The Road Less Traveled

21. Is there any folklore, mythology, or other classic stories that inspired you while writing The Horror and The Wild?

Joey: Is there- “From my friend Adri-” This is very good – “who is better at questions than I am-”

Madeleine: Ooo!

Joey: Well Rebecca! Eh- don’t- y’know uh, have faith. Y-you can ask questions too! We believe in you!! 

Jackie: Awh!

Joey: Uh- Ah- ah but also to you, and your friend, Adri “is there,” uh, “any folklore, mythology, or other classic stories that inspired you while writing The Horror and The Wild?” Yes. Ours. 

Madeleine: Yeaaaaah. Yeah. We’re believers in creating your own mythology

Joey: We create our own myths. And our own folklore. And…

Sunnie (Bees): Power Move™

Joey: -uh… [laughing] Yeah! 

Jackie: That’s pretty exciting! 

Joey: Yeah fuck you Adri! Sorry! 

Jackie: Just make things up

Joey: Eh- Em. We love you very much Adri, and also Rebecca, vicariously.

20. Rapid Fire Round!

Joey: “Were there any songs you had particular difficulty writing?” Yes.

“I was wondering, was it really that cold in recording/mixing/whatever studio you had to wear your coats?” Yes. 

Jackie: Ohmygod

Joey: Uhm- 

[laughing]

Joey: I’m gonna invest in a new coat maybe. “If you could have a song of yours in a famous film franchise (bond/mcu/dcu/etc) what would you pick?” Uh- That Unwanted Animal. [distressed sounds]

Madeleine: You would?

Joey: Ehh ehmmm “Do you have any suggestions for someone who wants to get into music?” Uh yeah just do it. Don’t- just- try and- try not to talk about it and get on with it. 

“Sorry if this has been asked before- Do you plan on releasing chords” No. Eh have you-

[laughing]

Joey: “Have you all ever had a song or idea just jump out of you?” Yes.

Madeleine: Yeah.

Joey: Ehhhh-buu- “Does Madeleine play Dn-” ah we’ve had that one

Madeleine: Ah yea we-

Joey: Ehm, “Have you tried pálinka?” Yes it’s awful. 

[laughing]

Joey: “So, you’re both Shakespearean actors. Do you think that’s impacted your lyrics?” 

Madeleine: Ehhmmm

Joey: Probably not. 

Madeleine: Ehhh Yeah.

Joey: Yeah loads for you, probably not for me.

19. What’s your favourite The Simpsons episode and why is it the Hank Scorpio one?

Joey: “Hello! What’s your favourite The Simpsons episode and why is it the Hank Scorpio one?” You are SO close! It’s so– you are so close! That Hank Scorpio one is my second favourite. “I’m actually on a fun run!!” Uhhhh- ehehehem- “I didn’t even give you my coat!” 

Uh- I can uh- I actually, think. I mean this might be a bit controversial. Ah- I think the Australia episode’s my favourite? I just love that episode. But then- I dunno. Hank Scorpio is- is- uh- my homeboy. I kinda want him to be my dad. Eh- but then- y’know. You don’t

18. Joey, do you ever get back to the North East? And if not, do you miss it?

Joey: “This is a question for Joey, from a fellow Geordie. Yareet marras!?”’

[laughing]

Joey: Ehh- to those eh- around the world, Geordie is the- the sort of area, eh- it’s like eh- it’s the dialect from where I’m from. In um. I-in eh- uhhh- eh in in Newcastle. “This is a question for Joey. Do you ever get back to the North East and if not, do you miss it? Love you guys.” Well. Madeleine was also, like, you spent a bit of time– 

Madeleine: I’m originally, in the very way back– 

Joey: Yeah. But then you went via Manchester and New Zealand. So like, yeah. Ehm, uh I don’t get back very often. Eh- eh- and…do I miss it? Ehm, I’ve got- I had a bit of a hard time in Newcastle if I’m completely honest. I had a- a- a pretty rotten time at school and stuff, so. Eh- it- it’s hard coming back sometimes because I still have those connotations. Eh- I can even hear myself getting all…

[Madeleine chuckling]

Joey: Even ch-!

Sunnie (Bees): Awe!

Jackie: Ahhh, oh gosh! 

