Adult DVD are a Leeds-based six-piece who released their newest EP, Next Day Shipping, late last year, and are due to perform at BBC Radio 6 Music Festival later this month. Drawing influences from bands like LCD Soundsystem and Belgian electronic collective Soulwax, this brilliant addition to the dance-rock genre has a fresh new take on the post-punk scene that is consistently rising in prominence.
Adult DVD emerged from lockdown boredom: at first it was Harry Hanson and Greg Lonsdale (who plays synth and provides backing vocals) “writing tunes via the internet to each other”. He would start by using a Roland TB-303 Synthesiser, a synth originally designed to simulate bass guitars. The sound of this synth is iconic and gave rise to genres such as acid house and techno. The sound originated from Hanson growing “bored of regular indie guitar music” citing an influence of early Adult DVD as “indie bands with electronic elements” such as LCD Soundsystem. The band’s song-writing process differs from many other contemporary bands as they have four synth players, a unique element that most would find difficult to utilise. The layers of the song are built up gradually; the band has “never written a tune altogether in a practice room”. The songs that the group writes are curated carefully to make listeners dance and they ensure that the many instruments all get their chance in the spotlight.
Next, Hanson spoke about how their approach changed from writing and recording the first EP Fountain of Youth compared to their newest EP Next Day Shipping. He says there is “an element of trying new things on Next Day Shipping now that the band knows what we’re doing, now we have time the sprout new ideas”, giving credit to his bandmates Jake Williams and Danny Blackburn on their increasingly great ability to mix songs, stating this as a clear reason that they can experiment more now. It is evident that the camaraderie of this band is an essential element to the way they create music; each member brings something unique to the table to keep making the “dance music with guitars” that they love and excel at making. The band is sticking to its roots of making fun guitar music to dance to, even while their sound is evolving to become more “technical as we learn to get better at the synth”. Hanson says that when the band first started, they were “struggling to get a noise out of it”, now the band is doing even bigger things and can project an upward trajectory with their immense amount of talent.
In the current music climate, it can be difficult for new bands to be discovered and even harder for them to make a profit touring. With stations like BBC Radio 6 Music focusing on new artists, it can help these bands push through to the mainstream. He says that Emily Pilbeam has “championed us from the start” with her BBC Introducing mixtape, going on to say that “if she wasn’t supporting us as much as she has done, we probably wouldn’t have had the 6 Music backing”. In days when it is increasingly harder for bands to sustain a music career due to the cost of production and touring, it is good to hear that the music industry is still supporting up-and-coming bands.
Just off the back of supporting the infamous Fat Dog in Newcastle, you can be sure that the band will continue their electrifying performances on their UK-EU tour in May.
Adult DVD will be performing at the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival in Greater Manchester (26th-29th March). Listen to performances across the weekend on 6 Music and BBC Sounds. For festival tickets, visit bbc.co.uk/6musicfestival.
