INTERVIEW: Devin

Meet DEVIN: aka Elvis Costello meets Julian Casablancas meets James Dean. A pretty impressive comparison for a guy who has only just released his debut album. Penning most of the album at his warehouse job in Brooklyn, DEVIN and his punk-infused classic rock literally screams New York.

The Triple J feature album, Romancing, takes you somewhere in time between a Stooges concert and a performance by The Strokes, complete with a New York skyline backdrop. Cue leather jackets.

“All the songs, to me, are set in the city, but I didn’t really think about that until after other people started asking me about it,” he explains. “Most of the songs theme-wise are talking about love and things like that, but they’re definitely set specifically in New York. It’s just the world of the city.”

Leather clad with a popped collar and a serious quiff, DEVIN exudes the punk rocker nonchalance of the artists he so clearly channels. Unruly and chaotic, his classic rock throwbacks have the forbidden sense that you’ve nicked father’s wireless to listen to the devil’s music in the garage. While his Casablancas-esque vocals will have you thrashing about in the debauchery of a sweaty underground gig. The combination of the two may result in an injury. But it’s good, oh so good.

“That’s the music I wanted to make. When I started writing songs and taking the time to actually record and write – I wasn’t that good,” DEVIN remembers. “I never thought that I could make an acceptable rock song. It took a long time but then I finally built it up and I had those guys [Costello, Casablancas, etc.] in mind.

“I think [this genre of music] is believable, and not fake. It seems real. So do the live performances. It’s just a cool attitude and it’s not pretend and you’re not doing it for any other reason. And I like the high energy thing, too.”

DEVIN is lined up for tour dates in the UK as well as an upcoming Australian tour, off the back of a few killer shows at South by Southwest. Though he admits it took a little tweaking to get the right kind of spots to cater for his manic live show.

“It was my first time in Texas and I was really blown away by the whole SXSW thing. It was crazier than I imagined,” he said. “The best shows were the ones at night. We wanted to play as much as we could so we played a lot during the day and that’s a whole different thing. Playing outside you can’t really get that much out of the audience, especially when you’re playing at noon! You want to do great show and get the audience involved, but no one wants to go crazy at a rock show during the day. The midnight crowds were more energetic and ready to have fun.”

DEVIN says the current single, ‘Masochist’, is his favourite so far, and while you wouldn’t quite pick it, is actually a bit of a love song.

“I’d had this idea of romancing from the beginning, all the songs are trying to show a different perspective on love or romancing and that was the theme,” he explains. “The more I got involved, the deeper it got – love is good and bad at the same time. I wanted to make a love song that was equal parts good and bad. Awesome and terrible.”

When the New York crooner saunters onto our shores in May this year, we’d better be ready to step up to the plate. DEVIN says he loves nothing more than a crowd full of crazies. And the more you give, the more he’ll give back. So grab your dancin’ shoes, boys and girls.

“I like it when the audience just gets crazy. To have a really great show, it has to be equal parts the band playing well and the audience going for it,” he says. “Because if the audience is just standing there watching like they’re watching TV or YouTube – we can still pull it off – but it can’t be elevated to a great show. You need the audience to be as physical as you are. Which is a lot to ask, but if the audience is willing to go, we’re willing to go all the way.”

Check out DEVIN’s current single, ‘Masochist’ above.

Romancing is out now.

DEVIN TOUR DATES

Sydney

Oxford Art Factory, May 23

Melbourne

Northcote Social Club, May 24

Words by Kayla Clibborn