After returning last year to deliver a string of highly-praised outings, London-based outfit We Are The Darts are now back for 2024 to deliver their uplifting new single 'Forgotten One'.
Channelling more of that rich and soaring indie-rock aesthetic they have earned a reputation for, 'Forgotten One' makes for a brilliantly bold and anthemic listen. With its broad and immersive textures, shimmering atmosphere, and stellar hooks layered throughout, they return to the fold with one of their most euphoric efforts to date.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with them to find out more about their origins and what has been inspiring them most over the years.
-
What was the first instrument you fell in love with?
Definitely the guitar. I got my first one for Christmas when I was 12 and a song book with it. Hey Jude was one of the first songs I remember learning but pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to play it now. It was kind of a bit before the explosion of the internet so sometimes you’d have to learn songs by playing along to them on the stereo which was a very organic way to learn. I’m still in love with the guitar. I just haven’t mastered it yet.
What kind of music did you love when you were younger?
Everything from punk to indie, but there was certainly a keen interest in the indie revival of the early 00s. Bands like The Libertines, Arctic Monkeys, The Enemy etc. These bands were really formative as they were part of a wider movement of unapologetic honest music.
What was the first album you remember owning?
Another trip down memory lane but I got a Sony Walkman for Christmas 1997. I definitely got a few cringey cassettes that year to go with it but the one shining light was Be Here Now by Oasis from my uncle. I played that one to death. Fair play to my uncle he bought me my first Pixies album too a few years later. He helped shape some of my musical taste. Makes sense that he’s also in a band, The Dagenham Yanks.
What is the one song you wished you could have written yourself?
Anything by the Gallagher brothers, a good few Queen numbers or anything the advertising industry fancies for the royalties.
Do you have any habits or rituals you go through when trying to write new music?
Unless there’s something very specific I want to write about, it’s all about nailing a chord progression on the acoustic for me. It can often be a chorus rhythm first so I’ll have to work my way back to the verses and bridge. Once the chord progression is down I’ll try and sing a basic melody over it. After that it’s about getting a couple of lines of words down, it generally flows after that. I can put a rhythm down and not touch it for weeks on end and just play the waiting game until the rest comes but generally I’ll get there in the end. It’s all part of the process.
Who are your favourite artists you have found yourself listening to at the moment?
In terms of newer acts, I’m loving the new album from The Ks as well as a great debut album from The Shambolics. The new one from The Libertines is also a belter.
If you could open a show for anyone in the world, who would it be?
Oasis. Knebworth. The greatest comeback of all time.
What do you find is the most rewarding part about being a musician?
There's a few mini milestones throughout the process. When you put down an instrument and know that song you've been writing and working on and struggling over for ages is finished and that you've created something from nothing. Then when you bring it to the band and they're all on board for expanding on it and you hear all the parts come together in ways you may or may not have foreseen. And then finally getting it out there, either by recording it or playing it live and getting a reaction out of people.
And what is the most frustrating part?
The flipside of all the above, struggling with writer's block, thinking you're on to something but not being able to pull it all together or having something you believe in and putting it out there and getting back crickets. Also transporting equipment.
And what is the best piece of advice you have received as a musician?
'If you're gonna use a capo, you're gonna wanna re-tune your guitar' - essential.
-
We Are The Darts' new single 'Forgotten One' is available to stream now. Check it out in the player below.