On Air: Interview with Devil May Care

"Fly as high as no one dared to
When nothing is ventured there's nothing to win
Aim sunwards…"

In full flight heading straight towards the sun. Whether as support act for Stick to your guns or like last May for Itchy, the 4 Würzburg lads seem unstoppable on their course upwards. With their latest sampler "Echos" they're treading paths beyond the four-digit click counts on Spotify and recently visited clubs across the region on their tour. We met singer and guitarist Tim at home to find out more about the everyday life of a young rock band. 

"But today I can't remember" is a line from your song Empathy. Can you remember your first steps? How did it all start back then? 

It all started in 2012. Jo (drums) and Lukas (guitar) had known each other for a while and finally wanted to write and present their own songs after playing together in a cover band for a few years. Shortly after, Moritz (bass) and I joined and have formed Devil May Care unchanged in this line-up ever since. In the early years we recorded some EPs and played concerts, which helped us find ourselves as a band. With the production of our latest album last year, we took a big step together and brought our passion for "band" to the next level.

Your band's level has long since reached a professional standard. Was that a gradual process or was there a specific point at which you decided to roll up your sleeves?

Overall it's quite a gradual process, even though there are one or two points where you actively discuss things and decide on a direction. The first few years were extremely important for us to develop ourselves as musicians and as a band, to play concerts, make recordings and so on. You don't just stumble into this music world and immediately know how everything works. That takes time and a lot of experience that needs to be gathered first. However, when we made the step to travel to a producer in Berlin to record in the studio, we consciously decided that we wanted more and actively tackled the next level. The fact that the label UNCLE M came on board as a result certainly contributed enormously to us now operating at a more professional level.

When I first heard your singer and your latest record, I immediately thought of Caleb Shomo and Beartooth. Would you say that artists specifically from the hardcore scene have significantly shaped you, or do other genres also leave their mark on your songwriting?

It's definitely true that we've been preferring to listen to bands like Beartooth, Silverstein etc. recently. In the end, that certainly contributes to that being reflected in our songs and our music. That said, we're absolutely not stuck in our musical taste. We're all open to every genre and draw inspiration from everything we hear and see, whether that's metal, punk, hip-hop or pop. That's exactly what creates this unique sound that every band has somewhere. Everyone has different influences that together create what comes out in songwriting. For us it's certainly primarily hardcore, metal and punk, which ultimately leads to our post-hardcore songs.

So you're really "on" at the moment. How do you feel about the increased interest in you, in the Würzburg area and beyond?

That's been steadily increasing over the years. It happens quite often that you get approached at festivals, at concerts, whilst shopping or just around town. That makes us really happy because it shows that all the work we've put into our project over the years is paying off. Since we released our album ECHOES at the beginning of the year, you get the feeling that most of those who move in the scene can do something with our name. But you have to say that Würzburg is actually just a village. 😉

You've already performed on foreign stages. What's a typical day on tour like for you when you have to be in Bern on Friday and then in Vienna again on Saturday?

Actually it's all more boring than you'd imagine. Tour life is characterised by spending 80% of the day on the motorway in the bus. Of course there's always a lot to do and discuss here too. On the one hand, the outside world always wants to know what's happening, so at least one person is always on their phone posting stories or posts. Besides, we're very critical and hungry for improvement, so we often spend a couple of hours discussing the gig from the night before and thinking about what we can do better or differently today. Overall, though, it's definitely the case that you're on the road for a long time with your best friends and you naturally have a lot of fun and there's always something to laugh about. After the long drive, you usually take a quick look at the venue before heading to soundcheck. After a brief stay backstage – where you might grab something to eat, get changed and focus on the show – it's off to the stage to give 200% for about an hour. Then comes the important part at the merch stand. Here we have the chance to talk directly with people, exchange ideas and get feedback. And of course also sell merch. Because as silly as it sounds, that's what a band lives on. Nowadays you can't expect decent fees from your own music, so the merch sales are usually all that's left for us. That's the only way we can continue and possibly finance the next record. In the evening it's off to bed quickly, because the next day usually starts early again and you have to try not to get sick and keep your voice in shape. So nothing like sex, drugs and rock'n'roll. 😀 

And your private life? How does the Devil May Care project affect your jobs and everyday private life?

Private life = band. There's hardly a free minute that isn't used for the band. Unfortunately the music doesn't bring in enough to live on, so we all have to have normal jobs of course. But apart from that there's little room for other "hobbies". 

How do you imagine the band's future? Are there already plans?

For us that was of course just the beginning. ECHOES was and is our first professionally recorded album, which is where the journey really starts for us. We've laid an extremely good foundation that we naturally want to build on now. Songs are always in the making for us and the next concerts and tours are also being planned. But you'll probably find out about that fastest on Instagram and Facebook. 😉

What would you advise other unknown groups who also want to reach great heights?

You should first take time to consolidate as a group and figure out where the path should go. Of course you have to be active and always willing to do as much as possible, but everything takes time. The most important thing is not to lose courage and show perseverance. Listening to external opinions at the right time and getting help certainly can't hurt. 😉

So the lights at Devil May Care are anything but off. We wish the band all the best and of course hope that the lads' upswing continues or, to put it in their words, "Fly as high as no one dared to." 

Echos:

The Würzburg band's second record went online on 15 March 2019 and with more than 11,000 monthly listeners, the album has long since found its way into the community. Musically, the sampler moves between hardcore bands like Beartooth and punk/hardcore bands like Rise Against. It even ventures into pop/punk here and there. Aggressive drums with modern, powerful hooks. With its 13 tracks, it's an extensive album that hits its listeners with a barrage of energy and emotion. An absolute must for every Würzburger.

Marcel Dinkel