COMING CLEAN

DEAF HAVANA HAD MORE UPS AND DOWNS DURING THE PANDEMIC THAN MOST BANDS HAVE IN AN ENTIRE CAREER. HERE'S HOW JAMES AND MATTHEW VECK-GILODI SET OFF ON A PATH TO SOMETHING BRIGHTER.

- MADDY HOWELL

In 2018, it seemed as though life in Deaf Havana's camp was just peachy. Throwing out the rulebook with their landmark fifth album, 'RITUALS', the then-five-piece subverted their writing process to stake their claim as sonic shapeshifters of their scene.

Marrying frontman James Veck-Gilodi's signature storytelling and powerhouse vocals with a fresh synth-pop influence, it was a record that pushed the boundaries of their band, and one that despite its risks seemed to pay off.

Popping open champagne bottles to celebrate their third top ten album in a row before taking to the stage for their biggest ever headline show at London's Brixton Academy shortly after its release, you'd be forgiven for thinking they were a band on top of the world.

Behind the scenes though, the cracks weren't just beginning to show, they were getting wider and wider by the second.

"We started the campaign feeling burnt out, so it was no wonder it ended in tears," James nods.

"Just before the pandemic hit, we had a meeting where we decided that we couldn't go on anymore because it was too detrimental to our mental and physical health, but because of COVID we didn't have to address that publicly or tell anyone."

Burnt out and no longer on speaking terms, as the pandemic rolled around the band watched the shows they'd booked to cover their debts collapse. As James closed off his social circle whilst he struggled with addiction and Matty [Veck-Gilodi, guitar] focused on recovering from a breakdown, the siblings scrambled to find their place amidst a world gripped by uncertainty.

"I was in a different dimension, and I wasn't even engaging in day-to-day tasks. When I finally started thinking about it, I had a series of nervous breakdowns. I thought, 'There's nothing else I can do' because I've never actually done anything else," James recalls.