Joey: Ehmm eh. But, but I- y-yeah. I-I- when I’m back I-I I uh – I try and sort of shake it off and see- see bits of the city that I’ve not seen before. So I do, I-I do- I do love it. It’s a fantastic, beautiful city. It’s just uh – it’s a bit of a shame that I- ehm- had a bit of a hard time of, uh – of it wh-when poor, poor little 13 year old Joey didn’t- didn’t have the best time, and so I’ve gotta kind of separate that from, from uh, from me now so

17. Has the fandom’s response been overwhelming?

Joey: “Has the fandom’s response been overwhelming? And are you feeling all the love?” 

Madeleine: Yeah?

Joey: Are you feeling all the luuv?? 

Madeleine: So much luv!! 

Joey: Are you feelin the luv??? 

Madeleine: Oh, so much love!!

Joey: Are you feelin the luv????? Ehh– YES. You’re all mental, and we love it! [laughing] You’re all completely barmy!! And we weren’t really, we’re like – so – y’know we weren’t expecting- uhm, y’know we don’t have like a, hundred million, thousand million, followers on Spotify or anything. We don’t really care for any of that. 

We just love that if there’s one, or two, or or a- a handful of people out there who, listened to the – to the stuff that we’ve worked really hard to create then and- and then, uhh, getting through the day, then- uh and- and just shaking off some of the– eh- shadows that-that kinda follow you about, and, when the evening draws in, then, then, then that’s all that really matters. And so it doesn’t feel really overwhelming, it just feels like we’re meeting our family

Madeleine: Yeah

Joey: And it- 

Madeleine: Wonderful, it’s really wonderful

Joey: And so- that’s why we wanted to come on here and be in- y’know- I-I don-Tumblr scares the shit out of me, I don’t know what’s going on in there- 

[laughing] 

Sunnie (Bees): I don’t blame you

Jackie: Th-that’s fair 

Sunnie (Bees): Fair enough

Joey: But we are, but we are feeling all the love. And we really, really, really appreciate it, and uhm. 

Sunnie (Bees): Ohh

Jackie: Aw, thats nice

Joey: And we love you all for it.

16. What is your favourite TAD lyric? 

Joey: “Question for each of you! Do you have a favourite-” oh- so this is from Abs! Ehh, “A question for each of you. Do you have a favourite TAD lyric?” TAD means the amazing- the amazing- [devil]

Madeleine: [gasps]

Joey: So, we’ve, we’ve actually, so we were tryna work out – so Madeleine was like, “I’m getting a tattoo!!” 

Madeleine: We both said that! 

Jackie: Awh, yay! 

[Joey laughing]

Joey: And we don’t know, and we were like should we- should it- would it-

Madeleine: But which one?

Joey: Would it be really wanky to get your own lyrics like, printed on your body?? [laughing] So we don’t know. I’m a big fan of uh, like – album one, ehm, “Sweet nothings are s-screamed not spoken” that was…

Sunnie (Bees): Oh! Yes! Yes!! Yes!!!

Jackie: Ugh, that’s so good!! 

Sunnie (Bees): Yes!! 

Joey: …quite important to me I really love, um….album two, ummm. Fuck. I dunno. Ehhmm- aheh. They’re all pretty terrible. So I don’t- 

Madeleine: Noooo, Joey! Ehm

Joey: Ehm, it’s a, it’s a toughy. Shit, d’you wanna have a little think?

Madeleine: It’s ah, it’s a toughy. Maybe I’ll come back to that, and try and, try and answer that by the end of– 

Joey: Yeah.

Madeleine: But t-that’s something I’m definitely–

15. If TAD was a dessert, what would it be?

Joey: Uh Madeleine. I have a question for you. From El-Ah-Nor,

Madeleine: Elahnor?

Joey: Elanor

Madeleine: Ah ye

Joey: Umm, “If your music, if our music, was a cake, a tarte, a pie, or dessert in general - what would it be?” Elanor. You win the award for the Stupidest Question– [Madeleine laughing] I have ever heard. [Joey laughing] And I love it. And I love it. And I love it, and we’re now stumped.

Jackie: That’s the best question. 

Joey: We don’t know

[laughing] 

Sunnie (Bees): Oh my gosh!! 

Joey: Th-That is, that is so good! And now I’m totally stumped. I think it would probably be, like a- a- I mean, the thing is – right. I guess – hopefully – when we- we’ve always tried to release music, where you don’t really know what you’re gettin’ in it? So it’s that- it’s like that weird Auntie, that’s like, “I baked you a pie!!!” and you’re like “What’s in it?” and they’re like “….Yeah”  [laughing] “Sure.” 

