DMA’S’ Johnny Took on musical influences, the new album and his favourite Manchester food spots

Featured image: Roman Jody

Guitarist and producer Johnny Took of Australian band DMA’S spoke to us ahead of the band’s acoustic record store performance with Crash Records and Piccadilly Records at The Yard Manchester. We discussed Johnny’s musical influences, the making of the band’s new album, their career highlights, and his favourite places to eat in Manchester.

What first got you into music, and what are your musical influences? 

My dad was a roadie. So he was a lighting guy in the ’70s and ’80s. He did some Australian bands, like Cold Chisel, INXS, Neil Young, and Tom Waits, and a whole bunch of other people. And when I was younger, we had a massive CD collection. He’d have, like, 500 CDs, and when I was a kid, I had specific memories of just picking random stuff. But I remember one time I was like, ‘What’s The Birthday Party?’ and all of a sudden discovering that, and then I’d pick another one, like I remember Bruce Springsteen’s ‘My Lucky Day’. Something like that, and it sticks with you.

I used to listen to a lot of music as a kid. And he used to play a bit and would teach me chords and guitar. Then, at the school I went to, it was compulsory to learn an instrument. I remember my mum was like, ‘You’ve got to play an instrument.’ I listened to music, but I didn’t play that much, so I was gonna pick between the clarinet and bass guitar. I don’t know why I thought the clarinet would be cool. Then I picked up a bass guitar, and my teacher was like, ‘You’re actually really good at this.’ You should actually go for it. And it’s kind of where it started. 

Is there anyone dead or alive you’d want to support at a gig? 

Oh, definitely Oasis, because we’ve played with Liam [Gallagher], but we’ve never supported Noel. Who knows? We got the new album out, so that might help. Yeah, that would be awesome. And the Jesus and Mary Chain, they were kind of one of my all-time favourites as well. 

What was your favourite thing about this album? Do you have any favourite songs or memories from recording?

My favourite memory from this album was Mason and I (Tommy had to get back home), but Mason and I spent a week in Nashville. Which was a dream come true for us, because when Mason and I met, we were both playing kind of like folky country music. Lots of stuff my dad played me when I was a kid was kind of like pop country music. So that was kind of always a bit of a childhood dream to go over and, you know, write songs in Nashville, and then we got to do that.

We wrote a song called ‘Windows’ on the new album over there, and we also wrote the verses for another new song called ‘Distance‘. Yeah, so that was a bit of a dream come true. It was good; we went and watched the Nashville SC, their soccer team. That was fun, and there was lots of barbecue. It was amazing. It was incredible. 

What’s the best advice someone’s given you? 

Best advice? I was actually thinking about that before. I think maybe before criticism, give humility. 

What’s your biggest ‘we’ve made it moment’ so far?

Liam [Gallagher] coming to our show was pretty cool. At Brixton, that was really cool. Oh, we supported Louis Tomlinson in Mexico. That was good fun; played for, like, 60,000 people in Mexico City. And he’s a lovely guy as well. Really, really, rate him. They’re a couple in my mind. 

Have you got any favourite places in Manchester? 

Kabana, the shop around the corner from the venue. So good, amazing. There’s one in the city as well, in the Northern Quarter. It’s tucked away near Tib Street, I think. There used to be a restaurant called TNQ, but I don’t think it’s there anymore. I really liked that restaurant – and Kung Fu Noodles in Chinatown. I’m a bit of a foodie, and I’ve had a lot of birthdays in other cities. I mean, I’m in the city, so I’m trying to find something dope. And I love Sichuan, like bang bang noodles. 

Do you have a message you’d like to share with fans? 

Just stay as authentic as possible. Don’t try to be something for the sake of it. Only try to be something, or imitate something, if it feels true and honest to you, or, you know, you really love it. And not just because other people are doing it. Because I think people can smell it, can sniff it out or something, if it’s inauthentic. 

You can catch DMA’S on their upcoming UK tour in February. Find tickets here.