Exclusive Interview: Pop Culturalist Chats with Demob Happy

Alt-rock band Demob Happy are bringing back the British Invasion. Band members Matthew Marcantonio (vocals, bass), Thomas Armstrong (drums), and Adam Godfrey (guitar) have taken over the international music scene with their dynamic, anthemic sound. With over six million Spotify streams worldwide, Demob Happy have toured alongside artists that include Jack White, Nothing But Thieves, Royal Blood, and Frank Carter. We chatted with vocalist and bassist Matthew Marcantonio about their latest single, “Autoportrait,” and their upcoming new album.

PC: How did you discover your passion for music?
Matthew: It was when I was very young. I remember being drawn to the piano and trying to learn how to play little melodies from films and computer games. It all started there.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Matthew: I’ve always wanted to be respected as a writer, so more than anything, I’ve wanted to showcase what I could do. So, I would say any writer who’s held in high regards like the Beatles and Pink Floyd.

PC: Tell us about your new single, “Autoportrait”. What inspired the track?
Matthew: I’d written the riff and was sitting on it for a while. Then one day, I started playing around with it again, trying to avoid other things I’ve done in the past, and the whole thing came pretty quickly. Lyrically, I wanted to be as honest as possible about myself. It was hard to do.

PC: If you had to pick one song that best encompasses you as a band, what would it be and why?
Matthew: I would say “Junk DNA” from our first album. From its five tempo changes to the fact that it’s about three or four songs in one, which satisfies my desire to splurge, to its lyrics, which I feel were my most neat distillation of all the ideas I had at the time of my life.

PC: You’ve had a lot of success in your career. When you look back, is there a particular moment that stands out to you?
Matthew: There are moments of real hardship I think we’ve overcome with a do-or-die attitude. I think that ranks higher than any of our achievements. Without overcoming those moments, we’d have died a long time ago.

PC: What does the rest of the year hold for you all as we look ahead to the end of 2019 into 2020?
Matthew: We’ve begun writing a new album. That’s all I can say!

Pop Culturalist Speed Round

PC: A band or artist that fans would be surprised to learn is on your playlist?
Matthew: Maybe Ella Fitzgerald or any of the other jazz greats. I probably listen to more of that sort of thing than anything else.

PC: First album you bought?
Matthew: A compilation of popular techno chart-toppers.

PC: First concert you attended?
Matthew: Death from Above 1979 supporting Metric in Newcastle in a small venue where I grew up.

PC: An album that changed your life and why?
Matthew: Songs For The Deaf by QOTSA. It was my first introduction to how heavy and melodic music could be. I still love it.

PC: A venue on your bucket list to perform at?
Matthew: The Hollywood Bowl

PC: A must-have on the road?
Matthew: A decent showering schedule.

To keep up with Demob Happy, follow them on Twitter and Instagram. Pick up or stream “Autoportrait” on Amazon Music, iTunes, or Spotify.