play such an iconic festival?
It’s like a highlight for us for sure, one of the most celebrated festivals. Being a Californian band and getting that nod from them and having us come play on the main stage on Sunday after 4pm so it’s such a sick nod and it’s so nice, we’re really excited! It’ll be a great time.
I saw you’ve been watching Queer Eye, I have also been loving it. Do you have a favourite episode?
(Laughs) Yeah! The one with the guy and all the kids and his wife, I felt like the weight of his wedding day and he felt like he had let his wife down because they didn’t have photos from it and just to see something like that carry such a weight on him it was so touching. Those dudes just coming in and fixing everything and speaking so much life into him and gassing him up, that show is just the best! I need like 20 more seasons of that show. Those Dudes are the best; Jonathan is just amazing, oh it’s so good.
Yeah I love it! Got any other Netflix suggestions?
Coach Snoop is amazing! Snoop Dogg started a youth football league 10 years ago, so he’s been doing it a while and they go behind the scenes. It’s a football program for kids in the intercity and it’s to give them something to do after school to keep them focused and give them something to look towards so they don’t get shoved into gang activities and things like that and it’s really amazing. It not only follows the team and practice and the games but also individual players and their home lives and what they go through, it’s just a beautiful TV series, I love it.
I actually have that on my ‘watchlist’ so definitely need to get onto it! Thanks for the chat, very excited for the show on Sunday.
Yeah it should be fun, see you there.
Photos from LANY in Brisbane by Kathryn Farmer.
