Dumb Buoys Fishing Club talks festivals, Brockhampton, and building character

Welcome aboard: Dumb Buoys Fishing Club is officially open for business, and the duo is ready to dive in. Project musicians – and best friends – Dan D’Lion and Havelock, may not have any personal connection to the sea but that doesn’t stop them. Exercising admirably with nautical wordplay, and dropping metaphors and puns non-stop, the outlines of the strange world they have masterfully constructed are one that could raise the eyebrow of even the staunchest sailor.

“We were literally throwing our dicks out to see what we were getting, once we got into the studio and pissed,” Dan laughs. “One of us said something along the lines of ‘dumb buoys,’ or ‘fishing club,’ which led us down this path. Then we wrote a whole project where we would play these two fishermen; every time we walked into the studio, we would dress up, make it fun, And we put on the costumes. We completely immersed ourselves in these characters.

“But then also, we’re incorporating real-life problems into the story of these two hunters that we’re playing at the extreme,” he continues. “There is a lot of truth in the story of these two fishermen.” “It was a subconscious embodiment of our personalities, but it was completely exaggerated,” Havelock explains. “It was really helpful to be able to completely disconnect and feel really free.”

Dan says that being close friends meant it was very easy to walk the blurry line between reality and buzz. “We’re best friends, so we talk about everything. The narrative between us and what’s going on in each other’s lives comes out naturally, and we both know exactly what needs to be said when we’re making music. It’s that brother from another mother!”

The Hunting Club – as well as being a way for Dunn and Havelock to write about their own lives – is a major way for the couple to push themselves creatively. “We’ve always looked to artists who completely immerse themselves in conceptual ideas, like Ziggy Stardust or Daft Punk, and use that whole setting to create a world,” Havelock explains. “But we always thought there was a little gap when it came to the naval order. Obviously you have the Yellow Submarine, but…”

“It’s uncharted territory!” Dan continues. “There are a lot of points in the writing process where we go, ‘Has anyone said this this way before?’ He keeps it very active. And then for us, with our live shows, we get up and do it like we’ve never done it before; we’re both playing with Bands for our solo projects, and now we’re here with the DJ, climbing on the speakers. The main thing is to go with our gut.”