With their debut album released in September, Deadletter have grown from strength to strength. ‘Hysterical Strength’ has been years in the making, and now, with a name on the map, the Yorkshire boys are feverishly working to cement the future of the band. From the debut EP, the sound mixed the modern wave of post-punk with infectious beats and dense prose that ponder the bigger questions of humanity and our existence. With the band’s frontman Zac Lawrence joined by bassist George and drummer Alfie, they sit down with Cameron Wright to discuss the past, present, and future of the band.
Congratulations on the album release…
Cheers, man. It’s a weird one getting it out there. Obviously, we had the EP out before this, but that doesn’t mean we wrote it before this album. Some of these songs go back years, so they’re finally out there, off our chest. It means we can finally crack on with something new and start figuring out the next steps for the band.
It must be a strange process putting out something and touring something ‘new’ that actually feels a little bit like the past…
Yeah, for sure. That’s not to say we’re tired of the songs on the album at all, and obviously, we’re grateful that they’re getting attention, but they’re not new to us at all. We are ready to be working on new stuff.
Well, what is the new stuff?
I think that’s just what we’re working out. I definitely feel like we’re a different band from when we started. We’ve moved to London now, and it’s kind of gone through stages. So now it’s about working out what’s going to happen next. I think that’s the strength of the band; we all pull from different directions. We all listen to different things, so we take the same idea and stretch it to a different place if we had our way.
Is there any track on the album that has a special place in your heart?
I (Zac) think I’ve always had a soft spot for the title track. I was waiting around for someone, either to finish a cigarette or have a slash or something. While I was waiting, I just left a little voice note to myself. Months later, I stumbled upon the note that became ‘Hysterical Strength’. Because of that moment, and because it’s something I’ve nurtured, it has a place in my heart. It became the title of the album too, obviously, and captures a lot of what the album is trying to say.
And what would that be?
I think, in the least pretentious way possible, it’s looking at humans – seeing what humans can be, can do, and are doing. I read a lot of Russian literature, and that sort of analysis of the human condition bleeds a lot into the writing for Deadletter.
How are we feeling about playing up north?
We like the North East. All the promotional shots for the album were taken around Teesside. We’ve played The Cluny in the past and smashed it. It’s a great venue. Getting everyone crammed in there and blasting out the tracks is fantastic. It’s easy to get worn out playing the same stuff, but venues like that are good for keeping it alive.
Is there a message you want to leave for any readers of the magazine?
I’d say, if you heard the album and didn’t like it, I reckon we deserve a second chance. Come get a ticket, and we’ll see you there.
Deadletter return to The Cluny, Newcastle on Tuesday 12th November. Tickets, priced at £15.00 in advance, are available from thecluny.com.
