DOWN WITH BORING.
Baby Queen
ISSUE 80 · SEPTEMBER 2023 · READDORK.COM
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Issue 80 | September 2023 | readdork.com | Down With Boring
Hiya, Dear Reader. How long have we been waiting for Baby Queen’s debut album, eh? Well, it’s finally coming - so obviously Bella is on the cover of this month’s Dork. It’s a crowning glory for a future-and-alsosorta-present pop icon who very much knows how to find her voice. She’s one of three cover stars for our September 2023 edition that fizz with excitement. Take Reneé Rapp. A multi-hyphenate that doesn’t let her many talents distract from her huge potential, new album ‘Snow Angel’ is attitude-packed and then some. Or aespa - global superstars, they’re the first K-pop act to appear on the front of our monthly print edition, and they’ve more than earned it. New English-language single ‘Better Times’ is huge. We can’t ask Finn Wolfhard about the acting stuff - he’s on strike - but we can quiz him on The Aubreys’ new single. Dylan continues her rise, teaming up with Dan from Bastille for a massive track, plus there’s international megastar songster Hozier, bop-merchants Jungle, the magnificent Claud, a bouncy Willie J Healey and loads, loads more. We’ve also just packed down on the second annual Dork’s Day Out. Bigger and better than last year, it was a whole load of fun. While we plot for 2024, we’re back on the road this month in London and Manchester with Home & Away two cities, two shows, and some of the buzziest new bands on the planet. It never stops.
‘Editor’ @stephenackroyd
readdork.com Editor Stephen Ackroyd Deputy Editor Victoria Sinden Associate Editor Ali Shutler Contributing Editors Jamie Muir, Martyn Young Scribblers Abigail Firth, Alex Bradley, Alex Ingle, Ciaran Picker, Dan Harrison, Dillon Eastoe, Emma Quin, Finlay Holden, Melissa Darragh, Minty Slater Mearns, Neive McCarthy, Rebecca Kesteven, Sam Taylor, Steven Loftin Snappers Arthur Williams, Dave Hogan, Em Marcovecchio, Frances Beach, Jennifer McCord, Patrick Gunning, Phoebe Fox, Sarah Louise Bennett, Siyoung-Song PUBLISHED FROM WELCOMETOTHEBUNKER.COM
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THE AUBREYS ENGLISH TEACHER EGYPTIAN BLUE A DAY IN THE LIFE OF... CHARLI ADAMS HOT MILK DYLAN HOME & AWAY EMPIRE STATE BASTARD
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MILITARIE GUN
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LIP FILLER TROUT
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BLUR LANA DEL REY BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN THE WEEKND SPIRITBOX STANDON CALLING TRUCK FESTIVAL LATITUDE FESTIVAL
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RENEÉ RAPP BABY QUEEN AESPA HOZIER WILLIE J HEALEY JUNGLE CLAUD
Incoming.
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UNIT 10, 23 GRANGE ROAD, HASTINGS, TN34 2RL
All material copyright (c). All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form, in whole or in part, without the express written permission of The Bunker Publishing Ltd. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to ensure the information in this magazine is correct, changes can occur which affect the accuracy of copy, for which The Bunker Publishing Ltd holds no responsibility. The opinions of the contributors do not necessarily bear a relation to those of Dork or its staff and we disclaim liability for those impressions. Distributed nationally.
INTRO. THE BEATING HEART OF POP NONSENSE.
With their new track ‘Kato’, THE AUBREYS aren’t making music for anyone but themselves. Finn Wolfhard explains it’s all about the move of the music. Words: Ali Shutler.