Sunnie (Bees): Like a pie

Joey: “Eat up!!!!” 

Madeleine: “I’m waiting”

Joey: And, so it’ll be like– 

Jackie: “Hope you like it!” 

Joey: Yeah, some of it’s beef, some of it’s brambles, I dunno, like. “What’s not to like??” Umm-

Sunnie (Bees): I promise you it’s Pie Adjacent

Joey: [giggling] I-it’s, pie a…..HAH HAHAH

Jackie: Maybe it’s- maybe it’s pie

Joey: Pie. Adjacent. That’s what we are. Th- we should put that as our genre on Spotify. 

[laughing]

Joey: *face in hands* Pie adjacent…. 

Jackie: RIP

Joey: Ehm, thank you, Elanor. Ehhh, we- we–  ah – uh – ah hopefully our uh, circumlocutory answer, answered your question.

14. Did you both know you wanted to be actors and musicians?

Joey: Hey, uh, so, this is from Grace, the Poet of Twifth, which is, uh, I’ve- I think, I, I think you met her, in your last D&D game. The poet of twifth. 

Madeleine: I’m pretty sure I did, yea

Joey: Ehhhh and

Madeleine: And lost

Joey: Uh, Uh yeah, inevitably, uh, er the poet of twifth will have tried and killed you. Uh, “Hey Dear Hearts” smiley face, lots of hearts- “It’s so great to have you here.” Thank you! Grace, the Poet of Twifth. “I would just li-like to know, did you both know growing up, that you wanted to be actors and musicians, because I have to tell you both, you were made for it.” Awe thanks Grace! 

Madeleine: Thank you

Joey: “Thank you for gifting us with your endless time-” I’m not going to read out the compliments because uh, I- I’ll get sheepish and feel stupid

Madeleine: Yeah that’s fine

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13. What kind of vocal warm-ups do you do?

Joey: Ah. What kind of- nawww- 

Madeleine: What’s that? 

Joey: That’s a terrible question! 

Madeleine: What? 

Joey: “What kind of vocal warm-ups do you do?”

[laughing]

Joey: Madeleine slaughters- Madeleine slaughters a lamb before every gig. 

[laughing] 

Jackie: Seriously????? Sunnie (Bees): Ohohoho no

Joey: She does! That’s how she- she has to, like, y’know, get-get her kicks in

Jackie: Ritual sacrifice. 

Joey: HAH- ah, I, we were just discussing this before we came on. Ehm. I don’t do vocal warm ups. And Madeleine you sort of do a- [imitates Madeleine sirening] -thing

Madeleine: I do- I do sirening. So, basically you say the word “sing,” and er, ehhh, and then just sort of siren up and down on an “n-g.” That will, that will basically warm, warm things up as much- Y-you know, if you’re in a hurry, that’s the fastest way, I would say. And, and then just you know. Pretend to be a cat, pretend to be a witch- pretend to be a-a anyway. Ehm. You know. I’m gonna stop now.

12. What are your favorite bands and musical inspirations?

Joey: Um, from Nicole, Madeleine –

Madeleine: “What are your favourite bands and musical” – ohhhhh no

Joey: “And musical inspirations,” this is –

Madeleine: Oh my goodness

Joey: You hate this question don’t you?

Madeleine: Well I – ahhhh – fuckin’…

Joey: HA HA

Madeleine: So Joey is ummm, often annoyed at me because I often don’t know many– um…And I, I often go “oh what’s that Joey, what – ah – what–!” Um, ‘cause I –

Joey: Well that’s ‘cause Mad- Madeleine lives in the 1920’s 

Madeleine: I sort of – I sort of live in a different century, um, I – I grew up with a lot of jazz, um and uhhh, and basically everything from, the sort of –

Joey: Can I tell them the – 

Madeleine: –‘50s to the ‘80s

Joey: the – the – the – the story that we, when we met. Well wha- not when we met but when we – when we

Madeleine: Sure. So Joey met me in 1953…

Joey: That is not, th-that is not the truth! 

Madeleine: And– 

Joey: Don’t te- don’t lie to them! Don’t lie to them, you’re spreading fake news! This is not what we need right now!

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11. Have you ever thought about writing a musical?

Joey: “Hey Joey and Madeleine, I love the way you tell stories through your songs, exclamation mark!” from Caroline. Thank you Caroline! Very, very lovely! “Have you ever thought about writing a musical, because I’d love to see one created by you.” Um, I actually have written a erm, a – I-I wrote a musical last year, um, ah, it was-

Madeleine: Amazing!

