MWN: A really important aspect of becoming a band is the name. How did the name Dantevilles come about? Dantevilles: There’s a restaurant in Chorley (Lancashire) called Dante, which Jamie thought was a posh restaurant where the ‘Dantevilles’ (the posh people) used to wine and dine. “Oh, look at the Dantevilles going to enjoy their expensive meals. Actually that’s quite a good band name, I’ll keep that for later.”
MWN: How was the band formed?
Dantevilles: Paul & Jamie met at Hull University and moved over to Moss Side, Manchester. Connor & Jamie already knew each-other from St Bedes High School, Blackburn and knew each-other could play & sing and thought It would be silly not to do something with both their voices. Connor moved in & when they all started jamming together, an immediate spark was already flying through the living room. To complete the story, one of our friends Pete Eastwood from Blackburn knew of a drummer called Cory Devine, so we gave him a call and as soon as he first started playing and we started working our craft, we knew this was something good.
MWN: Where did your passion for playing music come from? Specifically who inspired each of you?
Dantevilles: For Cory, Matt Helders from Arctic Monkeys inspired him to play the drums. Paul’s very inclined to saying Johnny Marr from The Smiths helped him understand his craft and work those fingers. Connor was inspired by the Manchester great’s such as Oasis & The Stone Roses. Jamie was inspired by Jeff Buckley and Nirvana. The passion for playing music doesn’t really come from anything, I reckon it’s already in you.
MWN: Can you guys tell me a little more about your single “Perfect Place?” What is the story behind it in regards to the sound and production?
Dantevilles: Try and write a Summer song in the middle of Winter, in the rainiest place in the UK and then you’ll know how ‘Perfect Place’ came about. We recorded ‘Perfect Place’ down in Bermondsey, London over 2 days and it was done. We used our own guitars and breakables to capture the sound we produce live, as well as through recordings. Sometimes it’s easy to use the studio’s instruments as they’re ‘something different’ but it just loses the sound you want.
MWN: I know sometimes songs can sometimes come from just “jam sessions” or other times the person writing the songs knows exactly what they want to do with it. So when writing music do you guys write your parts together or separately? It could vary? Is there anyone in specific who writes the lyrics?
Dantevilles: The best thing about Dantevilles is that we all write together and agree together. Of course someone has to have an idea to begin with something, or else you’ll be playing the same songs for the rest of your life. Connor tends to write metaphorical, poetic lyrics, while Jamie tends to write literal, poetic lyrics, put both these heads together and you’ve got a hit. Usually it starts with a riff Paul has written and then we layer up each part individually and then record it into Paul’s crap laptop which has everything we have ever written on it. Maybe it’s best not to call it crap in-case it doesn’t want to work from now on.
MWN: One of my favourite songs that you guys have released is on Calm Before the Storm and it is “Skin and Bones.” I love the instrumentals. The song has this groove that just sticks with you. What was the creation process like for that song?
The original idea came from one of our close friends finishing his relationship with his girlfriend. She wasn’t the nicest of people and in-front of her friends embarrassed him saying none of them liked him, he ended it there and then. What a lovely person she is. Jamie & Paul started layering up the guitar parts and cracking on with a few melodies, then Connor & Cory started laying down the groove in our rehearsal room. The tune was recorded in a day and was the last one to be recorded off the Calm Before The Storm E.P.
MWN: I feel like as time passes we evolve as individuals. As a creator of something- our art evolves with us. So how would you guys particularly say your music evolved since you first began playing music together?
Dantevilles: As you start to see each-other’s faces on a daily basis, having a laugh and getting creative, the song’s adapt as Dantevilles progresses. From playing our first single ‘It Might Be Tomorrow’ to playing our latest single ‘Perfect Place’ you can hear how we interact more as a band, the way a band should sound, as a unit.
MWN: Thus far what would you guys say has been one of your favourite gigs and why?
Dantevilles: Both the Blossoms gigs were pretty spot on, the Stockport Plaza one & the afternoon and evening one at Gorilla, Manchester. Joshua Brooks & Leeds Festival were probably our favourites, not just because they were packed to the rafters and people couldn’t get in, but because the crowd were shouting the words back at us and couldn’t stop dancing. I’ll tell you something though, some people can dance & some people can’t, but it’s the taking part what counts.
MWN: For me there are artists I wish I could have been able to see perform live- such as John Lennon or Steve Clark from Def Leppard. So for you guys who would be an artist you would have liked to have seen live?
Dantevilles: Paul would have loved to see John Bonham play in the original Led Zeppelin line-up. It’s just not the same without him really.
MWN: Top Three favourite songs of all time?
Dantevilles: As a band we’d probably choose: This Is The One – The Stone Roses —- Boys Don’t Cry – The Cure — Love Will Tear Us Apart – Joy Division
MWN: I know you guys were just signed by Heist or Hit Records- Congratulations on that! I know with this big and important step in the bands career you guys must have a lot in store this year. So what are your plans for this year when it comes to music?
Dantevilles: Cheers for the congratulations. It’s alright isn’t it signing a deal, then drinking champagne, getting treated to pies and getting drunk, but now it all gets a bit more exciting. We’ll be releasing our brand new single ‘Graffiti’ then going on our first tour, the ‘Graffiti Tour’ around the UK in March, that’ll be exciting won’t it? Music wise, we’re spending the whole of February writing new material and getting an E.P. ready to release this year. You’re right, there’s a hell of a lot in store, but the best, most exciting stuff is always kept in the back where no-one can see it. If we tell you everything, there’ll be nothing to be excited about.
To keep up with Dantevilles check’m out on their social media links which are posted below!