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→ “IF I WANTED ANOTHER AVENUE OF FAME, I’D TRY AND SIGN TO A MAJOR LABEL, PUT OUT A POP RECORD AND TOUR IT AROUND,” explains Finn Wolfhard. You probably know him from Netflix’s love letter to the 80s Stranger Things, the terrifying remake of It, or the rebooted Ghostbusters: Afterlife. The return of his indie-rock band The Aubreys? “It’s just for the love of doing it.” Finn’s first foray into music was with alternative rock band Calpurnia, which was formed in 2017 before releasing debut EP ‘Scout’ in 2018. The four-piece toured extensively, released a bunch of covers and starred as a young Weezer in the video for their A-Ha cover ‘Take On Me’, but things quickly became less about the music and more about the money. The band broke up in 2019, but it wasn’t long before Finn and Calpurnia drummer Malcolm Craig started playing together again. “It just felt really good to not play music for anyone else,” he explains, with The Aubreys staying independent to release a string of singles ahead of 2021’s debut album ‘Karaoke Alone’. “It’s been really free, and we’ve just had a good time. It’s been really liberating to do it for ourselves.” Last month, The Aubreys returned with their first new music in over two years and now, they’ve shared a 3D video for the reflective ‘Kato’. Directed by their friend Marcus Jordan, the Fantastic Planetinspired video leans into the fantastical, fairytale feel of the track. “Since the first album, I feel like both me and Malcolm have done a lot of living and growing,” Finn tells Dork from his home in Vancouver. They decided to come back with ‘Kato’ because the vulnerable track does the best job of explaining how the past few years have been. “A lot of it is about growing up, thinking that you have it all figured out and then it blowing up in your face,” says Finn, though it was also inspired by the impending end of Stranger Things, a show Finn’s been involved with for the past eight years. ‘Kato’ taps into those feelings of uncertainty and change. “There’s a lot of not knowing. I’ve spent a lot of my life on that set, so it’ll be crazy to see what happens after,” Finn starts. “I still want to keep acting, but there are lots of questions about what music is going to feel like afterwards. I’ll have more time to do stuff like record an album or tour, which is nuts,” he grins. He’s excited to get back to work but isn’t thinking about the end too much. “I don’t want to have another existential crisis,” he
explains. Despite the very specific starting point, ‘Kato’ captures a “generational feeling,” says Finn. “Being 20 is incredibly fun, and you have an insane amount of confidence, but it’s also the first time you start asking yourself all the existential dread questions. This song was a deep dive into that.” For a little while, Finn wasn’t sure he wanted to release ‘Kato’ because it felt so revealing. Soon those nerves gave way to excitement, though. “It’s liberating to release something that’s so personal, but I try not to think about how vulnerable it is as a way to protect myself,” he explains, though adds that none of the songs he writes are 100% true. “That just wouldn’t be as fun.” Pulling from the worlds of quiet alt-rock and folk, Finn lists Alex G, Sufjan Stevens and Sparklehorse as the biggest inspirations for the song. It’s seemingly a world away from the raucous punk of PUP that first inspired Finn’s rock star dreams after he starred in two music videos for the Canadian group. “That was my first window into indie-rock and alternative music,” he explains, having previously been really into classic rock. “The reason I love PUP so much is because their songs are so melodic and intimate. They’re relentless and chaotic, but they’re really catchy as well.” He says that sense of melody is still a driving factor behind everything he writes. The Aubreys have always twisted melancholy around pretty music, but ‘Kato’ is deliberately positive. After flicking through moments of dread and anxiety, Finn sings: “Maybe I’ll just have to be okay”. “Some of my favourite songs are sweet and sad but have that message of hope,” he starts. “That’s important ‘cos otherwise you just end up
I’m able to express myself exactly how I want to" F I N N WO L F H A R D
feeling lost. Obviously, no one has the answers to being truly happy and comfortable in your own skin, but it’s more about being okay with not knowing.” Sure, Finn has days where he listens to gnarly emo, but he knows that optimism in music feels more important than ever nowadays. “There seems to be this extra pressure that’s put on my generation and the generations that follow. I don’t know exactly where it’s come from, but mental health issues are at an all-time high, so it felt important to make something that is relatable but also offers that glimmer of hope.” ‘Kato’ is a “toe in the water” for The Aubreys in terms of releasing more vulnerable music and just generally being a band again. They have a lot more written, with the new stuff seeing the band “not being afraid to really lean into the weird sounds” with the pair experimenting with synths and production. “’Kato’ was the first track we mixed and produced on our own. We’ve learned a lot over the past couple of years, and we want to take advantage of that,” says Finn. The pair are also working on solo side-projects. “Malcolm is writing these incredible, sweeping electronic arrangements, and I’m writing a lot of folky stuff that isn’t a world away from what I’m doing
with The Aubreys.” The pair typically met up in the studio with a demo and straight away knew if it would make a good track for The Aubreys. “Whether it’s for this project or something else, it’s great to be making music together again,” says Finn. Right now, The Aubreys are driven by a sense of freedom and doing what feels right, which is a world away from how Finn felt while he was with Calpurnia. Back then, he was driven by a desire to prove himself to people. Not easy when a lot of those early shows were full of kids shouting Stranger Things references at him. “I was really focused on trying to show people that I was a serious musician,” he explains, wrestling with imposter syndrome at the same time. “But if you’re focused on being a serious person, making serious music and telling people about all the hard work you’ve done, where’s the fun?” he asks. Instead, The Aubreys is “all about the music and less about impressing people”. Later this year, The Aubreys have plans to play some small shows in Vancouver, which will act as another toe back in the water of being a band. “We have ambitions to play more shows, and we’ve got a bunch of ideas about new music,” says Finn. He can’t talk about any of his upcoming acting projects due to the strike but does say that music gives him a sense of “control” that his day job doesn’t. “I’m able to express myself exactly how I want to,” he continues. “I’m lucky to have a few outlets, but there’s just something very personal about music. I’ve always loved that time to reflect. I love the tribe of people I’ve met. I don’t really see a world in which music isn’t a part of my life.” ■ The Aubreys’ single ‘Kato’ is out now. READDORK.COM 5.
SNOW COVER STORY
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RENEÉ RAPP
Reneé Rapp unveils her unfiltered and unapologetic debut album ‘Snow Angel’, a raw and compelling journey into her life and experiences that leaves no emotion untouched. By Neive McCarthy. Photography by Jennifer McCord.
