Acceptable in the '80s
Fresh from a European tour and ready to conquer their homestead, psychedelic two-piece Last Days Of 1984 talk about their new album, the state of synth-pop and (nearly) rubbing shoulders with their heroes.
Dave Hanratty, 25 May 2012
Sometimes, mood is everything. While music has the ability to change one’s mental state, it can also be influenced by it. In the case of Wake Up To The Waves, the debut offering from Dublin synth-powered duo Last Days Of 1984, your humble correspondent can attest that a pretty high fever and a rake of antibiotics greatly enhance an already immersive experience. A deceptive record, it manages to condense a tight narrative across just seven tracks. Occasionally, things blur into one great big space-age sprawl. Quite fun under the influence of medication!
“That’s probably the best way to listen to it,” laughs Darren Moloney over a coffee alongside bandmate Brian Rice, both looking way too fresh for two young men just back from a continental tour (their very first proper jaunt as a band) that took in France, Holland, Germany and the Czech Republic. The pair insist they were on their best behaviour on their travels, getting a feel for the grind and just taking it all in.
“Some of the venues were really cool,” recalls Darren. “We played this place in Bielefeld which was an underground bunker in World War II. You’re right on the floor in a lot of those venues, which is something that we really like because you’re more connected to the audience, being on ground level. There’s no separation. The stage in Bielefeld was actually in the middle of the room so there were people constantly around us.”
“We played that show on Good Friday and in Germany you’re actually allowed to buy alcohol on that day. But dancing is prohibited, which we didn’t realise until afterwards,” notes Brian. “We were dancing though. That’s our thing.”
It wasn’t always though, as both were raised on a diet of punk and post-hardcore, worshipping at the altar of Swing Kids, At The Drive-In and Blood Brothers. Formed in a bid to create the kind of music they wanted to dance to, Last Days seem keen to draw the listener into their world and keep them there for a time. Patience, it seems, is a virtue where Wake Up To The Waves is concerned.
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