Photo: Morgan Tedd
Following on from the release of their breakthrough single 'Disassociator' earlier this year, fast-rising Birmingham-based outfit Lucky Number You are back to their vibrant ways on their latest effort 'Clown World Rises'.
Channelling the same bright and euphoric direction as acts like The 1975, 'Clown World Rises' makes for a wonderfully refreshing listen. With its glittering textures, pulsing hooks, and killer vocals throughout, these guys certainly look set for big things later this year.
So with the new single available to stream now, we sat down with guitarist and vocalist Dan Kiener to find out more about his origins and influences over the years.
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What was the first band or artist you fell in love with?
For me, some of my earliest memories are being in the back of my parents’ car, being exposed to Pink Floyd, Phil Collins, and Queen; I think that was probably formative early on. When I was a bit older I got really into Guns n’ Roses, but when I discovered Nirvana I became instantly obsessed. I read every interview, every book, every lyric and every miniature liner note in the records. I’ve never been as obsessed with anything as I was with Nirvana in my early teens.
Did you ever form a band when you were younger and if so, what did they sound like?
In my teens I played bass in a band called Spun. We sounded like a bunch of amateurs who listened to too much Smashing Pumpkins but never wrote anything near as expansive or exciting as them. We weren’t bad, but we definitely weren’t incredible. I was the token untalented one, but learned a lot about songwriting from the other guys in the band.
What has been your primary inspiration in writing music?
It’s a combination of finding something relatable, something inspirational, and something a little bit individual. I think Lucky Number You’s approach to making music is to find something consonant and catchy but shape it into something we have never done before. Our inspirational touchstones are all over the place - anything from Carly Rae Jepsen to Fugazi, from Janet Jackson to Turnstile.
What is a song you wish you had written yourself?
There are a billion of them, I’m trying to think of what has made me insanely envious over the last week or so… “Dirty Work” by Steely Dan is on the list, “Airbag” by Radiohead, “Rich” by Yard Act, “All My Friends” by LCD Soundsystem… There’s a singer/songwriter from Leamington called Ace Ambrose and she has a song called “The Coming Of Age” and I think it’s some of the best songwriting I’ve heard in ages. I have pretty severe musical jealousy issues, maybe I need to talk to a professional about it.
If there was any moment in your career you could relive, what would it be?
I used to do live sound for a band called The Gaslight Anthem and the whole time I worked with them it was incredible and really exciting. For Lucky Number You, when we got the masters back for our album I was so thrilled and I wish I could relive that experience. When we got back in the practice room to work out how to play those songs we had written over lockdowns, that felt really magical.
Which artist would you most love to share a stage with?
I think we would work well supporting someone like TV On The Radio, Death Cab For Cutie, or Paramore - a band with a rock background making something outside the norms of a rock band. But playing a show supporting HAIM would be a real bucket list achievement.
And is there an artist you would love to collaborate with as well?
Limp Bizkit. I will not elaborate.
Where do you see yourself in five years time?
I hope we have a few more albums under our belt, a few songs on the radio, and the budget to do some elaborate music videos. To be honest, I’d just be grateful for health and happiness, and I hope we are still making music. Maybe we’ll be doing something that sounds like LCD Soundsystem or The National. Maybe we will get a whole load of instruments made of human bones and enter our 1980s Tom Waits phase. Wait, is the earth still going to be here in five years? I don’t want to spend a whole load of money on bones if there’s no planet to play them on. We’ll roll with the punches, I guess.
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Lucky Number You's new single 'Clown World Rises' is available to stream now. Check it out below.