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COVER STORY
Embracing her ‘Quarter Life Crisis’, Baby Queen’s debut album is a poignant journey of self-discovery, blending catchy cynicism with heartfelt reflection and unapologetic honesty. By Finlay Holden. Photography by Jennifer McCord. Styling by Amy Stephenson. Hair by Bjorn Krischker. Make-up by Phoebe Walters.
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BABY QUEEN
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HARDER COVER STORY
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BETTER AESPA
With their new English-language single ‘Better Things’ imminent, aespa are set to take over the world - both real and virtual. By Abigail Firth. Photography by Siyoung-Song.
Styling by Anna-Park. Hair by Seo-Ha Yoon. Make-up by Eun-Bee Jo.
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FEATURES
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WILLIE J HEALEY
Three albums in, and WILLIE J HEALEY is embracing his “funky and weird” side with ‘Bunny’. By Steven Loftin. Photography by Jennifer McCord.
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GET OUT. LIVE MUSIC, FROM THE FRONT
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BLUR GO BIG
GET OUT
Wembley Stadium, London
One of the standout shows for one of our best-ever bands; they’ve still got it. Was there ever any doubt?
Photo: Phoebe Fox
→ “I didn’t expect it would be like this,” Damon Albarn ponders, a few songs into blur’s biggest headline show to date. It’s easy to think that, for a band as culturally significant, two nights at Wembley Stadium is just another appropriately big show, crowning their latest ‘mini-retirement’ comeback. They’ve headlined Glastonbury and multiple Hyde Park extravaganzas – this is almost the norm now, right? If it is, it certainly doesn’t feel it. On hallowed ground, under the arch, where the two twin towers used to stand, there’s magic in the air. It certainly means a lot to them. While anyone suggesting they couldn’t have done similar at the height of their first bash at superstardom might be underselling what a juggernaut blur were, there’s little question that better things come to those who wait. 30 years on from those early days of Britpop, they’re arguably the only one of those major league alumni who feel big enough to pull off a pair of shows like this, while also still creating right at the top of their game. Rather than compare them to their 90s peers, it’s time to start placing them firmly at the top end of the pantheon of the greatest British bands – a conversation that, over time, is becoming more and more favourable to Colchester’s finest export. One thing’s for sure – no other band of their vintage has a songbook suited for a huge London show that comes even close to the majesty of blur’s. Opening with the brash, tense blast of ‘St. Charles Square’ – one of only two nods to their new album ‘The Ballad of Darren’ – what follows is a show rammed to the rafters with genuine moments. ‘There’s No Other Way’, ‘Popscene’, ‘Tracey Jacks’ and ‘Beetlebum’ follow quickly, as blur’s core dynamics crank back into gear like they never went away. Even in their 50s, the archetypes remain. Damon Albarn prowling the stage (and beyond) like a particularly pesky child, Graham Coxon a whirring tornado of chaos, bending his guitar into all manner of shapes and sounds. Alex James is still determined to look cool, calm and mildly aloof at all times, while Dave Rowntree glues them all down long enough to get a song out, one of the most brilliant yet somehow underrated drummers of a generation. It’s not just the raw material that makes tonight feel special. For a stadium show, blur have less of the now-expected ‘fancy shit’ than most would. There’s no runway, no second stage, no pyros. That’s not to say it’s not an impressive show – they have a polar bear with an air siren for a gob – but the character from the band on stage is more potent than any light show. So much so that even songs never intended for stadiums – ‘Trimm Trabb’ might just be the least ‘stadium rock’ number ever performed at the home of English football – work brilliantly. ‘Under The Westway’, getting a first airing in approaching a decade, still sounds like the true standout of blur’s second age, while ‘Country House’ and Damon’s Deerstalker no longer feels like it has the albatross of chart battles past round its neck. That it’s followed by a particularly exuberant Phil Daniels on ‘Parklife’ and an emotional ‘To The End’ is enough to send the audience hoarse. Of course, ‘Song 2’ will always set an crowd off, such is its international fame, while main set closer ‘This Is A Low’ remains the best thing the band have done, Coxon’s wild, goosebumpson-goosebumps solo still sounding like it’s arrived from another planet. The encore, though, is something else entirely. After a first bash through ‘Lot 105’ in almost 30 years – with a Wembley sing-a-long in tow – the jugular is well and truly grasped. ‘Girls & Boys’, ‘For Tomorrow’, and a gigantic ‘Tender’ with the London Community Gospel Choir show the ever-shifting identity that has always kept blur fresh. While recent single ‘The Narcissist’ is yet to reach their iconic heights, it lives comfortably in that kind of company. As closer ‘The Universal’ echoes out, gigantic glitter balls casting Wembley in sparkling starlight, it’s hard to imagine any other band being able to pull a show like this off. “You’re properly mad, you lot, for sticking with us for so long,” Damon exclaims as the masses start approaching the exits. “Why?” He might be asking the question, but from the look on his face throughout, he’s already answered it. One of the standout shows for one of our best-ever bands; they’ve still got it. Was there ever any doubt? ■ STEPHEN ACKROYD
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