Joey: It was – it’s pretty fucking terrible. It’s so bad! 

Madeleine: It’s amazing, amazing

Joey: It’s – it’s so bad, it’s so bad, um, but there might be a little bit of it in the third album. I think that’s where, maybe, there might be little – little um, easter eggs, in there. Umm, annnnd uh, it was quite a good title! It was a good title of a musical, uh but the music was bad.

Madeleine: The music, no, the music was wonderful. Um, I-I loved it and I still loved it and I think I – I’m, yeah, but, I totally respect whatever Joey chooses to [do with it]

Joey: Essentially what would be nice one day is, we’re planning on, kind of, we – we – we’ll – we’ll, we’ll get to album five and then we’ll give a writer, ehh, um, ah like someone other than us, uh t– and we’ll go “yeah, m-make a musical out of this” and they’ll be fucked.

[Madeleine laughing]

Joey: And they’ll be like, “Wait, what do all the songs mean?” And we’ll be like, “Well, it’s up to youuu, it’s your interpretation!”

[laughter]

Joey: So uh, that’s the – that’s – that’s the sort of idea eventually is that – I mean like the third album, which uh, is um, I mean we’re all in – we’re both in the sort of, um, planning stages and stuff like this, but eh, we-we’re seeing it as the third of the trilogy, of this Love Run, Horror, and then this third album. Um, uh and then, uh and that’s the sort of idea. And so the third album wi-will – will be the thing that ties everything together, hopefully. So that’s the sort of musical. 

10. For you do the songs have a specific meaning, or are they designed to be interpreted differently depending on the listener?

Joey: “As someone that’s suffered from depression and anxiety, Farewell Wanderlust really resonates with me. For you do the songs have a specific meaning, or are they designed to be interpreted differently depending on the listener?” I think we both know the answer to that one. Umm, they – they’ve, sort of both, really. 

But they’ve been tr– we’ve tried to write stuff that – that means that you can – you can interpret ahh, the things that-that you need to help you get through the day, so er, um. And Farewell Wanderlust was a bit of a- a sleeper hit for us, we weren’t expecting people to have such a response to it if we’re honest, and-and we- we absolutely love that uh, th-that – that you, that people have kind of responded and- and interpreted it in their way, and – and – and whatever helps. 

And it’s the same with quite a lot of the songs. If someone says, “oh I, I just believe it to be about this” then you know, you’re right! That’s all that matters. You, you’re like, whatever you think is right.

9. Does Madeleine play D&D as well? And when Joey’s not DMing, what’s your preferred class to play?

Joey: “Fellow D&D person here, does Madeleine play D&D as well? And when Joey’s not DMing, what’s your preferred class to play?” Madeleine does play D&D

Madeleine: I do indeed

Joey: Very recently, has joined a campaign that I’m running 

Madeleine: Ohhh

Joey: And gets very stressed by it! [laughing]

Madeleine: I – I spend most of – most of our D&D games, um… bawling my eyes out, uh, if truth be told, um –

Joey: For good reasons!

Madeleine: For very good reasons, because Joey is, is – is – the, I mean, he’s just the best dungeon master you could ever, possibly hope for and…

Joey: Awwwhhhhh

Madeleine: The world building is insanely wonderful and – so Joey does his own homebrewed D&D and, and basically plays in hard mode, which means that everything is out to kill you, all the time. Um, but he also encourages us to make these characters that have amazing back stories, and umm, and that really, really care about what they’re doing, where they’re going, so um, so it means that, at – at every moment um, everything fee– I mean D&D has been a massive revelation to me because I never played it until about a year ago and um, I think it’s the – I think it’s the future guys

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8. Can you tell us about that joke from Pruning Shears about two men in a tent?

Joey: “So Pruning Shears. Can you tell us that joke about two men in a tent, please?” Ohhh. Ehm. It’s like a Sherlock and Watson joke! Oh, it’s a terrible joke, that’s the point! 

Madeleine: Oh please tell the joke!

Joey: I’m not gonna do that! 

Madeleine: Do it! Do it! Do it! 

Joey: Google it! [laughing] It’s ah- Haha! [laughing] Oh god, I was not expecting to be asked that! Ehm, see if i can remember it…

Basically it’s about two guys in a tent, and like, and- and- someone- and one of them’s like- ah like- Watson’s like “Sherlock, ah what can, what can you see, in this universe?” 

