Interview: Ethan Darnell from ‘Tired Lion’
Tired Lion have been super busy over the past year, touring nationally and supporting the likes of The 1975, Gyroscope, and Velociraptor (to name just a few!). With a headlining Australian tour just announced, plus their name added to this year’s fantastic Splendour In The Grass line up, 2016 is shaping up to be a pretty big year for the band! We caught up with Tired Lion’s drummer Ethan Darnell to talk Splendour, nasal spray, and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
You’ve just announced your Australian tour, what are you most looking forward to about being on the road again?
Ooh, that’s a good question! I dunno, I just generally really like playing music and going around and meeting new people and that kind of thing, so I guess just the whole thing as an experience is great. I don’t think I have really one particular thing I look forward to. I guess I just enjoy the whole thing, the whole experience!
That’s good! Do you have an essential items that you always bring with you on tour?
Yeah, definitely. I like to take Valium, that’s a definite! I have to have that every time, just because sometimes I don’t like flying, sometimes I’m totally cool with it, so I need to have that there. And my nasal spray, because, you know, I need to do that every time before I fly.
That’s true, yeah. I hate it when you’re landing and your ears start to pop and it’s all congested!
Yeah, I just want nothing to do with that, so I just spray up and I’m all good.
When on tour, what do you do to keep busy? Do you have any car games or stuff like that?
Um, nah, I just generally like to watch a lot of Curb Your Enthusiasm, even though I’ve seen it from start to finish at least like 20 times! Those episodes are hilarious so I just keep watching that, and that sort of keeps me busy. Or just hang out with friends that I’ve made in certain towns, that’s usually what I do.
That’s cool! Congrats on being added to the Splendour line up, that must be a good feeling!
Yeah, it’s awesome! It’s a really cool line up, so looking forward to that one for sure!
Of the bands and acts playing there, who are you most looking forward to seeing?
Hmm, that’s a good question! I mean, I guess Sigur Rós is like one that we’re all kind of want to see as a band. The Cure, another good one, another great band. There’s also a band called Green Buzzard who we’re keen to see too!
Sweet! Is there anything about the music industry that you wish you’d known when you started out?
Umm, yeah. I don’t think I’d say anything negative, of course. I guess I didn’t realise what it all meant, like, how many people take care of you, and how many people there are at your record label.
Yeah, I can imagine it’d be really nice to have so many people supporting you, like, who have your back…
Yeah, there are a lot of people who influence what you do. I thought there would just be a manager and a band, but there’s so much more than that!
What’s been the best show you’ve ever played so far?
That’s a tricky one! We played Splendour last year, which was amazing! I really like playing shows with people who are connecting with what we’re doing, the audience connecting with the set. It can get a bit monotonous, playing the same set, but when people connect to it, it’s really good. I think my favourite would be our first headline tour, Seeing people sing the lyrics back at you for the first time was amazing. Usually hometown shows are playing to friends, but I only knew like five people in the crowd. So I think that was one of the best shows!
Catch Tired Lion on their national headlining tour in May!
Tired Lion Tour Dates
THU 19 MAY
Northcote Social Club, Thornbury
FRI 20 MAY
The Brightside, Brisbane
SAT 21 MAY
Newtown Social Club, Sydney
FRI 27 MAY
Fat Controller, Adelaide
SAT 28 MAY
Capitol, Perth
FRI 22 JUL
Splendour In The Grass, North Byron Parklands
Get Tickets HERE
