Gang of Youths
Photo by Ed Cooke
Yeah, we are in season 4, but I do know there’ll still be many people checking this out for the first time. So with that said, let me kick this off by stating one of my favourite things: I fucking love this band. Gang of Youths are a band of misfit toys from Australia who’ve won the hearts of audiences all over the world. Make no mistake, each member of the band is crucial to the overall sound of Gang of Youths, but it can’t be denied that frontman David Le’Aupepe stands out in a unique fashion. His pen has been compared to his heroes Bruce Springsteen and Michael Hutchence, and yet I can honestly say I’ve never come across a figure like him before. He’s as likely to give you a hug as he is to challenge you to an arm-wrestling contest, and in a strange way, you can hear that throughout his songs.
Gang of Youths have built their career off making these songs that sound colossal while also sounding deeply intimate and personal. But what comes next after releasing two wildly successful albums, winning a bunch of ARIA Awards (the Australian equivalent of the Grammys), and touring with the likes of Foo Fighters, Mumford and Sons, and Sam Fender? Well, clearly it’s time to fuck things up, which is exactly what Gang of Youths have done on their third album, Angel In Realtime (which is out now).
Beauty is a word you wouldn’t normally associate with the band, but it seems like that was the mission statement for this body of work. But not in a sense of purity, instead they’re exploring how beauty can come from confusing circumstances, moments of uncertainty, and change. The focal point is David’s late father, Teleso "Tattersall" Le’aupepe, and his journey of leaving what he was to become the man he wanted to be. On today’s podcast, we explore how that theme carries throughout the entire project and how that’s also bled into David’s life in real-time (see what I did there? I’m sure you did).
The band are wrapping up a UK tour and will be touring the states starting on April 21st at the Majestic Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin. I’ll absolutely be at the Brooklyn Steel show on May 10th and I hope to see you all there (you’ll find tour dates/more info here).
Also, after you hear the episode, be sure to check out Gang of Youths track The Man Himself on the official New Exchange Playlist. Also, follow Gang of Youths on Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