And he’s describing all the stars, and he says like, “the stars and the beautiful galaxies around us, and, and uh, and all th-the-the b-bu-burning balls of gas a million miles away.”

And he’s like “What else do you see?” And he says “I can deduce that the plants over there are- are- have been ah ne’er trod on, for eh- ten years eh, for they are growing in this certain way-”

“And what about over there?”

And it goes on and on and on, and then he says “And what about you, Watson? What eh, what do you see? What do you deduce?” and Watson says, ehm, “I deduce that someone’s nicked our tent, Sherlock.” 

[Madeleine laughing] 

Joey: And it’s the worst joke, in the world, and I once, I once told that, to somebody at a wedding, and ehm, and I prob- no word of a lie, they, they uh, downed their drink, 

Sunnie (Bees): Oh no

Joey: -and ran from me! 

[laughing] 

Joey: They literally ran away! So eh, so there you go. That’s why, that joke is, that- that’s why that joke’s stupid in that song I think. Ehmm

Jackie: They don’t appreciate fine jokes!

Joey: NooOOooo

Sunnie (Bees): No, that’s an amazing joke, it’s like an anti-joke

Joey: That’s the worst joke, I think I’ve ever heard

5. Can you share anything about your songwriting process?

Joey: So, from three birds wearing a trenchcoat, ah there’s lots of people wearing trench coats in various different animal kingdoms on this- on this server with the-

Sunnie (Bees): Oopsies

Madeleine: I really appreciate that

Joey: It’s very D&D

Madeleine: I’m a big fan of the trenchcoat

Joey: “I’d be thrilled if you were willing to share anything about your songwriting process. Is there something that usually comes first for you, like a line, or a melody, or a character, an image, a mood, a story? And how does the back and forth of you creating together work?”

Emm, we don’t real- uh we won’t go too- too much into this, ‘cause like, we gotta keep some of the-

Madeleine: Mmhmm

Sunnie (Bees): Some of the secrets

Joey: Some of the magic-

Jackie: Secrets

Joey: Some of the- exactly. Emm, uh, but but uh, a lot a- I think every song sort of works a little bit differently

Madeleine: Yeah, it varies

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4. Do you have a favorite song to perform?

Joey: Do you have a favorite song?

Madeleine: Do I have a favorite song to perform? Oh my goodness. Ahh, I- I always, I’ve always enjoyed the point in the set where we- where we do New York Torch Song

Joey: Yeah you love that one

Madeleine: Ummmm [laughs]

Joey: Basically live that gets little – [audio cuts] – than it does on the- on the album

Madeleine: Yeah, ummmm

Joey: We both really just proper go for that one

Madeleine: Yeah we really go for that one

Joey: Yeah, ahhhhh

Madeleine: You don’t often get to like…sing….“fuck you” with like-

Joey: At me

Madeleine: -all of your range, at Joey

Joey: HAHA

Sunnie (Bees): A SHAME

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3. Are you looking for logo submissions & how should they be organized/submitted?

Joey: “Hello, Joey and Madeleine! So glad to see you both SEEM to be doing all right!” SEEMS madam, we may be. We know not seems! “Are you really looking for potential logo submissions for fans-”

Madeleine: Oh yeah

Joey: “-and if so, how should they be organized/submitted so as not to overwhelm you? Also, do you have a favorite song or two to perform?” Emm, we’ve received like a shit ton of logos-

Madeleine: Yeah, and they’re amazing

Joey: An- And they’re SO good. Ehhm to the point where like, I’m now, well we’re-we’re-we’re trying to actually take all of your ideas and like factor them into one thing

Madeleine: Sort of combine them

Joey: Combine them into a thing that we hope you will like but- but that’s taking a little bit of time so- so we’re- but it is coming so keep ‘em coming and then hopefully there will be little easter eggs of the things that you have sent. We wanted to create something that showed the Dear Heart family

Madeleine: Yeah

Joey: And and and and all of your work rather than just one of yours so- so hopefully there will be something

Madeleine: I really love how many- how many similarities there are in a lot of the submissions coming through as well like, there definitely seems to be a kind of hive mind that has uprooted. And- and it seems that- y-you all seem to be dreaming similar dreams, very similar- similar dreams as far as the logo goes

Joey: [laughing] Yeah

Madeleine: And-and that’s really cool that you kinda, yeah