Don Broco

The girls here at Music News aren’t completely adverse to good-looking rocker boys, so when the chance to chat to Bedford-born-beauties, Don Broco, came about, we couldn’t say no. Having done the summer festival circuit, opened for You Me At Six, and with brand new album ‘Priorities’ out this week, Rob, Simon, Matt, and Tom (AKA Don Broco) are making a name for themselves, and for all the right reasons. To mark the release of their cracking new album, we caught up with the alternative-rock band whom were all too willing to spill the beans on why breakfast is a top ‘priority’, and something you never knew about One Direction’s Harry Styles.



Music News: You’ve gone through a few name changes in your time, why Don Broco?

Don Broco: All our previous incarnations were us messing around at school, then at Uni we called ourselves Club Sex (after a Kavos nightclub – don’t ask) which was again just a bit of a laugh, and it was only until we graduated that we started the band properly. We wanted a name that didn’t tie us down to any particular style of music, that could let us write whatever we wanted, and ‘Don Broco’ did that, so we went with it!


MN: The band's been around for a while now, what is it like finally releasing your first full-length album?

DB: Goooood! In the three years we’ve been around we’ve only ever toured songs from e.ps and last year’s mini-album, and as great as they’ve been received, there’s nothing better than the thought that we’ve now got a real album that’s gonna be in the shops! It’s the best stuff we’ve written and we're all massively proud of it, we just can’t wait for people to hear it now.


MN: You've toured a lot and hit up some quite prestigious festivals, any fond memories/highlights/good stories?

DB: Getting to play Reading and Leeds last summer was probably our favourite thing we’ve ever done as a band. The shows were insane and roaming the campsites after were very fun indeed. After our Leeds set we hit a real low point though. We were partying pretty hard and after getting back to our tents realised we’d lost the van keys somewhere on the campsite. No way of getting home the next day and all our gear was locked in the back of the van with a super-lock thing on so we would have had to have saw off the doors or something equally as mental.

We went to sleep very depressed and woke up the next day feeling even worse as the hangovers had kicked in. After searching the whole camp twice over we’d given up, thinking they’d obviously been swallowed up by the ocean of mud, then walked past the dodgems and the memories all came flooding back! We ran over to the paying booth and they had them behind the counter, the relief was honestly the biggest high we’d ever experienced. Now all I want to do is lose something so I can find it again.


MN: What a story! Now we want to find something and lose it too. With your full ensemble you're pretty punk, but acoustically you're much more 'boy band', was that a conscious decision?

DB: Acoustic wise we like to chill things out a bit and approach the tunes from as sexy an angle as possible. So yeah!


MN: …On the boy band note…lead singer Rob has such good hair, could he rival Harry Styles from One Direction? (Discuss!)

DB: Rob actually taught Harry everything he knows in regards to hair manipulation.


MN: Surely that’s top secret?! So how important is your image?

DB: As long as you are beautiful on the inside, you will shine on the outside.



MN: Aw! That’s sweet! So aside from Rob’s hair, what are your top ‘Priorities’?

DB: One: Breakfast! It is the most important meal of the day, so make sure you wake up in plenty of time to hit that up. It’s never worth missing, trust us. Two: Look good for the ladies. Just because you’re not currently on the hunt for a long-term relationship doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make the effort on a night out. Plant those seeds guys. And three? Stay hydrated.


MN: They are all very sensible, we like! Ours would be good music, of course, but but in truth, my ipod is full of cheese, which artists are your guilty pleasures?

DB: Usher. He is the man. We honestly listen to his tune ‘Climax’ on repeat; it’s a great song and very arousing. Also, we love a bit of Nicki Minaj too; her first album is pure cheese gold!


MN: And who influences your music?

DB: We all listen to a load of different artists and bands but we all massively love Biffy Clyro, Reuben, and Incubus – they’re our common ground.


MN: It's early days, but what are the hopes and aspirations for the band? / Where would you like Don Broco to be in five years time?

DB: We’d like to sell shed loads of albums and be universally liked and/or respected by the general music lover. We’d like to sell out big headline tours and play on the main stages of festivals. We’d like to be very successful!


MN: Lastly, sum up your new album ‘Priorities’ for us. What we should we look out for?

DB: We try not to do anything twice, so expect 11 varied and amazing songs. It’s pretty rocking and we’re sure you’ll love it ;)


Don Broco's 'Priorities' is out now!