Spaced Out: Daily J on ‘Venus Ate Mars’

Words by Hannah Powell. Images taken by Fran Scrimgeour.

Yo Vocal had a yarn with indie-surf band Daily J. Having just released their debut album ‘Venus Ate Mars’, we talked music, their tour, and the soundtrack to summer.

On the other end of the phone, Jayden, Johnny and Jesse pick up. Asking what they’re up to, they launch into their excitement about their upcoming tour. “We’re about to head off to Welly and Christchurch for a couple shows this weekend. It’s gonna be pretty fun; we can play the album for the first time.”

Having released their debut album ‘Venus Ate Mars’ on November 20th this year, Daily J is piping hot. With a tight body of work and a great reception to the release, the boys are stoked. “[It’s] been pretty nerve-wracking releasing our first album,” they say. Now with the nerves gone, they’re pretty chuffed to have it out.

Featuring eleven tracks new and old, ‘Venus Ate Mars’ nurses an ongoing theme related to the title. Think men, women, and love lost and found. “[There are] a lot of relatable songs like breakup ones, newfound love, soul searching…you know, that sort of carry-on,” they say. In a nutshell, the three describe it as an honest representation of where they’ve been at in their own musical journey thus far.

With last year’s banger ‘Left Me Like Summer’ on the list, the boys title it the track that kickstarted it all. Explaining the song as the start of the album, they say ‘Left Me Like Summer’ is what shaped their new sound. Much of the tracks after were influenced by its progression.

 I ask them how they would describe their sound as a five-man band. “You could say we’re an indie-surf band,” Jayden says. “A natural sound.” Not trying to be anything else than what they are, and having fun while doing it, the boys describe their music as a true reflection of what makes defines them. “Just a chill indie band from New Zealand,” they laugh.

Describing themselves as ‘just your classic blokes’, Daily J began in Auckland, New Zealand in 2017. Starting out as three brothers, “[we’d] been playing music and singing together since we were quite young,” they explain. Lead singer Jayden moved to Auckland first, around the time of recording their first EP ‘The Other Side’. What was then three became four, then five. Just after the release, they met Rick, their drummer. “Going from three brothers who knew each other pretty well, then to meeting someone else…he brought another mind to spark new sound.” Six months ago, they then met Cody, now their lead guitarist and the fifth member of Daily J. You could say it just keeps getting better.

I ask them what your average Daily J rehearsal looks like. Painting the picture for me, they say “we’ve got this little rehearsal space, quite a small room, but we all cram in there – it sounds alright actually, not too bad”. With Cody’s grandad in a blues band, and with a space over on the shore, they duck over to his too to play more often than not. Lately, they’ve been rehearsing the new songs for their upcoming tour. Grateful to everyone who has given their album a listen thus far, the boys mention they’re blown away by the stats. “Thank you, New Zealand,” they say. “It’s really cool to see.”

With supporting act Nicholas Franchise playing with them in Wellington and Auckland, as well as new artist The Knews in Christchurch, everybody’s in for an indie treat. A nod to the title ‘Venus Ate Mars’, the boys in the band tell me to “expect a lot of spacey, alien vibes on the tour”. There’s much to be excited about for the summer ahead, too. With a slot at Bay Dreams, Outfield, and a festival up at Lake Takapuna, keep your eyes peeled for more to be announced.

As well as festivals, “we’re planning on doing our own shows with another band.” Touring around the beach towns of New Zealand, they’ll be getting out there as much as they can. So, let ‘Venus Ate Mars’ be your soundtrack to summer. It pairs perfectly with beers in the sun.